Dialing in 4AGE cams.

[gattfxgt]

As I did this for the first time recently I thought I'd share my experience!

You will need a: Dial indicator with an extension & a magnetic base.
: Degree wheel(got mine from the net)
: Some kind of pointer (I used a bit of wire)
: Cam settings(cam card) so you know where to dial them in
: 2 metal plates(made them out of scrap steel)
: Adjustable cam pulleys

Firstly remove all four spark plugs and center plug cover as this will make it easier to turn the motor over and get inside between the cam covers, jack the car up and remove the drivers side plastic splash guard.
next bolt the plate down between the covers as a base for your dial indicator and set up your indicator with extension (I made mine up out of scrap aluminum angle) down the bore of No 1 piston. After turn the motor until you find top dead center it took me a few goes to get it rite. Once done bend a piece of wire and fasten it around a bolt so you can use it as a marker for your degree wheel I bolted it around the lower cam belt drive gear cover next put a couple of pieces of double sided tape on your harmonic balancer pulley and stick on your degree wheel remembering to set up the pointer on zero. This is important as all your settings are based around how accurate you set up your TDC (0) mark on your Degree wheel.
Once that is done you can remove your dial indicator,metal plate and both cam covers. I then removed the distributor and replaced it with a sheet of flat steel that I cut out of a bit of scrap, you need this as this is where you now mount the magnetic base of your dial indicator to dial in the cams.
Next turn the degree wheel until you see the exhaust cam lobes pressing down on the exhaust valve shims on No1 stop it on the desired degree mark on your degree wheel in my case it was between 108 & 115 I stopped it on 113 next set up your indicator on the valve shim, loosen your adjustable cam pulley and turn the cam until you have maximum lift on your exhaust valves then lock it up. Once done remove your indicator rotate the crank until your intake valves are pressed down on No 1 stop it on the desired degree mark on the degree wheel,set up the dial indicator turn the cam untill you get your maximum lift and lock it up. And thats it.
All's that left to do now is to basically remove everything and put back the dizzy, cam covers, plugs, leeds ect. Finally re check your ignition timing especially if you moved the exhaust cam as this also will alter the timing since it drive the dizzy.

Metal plate I used as a base for the Dial indicator


Lining up Top Dead Center(TDC) on No1 piston


Degree wheel set on 0(TDC)


Dial indicator on exhaust cam shim


Degree wheel turned to 113 deg mark.


This is the intake cam pully I moved it 5.5 deg forward to get the desired setting, funny enough the exhaust cam was perfect on 0 so no adjustment was required.


What I also found the more I advanced the intake cam the lumpier the idle became which in turn made the car easy to stall.
After setting up the cams as per the Toda spec sheet the ecu was at its limit holding it on a set idle.
I noticed a slight power drop retarding the inlet cam from the Toda setting by as little as 2.5 deg so I have now set it 1 deg back from what I dialed the inlet cam too and while its still pretty lumpy it holds the idle and drives sweet with no signs of wanting to stall off the line with too little revs.
Hope this helps and thanks to those who put up the Toda cam spec sheet and Degree wheel in which I used for the project.

[oldeskewltoy]

hmmmmmmmmm, just a few thoughts.......

although the dial indicator might be ok to find TDC... I've yet to find a better way then a piston stop... no guessing - the pistons stops

try to measure the bucket while in the same operational plane as the bucket - the prop that picks up the buckets movement should be opearting inline with the valve stem angle

[gattfxgt]

Thanks for the tip, I'm going to give it another go at 110 deg.