Quick Tech Video: How to Degree Your COMP Cams® Camshaft 

I would guess any cam you mass produce can go dot to dot without any trouble. The only time I have seen people have a cam timing issue is with custom grind cams.

It's because he's talking at a speed and in a way that assumes the listener is a seasoned mechanic and has rebuilt an engine before. So pretty poor for a novice or first time builder/cam installer.

Do not feel to bad , i am a professional and even we can second guess ourselves and need a refresher! I have built and repaired my share of engines and i have found videos like this to help out but the way i learn is to dig in and practice.

Exactly my point! Unless you dyno every cam timing adjustment you make, it's not for dialing in power.... It's only to check against the grind quality. Having those tools to check piston to valve clearance is important tho!

Some cam grinders grind a certain amount of advance into the cam to offset timing chain slack. Depending on the cam card and the grinder, the specs may or may not line up regarding the "zero" mark on the gears. IE, put it at zero and you find your cam advanced by 3-4 degrees according to the card. Depending on what you're trying to achieve, advancing or retarding the cam timing can make a giant performance change. A change large enough to be seen in cranking compression test. Advancing the cam timing closes the exhaust valve sooner and will increase bottom end performance (because the cylinder pressure is higher, sooner) and retarding the timing will usually extended the max HP into higher RPM ranges. Where the ILC ends up is necessary information. Putting it where you want it is crucial. Until you start building things that are pretty edgy, lining up the dots is usually good enough. When you start racing, and trying to make HP within a given set of engine rules for a specific purpose, you're definitely going to want to understand this is greater detail.

Once you get one cam that's off, you'll never not degree again. I got bit, now I do it. Hundreds of thousands of cams go out every year, something is going to get messed up sooner or later. Stamped and boxed wrong, could be anything

Is your crankshaft keyway exact?? Is your timing set exactly cut? It seems as though you know almost nothing about engine building. A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing.

"A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing." Poorly made engine components aren't inspiring, the cat's out of the bag?.

7 years later.. **crickets**

Whats the whole point for this

Because what do you prefer? Spend a little time verifying the specs? Or putting it altogether only to have to pull it apart again because your timing was off? Oh and that is if you realize your drive ability concern is due to incorrect cam phasing. Most cases, the individual will be chasing their tail for hours before they start to suspect cam timing. Fiddling with ignition and fuel systems until they are out of ideas. So yes, degree your damn cam. It is what separates the professional builds from the amateur ones.

I don't trust these Chinese-sourced Comp Cams either....

At first, it doesn't matter. After you find TDC, then you will re-orient the wheel where it is supposed to be. Hope this helps, thanks for watching!

COMP Cams Thanks for replying i have installed many cams and never degreed them i will try this next time

Never put zero at max lift; zero should be at the base circle. The guy doe not understand that max lift is actually the center line so would be just that but is not possible to measure with accuracy.

@@TheReverb1 Just to add a bit of clarity; TDC for each cylinder can be found twice during 4 engine cycles. When setting up for true # 1 TDC (for camshaft indexing or ignition timing), we are targetting TDC C/S. (c/s = compression stroke) TDC C/S places both intake and exhaust cam lobes at bottom of base circle.

Seek help

new valve seals

Feed a cotton rope into the spark plug hole and roll the piston up...to hold the valves.... Don't lose the rope inside !!!! A lot simpler than messing with air and TDC dwell. I learned this in the 50s... It was common.

I think it has to do with the way the tool is designed. you can get other cam degree kits that go right into lifter bore. that way you get true cam measurements and not have to do all that math

At first, it doesn't matter regarding the orientation of the degree wheel. After you find TDC, then you will re-orient the wheel where it is supposed to be. It also does not matter how deep the piston stop goes into the chamber, it just has to be deep enough to contact the piston before it gets to the top of the cylinder. Hope this helps!

I dunno, can we trust comp cams machining or maybe just a commercial for a nice degree wheel?

The S197 Mustang GT should be a 3-valve, 4.6L engine. Since those engines have VVT, it is not required to degree them in. Simply install everything at the factory timing marks. Hope this helps, sorry for the extreme delay, your message just popped up. Thanks for watching!

Bro no kidding...I’m lost

Mini Barrett and the guy that takes the time to degree his cam to spec gets 3mpg better than you do and beats you at the strip as well

You do if you want to do the job correctly.

u can rewind pause as u go

I agree the music is unnecessary