I'm not sure what to make of this yet, but I decided to check the cam timing as it was originally set up by me - but using a different method since I had so much trouble with the initial attempt at degreeing the cams with the hydraulic lash adjusters. I had made a solid lifter and tried to set it for zero lash on the base circle of the cam.

This time I wanted to use the standard lash adjusters and let them do whatever they wanted to do - but take readings at several valve lift points to see if I could get a good average on the installed C/Ls of the cams. My initial goal on the cams was to install them straight up per Diamante spec to be at 115? C/L.

Instead of using the wobbly magnetic base as before, I cut a nylon sleeve lengthwise, inserted it in one of the indicator clamps and fashioned a much more stable mounting method on one of the head/intake studs:



Here's what I got for C/L on readings every .050" today:

Driver Side Cam

.050" = 116.5? C/L
.100" = 116.5?
.150" = 116.0?
.200" = 116.0?
.250" = 116.0?
.300" = 116.5?
.350" = 116.5?

So I'll call that cam 116.0? and pretty close to what my target was on the original installation.

- BUT - here's the surprise:

Passenger Side Cam

.050" = 110.0? C/L
.100" = 109.75?
.150" = 110.0?
.200" = 109.5?
.250" = 109.75?
.300" = 110.0?

I'll call that one 110.0? C/L and 6? off from the other side!!

What happened? I remember I originally determined the passenger side to be off by ~4 or 5? and advanced it about 5?, but that's opposite of what I'm now seeing as a difference - don't understand it unless 1 of 3 things have affected it:

1) The water pump may not be installed the same - I didn't bother to push it down all the way this time. [EDIT - nope, that would advance it more - EDIT]

2) I have an unused (never installed) lifter in the #1 cam follower and a used one in the #2 cam follower.

3) The magnetic base was not stable enough on the original setup and caused a 5? error on the passenger side reading.

Tomorrow, I think I'll swap lifters side-to-side and see if I get the same readings. If so, I need to advance the driver side about 8? (might not be possible) and the passenger side about 2? to get to the OE intake valve closing point..... I want to try them at 108? C/L this time.

Wow - what a surprise. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> Hopefully tomorrow will shed some light on it.

Frank