Short explain:
I installed a new cam into 2004 LQ4(swap) and the engine is gutless. I have verified that the cam and crank marks are lined up. I recently replaced the engine harness, injectors, and a host of other parts and still no change. Someone commented it may be possible that the cam was mis-marked for alignment(ie pinned wrong)

So how do I check for it being mis-marked? My youtube search yielded nothing.

Longer details:
I swapped a 2004 LQ4 into an S10 Blazer sized vehicle(Toyota FJ55). It now has approximately 60k miles on it. I swapped the cam for a mild version(208/216) At the same time, I replaced the valve springs with Brian Tooley Platinum for stock rockers along with hardened pushrods that are 7.40" long.

In trying to diagnose the engine issue, it was found that many of the stock injectors were stuck. I have since replaced with new injectors. I have replaced the original engine harness with a stock un-hacked harness; I did almost no modifications to it. The fuse out is the same as factory(each bank of coil/injector tied together on a single fuse)

I have verified that the injectors are getting full battery power. I have tried a noid light on the injectors but it is faint for all cylinders.

 

You'll need to get a degree wheel and degree the cam, check the specs against the cam card and see if it all matches up

 

I'm not trying to verify the actual specs of the cam. I don't really care if it is really 208/216 or not. I'm trying to verify that the cam is not mis-degreed from the shop.

Do you know of a video that shows the process for dummies? This whole screwed up project has fried my brain.

 

The only ways I know to confirm if a cam is cut right is to send it out to have it checked on a cam doctor, or run a degree wheel on the engine. Outside of those things all you can do is verify you have it dot to dot.


The way to verify if it is installed (aka degreed) in correctly is to degree it and see and confirm with the cam card.

There are a ton of videos on how to do it on youtube.

Here is one of Brian Tooley from BTR doing it on a LS

 

Thank you very much for the followup.

Do you know of an easy to use degree wheel for an LSx engine? Hopefully "cheap" :/

 

Summit has a nice one. You need a dial indicator and mag base setup as well

BTW, it can be a pain in the *** in the car.....

 

Best way is to degree the cam. Then you will know if it is installed correctly.

 

Here's another video. Can't say much about it since they aren't a sponsor. Summit has a ton of setups available for varying budgets and needs though.

 

How far off can a cam be degreed and still have the vehicle run?

I'm trying to figure out how accurate I'm going to have to be when I attempt to degree it.

 

I've been off nine degrees advanced and it still ran. At least if the cam is small enough. With a larger cam (high overlap), this will bend valves.

 

Thanks to everyone for input on how to do this and how far off the timing could be.

I used the BTR video to figure out TDC(spark plug tool). One thing their instructions didn't include was that the exhaust rocker should be loosened otherwise the valve would impact the tool.

I found another video that basically used a similar technique on the rocker. Basically take a measurement when the pushrod is raising the rocker. Note the measurement and degree. Turn engine over until pushrod is coming down to same measurement. Add this new degree to first degree and divide by two.

I did this in the truck so I'm positive I'm not 100% accurate. But I came up with an intake center line of 106 degrees. Unfortunately, the manufacturer of my cam refused to provide another cam car. In looking at a slightly more aggressive cam(BTR stage 2) card, it had an intake center line of 111. In my mind, my measurement confirms my cam isn't pinned wrong.

Anyone think my measurement shows a bad pinned cam?

 

A real quick & dirty method of checking for intake centerline, is to put the motor at #1 / #6 TDC (they're both at TDC at that point) and look at the rockers. Whichever one is at firing, both rockers will be more or less on the base circle. The other, they will be "rocking": exh just closing, int just opening, and most of the time, by about the same amount. Won't be "exact" of course, but will give you a good idea of you have a really gross error of some sort going on.

 

Darn Not providing a new card is kinda lame.. Heck they should be able to email the numbers to you.
I mean if you were trying to hijack their grind,, its not rocket science to profile a cam.

Did you use a TDC finder/dial indicator to set top dead center?

I've also twice had cam gear/sprockets that were keyed wrong as well. its the same as the cam being mis pinned... Had to use a offset key on the crank sprocket once.
Is the lift at the rocker what you expected?? beside the pin, I've gotten cams that were just a Monday morning screwup, the lobes were not right.. You might check the rockers on the other cylinders just to see if the lift is consistent..

Good luck

 

I used a TDC finder (ie stuff in spark plug and rotate engine until it stops one way, then rotate the other way, split in half for TDC)

The cam gear, crank gear, and timing chain were stock LQ4 units. Here is a picture of the cam gear:

In just looking at the picture, I can't tell if it is possible to flip the cam gear over. This picture shows the cam/crank marks lined up. Is it possible to flip the cam gear over?

I didn't check lift when I was checking for intake lob degree.

 

What do you mean flip over. Whether 12 12 or 6 12 alignment doesnt matter as cam runs at 1/2 crank speed so 1 full rotation has them flipped. 12 12 is tdc1. 6 12 is tdc 6 and a lot easier to line up. Ypu check valve events with a degree wheel and dial indicator

 

Actually, BOTH 12:12 and 12:6 are BOTH #1 and #6 TDC.

Just, 12:12 is #1 FIRING, and 12:6 (where we usually build the motor because it's easier to see) is #6 firing.

The other instance of TDC for each cyl is the end of its exh stroke and beginning of its int, where the exh valve is just closing and the int just opening.

No you can't just "flip over" the cam sprocket.

 

Ye thats what i meant

 

​​​​​​​ Terminology.

 

At what point should new/different length push rods be used with a new camshaft assuming a stock long block? Valves are stock with BTR platinum valve springs.

The cam is advertised as 208/216 with 0.561"/0.561" lift. I was lead to believe that stock length push rods would be fine(7.40") Now I have some doubt.

 

When you measure for the correct length and find that whatever you have is not correct.

Can't comment on "I was led to believe". IMO that choice of words speaks for itself. Hate it for ya. Consider it a learning experience.

Get yourself a Comp 7702, use it as I've described (and many others as well) to find the "zero" preload push rod length, order push rods that are a suitable length to give you the preload that whatever lifters you are using want. Check both valves on several cylinders; all 8 if you have the time (maybe 30 minutes if you're slow like me, and tend to stop for cold adult beverages after every 2 or 3), the 4 corners preferably, 1 on each side absolute bare minimum.