Let me explain cam timing hopefully this helps. Lets say cam card says installed at 109. So you think if you put it dot to dot. Piston on top dead center you should be ok. But thats no guarantee that its actually in at 109. This is why you degree a can in, and its the most accurate way of making sure it’s actually in at 109.
I once got a cam from H-O racing, when I installed it, dot to dot. Piston on top dead center. I went crazy, thing had no power and it was a bigger cam then what was in there, so god it should make a little more power and not be slower. Finally degree it in.
Long story short, I degree it in with heads still on, when we checked it, it was supposed to be in at 108. It turn out to be in at 113-1/2. Come to fine out, a whole batch of those H-O Crane cams ended up on a 114 instead of the 108.
So what I’m telling you is checking the timing Marks and piston being at top dead center while a good idea there’s no guarantee that cam is actually in at 109.
It could very well be in at 112-113 which would be really retarded.
But who knows you could be also experiencing valve adjustment issues. If you get the valve adjustment issues straightened out and still have same issue then I would definitely get that cam degree in.
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