New Cam - do I need to degree it?

[Charger21]

Looking at installing a mopar 272 455 cam in a 74 400 engine. Do I need to degree the cam or can I do dot to dot?

Thanks!

 

[toolmanmike]

You should degree every cam and/or timing chain and gear set. I have found more if them off than correct.

 

[Jeremiah]

You are at the cross roads of either spending your days explaining why your 400 is such a pig or why your 400 runs so much better than your buddy's 440. Degree the cam!!!

 

[Kern Dog]

Here is a common belief:
Many of todays camshafts are machined with closer tolerances than ever. The error, if any, isn't that much. 3 degrees of error will not make that much difference on a 400HP engine. Installing the timing chain on the cam gear ONE tooth off is over 8 degrees. I am not going to say that degreeing it is a waste of time, just don't be surprised to find that there may be no errors greater than 2 degrees. I see people advocate the degree process ALL the time, but rarely have I ever seen anyone explain WHAT to do to correct it if the numbers are way far off ??? Some timing sets have multi keyways but some are in 4 degree increments. What does the guy do if he is 2 degrees off but has some compulsion to get it exactly where he wants?
One sure exception: MOPAR Performance cams! Their quality control has been inconsistent.

 

[Kern Dog]

I degreed my Lunati solid cam. It was right on the number. I degreed the Mopar Performance 528 solid. It was 1 degree off.

 

[66Satellite47]

I degree all my perf motor cam installs, then you know what you have & can DECIDE if any correction is needed. The first cam I had in my 426 street wedge was off about 2* & gave me the starting point for future adjustments. We drilled the cam sprocket & used offset bushings to adjust. It also will tell you if you are off a tooth. I did have one timing chain set that was easy to get 1 tooth off because how the "dots" were stamped. I couldn't see much perf difference with a 2* change, could at 4*.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

My old 292/509 purple cam was retarded 4-degrees out of the box and I drilled the cam sprocket and used an offset bushing

 

[Yatzee]

Looking at installing a mopar 272 455 cam in a 74 400 engine. Do I need to degree the cam or can I do dot to dot?

Thanks!

Unless your into a high performance modified engine or suspicious of the manufacturer's quality ( usually associated with bargain cams ) Kern Dog's right. When you should be concerned is when you purchase high lift cams that can shove the valves into the piston's top. I also agree with Kern Dog on his choice of cams. Just for the hell of it, I degreed my Lunati and it was bang on but that was with a quality timing chain.

 

[IQ52]

You don't need to degree your cam and you don't need to change the oil in your engine. I've got a truck here that I just ad oil when it gets low. Ran like that for 11 years until it burnt a valve. Pretty sure the valve had nothing to do with the oil.

 

[69a100]

Look. All this talk about degreeing cams seems like it's all nonsense, look at what 66 sat. said! "I couldn't see much perf difference with a 2* change, could at 4*." Now really, on a weekend cruzier, does it really matter, seriously?
Look at how many motors that have been put together thru out the decades by all 3 car makers that just threw them together and lined them up dot to dot. Has there ever, ever been a problem with them?
If your racing, yes do it. Otherwise, I don't see a reason for it. I've been studying on how to degree a cam for years and still don't understand how to do it, let alone trying to figure out what's right or wrong with it. Do what you want and good luck.

 

[moper]

If you don't care, don't degree. If you do care, you really should. Installing whatever parts you want however you want is not going to affect any of us. I stopped using MP cams a decade or more ago because I found one 8° off. I've fixed 3 other cars with MP cams that were off between 4 and 6 degrees. There are reasons why some cars run harder and some don't. Steps like degreeing help separate the marginal from the great.

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

Can't believe we are debating this.Do you drop a crank in or throw a set of rods in without checking clearance??
It's a simple task that is worth the 45 min to an hour to double check the cam events.Doesn't matter what HP level the engine is or if it's 4 or 8 cylinder,,,,,,,,,

 

[WileE]

I've always looked at this question very simply: "Should" you ? Yes. Do you "have" to ? No.

 

[mopar 3 B]

Be prepaired to buy some more tools. Degreeing wheel, dial indicator and a piston stop are minimum requirements and are useless with out adjustable gear or spacers if any adjustment is needed
Your choice to decide if the expense will be worth any results.

 

[Xp29h]

Degree!

 

[Jeremiah]

I suppose you would just put it in, crank it over and check the compression in one cylinder. If it's low advance the cam until you are are happy lol

 

[moper]

Can't believe we are debating this.Do you drop a crank in or throw a set of rods in without checking clearance??
It's a simple task that is worth the 45 min to an hour to double check the cam events.Doesn't matter what HP level the engine is or if it's 4 or 8 cylinder,,,,,,,,,

Wait... I thought you threw in the crank and drop in the rods? Or is that for race engines only? I'm so confused.

 

[wsutard]

Isn't degree for women?

 

[mopar 3 B]

Heck this is almost a stock cam designed for people how have no idea it needs to be done.
Yes this would be a good one for him to learn on but necessary probly not.
But can he justify the expense if this is a one time thing?

 

[69 GTX]

Simply put, do you want the max out of your combo or are you happy with what ever you get.