School me on Cam degreeing

[joe smith]

Is it to......

A. Check if the timing gears and chain is off?
B. Or if the cam itself is made wrong?

When you degree a cam you are checking top dead center of #1 piston, but what if other lobes are not correct?? School me please

 

[beanhead]

Both are reasons to degree. A little off on the crank keyway, a little off on the sprocket...it all adds up. That's the "tolerance stacking" people talk about.
It's also done to know where your installed centerline is, if you like/need to move the cam timing around.
As far as other lobes being off? I'd say it's pretty unlikely if the #1 pair check out, but if it's a concern you could degree every cylinder...

 

[69L48Z27]

This was always something that I just couldn’t figure out how to do.

Your finding true TDC with a stop or dial indicator. Once you have that your just matching up the cam card. Some manufactures have different ways to check. Like @.050 lift. I also took two old lifters and tig welded the rod ends together to make a nice surface for the gauge to ride the lifter bore.

Ive done a few now and only found one that I felt needed some advance.

 

[Green72]

Did my first one a couple months ago. Once I got started it all made sense. I followed the instructions from Hughes Engines. Go to page 5

http://www.hughesengines.com/Upload/productInstructions/camshaft_instructions_Mar20.pdf

 

[66 Sat]

There are some great videos on YouTube on how to do it. If you have the tools and equipment it really doesn't look that difficult, but I think it is much easier with the engine on a stand.

 

[joe smith]

Both are reasons to degree. A little off on the crank keyway, a little off on the sprocket...it all adds up. That's the "tolerance stacking" people talk about.
It's also done to know where your installed centerline is, if you like/need to move the cam timing around.
As far as other lobes being off? I'd say it's pretty unlikely if the #1 pair check out, but if it's a concern you could degree every cylinder...

I was going to ask how would one do every cylinder but a degree wheel would make that possible I assume....

 

[dvw]

Want to check all the lobes? Quick and dirty. Set the cam up with no advance. At TDC#1 the intake and exhaust lobes will be perfectly level with each other. The #6 lobes will also be level, but at a different height than the #1 pair. Rotate 90 degrees. Check #8 & #5. Rotate 90 degrees Check #4 & #7. Another 90 degrees. Check #3 & #2.
Doug