How can you tell if your cam is not degreed properly? I know if it is real bad, your car won't start. Mine runs good, but I was curious if there is a way to check this without removing the timing cover.
I was thinking along the lines of removing the valve cover and seeing what valves are open when the timing mark is lined up.
Thanks

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"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."

If it in early the motor will have lots of low end and run out of steam around 4000 rpm.

If it's inm late it will be a real pig down low, and take off around 3500.

Abnormally high cranking compression is kind of a tell tale of early cam installation, low compression would be a late cam.

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Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.

It is pretty easy to check to see if the overlap event is centered over TDCE
See this post for more info:
http://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic ... rlap#43902
Or this link:
http://www.hotrodder.com/kwkride/degree.html
DD

I was told by ex-mechanic neighbor that advancing my stock cam in my 73 valiant by 4 degrees would make a world of difference in performance, is this true?

You can feel 4 degrees of cam advance in the form of better "off-idle" and low speed "pull".
This is based on using a new timing chain set and knowing that the cam is already set "straight-up" (no advance / retard) and setting it 4 degrees advanced from that position.
Some people just advance the cam 4 degrees with a 4 degree bushing, without knowing where the cam position is to start, that is not a good practice.
Degree the cam, move it the needed amount to set it where you want it.
DD