Cam Timing (just making sure)
 

Hello,
I'm timing my 3.0 1980 SC engine i have been rebuilding. I have Wayne's book and have read many posts here on Pelican on the issues. I'm now timing the cams.
I need to adjust them to 1.55mm.

Dial indicator on #1 intake.

1. set crank to TDC Z mark @ case parting line.
2. set each cam 930 mark to the top position and reinsert the pins and cam nuts.
3. Turn crank 360 degrees
4. when at Z mark on case parting line adjust the left cam to 1.55mm by removing cam nut and pin and rotating cam until 1.55mm is on the dial.
5. Put pin back in and nut back on.
6. Rotate 720 degrees and it should read 1.55mm @ TDC or the Zmark on case parting line.

Stupid question? I have the dial indicator from pelican. The indicator will read backward? Also, I preloaded the dial indicator by pushing it up against the valve retainer on #1 so the indicators needle spun one revolution. Then its at zero. When I measure the 1.55mm does the Gage dial turn one or more revolutions? I am following the little red # on the Gage...so it moves very little is this correct?
Any help is greatly appreciated :)

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1277934770.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1277934794.jpg

Procedure is fine, but you only timed one cam. After the first one is set, you must rotate the engine 360 degrees so that the #4 piston is at TDC, and time the right-hand bank.

Nice Kaefer dial indicator. You have probably noticed that the bezel rotates. Once you set the preload, you can rotate the bezel so the preloaded indicator lines up to zero. Typically the preload is about 20mm, this takes up the slack in the rack inside the indicator.

The little dial tells you simply how many revolutions the big dial has gone around. My recollection is that that's a 10mm travel gauge. So you could preload the thing to say, 5mm of movement, then use that as your baseline-- take the final reading and subtract 5mm. Since the valve is opening, you want the final reading to be 1.55mm greater than where you start.

I have a half-dozen of those Kaefer clocks but I use a pair of digital Mitutoyos :)

Hello,
Thank for the reply! Cam timing is new to me and i dont want to screw it up :) I was a little confused on how much the gage would actually move...thought it was a 10mm but have never used one before. The gauge only moved to the left on the picture well 1.5mm it didnt go all the way around like some do :) I hope I get this all correct. Its been quite an experience to rebuild this engine and i cant wait to get it done and hit the road again :)

Thanks agin!
Alan

Hello,
I have called it and night. I plan on timing the #4 cam tomorrow... Still hope I got his thing down...and am reading the dial indicator right. :)

Alan

I don't know what the scale is on your meter. I use one that is in inches. You can check it though. Just put a feeler blade or other material of a known thickness under the pin of the guage and pull it out. The reading will change by the amount of the thickness of the blade. BY the way .039 inches is 1mm.

-Andy