Cammed with no power

[2.8RS]

That is exactly what happened to me. I have read 1.5 turns before so I went that far. I now went 1 turn.

[treeZ24]

instructions for comp lifters are .040" preload, which depending on the thread pitch can be any number of turns.

i would verify this with a dial guage or measure the thread pitch. i went 1.5 turns when i first saw that information and something didnt feel right about the motor so i went back and checked. sure enough it was about .120"

my .02$

[torq455]

back to the lash....
start engine, remove valve cover, use scrap metal to collect flying oil and direct it back into the head, loosen each rocker arm nut slowly till it ticks, then tighten it slowly till it stops. move on to the next rocker arm nut...repeat. once youre done, set the valve covers on (but dont bolt them on) and give it a lil rev while listening for anyticking from a rocker arm. if you hear any, give them a little more of a turn.

once you don't hear ticking, turn an additional 1/2 to 1 full turn. if you tighten the rocker nut until you don't hear ticking, you'll hear ticking later as parts wear. CompCams told me 1.5 turns. with the SAE threads on the rocker stud instead of metric, 1.5 sounded a little too much. i ended up with 1 turn on the rocker nut.

[2.8RS]

I have heard of that method. A good way I read to do it is to get some old junker valve covers and cut the center out to deflect alot of the oil. Remember I have an old ironhead so I have to remove the intakes to pull the valve covers which makes it a little bit of a pain.

[merlot566jka]

back to the lash....

the magical way to set it....

start engine, remove valve cover, use scrap metal to collect flying oil and direct it back into the head, loosen each rocker arm nut slowly till it ticks, then tighten it slowly till it stops. move on to the next rocker arm nut...repeat. once youre done, set the valve covers on (but dont bolt them on) and give it a lil rev while listening for anyticking from a rocker arm. if you hear any, give them a little more of a turn.

this is a sure fire way to nail valve lash. for V8s they actually sell oil deflectors that make this possible with out all the flying oil.

this method is a lil messy, a lil warm and works everytime.

[geoffinbc]

to me it does, how do you know if the cam timing is dead on if your not dot to dot. other than degreeing it in

Both marks up, both marks down or both marks facing each other makes no difference. In any case if you are a tooth off you will be able to spot it by eye quite easily in any scenario. Being 1 tooth out is quite a difference. If you ever want to check then all you need to do it get out your ruler and lay it over the gears. When the centers of the dots both land on the ruler edge and you are also liked up to the center of the cam and crank shafts then you have installed your cam correctly.

[gectek]

he means that it is prob on, just out of rotation...if you turn the crank one more time it should be spot on then...remember cam turns 1/2 crank speed

[34blazer]

Doesn't matter. Since the crank rotates twice as many times as the cam, you have more than one position the gears can be in relation to each other and still be on time.

to me it does, how do you know if the cam timing is dead on if your not dot to dot. other than degreeing it in

[ForcedFirebird]

the dot on the cam was pointing 12 oclock??!! the dot on the cam gear should be 6 oclock and the crank gear should be 12 oclock

Doesn't matter. Since the crank rotates twice as many times as the cam, you have more than one position the gears can be in relation to each other and still be on time.

[34blazer]

the dot on the cam was pointing 12 oclock??!! the dot on the cam gear should be 6 oclock and the crank gear should be 12 oclock

[2.8RS]

In that case then the cam is right, the dot was pointing up.. I had to let the car idle high just so that it would run at all. The timing is set correctly so I think that I am good.

[torq455]

you are supposed to keep the rpm up around 1500 or more for about 30 mins. that ensures plenty of oil is splashing on the cam keeping it cool and lubricated.

[geoffinbc]

I doubt the break in was a major problem. The majority of break in problems everyone reads about in magazines is due to large spring pressure combined with an oil that lacks anti wear additives. But if you did not use new lifters you may have trouble. Or if you were able to get all the used ones back on the same lobe then break in should not be an issue.

You most likely found the cause of your problem when you re adjusted your rockers. Cam timing may be an issue but if you are a full tooth off it will really run like crap. All you had to do to time the cam is install it with the dots in a straight like up or down or facing each other it really does not matter as long as it is straight. The other problem you may have run into is timing. Make sure your bypass the ESC when you set your timing. Otherwise it will be severely retarded.

[2.8RS]

I let the car idle for about 20 minutes.

The cam had lube put on it and was turned over many times when I was adjusting the rockers and trying to get the dizzy in the right spot. The lifters were also soaked for a few hours in oil before install.

How did you proceed with the break in after install which would be necessary on a used cam if you installed new lifters to match the taper of the lobes?