I have the timing set with multiple keyways in the crank pulley. I want to install the cam advanced 4 degrees. Do I go two notches to the right or to the left facing the front of the engine. The instructions with the timing set do not say which way to go to advance or retard the cam. 

Two notches to the left should advance the camshaft approximately 4°.  Keep in mind that the outer row of teeth on the crank gear to which you want to count your twelve links to will also move to the left. 

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Thanks, that's what I thought but when in doubt I like to double check. I still keep the 12 pins between the marks on the sprockets.

This is from John Mummert's website, Slumlord...

http://www.ford-y-block.com/timinginstall.htm

Happy New Year!


NoShortcuts
a.k.a. Charlie Brown
near Syracuse, New York

Thank you so much for that reference. I missed the fact that the timing mark also moves when you do this. I am assuming that this is the reason that the intake valve is hitting the piston now when I try to turn it over manually without a head gasket? So I need to re mark the timing point 4 teeth to the left? This should fix my problem with the valve hitting the piston? I am running Mummert heads, Harlin & Sharp rockers, Isky cam with .528 lift, and flat top pistons that are slightly below the top of the deck at tdc.

The following is a link for the roller master timing set instructions.  It will be wise to degree the cam.  That way, you know it is correct and where you want it and if the valve still hits the piston, the piston may need machining.

http://www.ford-y-block.com/timinginstall.htm


Lawrenceville, GA

I plan to degree the cam. After I get the valve hitting the piston thing cleared up. Will work on that tomorrow. Will need to get heads and the rest of the front cover installed first. Also need to do some minor port matching on the heads to match up with the dual quad intake. Port matched it to the old iron factory heads back in 1968. The aluminum heads will be a lot easier.

You’ll want to degree in the camshaft before you install the timing cover or cylinder heads.  As a general rule, you always start off in the zero position on the crank gear as camshafts typically have some amount of advance built into them.  Here lately I’ve found several cams with too much advance so I have to use the retard positions in the crank gear in which to correct for that. 

If moving the crank gear several notches away from the zero position, it’s easy to get lost on the tooth count on the outer edge that must take place.  Here’s the picture of the fully labeled Rollmaster crank gear from John’s site.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Thanks again Ted. I think I will mark it with a center punch so I don't  get confused. I have read how to degree a cam before but never done it. I recall needing a threaded bolt  through the spark plug hole used as a piston stop to determine true TDC. I am thinking that if you do it with the front cover and heads off that would not be needed. Will make sure piston to valve clearance is ok and then degree the cam.

Consider scrolling through this article on Ted Eaton's web site, Slumlord.

http://www.eatonbalancing.com/blog/2012/06/30/head-gasket-volume-calculation/

Ted's article is about the cc volume displaced by different y-block cylinder head gasket manufacturers' designs.  In providing that information, Ted lists the linear distance measurement around the different y-block combustion chamber head gasket configuration perimeters, BUT ALSO lists the thickness dimension that the different manufacturers' head gaskets end up compressing to after the heads have been torqued in place.

The compressed head gasket thickness is a factor in your engine's assembled valve to piston top clearance.  As an example, the BEST Gasket regular cylinder bore head gasket compressed thickness is listed as being 0.046 inch.

I hope this helps you with determining the valve-to-piston clearance you have with the cam, rocker arm, and timing set installation combination that you're using.   


NoShortcuts
a.k.a. Charlie Brown
near Syracuse, New York