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Take educated guess?

Got it. Little tips like that are extremely helpful. Thanks! Some else I'm hearing/reading about: "Degreeing the cam". This appears to be very complicated. Any tips? Is this for street motors or just racing engines? I would think timing has to be exactly dead on in race engines...but not as much as in a street motor?

Not really complicated to degree a cam, just need some specific tools.
Although you don't want to scratch the cam bearings, it's not a big deal unless you really seriously gouge one. Most big blocks have the cam bearings "sized" after installing them by running an old cam with slotted bearing journals to shave the bearings to size.
 
So then I assume I'm going to need it to properly set up the timing?
 
Sure, but that's the whole point of degreeing in your cam.
 
Yeh....I'm just asking as if you probably have not figured out by now I'm a newbie compared to most other guys here; lots of dumb questions..but I still like wrenching on my mopar when I can. So to commence with the dumb questions...I been scanning the internet for this whole "degree your cam" importance. I'm getting kinda of a half and half ...roughly 50% saying ya...50% saying no don't bother for my application, its not worth the trouble. So I'm just trying to cut through it all. Still waiting for that damn Impact Wrench...could've walked to freakin Harbour Freight and got it already, lol.
 
Degreeing the cam lets you know that it was installed correctly. If you just align up the timing chain marks, and after assembling the engine it does not run right, then you question if the cam was installed right?
The worst case I have seen when the timing chain was installed dot-to-dot was 12 degrees off, which is almost as bad as being an entire link off (14.4 degrees with a 25 tooth gear.)
I have had good results using the 440 Source Billet 3-bolt 9-way adjustable timing set and the Comp roller camshafts. The last three I did, the timing was right on when installed dot-to-dot.
 
IMHO, for a 'regular guy' degree it if you want to. Me, I plan to degree my cam in when I build the 451 but mostly because I want to see what all the fuss is about (and I'm sure it will be more better lol). But if you don't want to, what could happen? Ain't like pigs are gonna fly out of the tail pipe.
 
Hmm.....this has all been VERY instructive.......including the flying pigs..lol.
 
IF pigs come outta my..ahem, tail pipes...I'll record and post it. Hahah
 
So I think Murphy Law stopped by here. I was replacing a gauge this morning...I reconnected the batt, opened the door..no buzzer, no interior lights (keys in ignition). Maybe batt is dead? nope 12.65amps just sitting there. Still no lights or buzzer, AND no headlights or horn for that matter. Nuthin. I took a test light to the starter relay, its hot. I rigged a remote switch across it, pull the trigger, starter spins. STILL no power IN the car. Turning the key in the ignition switch produces nothing. I thought maybe there was an issue with the firewall connector. Checked that with test light, clean as a whistle, no problem there apparently...juice is getting into car, at least from the engine side of the connector. Check fuses, all is well. So why is the interior dark, and no horns or head/brake lights than? The fusible link can't be the problem or there would be no current from the batt to the relay. Now what? Maybe a problem with the ignition switch in the steering column? Could that cause everything to go dark?
and
Harbor freight must have the SLOWEST shipping in the world. Apparently they do. I bought all my tools and stuff this past monday. It didn't ship until THURSDAY...evening. Note to self: DRIVE there next time. Shheeesh.
 
So I think Murphy Law stopped by here. I was replacing a gauge this morning...I reconnected the batt, opened the door..no buzzer, no interior lights (keys in ignition). Maybe batt is dead? nope 12.65amps just sitting there. Still no lights or buzzer, AND no headlights or horn for that matter. Nuthin. I took a test light to the starter relay, its hot. I rigged a remote switch across it, pull the trigger, starter spins. STILL no power IN the car. Turning the key in the ignition switch produces nothing. I thought maybe there was an issue with the firewall connector. Checked that with test light, clean as a whistle, no problem there apparently...juice is getting into car, at least from the engine side of the connector. Check fuses, all is well. So why is the interior dark, and no horns or head/brake lights than? The fusible link can't be the problem or there would be no current from the batt to the relay. Now what? Maybe a problem with the ignition switch in the steering column? Could that cause everything to go dark?
and
Harbor freight must have the SLOWEST shipping in the world. Apparently they do. I bought all my tools and stuff this past monday. It didn't ship until THURSDAY...evening. Note to self: DRIVE there next time. Shheeesh.


There should be a fuseable link from the relay/battery connection to the firewall connector that goes to the Ammeter in the dash.
 
There should be a fuseable link from the relay/battery connection to the firewall connector that goes to the Ammeter in the dash.
Ok just so I understand there are two fusible links?...the second one is between the relay on the firewall and the firewall connector?
 
Pwr IS in the bulkhead connector (the non switched circuit that is hot without the key). What I don't get is why its not getting to the interior/exterior lights..some where there's a short or disconnect? AND of course the key in the ignition does nothing.
 

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check your ammeter gauge wire...odds are..
if not that check your bulkhead connectors like it looks like you are in the pic.
shouldnt be any green anywheres.

also use a lonnng bolt into the end of camshaft on removal/install its way easier to Guide it in.
edit: this is assuming your radiator is out,
which it should be for this whole job anyways.

I rigged a remote switch across it, pull the trigger, starter spins. STILL no power IN the car.
did you get the bolt out of the crank yet?
 
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check your ammeter gauge wire...odds are..
if not that check your bulkhead connectors like it looks like you are in the pic.
shouldnt be any green anywheres.

also use a lonnng bolt into the end of camshaft on removal/install its way easier to Guide it in.
edit: this is assuming your radiator is out,
which it should be for this whole job anyways.


did you get the bolt out of the crank yet?
The ammeter is bypassed. Did the "MAD" conversion....using a voltmeter now. I kept hearing those horror stories about guys cars going up in flames because of all the current passing through the ammeter...so one saturday morning we got out there and retro;d it. It's driving my bananas. I have a spare ignition switch..but that wouldn't explain why no headlights (no key is needed to turn them on).

Ya radiator is out. No way the cam is coming out with it still in place, lol. AND I'm still waiting on my stuff. I'll NEVER order again from HF.
 
To me, degreeing a cam was to make sure the cam was manufactured correctly. To make sure all timing events happen when they are supposed to.
 
imma try to explain this in basic concept.
im sure some of the pros will chime in.

back in the 70s,they actually Detimed the cams,because of various epa goals they were aiming at.
the era of the supercar was ending,and smog controls and low compression were the new words.
yes,they were called supercars,not musclecars back then.

they retarded the timing,and stamped the marks.
however,this caused a problem with some of the Aftermarket cam manufacturers,
as they made Their cams using the factory cam specs.
so,you can buy a brand new cam stick it in,line up the dots and not get what you Really should be,because the cam is Marked/Still timed to those 70s specs.
This,is why degreeing a cam was so important back then.

is this still occurring today?
i have no idea and havent bought enough cams lately to know.
i have heard some horror stories about comp cams tho.
id buy a lunati...

ps,dont get me started on the 80s chevy soft cams,
or the 318 cams that had less lobe than a broomstick :p
 
Hehehe....I can't comment on what happened then. I wasn't around during the "supercar" hey days (most sadly)...but I have seen pics of lines of cars at gas stations...Yeow!! THAT had to suck. Well, the impact driver is here.. FINALLY, lol. Trying to trace down this electrical gremlin first. If she won't start, then nothing else really matters. So far I've traced the heavy red wire from the fuse box up into the steering column. Its hot all the way up. So maybe there is a worn ignition switch in there?..I mean that's all that is left. Just lobbing guess until I can get the steering wheel off.
 
Got it! They must REALLY put this thing at the factory.

bad news...still trying to figure out what the hell is going on with the interior/exterior lights. There's juice all the way up to the Ignition switch in the column. So trying to figure that out also....ARRRGh!
 

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I got to ask, did I read a few pages back were you had pulled the starter ?
did the battery wire get hooked back up ?
I know sometimes I overlook the chit like that ( :
 
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