i would love to know why you keep telling people this is required or suggested. as long as it goes back in dot to dot it DOES NOT matter how it was before you took it apart.

 

It's not really necessary for people who have turned a lot of wrenches, but a lot of inexperienced guys seem to have trouble getting the DOT to DOT releationship correct for some reason when they put the new cam in place. It just helps to reduce the possibility of an error especially for somone doing it for the first time.

 

Seeing as how the new cam won't be in the same exact position after you put it in, it is exactly 100% pointless to align the timing gears dot to dot before removal. That's just adding another step to the installation that accomplishes nothing.

 

The dot on the crank is going to be at 12 o'clock anyway when you install the chain. Don't see why it's a waste to put it close before disassembly.

I would line it up close. But then again, last time I installed a cam was 10 years ago in a SBC.