Re: alfa-digest V8 #309 - Cam timing

[AlfaNeely@domain.elided]

Joe,
       I apologize and I am sending this to Alfa Digest to do so publicly.  
The Alfa Bible on page 238 does indicate that your poem would be the correct 
settings for a 74 2000 engine.  There are further recommendations going as 
far as five notches of adjustment for the intake and five for the exhaust of 
an Alfetta.  The recommendations vary by model and I am not going to detail 
the complete table here.  If the reader does not have Pat Braden's Alfa 
Bible, they need to buy one.
       Joe Benson, as quoted in the Alfa Bible, must have adjusted his 
recommendations.  I set the cams on the 75 Alfetta I bought new based upon 
what Joe suggested in Alfa Owner about the time the car was new.  I have been 
using those same 1 notch intake, 5 exhaust, settings for more than 20 years.  
I intend to try moving the intake cam more than I have in the past.
Ciao,
Russ


In a message dated 12/19/2001 11:40:06 PM Central Standard Time, 
agiyo@domain.elided writes:


> 
> Hi Russ,
> I accept your advice, but honestly I think the Alfa Bible says what I said. 
>  Could be wrong, probably am.
>  
> Maybe that's where that other 50 horsepower is...
>  
> Joe
> 
> >> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: <A HREF="mailto:AlfaNeely@domain.elided";>AlfaNeely@domain.elided</A> 
>> To: <A HREF="mailto:agiyo@domain.elided";>agiyo@domain.elided</A> ; <A HREF="mailto:alfa-digest@domain.elided";>alfa-digest@domain.elided</A> 
>> Sent: Wednesday, December 19, 2001 8:48 PM
>> Subject: Re: alfa-digest V8 #309 - Cam timing
>> 
>> 
>> In a message dated 12/19/2001 10:02:25 PM Central Standard Time, <A HREF="mailto:owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided";>
>> owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided</A> writes: 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> >>> Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2001 15:38:04 -0800 
>>> From: Joe Martin Cantrell <<A HREF="mailto:agiyo@domain.elided";>agiyo@domain.elided</A>> 
>>> Subject: 1 Cam change 
>>> 
>>> When you wish for your engine to speed, 
>>> And produce all the power you need, 
>>> If it's one cam you're buying, 
>>> The exhaust ain't worth trying, 
>>> The intake's the one that you need. 
>>> 
>>> The exhaust should retard 'bout one hole, 
>>> Intake advanced 5 then you'll roll, 
>>> When the chain is retightened 
>>> Other racers be frightened, 
>>> At the new speed you've found, you'll be droll. 
>>> 
>> 
>> 
>>       Cute little poem.  First paragraph I agree with.  Second paragraph 
>> is in error.  Former AROC Tech Advisor Joe Bensons advice from years ago 
>> for livening up the Spica cam timing was one notch advance on the intake 
>> and five notches retarded on the exhaust.  Your poem moves the intake 
>> five, which is wrong. 
>>       By notch, this means you move the bolt that many holes.  Due to the 
>> different number of holes on the cam and on the sprocket, the movement of 
>> the cam timing itself is less than half a hole even on the exhaust.  Hope 
>> this is clearly stated. 
>>       Also when rolling the cams, you start with the cams point away from 
>> each other.  When done, they will be less away from each other.  That is, 
>> you have increased the overlap by rolling the cams together. 
>>       As an aside, I find it almost impossible to get the cam timing 
>> exactly lined up.  Therefore, I tend to error in the direction suggested 
>> by Mr. Benson.  If I cannot get the intake exact, I error toward a slight 
>> bit of advance.  And on the exhaust, I error toward a retarded.  In both 
>> cases, I am moving the cam marks slightly toward the spark plugs than 
>> exactly in the center of the mark. 
>> 
>> Ciao, 
>> Russ Neely 
>> Oklahoma City 

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