Installing my cam, how much advance is too much?

[ogasman]

Almost an FE, building a 292 y block.  Street motor, with an automatic going in a light car (1955 bird).  Running a pretty mild cam, Isky 301444.  It has .425 lift and 216 duration at .050, with a 108 lobe center.  When I degree it I come up with 5 to 6 degrees advanced when I installed it straight up.  Should I retard it a few degrees or leave it as is.

Paul

[My427stang]

Likely good, but check intake valve clearance, if tight, rock it back

[blykins]

Almost an FE, building a 292 y block.  Street motor, with an automatic going in a light car (1955 bird).  Running a pretty mild cam, Isky 301444.  It has .425 lift and 216 duration at .050, with a 108 lobe center.  When I degree it I come up with 5 to 6 degrees advanced when I installed it straight up.  Should I retard it a few degrees or leave it as is.

Paul

I would take a close look at the compression ratio and see where it puts you.   On higher compression, shorter cams, you can't advance too far....sometimes not at all, unless the cam was designed for it.

[Joe-JDC]

Leave it where you have it.  Those ISKY camshafts are probably the best camshaft available for the Y Block.  I have several Y Block engines that I have built, dyno tested, and moved the camshafts around on, and 5-8* advanced works well for most applications.  Other camshaft makers do not have the valve tappet angle correct, so they absolutely need to be installed straight up.  Mr Iskendarian has a T-bird himself, and he figured out that important valve angle many years ago.

          http://forums.y-blocksforever.com/default.aspx     For all things Y Block.  Joe-JDC