[lust4speed]

Originally Posted by TRADERMIKE 2012

Mikes Reply:...We performed the degree wheel like this , with the Heads removed we installed the dial indicator over the high portion of the Piston top. We determined the top dead center as the piston came up to its highest point. The number one Piston and the Hydraulic Lifters are on the Base circle so, the Valves are closed on the compression stroke. We have Initial TDC. Attached wire hanger and pointed it over the Degree wheel zero mark.

Turned the motor clockwise, the direction it turns in naturally, and 360 degrees later where at zero again, no slop in that direction. Now we turn CCW for 360 degrees and we end up on 1-1/2 degree advanced at the Crankshaft....

All you confirmed is you have a respectable 1-1/2° slop in your timing chain - nothing more.

Did you arrive at TDC by taking measurements at .050" before and after TDC adjusting your wheel to arrive at true TDC? After you establish true TDC then you need to find the ICL by the same .050" before and after ICL and record the measurements. Then you can finally figure out whether your cam is advanced and by how much.

[TRADERMIKE 2012]

Originally Posted by lust4speed

All you confirmed is you have a respectable 1-1/2° slop in your timing chain - nothing more.

Did you arrive at TDC by taking measurements at .050" before and after TDC adjusting your wheel to arrive at true TDC? After you establish true TDC then you need to find the ICL by the same .050" before and after ICL and record the measurements. Then you can finally figure out whether your cam is advanced and by how much.

It is a good thing that the degree wheel is still attached to the Crank. I will inform my roommate, who did the test wrong, how to do it correctly, hopefully, we can get it right from your method, thank you for your support.

[johnta1]

Here's a link to How To Degree Cam


You will need a dial indicator and the degree wheel at a minimum.
What you have done is basically finding the TDC.
Next would be finding the cam open/close specs and where they are at on the degree wheel.

[TRADERMIKE 2012]

Originally Posted by johnta1

Here's a link to How to Degree Cam


You will need a dial indicator and the degree wheel at a minimum.
What you have done is basically finding the TDC.
Next would be finding the cam open/close specs and where they are at on the degree wheel.

John, I bought the Degree wheel and I own the dial indicator. I sent my roommate out with the directions I found on line. He is smart and has done all the hands on this project. He came in and said that he got 1-1/2 degrees advanced. Ironically, this cam came through Butler performance with the intent that I install it straight up. We originally installed this "041" Cam with the dot up at 12 o'clock on both gears and the router pointed at the steering wheel and the piston at TDC on the Compression stroke and both valves closed. We have the Heads sent out being remanufactured at this time and the Intake is off, how hard can this be to find TDC? We are looking at it directly, the roommate installed the dial indicator over the #1 Piston and raised the Piston until it went no further and zero it out. Now we have Initial TDC, we lined up the Wire hanger to that setting. he went CW 360 degrees and came to the same place, then he went CCW 360 degrees and obtained a reading of 1-1/2. What does that # represent? One person stated that is the slop in the timing chain, I thought it might be the Advance built into the Cam by Melling at the factory. This is brand new Timing advance Gears and chain and Cam has maybe 2000 miles on it. One person said we need to find TDC at .050" each way. So, i will show my roommate his and your post tonight and see what we find out. Everything is still installed on the motor. Some were in the archives on my computer, I have TDC, ATDC, BTDC, etc... for all the events. If I can find that information then I can use it to compare my findings, as I learn how to use the degree wheel 101, like a Cam card that I never received with the Cam. The only thing I remember is that Intake is 112 c/l and the Exhaust is 115 c/l and the difference is 3 divided by 2 = 1-1/2 advance degrees that was built into the cam. So, I can install it straight -up. Once we find the actual TDC we can move on to the next step that you're talking about. After that is done, I want to advance the cam, this time safely, knowing where we are truly at.