Aftermarket cam timing...

I have a remarkably stupid question to ask...working on a KZ1000 motor with a big bore kit and such, and with aftermarket cams.

The OEM exhaust cam would have a small horizontal line on the exhaust cam sprocket that you were supposed to get level with the top of the case - generally with the line itself being just a bit above it. The aftermarket cam just has a dot though...so my question is is that dot supposed to be where the line would be...like, a little above the case, or should that dot be center-on at the edge of the case?

Thanks for any help!

I'm not sure about that dot business, but I do know if you want to get the most out of those aftermarket cams you gotta degree them. Depending on how you degree the cams they can be tuned for either low end power or high. I'm not an expert on such matters but I know it does matter and has a noticeable effect.

If you are assembling the motor, and using stock cam sprockets. Use the stock cam timing marks to install your cams. The arrow, and the 28th pin mark to start out with. (1973 to 1980 motors) With any aftermarket cam, you really should degree them in for max HP.

Even after you degree them, you should use the stock cam timing marks to install your cams.

www.kzrider.com/jdownloads/General/Gener...%20FOR%20ZOMBIES.pdf

Thanks for the replies so far...I guess to back up, this motor had been running just fine - but we cracked the cases, so it had to come all the way apart. I didn't really pay attention to the cams at disassembly...assuming they'd be normal, I guess.

So I have to believe that they're degreed correctly...just trying to make sure I know what I'm doing with the markings.

I'd like to see a pic of the marks.
Steve

As long as you have not moved the cam sprocket position on the cams you just need to reassemble.
The dot is the timing mark.,

...and with aftermarket cams

If you can identify the cams then that would be a good start, from that you can find out the spec and recommended settings.

I would dial-in anyway, don't assume the PO got it right.

OK, first pic is the exhaust cam sprocket, showing the dot...then the other side - I thought maybe there was a cast-in arrow there on first glance, but actually I don't think that's what that is...although it's close.

Then a pic of the intake cam sprocket, showing it's dot.

Don't actually know what brand those cams are - maybe someone will recognize them. But the motor was running fantastically before we cracked the cases

Those look like slotted sprockets. I'd check the degreeing.
Steve

Why make things more complicated and add extra work for no reason.
If it ran great before the strip and you haven't had the sprockets off or moved them then there's no need to check anything.
Just stick it back together as per normal and it will run as before.
The dot on the exhaust cam sprocket is the timing mark ( Instead of the arrow) and should be somewhere close to level with the head surface. A little either way is normal depending on camchain wear, deck height etc but never enough to be a full tooth off.
To id the cams there should be either stamped numbers near the sprocket flanges or on the end of the cam or engraved numbers/letters on a machined flat in the sprocket area.
Any cast letters like CWC or K259 mean nothing and are just casting blank codes.

That's pretty much what I was thinking...there shouldn't be any reason why they need to be re-degreed.

So back to the dot on the exhaust sprocket...any idea what the correct position should be for that?