Checking the cam can be done, but it requires some specialized tools that may not be cheap.
Tools needed:
Degree wheel
Dial indicator with magnetic base
Dial indicator rods and swivel joints.
A degree wheel is mounted to the harmonic balancer and then TDC is located.
TDC location process courtesy of Michael Yount
Positive stop – obtain an old spark plug for the Ford engine – most of us have at least one laying around. Put it in your vice, and with a tool of destruction you deem appropriate – cut off the ground tip and bust up the ceramic around the center electrode. Keep pounding to get the ceramic and center electrode removed so you’ve got a good ¾” or so of hollow space inside what used to be the ‘business’ end of the spark plug. If you happen to break the ceramic on the other end of the spark plug, don’t worry about it. Once you’ve got a nice hollow space in the tip of the plug, take a 5/16” tap, and cut threads inside that end of the plug. I found that diameter to go right in without any drilling required. Once you’ve cut threads, screw in a 5/16" bolt about 1.5” to 2” long. Then take your hack saw and cut the head off the bolt. Wouldn’t hurt to take your file/grinder and dress up the freshly cut surface so no sharp edges or shrapnel enter the combustion chamber. Also clean up the threads on the plug so that it easily screws into and out of the plug hole.
Determining TDC – remove the passenger side valve cover. Rotate the engine (socket on crank bolt) until the #1 piston is down the cylinder on the intake stroke. Unscrew the spark plug in that cylinder, and replace it with the positive stop you just made. Only screw the positive stop in hand tight. Install your cam degree wheel and pointer (no easy task in some cases as harmonic balancer and other accessories will have to be removed). You may want to remove all spark plugs at this point because it will make it easier to smoothly turn the engine over in small increments. GENTLY rotate the engine clockwise until the piston comes to rest against the stop. Note the degree wheel reading. GENTLY rotate the engine in the opposite direction until the piston comes to rest against the stop. Note the degree wheel reading. TDC is exactly half way between these readings. Calculate where that position is on the degree wheel, remove the piston stop from the cylinder, and rotate the engine to TDC as you calculated it.
End of Michael Yount's helpful comments.
Crank the engine to TDC using the degree wheel to tell you where TDC is. Remove the passenger side valve cover and seat the dial indicator magnetic base on the machined valve cover gasket area of the cylinder head. Mount the dial indicator so that the indicator tip seats on the pushrod seat on the intake rocker. Zero the dial indicator by rotating the indicator bezel. Use a 15/16 socket to crank the engine while watching the dial indicator. When the valve lift starts to increase from 0, watch closely when it hits the .050 mark. Write the degree reading from the degree wheel. Continue rotating the engine noting peak lift and the number of degrees it takes to make peak lift. Continue rotating, watching the valve close, until you see the .050 point again. Write the degree reading from the degree wheel. Repeat the process with the exhaust valve and then you are done.
When you are finished, you will have a chart with this information
Intake opens .050 at xxx degrees
Intake max lift .zzz inches at xxx degrees
Intake closes .050 at xxx degrees
Exhaust opens .050 at xxx degrees
Exhaust max lift .zzz inches at xxx degrees
Exhaust closes .050 at xxx degrees
Post your results and someone can tell you the stock cam specs. If it turns out you have a stock cam, you have other problems to diagnose & fix.
