Cam Degreeing - another question

Awesome advice, thanks! I just bought a chain-style vise grip for holding the rotor. I tried it on a scrap rotor and it seemed to work well with no damage. I'm hoping to degree the cams tomorrow (but then again I hoped to do it yesterday, and then today, and so on...)

I had also hollowed out a spark plug Sunday night but the hole looked too big for a bolt small enough to help with the valve clearance. If I can do it by shortening the bolt that would work. Can it get close enough to stop the piston without contacting the valve? I'm ready to pull the cams because it doesn't look like there's any way anything will fit with those o/s valves.
What do you think?

I put small washers on each end of the bolt, against the sparkplug.

I don’t see how u can hit the valve unless your cam is out a tooth. Anyone else have this problem??? I have .424 lift cams and 1.5mm oversize valves and I’m ok , but I’m on a kz head,(slightly dif valve angle.)
I like to put my degree wheel on the pints side, and put the dial gauge on the stator side.
U will be looking at the dial more so than the degree wheel. so its better to have the dial gauge on the same side that you are turning the crank from.
u can pm me if u need to talk.
hope this helps.

Thanks Mark, I'll send a PM.

Slide a ¼” x 3” bolt with a washer and nut on it into the plug and adjust the nut till u have ½” of the bolt sticking out the bottom of the plug.
Try putting the plug in the hole without the bolt. Now slide the bolt into the plug and gently turn the motor over while FEELING for the valves to contact the bolt.if they don’t u are good. if they do ,try backing the bolt abit till it will clear the valves but u can feel the piston push it into your hand. then u can remove the plug and add another washer and nut to hold the bolt in the plug securely.put it in and retest .then take it out.
to find tdc ,i put the degree wheel on and set the motor to tdc. then turn the degree wheel to tdc.
Now advance the motor about 45* to get the piston out of the way. now insert the plug stop with the bolt sticking through the plug .now bring the piston back up gently to the stop. write down the # on the degree wheel. now reverse the crank and go all the way around backwards till u GENTLY hit the stop again and write down the #. Tdc will be ½ way between those #’s. adjust the degree wheel to read tdc ½ way between the #’s .now do it over till u confim that when u go forward and back that tdc does in fact read ½ way between the #’s.now u can remove the plug and degree your cams.pm sent

I was finally able to get the cams degreed. :woohoo: My final numbers are 106.75 intake vs 106 recommended. Exhaust is 107.75 vs 108 recommended. Is this close enough in this game??

BTW, I think I was able to finally figure out the positive stop and get an accurate reading without removing the cams. Thanks for the tips.

that should be good.do u know the distance between your valves at the seat? if it is less that .185" your valves may get too close and hit with big cams.what size are your valves? u said they were oversized? u realy should measure your valve to valve clearance before u run the motor.u should have .035" to be safe but could get away with a little less.

I can't remember what I measured now, but I think it was around .185. The shop that set up the head had the cams and assured me that the valve to valve is OK. The valves are sunken pretty deep to allow for clearance. I wanted .435 cams but he wouldn't do it with a stock base circle. I have web .425 for int and exh. The int valve is 37.5 and the exh is 31 if I remember correctly.

Valve to valve clearance issues would only show with engine running, correct? Not turning by hand?

they may clear now but can hit if u over rev.if they dont have enogh clearance.the smaller bace circle is to get the shims in spec.
it would be wise to check.everyone makes mistakes sometime.