Camshaft degreeing is the process of adjusting the lobe center of the cam to a predetermine
crankshaft position.
Cam gears help you to adjust your cams so that it opens and closes at the correct time. It also
insures that maximum lift correspond to a desired crank position. The center line or the point on
the cam where maximum lift occurs is known as lobe center.
Setting the cams to zero on the cam gear means absolutely nothing and might even in some cases be
harmful.
Lobe centers on the HKS 264's are 110 for the inlet cam and 103 for the exhaust cam. Adjusting your
cams too these specs will most probably bring them very close to their maximum designed performance
. A lobe center of 110 on the inlet cam means that maximum valve opening will be at 110º ATDC and
103 on the exhaust will mean that maximum valve lift will be at 103º BTDC
This is how I degree my cams.
1. Use a pencil, paper and arithmetic for this procedure, to keep track of the results.
2. Fashion a rigid pointer from stiff wire or an old coat hanger and attach it to the engine block.
This pointer locates the degrees on the degree wheel.
3. With a degree wheel installed on the crankshaft, rotate the crank to get the no 1- piston at TDC
and check to ensure that the valves are fully closed then adjust the pointer to zero (0º TDC) on
the degree wheel. (free printable degree
wheel)
4. Turn the crankshaft opposite the running rotation approximately 15-20 degrees. Install a piston
stop on the top of the engine block fastened in place by two head bolts or in the case of overhead
cams install the piston stop into the spark plug holes. Note: A dial gauge can also be used.
5. Continue to turn the engine in the same direction until the piston comes back up and just
touches the piston stop. Make a note of the exact number on the degree wheel that the pointer is
on.
6. Rotate the engine in the other direction (running rotation) until the piston comes back up and
touches the piston stop. Again note the number where the pointer is.
7. Remove the piston stop and rotate the crankshaft to the midpoint of the two marks. At this point
the piston is at the true top dead center. Loosen the degree wheel and adjust it so it will read 0º
TDC at the pointer. Don't rotate the crankshaft to do this!
8. Now, it's time to locate the lobe centerline relative to TDC. Attach a dial indicator on the top
of the engine block. Set the tip to contact the top of the no 1-cylinder inlet valve shim/bucket.
Check to make sure that the indicator plunger is parallel to the valve stem. NOTE - any variance in
an angle will produce geometric errors in the lift readings.
9. Rotate the engine in the normal direction of rotation until a reading on the dial gauge of
0.040? lift is reached. (Valve will start to open) Mark the dial gauge and make a note of the
reading on the degree wheel.
10. Continue to turn the engine in the normal direction past maximum lift. The valve will now
return to its close position. Make a note of the degree wheel reading when the indicator reads
0.040" on the return side
11. Now add the larger of the two readings that you noted on the degree wheel to 180 subtract the
smaller number and then divide the answer by two. Your answer will indicate the lobe center of the
cam. Example: open reading was 4 and close reading was 43. Now add 43 to 180 = 223, subtract 4 =
219 divide by 2 = 109.5. Lobe center is 109.5 degrees.
12. Continue to move the cam on the adjustable cam gear and redo steps 10 to 12 until the required
lobe center is achieved.
