Just in case anyone else wants to try this, I'll outline the procedure, but you're on your own. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/barf.gif" alt="" />

You can find plenty of information on "How to degree a cam", so this will address only where a 3.0L diverges from standard procedure.

You need Chevy offset cam bushings - Summit sells them. Mr. Gasket sets can be bought in 0/2/4/6/8 and 0/1/3/5/7 degree packages - you might need the same bushing for each side, so it's best to get 2 sets of each - this is one set plus a few leftovers from before:


The cam sprockets must be drilled to accept the bushings - the drill size is noted in the instruction sheet that comes with the bushings. You also have to remove the dowel pin in the cams and drill the dowel pin hole to the correct pin size of the bushing, then either find - or machine a proper size dowel pin to fit - again, the size is listed in the instructions. It's also necessary to grind the pin so it sits just below the surface of the installed sprocket so the bolt can seat against the sprocket. The finished installation looks like this - note that in this installation, an offset bushing is installed to roll the cam forward to an advanced position relative to a zero offset:


I have tried to make a solid lifter for lash removal, but it's a waste of time and caused an error in the original cam setup when it collapsed slightly - so here's the best way I can find to do this with followers and hydraulic lash adjusters - use collapsed lifters, set the cam on the base circle and remove lash with a combination of feeler gauges of increasing total thickness until the limit is reached where there is no indicator movement. It's actually necessary to go .001" thicker than the dial indicator shows for "zero lash" and then readjust the indicator to zero - otherwise, the opening and closing points of the valve are way out of spec. You won't be able to use the opening and closing points given in the FSM, but can only read degrees on the wheel at various points before and after maximum lift. I used lift of .050/.100/.150/.200/.250, read the degree indications on both sides of the intake lobe and set the cams by the C/L method. Here's a picture of the feeler gauges, but I just stuck them in for the picture - they really should be inserted a little further - to completely cover the valve stem, but not so far that they override the rear side of the spring retainer:


Here's the final adjustment finished - both cams within a whisker of 108? C/L - 7? advanced from the OE Diamante spec, but now closing the intake valve at the same 59?ABDC point as the Montero, which will increase cylinder pressure and raise my DCR to ~7.5:1


Additional trivia:

1) This time I used Summit's checking springs - installed on #1 & #2 intake valves.... you could probably use a couple of the rocker rail springs - they look pretty close to the same thing.

2) I removed all rocker arms and springs (except #1 & #2 intake) from the rocker assembly so I wouldn't have to remove the remaining valves.

3) I installed the heads with an old set of head gaskets, so I could remove the heads after the cams were dialed in... for ease in reinstalling the valve springs that were removed to use the checking springs - and for a final cleaning and assembly with new gaskets and seals.

4) I found it helpful to swap sprockets side-to-side to adjust slight differences in cam readings - particularly since the bushings only give a 2? minimum difference at the crankshaft.

This is the toughest job I've tried on a 3.0L - and I still can't figure out how to get an accurate reading on cam duration - the hydraulic lash adjusters just ain't made to do even what I just did.

I "think" it's what I want now. I'm trying to move the beginning of the torque band down from 3100 rpms to hopefully ~2500 rpms plus realize a power gain. I may not get it down as low as I'd like since I'm fighting additional cam duration, additional valve overlap, a larger exhaust and shorter intake runners - all of which favor the upper rpm area. The dyno will be the judge. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

Frank