Cam Timing Fixture for Twin Cam

[Mike Summers]

I am looking for a retail source to buy a fixture used to time the cams on a Ford Twin Cam motor. This fixture would hold the dial indicator to the aluminum cylinder head. I have seen one in a print article that actually replaces one of the cam caps during assembly and has a slide in mount for the dial indicator.

Time to put on the big boy pants and learn how to do it myself.

Mike Summers
Sacramento. Ca

[Charles Warner]

Is not the cam timing done by assembly? Align the hash marks on each sprocket with the front edge of the head and you have the desired cam timing. If you want something other than stock then offset dowels are used.

At least that's what I remember from many moons ago. It sounds as if you are wanting to measure the lift on each lobe?

[rv greg]

This is what I use and clamp it to a old cam bearing tower. I use the longer wire end on the dial indicator and bend it at about 30 deg.

http://www.flexbar.com/shop/pc/FLEXB...-KIT-p5036.htm

[Steve Demeter]

Greg's method is for using a degree wheel and the indicator to find the lobe centers and set timing from there. It takes into account the cam to cam variation.

Charles method is the generally accepted method used by most regular folk who are not trying to get the last little itty bitty tiny bit out of an engine.

YMMV

[rv greg]

Dave Bean has a good hand out on twin cam timing. Let me know and I can email you one. Race cams are in the 102-106 degree plus or minus 1 degree. Street cams are in the 110 degree range plus or minus 2 degrees. Taking the time to degree the cams will get you more power on street or race engines.

Greg

[rv greg]

Dave Bean has a good hand out on twin cam timing. Let me know and I can email you one. Race cams are in the 102-106 degree plus or minus 1 degree. Street cams are in the 110 degree range plus or minus 2 degrees. Taking the time to degree the cams will get you more power on street or race engines.

Greg

[Mike Summers]

Thanks Greg, looks like i will be ordering a kit

Mike

[Bob L.]

FYI....

Back in the "day", I found big issues with Lotus Factory sprockets and timing marks. Had a couple Europa engines that just didn't run right when put together. Found miss marked/miss matched sprockets on those couple of times, after much head scratching. Later found note on this in a twin cam book...

Only way to do the job "right" is with dial gauge and degree wheel. Getting past the lobe to read the bucket is tough. I make a screw-in extentsion for my indicator from welding rod that seemed to get the job done. Also make a bolt on base (steel) for indicator (mag base).

Ray at R and D had offset dowels at the time. I assume you can now purchase adjustable sprockets for a price today.

Dave Bean is right guy on most of these issues, tons of knowledge.

Bob L.

Also, don't miss that anything off the deck or head will effect cam timing, require compensation.