How To Degree A Camshaft - A Matter Of Degrees - Tech

Continue rotating the engine clockwise until your dial indicator reads 0.050-inch of lift. This is the industry standard at which cam timing is measured, which you can see on our cam card as "0.050-inch tappet lift."

At 0.050-inch lift, read the degree wheel's intake valve opening measurement and compare it to your cam card. In our case, the degree wheel reads 6 degrees before TDC (BTDC). Our cam timing specs on our cam card state 5 degrees BTDC, so we're 1 degree advanced.

Continuing on to check the closing measurement, the engine is rotated clockwise until the dial indicator shows 0.050-inch of lift on the closing side of the intake lobe. Once again, we look at the degree wheel and find 38 degrees, with our cam card specs of 39 degrees after bottom dead center (ABDC). We're 1 degree off on our closing timing as well.

To check the exhaust valve opening and closing timing, the cam-checking tool is relocated to the exhaust lobe of the cam and the same steps are performed to find the base circle of the cam. Zero the dial indicator and then set the cam lobe to 0.050-inch of lift.

Just as we expected, our exhaust lobe, which the cam card specs at 53 degrees before bottom dead center (BBDC), measures out at 54 degrees on our degree wheel-1 degree off. While we already know the outcome, we checked our exhaust lobe closing measurement and it was off by 1 degree as well.

If your cam needs to be advanced or retarded, either to account for machining tolerances or to change your engine's powerband, you'll need a multi-keyway crank gear in your timing chain set. Unbolt the cam gear from the nose of the cam and remove the cam gear and chain from the engine. Then slide the crank gear off of the crank snout and reposition the crank gear as required. Rotate the crank to position the crank and cam gear index marks, and reinstall the chain and cam gear.

The Trick Flow chain set shown here on our stroker has only three positions: zero, four advanced, and four retarded; noted by the zero, and letters A and R. There are timing sets available with up to 8 degrees of advance or retard in 2-degree increments. These are commonly known as nine-way timing sets and offer more timing options.

With our cam timing only being 1 degree off, Mark said we were within specs and didn't feel we needed to change the cam timing. While we ultimately made no changes, it only took about 30 minutes to go through the steps and ensure our cam was correct. With the timing cover and front dress back in place, Mark uses some white touch-up paint to highlight our crank damper's timing marks at 10 and 20 degrees so we can dyno the engine and try various base timing settings.

All buttoned up and ready to rip, our Competition Products 331 stroker kit is topped off with a set of Trick Flow Fast as Cast 190cc aluminum heads, our aforementioned Trick Flow Stage 2 hydraulic roller cam, Trick Flow 1.6:1 roller rockers, and a Holley 650 vacuum secondary carb sitting on a Professional Products Typhoon intake. Once Mark pulled the throttle, we were rewarded with a peak power pull of 401.2 hp at 6,100 rpm and torque came in at 391.1 lb-ft at 4,700 rpm. That should make for a great little ride in any classic Ford.