93civEJ1

So. I have some of my car apart right now to get the new radiator replaced. So I have all of the intake stuff out and the radiator and fans. Eventually I want to put a cam in the car. Not too worried about it being daily drive ready since this is my play car. So with that said. Is there a great write up besides the ls1howto.com that explains the install of a cam for someone who isn't changing the heads? Of course I will need new springs and retainers but what about pushrods? How do you know what length etc you need? I am looking to do this on a low financial budget for now since I have a child on the way. Recommendations???

zeevette

I like Trickflow PRs. You'll probably need 7.4", if you don't have any head milling done. Many people recommend measuring first, but I just used the ones TF sent with my heads (7.9") and they've been perfect. You know you have to pull the steering rack to get at the cam. Lots of things to consider upgrading while you're in there. Pulley, oil pump, lifters (must pull heads) rocker arms, lifter trays.... Starts to get expensive pretty fast.

printmanjackson

it's a slippery slop

93civEJ1

yeah the last time I started something like this, I ended up doing a whole engine build

c5maniac2

Heads don't have to come off, you can hold lifters up with pen magnets through the pushrod holes but be careful. Waterpump has to come off, you do need to move the rack to pull the harmonic dampner to remove the front cover. Then you're pulling the oil pump and timing chain and you're there.

Bill Curlee

" QUOTE " I am looking to do this on a low financial budget for now since I have a child on the way. Recommendations???[/QUOTE]

DONT!!! If you are on a TIGHT budget, save the cash until you can do the job the correct way the first time.


Here are things that you will need or should up grade that you have not thought about:

New Harmonic Damper
New LS2 Timing Chain
New Rocker Trunions
New Oil pump MELLING HIGH VOLUME
Possibly new higher flow injectors (36 lb/hr)
New PCM TUNE!!! $400+

To really do it correctly and not have any " after the job issues " you really should remove the heads and replace the lifters and the lifter trays, actually measure for the correct length pushrods.

With a new cam you have to tune the PCM to get the car to run correctly.

Bill

zeevette

I much prefer the dowel method to keep the lifters out of the way. 2 5/16" wooden dowels, about 24" long, with one end tapered are so much easier to use, and cheap, too.

Bill Curlee

I agree.. Everyone that I have done with the heads on was done with a wooden dowl or a fiberglass one if you can find the correct size.

So, the OP is thinking WHAT??? Wooden dowls???

If you remove the timing chain cover and the cam gear, and the oil gallery cover, you will see TWO holes/



The way it works is the ROD presses on the lifter in the lifter hole and holds it in place. When you spin the cam, it pushes ALL the lifters up and out of the way and they stay there and you can remove the cam.

Z06ufgrad2002

Bill, or anyone else who knows. When replacing the front cover is it necessary to lower the oil pan ?

feeder82

no it is not necessary to lower the pan to pull the front cover

VandykeT/A

3/16s brake line works to hold the lifters to. LS1 how to is the only write up I know of. You can look at the fbody section of it to. The same thing just on a corvette you have to pull the rack to access the balancer.

Bill Curlee

NO,,,,,, it is not necessary to lower the pan... Just put a dab of RTV in the corner of the pan and block right before you reinstall the cover.

There are TWO bolts in the pan that attach the front cover to the pan. Make sure that you remove and reinstall them.

You also have to make sure that the front cover SEAL is properly centered on the dampener before the front cover is bolted down.

BC

nullpointer

I would sit down, calculate all the parts you need, total them. Then add 10% for misc ****. If you have that then go and cam that beast. Be careful, it is a slippery slope. I installed my cam, put 4 miles on it then ripped the heads off for CNC work

93civEJ1

ah im not new to the cost and all that of modding cars. Im not looking at doing it for now. I have no car funds to allow me to do it at this time.

93civEJ1

welp...i lied. Have a nice custom cam from BTR and some BTR springs/retainers on the way today.

nullpointer

what specs did you go with?

93civEJ1

238/242 615./610 113+2

I spent this morning getting the stock cam out. Wasnt bad, power steering took a while cause two bolts u can only turn a little at a time. now I just gotta put the new cam in, and change out the springs and bolt it all back up.

dcmock

Listen to me! Ive got a ls1 with stock 241 heads z06 camshaft. I have ls9 springs (lingenfelter) $70.00, 7.450 hardened push rods (tsp) . This combo works awesome and the valve train is very quiet. The car runs like a scalded ape!

dcmock

Oh well i guess i was too late, anyways if u pull your push rods out , u can actually just rotate the old cam around several times and the lifters will go up and stay out of the way. Then just carefully side the new cam in.

78GEN3

That's a good way to have a lifter drop if you don't have retaining rods or dowels in. Not worth the risk, especially on higher mileage stuff since the trays don't hold as good as they once did.