Timing for Dummies

[Dwb project]

I'm rebuilding a dodge 360 LA currently and I've come to the installation of the cam and ran into a bit of a snag. This is a motor that my dad and I were rebuilding 12 years ago. He passed away and its been sitting since. I tore the block apart and started over, but he purchased a Milodon "Cheater" gear drive for it. There are no line up marks on any of the gears, and no paperwork, so i'm flying blind. I have cylinder 1 up on TDC and also have the intake lifter at TDC as well for cylinder 1. I just need to know where to position the cam before I install the gear. The key ways on the crank and cam seem to be in the same position..... about 2 o'clock. Any guidance would be much appreciated.

 

[Hacker]

I'm rebuilding a dodge 360 LA currently and I've come to the installation of the cam and ran into a bit of a snag. This is a motor that my dad and I were rebuilding 12 years ago. He passed away and its been sitting since. I tore the block apart and started over, but he purchased a Milodon "Cheater" gear drive for it. There are no line up marks on any of the gears, and no paperwork, so i'm flying blind. I have cylinder 1 up on TDC and also have the intake lifter at TDC as well for cylinder 1. I just need to know where to position the cam before I install the gear. The key ways on the crank and cam seem to be in the same position..... about 2 o'clock. Any guidance would be much appreciated.

I would see if you can get specs on the cam and then get a degree wheel to set it up properly. I wouldn't want to put a cam in without knowing it was done 100% right...too much collateral damage if not

 

[Island Girl]

I'm rebuilding a dodge 360 LA currently and I've come to the installation of the cam and ran into a bit of a snag. This is a motor that my dad and I were rebuilding 12 years ago. He passed away and its been sitting since. I tore the block apart and started over, but he purchased a Milodon "Cheater" gear drive for it. There are no line up marks on any of the gears, and no paperwork, so i'm flying blind. I have cylinder 1 up on TDC and also have the intake lifter at TDC as well for cylinder 1. I just need to know where to position the cam before I install the gear. The key ways on the crank and cam seem to be in the same position..... about 2 o'clock. Any guidance would be much appreciated.

If you have a degree wheel and dial indicators, you can sleuth out what you have accurately enough to make it run acceptably and give you a base line to make changes from.

Set the #1 piston at TDC and the cam so that both int and exh lifters are on the base circle with the exh being the next to open, (ie: both valves closed position)

You can measure the duration of both int and exh lifters, as well as the lift.

You can also determine the lobe separation angle.

With that info, you can look online at all the various cam manufacturers to find one that that most closely matches the duration, separation, and lift you measured for your engine type.

Use that cam's specs to get a usable cam timing, (int open/close and exh open/close) approximation that your cam will match up with.

To be sure you have acceptable clearances, put on 1 head with pushrods for #1 only, (no head gasket) and clay the piston to valve clearance.