Matt Paul

stanglx202 I'll give you some info here that you will need.First of all buy the springs made for the cam you are useing that infomation isavaiblethrough the cam maker.Second if money permits buy titiuinm retainers it will lighten up your valve train and rev easier and you can run a lesser spring pressure sothey will lasts longer.Third "degree your cam based on what the degree wheel states".Iam sure Joel will chime in and touch up and some of my info withmore details.Iam not a cam person soI will speak no more.And Joel thanks for the info in a couple post back.

Thanks Matt Paul

stanglx2002

my77stang

this thread started good but has failed as of late.

we're recommending people stick with stock cams and using 1.7 rockers now??

Matt Paul

I assume since your asking this question that you have no ideal how a internal combustion engine works?If you read all the post correctly you will se he is looking for low end tourque not high RPM horsepower.And BTW I have seen stock cams with 1.7 rockers out perform bigger OTS cams just because its stock dont mean that being degreed right and with theright spring pressures it cant make serious power.

Thanks Matt Paul

Curlytop

the steeda #18 and #19 pretty much are the same. they made the #19 for the 94/95gt because of the sensitive computer. the lsa on the #19 is 115* for a better vacuum. the lobe on that cam doesn't sound that aggressive but it works. the steeda #18 lsa is 112* i believe. it will have a more aggressivelobe to your car and work about the same as the #19. by you have a fox body and a little better computer the #18 would be the way to go. i have the #19 in my 95gt and love it. the other way is to go is to get a custom grind take the guess work out the picture. that cam will be design for your application.

5.0liter_rice_eater

I know the ford racing cams are a little out dated, but how would the B cam stack up against the steeda #18? The both have the same amount of lift (.480 w/ 1.6 and .510 i believe with 1.7)and lobe seperation (112*), but the B Cam has a duration of 224* 0.050 intake and exhaust in contrast to steeda's 220* on the intake and 226* on the exhaust. I understandwhat this means, but a little unclear on how this will effect the performance or which cam willperform "better." This is assuming both cams will be used on a similar set-up that was described at the begining of the thread.

my77stang

dude, i actually LOL'd at that

aode08

Degreeing the Camshaft

What is Meant by Degreeing the Camshaft, and Why is it Necessary?

The term "Degreeing In Your Camshaft" means you are making sure the camshaft's position in the engine coincides with that of the crankshaft, so that their rotation is synchronized. This is the only way you will know if the rise and fall of the pistons properly matches the opening and closing of the valves, so the engine will run properly. A few degrees of misalignment can affect the engine's operation dramatically.

If the circumstances were perfect, one would only need to line up the marks on the timing chain sprockets and the cam would be degreed. In reality, you are dealing with a group of components (the camshaft, crankshaft, timing chain, and sprockets), all with their own standards and tolerances. If these tolerances stack up against you, it could throw you out of alignment. Without degreeing the cam you can never be sure that the parts are in correct position. If you have the tools and expertise, we always recommend that the camshaft's position in the engine be degreed in.

Is There More Than One Way to Degree a Cam, and Which is Better?

Currently there are two popular methods for degreeing a cam: the centerline method, and the duration at .050" lift method. We believe it is far better to degree the camshaft with either method than not to degree the cam at all; but of the two methods, the duration at .050" lift is much more accurate.

The main problem with the centerline method is it has you finding the theoretical centerline of the intake and/or exhaust lobe and line up on it. It makes the basic assumption that the lobe you are checking is symmetrical, with its opening side being the exact same shape and size as the closing side of the lobe. The truth is that most modern lobes are asymmetrical, with the opening side of the lobe being much more aggressive and the closing side being more gentle.

Therefore, when you attempt to locate the middle (or centerline) of the asymmetrical lobe there is an automatic error factor. It could be as little as 2? off or as much as 6?, depending on the exact lobe shape and the procedure used during the degreeing operation. Neither does it verify that the camshaft has been properly ground with the correct duration lobes, which can drastically affect performance.
Since the duration at .050" lift method is not affected by the asymmetrical lobe design, we believe it is the more accurate way to degree.

What Tools Will I Need to Degree the Cam?

The basic tools required are:

1. A degree wheel, such as Crane Cams part number 99162-1. (You can also use a professional fully degreed damper or hub, or install degree tape to your stock damper. Be sure to get the tape that matches the diameter of the damper. Use whatever will give you accurate markings for 360?.)

2. A stable pointer that can be conveniently mounted to the engine.

3. A dial indicator with at least a half inch of travel in .001" increments. A rigid stand that mounts to the engine or with a magnetic base to hold the dial indicator will also be required.

4. A positive stop device to locate T.D.C. such as Crane Cams part no. 99410-1 or 99412-1 will be necessary. (You can make your own by using an old spark plug. Remove the porcelain insides, then drill and tap the interior of the spark plug housing and thread a long bolt through it.)

All of the above tools are in the Crane Cams Tune-A-Cam Kit, part number 99030-1.



Tune-A-Cam Kit
Critical cam and valve train checking chores can be made easier, more accurate and faster when you have the correct tools handy. Crane Cams' Tune-A-Cam Kit, Part No. 99030-1, contains all the items required to degree-in your camshaft, check valve-to-piston clearance, etc. These items are all enclosed in their own foam protected, hard plastic carrying case.

How Do You Find Top Dead Center (T.D.C.)?

Determining exactly where Top Dead Center is can be tricky. The problem in finding the true T.D.C. of the piston's travel is that the piston dwells at T.D.C. for several degrees of crankshaft rotation. You must use a device to stop the piston in the same position on either side of T.D.C. and take readings from the degree wheel.

You will then split the difference in these readings and move the pointer this amount, making it the true T.D.C. point. Begin the procedure by first mounting the degree wheel on the end of the crankshaft securely, and rotating the engine to approximately T.D.C. Mount the pointer and line it up at zero on the degree wheel. Now rotate the engine to move the piston down into the cylinder. Install your positive stop device into the spark plug hole and extend the bolt. Now hand turn the engine (do not use the starter motor or you will put a hole through the piston), rotating until the piston comes up and stops against the bolt. Look at the degree wheel and write down the number of degrees shown by the pointer.

Hand turn the engine in the opposite direction until the piston comes up and stops on the bolt again. Go back to the degree wheel and write down the degrees it now reads. Add these two readings together and divide the answer by two. Now either move your pointer by this many degrees, or carefully loosen the degree wheel (without disturbing the position of the crankshaft) and move the wheel this required amount. Retighten the bolts, and rotate the engine again making sure that the readings on each side of T.D.C. are equal degrees away from zero. If they are, the zero on the degree wheel will now be the true T.D.C. point. Remove the positive stop device from the spark plug hole, as this procedure is complete.

A Simple Explanation of Cam Degreeing


In simple terms, the degreeing process can be thought of as using a dial indicator and degree wheel as tools to map out one revolution around the cam lobe. You will start on the base circle of the lobe where there is no lift. See figure below.

Then by rotating the engine you will move up the opening side, go over the top of the lobe, then move down the closing side, finishing back on the base circle.

The dial indicator will move from zero, up to maximum lobe lift, then back to zero during this revolution. You will watch the dial indicator, and stop at two key points to take readings from the degree wheel. Both points will be when the dial indicator shows .050" of lifter rise. This .050" reading will occur on the opening side and again on the closing side of the lobe. These readings will then be compared to the specification card to see how close you are. If necessary, corrections can be made to put the camshaft in the exact position.

Important Tips to Remember When Degreeing a Camshaft

1. You must always use the same type and size lifter that your camshaft was designed for. For example, you cannot use a .842" diameter lifter on a camshaft designed for a .875" diameter lifter. You cannot use a standard (flat) lifter to degree a roller camshaft.

2. Clean off any excessive lubricant from the lobes and lifters that you are checking. Thick oil, especially assembly lube (paste) can cause false readings to occur. Wipe the parts clean before checking, and remember to re-lubricate them when you are finished.

3. If you make a mistake and rotate the engine past the point you wished to take a reading, do not back up the rotation. If you do, any slack in the timing chain or lash in the gears will affect the readings, causing an error. If you

LCBlackDep183

P heads do not flow worth a damn over .500 lift. The gt-40s are what you are thinking of. with those heads 1.6s or MAYBE 1.7s with a steeda #18 would work well, or anything with a mild lift and wide durration. Perhaps a B cam.

OnyxCobra

my #19 lopes pretty good, hopefully it wont go away with the tune. It shakes the car a lil now though