Small Block & Big Block Chevy Specific Mouse & Rat Motor Discussion & Conversions

Crank Trigger and Cam Sync Dist

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jun 2, 2008 | 06:17 PM
  #1  
ulakovic22's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Resident
iTrader: (12)
 
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 956
Likes: 1
From: Lantana, TX
Default Crank Trigger and Cam Sync Dist

Hey guys, I touched based with Brady briefly about this and wanted to get a general consensus concerning crank and cam signals. I'm running a BBC with BS3 and to use the SEFI function I need to have a cam signal. Two ways to do it are crank trigger with a cam sync dist. or a crank/cam sync dist. (hall effect). I think the best way would be to have a dedicated cam and crank signal seperate and Brady agrees so it confirmed my thought, so I'm going to run a crank trigger and then a cam sync dist. instead of the hall effect.

Next question is about installing the crank trigger and phasing in the cam signal. You have to find TDC and then rotate back the max number of degrees of timing the motor will see. All the literature I've found throw out 45* as the max timing for a motor and then tack on 5*. So to rotate CCW 50* are you guys using a degree wheel or something else? I thought about using the degrees on the ATI dampner I have and wondered if that was acceptable or not. Also is 45* just generally accepted as max timing or is that based on the motor? Most stuff I have read is between 34-36 so I wasn't sure how important it was to get max timing exactly right.

I haven't fully grasped the cam sync yet in placing the magnet and cap thing yet, but I'm reading and will probably have questions later.

Thanks,
Anthony
Reply
Old Jun 3, 2008 | 06:20 PM
  #2  
ulakovic22's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Resident
iTrader: (12)
 
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 956
Likes: 1
From: Lantana, TX
Default

C'mon guys, I'm sure a lot of you guys have installed and run a crank trigger. How did you do yours?
Reply
Old Jun 3, 2008 | 07:04 PM
  #3  
RAGENZ28's Avatar
TECH Addict
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 2,467
Likes: 1
From: Port Hueneme, CA
Default

If you're doing any type of syncing between the crank trigger and cam a degree wheel is the only way to go, going off the balancer isn't going to be accurate enough you need a big wheel to set it up right and you'll never hit 45* of timing. If a motor uses anything over 38 or 39* it's not working right.

On the 406 SBC motor a friend and I run in his nova we made 780 hp with only 28* of timing, the more efficient the combo the less timing you'll need to make good power. A street strip motor shouldn't need over 34-36*
Reply
Old Jun 3, 2008 | 07:20 PM
  #4  
strokedz383's Avatar
Banned
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
Default

Originally Posted by RAGENZ28
The more efficient the combo the less timing you'll need to make good power. A street strip motor shouldn't need over 34-36*



I agree with this. I may run about 35* for motor passes but I have never gone above 38 on anything I have had to date.
Reply
Old Jun 4, 2008 | 09:02 AM
  #5  
ulakovic22's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Resident
iTrader: (12)
 
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 956
Likes: 1
From: Lantana, TX
Default

That's what I figured about the timing, but have either of you installed a crank trigger before? I seriously doubt that guys tear the front of the motor apart install a degree wheel to get to the desired degree mark and then put the motor back together and install the trigger. There has to be an easier way, or a trick of some kind.
Reply
Old Jun 4, 2008 | 03:15 PM
  #6  
ty_ty13's Avatar
7 Second Club
iTrader: (42)
 
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,558
Likes: 0
From: paducah, ky
Default

you could do it with a depth gauge by yanking a head off :shrug:
Reply
Old Jun 4, 2008 | 04:30 PM
  #7  
RAGENZ28's Avatar
TECH Addict
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 2,467
Likes: 1
From: Port Hueneme, CA
Default

If you're trying to find an accurate TDC you can just use the big wheel or go off the balancer and use a stop that goes into the spark plug hole, then go forward till you hit the piston and back go back the other way until you hit the piston and divide the two timing degrees, the middle of the two should be the true TDC.

Maybe you meant something else, I'm getting old young and losing my mind so who knows lol.
Reply
Old Jun 4, 2008 | 04:42 PM
  #8  
ulakovic22's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Resident
iTrader: (12)
 
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 956
Likes: 1
From: Lantana, TX
Default

No that's not what I meant, I can find TDC just fine. I was referring to moving the piston back down in the hole approx. 45* before TDC on the compression stroke so I can align and install the crank trigger pickup and magnet.

Edit: I just thought of something. You may set your initial timing between 34-36, but then you hook up the vacuum hose to the distributor and it can advance the timing based on what load it sees at the manifold. With that said I think that at a high speed light load you can see quite a bite of timing more than what you set it at initially.

Last edited by ulakovic22; Jun 4, 2008 at 06:12 PM.
Reply
LS1 Tech Stories

The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time

story-0

Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-2

Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

 
story-5

Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

 
story-9

10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Jun 5, 2008 | 08:47 PM
  #9  
RAGENZ28's Avatar
TECH Addict
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 2,467
Likes: 1
From: Port Hueneme, CA
Default

Why not just run the timing locked out?
Reply
Old Jun 5, 2008 | 10:48 PM
  #10  
ulakovic22's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Resident
iTrader: (12)
 
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 956
Likes: 1
From: Lantana, TX
Default

Timing locked out? Locked out of what? To run SEFI you need a cam and crank signal, crank signal from from a flying magnet and cam signal from a modified distributor with a magnet and pick up. BS3 uses the crank reference, cam sensor and firing order to know which cylinder to fire. All the timing is done by BS3. You must be thinking of a HEI distributor and locking out the vacuum or mechanical advance. Not the same thing.
Reply




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:01 AM.

story-0
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

Slideshow: This heavily modified 1971 Camaro mixes classic muscle car styling with a fifth-generation Camaro interior and modern LS3 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:06:42


VIEW MORE
story-1
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

Slideshow: From wobbling harmonic balancers to failed EBCMs, these are the issues that define long-term C5 ownership and what repairs typically involve.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-07 18:44:57


VIEW MORE
story-2
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

Slideshow: A modern Camaro transformed into a retro icon, this limited-run "Bandit" build blends nostalgia with brute force in a way few revivals manage.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:57:02


VIEW MORE
story-3
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

Slideshow: Cadillac didn't just crash the high-performance luxury vehicle party, it showed up loud, supercharged, and occasionally a little unhinged...

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-16 10:05:15


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

Slideshow: Top ten most powerful Chevy trucks ever made

By | 2026-03-25 09:22:26


VIEW MORE
story-5
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

Slideshow: Hennessey has turned the Silverado ZR2 into a 700-hp off-road monster with supercharged V8 power and a limited production run.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-24 18:57:52


VIEW MORE
story-6
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

Slideshow: A one-off sports car that looks like a vintage Italian exotic-but hides a C6 Corvette underneath-just sold for the price of a new mid-engine Corvette.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-23 18:53:41


VIEW MORE
story-7
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

Slideshow: A heavily reworked 1972 K5 Blazer swaps its off-road roots for a low-slung street-focused build with modern V8 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-09 18:08:45


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There are thousands of used Camaros on the market but we think you should avoid these 10

By | 2026-02-17 17:09:30


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

Slideshows: Which one of these myths do you believe?

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-28 18:10:11


VIEW MORE