Help me dial in my cam....I'm starting to burn out

[Guest]

OK, set my #1 cylinder at TDC, marked my crank sprocket and cam sprocket to line up, even daubed some red paint (actually finger nail polish) to keep the chain and sprockets in the same spot, then installed the new cam in the same exact relation to the crank. Now I need to see if the new cam is close enough. Should I go ahead and put the new lifters in and install the head? Wouldn't this make it easier to dial in the new cam? This way I can watch the valve train work and set a dial indicator somewhere in there to check my cam settings. I do have an adjustable Kent sprocket on my cam, although I am slotted all the way to one side on it (guess I could jump the chain a tooth to get the slot to the other side if need be).

Starting to burn out a bit, too many other pressing things in my life right now. Really want to start enjoying my baby again soon to blow off steam.....

 

[Brosky]

Bill,

It's never good to do something like this when you are stressed or weary of it. Maybe take a day or two away from it and come back refreshed and it will go a lot smoother.

Two issues back, in the 6-Pack magazine (with the green TR6 on the cover), Kai gave a great tutorial on dialing in a cam. If you don't have that issue, he basically did it by using the dial indicator on the block to determine TDC and then used the degree wheels to get it tweaked in. I have done both ways on other cars many times and it can be easier to watch the valves go up and down with the head on, but you can do the same with a lifter and push rod in the intake bore of the block on #1 cylinder to insure that you are on the compression stroke and not the exhaust. Some feel more comfortable doing that and it's fine.

Others insist on the head being on, but either way is fine. I prefer to watch the dial indicator reach TDC and see what's going on before the head goes on.

 

[TR3driver]

I'd say it depends on whether you are just checking cam timing as a whole, or making sure it was ground to specification. If it's just overall cam timing (assuming the cam is correct), then sure, put the head on first.

 

[2wrench]

Bill: I am feeling your pain. If I think that there is
anything I learn that could be of any benefit, I'll
post it.

Seems as if nearly all previous marks are of little to
no value, to me. Still muddling my way through.

I could post the verbiage on how to degree my cam
(the instructions that should have come with the part,
but didn't), but each performance cam, the numbers
would be different, I believe, to set it in.

If you want what bpnorthwest sent me by way of instructions,
let me know and I can post them.

 

[hondo402000]

I read the directions in the hayes manual and I understand why you are in a tizzy, I have not messed with the cam in my TR6 but it sounds like you get 1 to TDC make sure valves 11 and 12 are on the "rock" as the book says, attach the cam sprocket and encircle the cam and crank sprocket with the chain and magically your done! is there no key way on the cam to align the sprocket to and a mark on the cam and a mark on the block???? boy that 4 cylinder engine I rebuilt in high school was easy, but the cam sprocket and cam gear actually meshed together no chain just 2 dots to get together

 

[2wrench]

Ahhhh, yes, Hondo. Misery loves company. Welcome to
our world and be thankful you have no more reason to
indulge. Your appreciation of the situation is comforting.

I pray to the TR Gods for guidance and enlightenment...
and a good shot of whiskey to calm the nerves.

Beyond that, I thought I'd try to perform some of these
operations and make some sense of the hyroglifics.

Stay tuned.....