Ready to install my cam and looking for feedback, suggestions and tips for degreeing it. Looking at kits to purchase I see some for "heads on" and "heads off"- seems like heads off would be easier?????? I also see a kit specifically for "Mopar and Oldsmobile" engines better than a "universal" kit???
Thanks!

1968 350 to 380
Lunati roller cam
Erson roller lifters

 

Kit?

All you need is a degree wheel (larger is easier to use and more accurate), a piece of stiff wire to use as an indicating needle, and a dial indicator with a magnetic base.

It is definitely easier to do with the heads off (@&#% PIA to get TDC just right through the spark plug hole), but either way will work.

Just confirm TDC, set your pointer at zero, set up your dial indicator on the appropriate surface, and measure your lift at the specified degrees.

- Eric

 

Agreed. I bought an inexpensive dial indicator kit from http://www.use-enco.com, a degree wheel, and then made a spark plug TDC tool out of an old spark plug and a long bolt. Total cost was probably under $60.

 

Depending on the kit, mounting the degree wheel to the crank can be a PITA because type C motors use evidently a 1/2" bolt or something.

Should have the flexplate installed to turn the crank with so that you don't disturb the degree wheel at all during the process.

 

Just to clarify things for people who haven't done this before, you don't stop the piston at what you think is TDC then zero the wheel. This would be inaccurate, since the piston dwells so close to TDC for so many degrees.

Rather, you use a piston stop to stop the piston well short of TDC while turning the crank one direction, note the degree wheel reading, then turn the crank in the other direction until it stops, note the degree wheel reading, then zero the wheel halfway between the two readings.

I'm pretty sure Eric knows this.

 

OR... Use the dial indicator and the drgree wheel (heads off) to find the points at which the piston is at its apex, then split the difference in the degree readings and label it Zero.

- Eric

 

If you were at the 'apex', wouldn't you only have one reading...........

 

In a geometrically absolute sense, Yes, but in practice, the piston "dwells" at the top of its travel for a few degrees, during which normal home measurement techniques will not be able to accurately detect a difference in height, so finding "the middle of the middle" is your best bet if you want your measurements to be accurate within one degree (you are very unlikely to do any better than that at home).

- Eric

 

Would anything less do..............