Stuey. My quoted statement above confuses even me at this point without the rest of the context. So let’s start over.
Most solid lifter cams measure their advertised duration values at 0.020” lobe lift. That means at 0.020” lash, the valve is also closed at the same point that the advertised duration is starting to be measured. That makes the DCR (dynamic compression ratio) calculation easy if using 0.020” valve lash. Any tightening of the lash will have the intake valve closing later (higher ABDC value) and this will decrease the DCR. Any loosening of the valve lash will increase the DCR due to the intake valve closing earlier.
When degreeing in a camshaft, it’s possible to record the various intake closing events at differing lobe heights to simulate the valve lash effect. These values can then be used to calculate the different DCR values. Here are the DCR values when degreeing in the following Isky camshaft on a Y engine and taking into account some various lash settings.
Isky 301 S66-Int S598-Exh | | |
Valve lash | Dynamic CR | Intake Valve closes |
0.030 | 7.12 | 52.0 | ° ABDC | |
0.028 | 7.06 | 53.5 | ° ABDC | |
0.026 | 6.99 | 55.0 | ° ABDC | |
0.024 | 6.93 | 56.5 | ° ABDC | |
0.022 | 6.86 | 58.0 | ° ABDC | |
0.020 | 6.76 | 60.0 | ° ABDC | |
0.018 | 6.62 | 63.0 | ° ABDC | |
0.016 | 6.49 | 65.5 | ° ABDC | |
0.014 | 6.31 | 69.0 | ° ABDC | |
0.012 | 5.98 | 75.0 | ° ABDC | |
With this chart you can see the effect that valve lash has on the DCR.
If you can post the specs on your engine, I’ll run them through the spreadsheet. Need bore, stroke, rod length, piston dome if you have any, how far the pistons are sitting in the hole at tdc, head cc’s, brand of head gasket or style, and if you know exactly where the camshaft is installed in regards to lobe centerline.
I’ll add that if the camshaft is not degreed in, then you are running blind in knowing exactly what’s happening in that area. A four degree change in cam timing can make a lot of difference in the tuning parameters.