Need a hand lining up my cam

[69clone]

So I should have a degree wheel but I don't... So I'm asking you guys how to line up my cam. There is one mark on the sprocket on the cam while the sprocket on the crank has multiple marks... a circle, a square, a triangle, -4, +4...etc. Which mark on the crank sprocket do I go off? I am assuming the circle but want to ask before hand.

I threw the chain on for the picture it isn't lined up. my phone sucks at pictures but you can see the mark on the cam sprocket but not the cam, they are lightly engraved.

 

[mopar 3 B]

Without a wheel and dial indicator only the dot. You will not know what is built into the stick and advancing to far will waste your hard labor in a big way.

 

[J5 GTX]

You need to be careful about this setup. Usually, ,you align the dot on cam gear with whatever you want on crank gear (4 degrees retard or advance or zero) with number 1 cylinder TDC compression.
I have put together an engine and that didn't work. For the design of that timing chain, setup was done on the companion cylinder, number 6. (In a Mopar v-8).
I think it was a Cloyes chain.

 

[Coronet 500]

See #81.

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=328913&page=4

 

[69clone]

Thanks guys, I hadn't dealt with a 3 key slot nor had my dad so we were kinda confused. Think you guys helped straighten that up for me. I'll see how it looks tomorrow. So with the #1 TDC cam @ 6 o'clock, crank keyhole @ 2 with the circle @ 12.

 

[440roadrunner]

Not clear to me you have this yet. Do you have the destructions for the "3 key" setup? That is what you need.

Basically, one key is advance, one retard, one "straight up" AND YOU SHOULD DEGREE IT

Regardless there will be a symbol near each key and a second timing mark with that matching symbol. In other words, there might be a triangle, a square, or a circle by each of the three keyways. The destructions tell you which key is which "advance" or "retard." You pick the key you want, then use that symbol at 12'oclock. When properly postioned "let's say" you are using the triangle.

You will have the triangle at 12 o'clock, and the keyway WITH the triangle will be at about 1-2 oclock.

PLEASE line the cam sprocket up at 6PM and not 12. Yes this is no6 "ready to fire" but it is MUCH easier to line up with no mistake.

Then, when done, either put the dist. in for no6 or else rotate the crank 1 turn, and put the dist in for no 1

 

[cryplydog]

the middle keyway is the 0 degree mark on the crankshaft gear. Zillions of engines are aligned this way at the factory so you can also. I degree all mine but are all high perf. looking for an edge on tuning. good luck

 

[miller]

Going by your photo...hope that's not your new chain. Way too much slack.

Without setting up cam timing, without a degree wheel, your taking chances of getting what you get.

 

[lewtot184]

line the dot on the cam gear with the circle on the crank gear.

 

[J5 GTX]

If you are still not sure what to do, go to Youtube and look up degreeing a cam.

 

[Cranky]

the middle keyway is the 0 degree mark on the crankshaft gear. Zillions of engines are aligned this way at the factory so you can also. I degree all mine but are all high perf. looking for an edge on tuning. good luck

And this is why some cars from the factory seem to run so much better than another car that was assembled right behind the one that runs so good. Also, if the factory gets a cam setup that's not right and it messes something up, THEY get to fix it before the car goes out the door. And a factory no performance cam is much more forgiving being 4 degrees off than a high performance cam is.

69, there are too many variables to stick you in the eye when using the dot method. IF the cam grind was done right, IF the alignment hole in the front of the cam is placed right, IF the cam sprocket key way AND the dot is placed in the right position and IF the crank sprocket key way is right along with the markings, then it's ok to align your cam using the dot method. This is why you use a degree wheel. It takes ALL of the guess work out of the equation.

 

[69a100]

HEY- Have a free Degree wheel on me! http://www.tavia.com/free_degree_wheel.html