I have a LT1 going to a 383 stroker application, I was going from a cc306 to a cc468 and wanted to know if I can just install the cam or do I need to do something else. Some guy was saying that you would have to set the cam at 0 degrees with the crank by buying a camshaft degree kit for the LT1 but I told him I can just install the cam with the new stroker crank and use the same crank pin and position and the computer will adjust timing accordingly or if it won't start just adjust timing from the pc but I guess it won't be at 0 and I'd have to guess where it's at so what should I do before installing this bigger cam. CC306 .510/.540 and CC468 .584/.579 Thanks

 

A degree wheel kit is used to make sure that the cam is installed and machined correctly. In this case it's most probably that it should have an intake centreline angle of 109 degrees. If it was installed straight up and it turned out that the ICA is other than 109, then is could be corrected/adjusted by offset crank keys.

 

The CAM CARD reads like this!

PART# 07-468-8
ENGINE: LT1 292XFI HR-13

GRIND#: LT1 292XFI

INTAKE EXHAUST
VALVE ADJUSTMENT.. .000.... .000
GROSS VALVE LIFT.... .584.... .579
DURATION @......
.006...TAPPET LIFT 292...........300
VALVE TIMING.........OPEN.............CLOSE
@ .006.......INT:.....37......BTDC.........75
.................EXH:.....87......BBDC.........33
THESE SPECS ARE FOR CAM INSTALLED
@ 109.0 INTAKE CENTER LINE
............................INTAKE.....EXHAUST
DURATION @ .050.......242...........248
LOBE LIFT............... .3660........ .3630
LOBE SEPARATION.....113.0

So from what you are saying I can just install the cam and that's it right? No adjustments or crank keys?

 

Anyone else?

 

well i had the cc306 and i put the two cams in and the lobes sit exactly in the same spots when installed and it started right with the cc306 before so I know now that it should be correct.

 

Mike,

Literally hundreds of people on this board have installed cams based on the opti pin and have been successful. Degreeing the cam is a matter of your faith or skepticism in Comp Cams quality control practices. How many cams do you think they really screw up? 1 in a 100, 1 in a 1000? Now, what are the chances you get that screwed up cam?

If you’re **** enough you may want to attempt to correct a degree or two of cumulative tolerance misalignment from the timing set and cam pair. I personally wouldn't have the confidence in my measurement and alignment techniques to think I could correct such a small 'error'. Nor am I convinced that a cam is critical down to the single degree. A skilled engine building may have the experience to properly identify and correct such a small error.

So to sum it up, for amateurs, degreeing is an ‘extra step’ that serves to:
- prevent a misaligned timing chain (but this really shouldn’t be an issue)
- gives some people the peace of mind that everything is correct before proceeding to button the engine back up
- identifies a mis-ground cam for that 1 in whatever person who gets a bad one (it does happen, just not often)

For professionals, it’s a useful tool to verify alignment and possibly correct cumulative tolerances.

-Brent