Installing a cam "Straight up"

[mob]

Alright so I got a question. I am about to install a cam and am just thinking about what installing it straight up means. You really just stab the cam in, and the actual orientation of the cam doesn't matter its just the timing chain dots that need to line up when you put the timing chain on correct? Engine at tdc of course. I just don't get how that works. It seems like you could have the crankshaft at any position and it would still be "straight up" can someone please confirm that it doesn't matter what part of the cam is facing up when you install it and how the whole advancing the cam works?

 

[1991notchbackLX]

installing a cam "dot to dot" is exactly what you described, you line up the dots on the timing set gears and that is all there is to it... the crank is located in the correct position by the "key" that is in the snout of the crankshaft... make sure it's there... there is a provision in the crank sprocket that will only let the sprocket slide on one way, with the "key" through the slot in the sprocket (the "keyway")... take another look at it and you'll see exactly what I mean

edit: forgot to mention that a cam should ALWAYS be degreed to ensure optimum performance, you also need to check endplay... i have a DVD from Comp Cams that explains the whole process if you need it

 

[mob]

Thanks man, I figured thats how you do it.

 

[Grn92LX]

Straight up = EXACTLY how the cam card calls for it.

 

[mob]

Yea I realize that, I was just wondering what straight up really meant.

And what do I do about the camshaft dowel pins? When I took out my cam and thrust plate I dont remember seeing any pins but my new cam came with them. Are the dowel pins in the back of the motor? If there werent any when I pulled the cam does that mean they are still in the engine? And how do I line them up? Thanks.

 

[1991notchbackLX]

There should only be one dowel pin in the cam that locates the cam in the cam sprocket of the timing set, just like the crank snout keyway locates the crank on the crank sprocket of the timing set... and no it does not go into the back of the engine, it sticks out the hole of the cam thrust plate.

Your old cam dowel pin is most likely stuck in the old cam sprocket of your old timing set. Pick up a new one and seat it in there tight with a deadblow.

 

[mob]

OHHh that makes mroe sense, I didnt see how the straight up thing worked because I didnt know that there was something that set the orientation of the cam. Everything makes more sense now haha I feel kind of dumb. Glad I asked before I just went and threw it in there without checking these things. Thanks guys.

 

[mob]

Oh, also, do I use any loctite on the cam bolt, or thrust plate bolts? Or anything engine wise?

 

[Liv2roc]

loctite the cam bolt or it will work loose

 

[mob]

Ok, so just to be sure, just loctite the cam bolt and thats it? What color, blue?

 

[old_blue]

atleast blue I would say. could go red if you wanted. good luck

 

[mob]

K thanks, ill use red since that what I have.

 

[25thmustang]

Degreeing the cam FTW...

. Brothers stock cam runs right up to 6000 RPM (makes more power into the high 5xxx RPM) because of being degreed.

 

[matador91]

Degree the cam so that way you have no questions if it's going to work exactly the way it's ment to. DEGREE FTMFW!

 

[blykins]

Straight up = EXACTLY how the cam card calls for it.

That's a misconception....

Straight up means that the LSA = ICL.

If the cam card says that the LSA is 110 and the ICL is 106, then that is installed 4 degrees advanced....installing it straight up would be where the LSA is 110 and the ICL is 110.

Brent Lykins, B2 Motorsports
www.b2motorsportsllc.com

 

[DavidEwers]

There is another reason to degree the cam. By degreeing the cam you are verifying that the cam was ground correctly. If you are installing just a stock cam I would not really go through the trouble. If I remember right you have to use a advance or retard crankshaft key

 

[NIKwoaC]

There is another reason to degree the cam. By degreeing the cam you are verifying that the cam was ground correctly. If you are installing just a stock cam I would not really go through the trouble. If I remember right you have to use a advance or retard crankshaft key

Troof.

BTW, you need any sort of an adjustable timing set to intentionally advance or retard a cam. The more basic ones have the multiple-slot crank sprocket, while some of the more advanced ones have infinitely adjustable cam sprockets. I have always been curious how much control you have by just offsetting a tooth on the chain of a non-adjustable one, though.

 

[RacEoHolic330]

I initially installed my brand new FTI turbo cam from Ed straight up and then degreed it only to find that I needed to advance my crank sprocket 8 degrees. Every timing event was exactly 7 degrees off. Had I just thrown the cam in dot-to-dot, I would have left a lot of power on the table.

A lot of aftermarket companies make great parts, but there is still a margin of error in the machining tolerances of parts. The tolerance in the crank keyway combined with the tolerance in the crank sprocket combined with the tolerance of the camshaft dowel can lead to a heck of an error in the timing events compared to what the cam card says (exactly 7 degrees in my case).

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

Straight up = EXACTLY how the cam card calls for it.

These days straight up is generally the way to go, because most cam have advance or retard ground into them already.

 

[Bryan83taco]

I picked up trickflow's degree kit so I can degree and retard my tf stage 2. Retarding the cam should make some more power lower on the rpm band.