Camshaft degree adjustment

D

Double 97

Registered
Hello all,

Just finished reading the July 2006 issue of "Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords." There is an article about replacing the cams in a 96 Cobra. New cams make for very riveting reading on their own, but there is a mention of something that really got my interest.

The author mentioned that the cam sprockets on the DOHC Cobra 4.6 have a certain amount of "free play" in the sproket keyway and that the cams may not have been degreed properly from the factory. Further, this improper degreeing at the factory may be resulting in a loss of low-end power because of retarded intake cam timing.

Does anybody here know if our engines have the same thing going on? Maybe it would be worth degreeing the factory cams by making the most of this free play (if, of course, it exists on our engines).

As the MM&FF article shows, even installing relatively mild cams makes for some power gains, but I am thinking that this may be a way of finding some "free" horsepower.

I mean, after all, we are all taking these engines apart just for fun most weekends anyway. Right, guys? Hello, hello...
 
RE: Camshaft degree adjustment

I do not know if the Mark has any "free play", but the SCT XCal2 flasher tool will allow you to adjust the timing. I use the tool on my Mark. Read all about it on their web site:

http://www.sctflash.com/
 
RE: Camshaft degree adjustment

Thanks for the information, but I am wondering about the camshaft timing; the mechanical relationship between the position of the piston and the initiation of intake (or exhaust) valve motion.

The device you mentioned seems to be capable of altering ignition timing which, as you know, is when the spark plug fires in relation to the position of the piston. Unfortunately, this would not change the camshaft timing.
 
RE: Camshaft degree adjustment

As I remember, retarding the valve timing increases top end hp and advancing the valve timing increases low end hp. All depends on what you want out of your engine. Hot Rodders always degreed their cams when building an engine.

Since the concern over emissions, cams typically come from the factory with a little valve timing retard because the engines burn cleaner that way. Changing the cam sprocket to advance the timing would give some "free" hp (low end)on the push rod engines.
 
RE: Camshaft degree adjustment

Not worth the effort especially on a stock 50,000 mile plus engine. Remember these car magazine articles typically cover a complete build up and they try and tweak the last once of HP to demonstrate the point they are trying to make. The stock cam timing can be improved for sure, but the yeild is minimal.
 
RE: Camshaft degree adjustment

yeah, Double why don't you try out a mild cam upgrade see what happens. The low end on these cars is horrible!! We could use some help in that department.
 
RE: Camshaft degree adjustment

[div class="dcquote"][strong]Quote[/strong]
yeah, Double why don't you try out a mild cam upgrade see what happens. The low end on these cars is horrible!! We could use some help in that department.
[/div]

I know I've said it before, but if you install a high stall converter, you avoid the low end altogether...and for less money.
 
RE: Camshaft degree adjustment

Yes mark VIII's are the same way. The only thing holding the cams in their place is the washer face on the cam front from the torque of the cam bolt. I recently had an engine that slipped and retarded the passenger intake side cam 5 degrees. I pulled the engine and the cams out and retimed the cams and installed key stock to hold the cams in place from now on. Fidanza now makes and adjustable timing wheel set for the DOHC. they are $500 I beleive for the pair. Adjusting the stock cams will not help anything. Buy new cams if you want an increase.
 
RE: Camshaft degree adjustment

Mark cams almost same as mach 1 . Mach cams 186 intake 99 cobra 196 96-98 cobra 196-206 average 201. Mach 1 upgrading to 99 cams 30 h.p.+ or - . 96-98 most aggressive. Mark cams peak h.p. at 6k. thats the limit from my tests. Factory installed cams are way out there timing every application. Crower stage 2 are supposedly the same as fr500. 96-98 intake cams timed correctly might be a major power improvement.
 
RE: Camshaft degree adjustment

There is a book that i recently purchased that you would really like Glen. The author dyno's the same engine 200+ times with different items with everything else constant. really interesting
 
RE: Camshaft degree adjustment

Cool whats the name of the book and is there a dyno graph for every mod?
 
RE: Camshaft degree adjustment

I think I would like to read that one as well. But keeping on the subject think of it this way. There is lots of "free" hp in an engine. If you're only talking about not having to "add performance engine parts", the cam timing, a tuner, cold air induction, free flowing exhaust...etc would help. You could add an electric water pump and underdrive gears and pickup or should I say free up much more power than degreeing the cams and it would only take you an afternoon to do. But if you had the motor on the stand and were working on it anyway then yes absolutely do everything you can to ensure proper timing and any other tid bit to get all the spare ponies out of your car that you can. But is it worth it to pull the motor out of your daily to pick up a few extra hp...no. But this is one man's opinion.
 
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