cam timing off 4 degrees curious what others are seeing.
 

Building a 461 eagle forged crank, JP performance 9 keyway billet timing set and Howards hydraulic roller. 4 degrees retarded when on 0 marks. Ive used this set up before but never a howards cam they usually are within 1 degree. Just wondering what others are seeing. I advanced it 4 degrees and it came right in to spec. I know this is why we degree in the cam this is just the most out of spec I have seen one and ive done 8-10 engines in the last 2 years.

If you trust your tools, set-up and measurements, I think you just have 4 degrees of stacked-up tolerances. It's certainly possible. If each component was off 1 degree you would be off 4 degrees when assembled. Crank, cam, cam sprocket, crank sprocket. I had a pile of parts brought in years ago with a "Wolverine" timing set. Put it all together and checked it. Off 17 degrees!! Couldn't believe it. Re-checked several times came back the same. Replaced the timing set with some old Cloyes stuff I had laying around and it was within 2-3 degrees. So that was most of it. It happens.

I've had custom grinds from both Bullet and Comp that have been "off" a few degrees. So, I degree EVERY cam I install.

Last engine I built a few weeks ago was off 6 degrees

8 degrees for one of my Comp rollers.

Damn!!! I just slid in a comp roller from butler on Saturday. I have a degree wheel and was going to do degree a cam for the first time. The wife wanted me for something and I got sidetracked, then I spoke to my buddy later that night and he said screw degreeing it they are right. Now I am definitely going to do it. I advanced it 4 degrees like comp wants for a 108* centerline. Jeez...any quick tips?

I degreed it today. It was dead on!!