Oct 16, 2011
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So Im doing a cam swap and I figured itd be cool if I posted pns and my experience doing this. Ive been reading a lot on ls1tech and random sites...looks like Im doing this over MLK weekend.

So far Ive got

My cam-----------------54-414-11 (216/220 525/532 114LSA)
Timing Set--------------C3220
Timing Cover Gaskets----TCS45993
Oil Pan Gasket----------OS30693R
Oil Pump----------------M295
Oil Pump Seal-----------72401 (Spare...One comes in timing cover gasket set)
Valve Seals-------------SS71039
Blue Valve Springs-------12499224 (Good for 570 lift)
7.4 Chromoly Push Rods--PR7375312
Balancer Bolt------------12557840
M16x2x120mm bolt------Local hardware store (To seat the balancer on the crank...oem is too short)

I'll be borrowing the valve spring compressor tool from brett, he got it from HF. To keep the lifters from dropping, I'll be using 5/16 dowels. To keep the valves from dropping when swapping springs, Im just gonna put each piston at TDC with lil peice of nylon rope in the chamber to avoid metal to metal contact. Most of my knowledge comes from http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=23 but since thats for F-bodies, Im sure I wont be so cramped and things might be a smidge diff.

Im already BBP'd and Justin lives 1.5hrs from me, I'll just meet up with him for a re-tune but it will run as is no problem. Cam is borderline needing a lil higher stall converter....if I find a cheap I6 TB verter, I'll slap it in there...otherwise its staying stock.

Stay tuned!

Edit: Im including head gasket and lifter part #s for ref in case you do them as well.

LS7 lifters---------12499225
LS2 trays----------12595365 (You need these if you run LS7 lifters)
Head gaskets------12498544
04+ head bolts----17800568
 
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Oct 16, 2011
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SoCal
i could, but according to linz, at tdc vqlves hardly drop....lil 12" nylon rope will work just fine. too lazy to make a line n shit
 
Oct 16, 2011
4,621
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so the hqrbor freight valve spring compressor is junk...cant get it to hold the spring down. barely got 2 springs swapped in.

some pointers...DONT drop the oil pick up tube bolt, I did and have to drop my oil pan.

pan is bolted to the trans with 2 15mm bolts iirc and u gotta remove the crossmember 18mm bolts and lil braces from the frame

no need to remove the compressor, but u will have a hard time with the timing cover bolt by the compressor

if u dont have a flywheel stopper and ur compressor aint a bamf, ur gonna fight with it. u gotta wrap the big belt around the crank pulley and fold it in and around again, then onto the idler....this will make the belt tighten even more as u crank on that bolt. i needed by breaker bar and a pipe wrench on it as an extension, after 180* turn, it let loose and came out by hand.

use a 7 ton puller to get the pulley off...thread the old bolt in a couple turns and use its head to push against the puller stud. the lil clamps have to face out towards the outside od the pulley, theres tabs on it where the puller can get a grip on.

the coil pack closest to the firewall on passenger side has to come off so u can get to the baxk bolt holding the coil packs on the valve cover. once the fgt pack it out, u can get to the bolt and the entire assembly comes out.

cut the dowels to 24", any longer and u wont be abke to slide them in...5/16 fits perfect in both sides

rent the compression tester from oreillys...take out the lil valve inside the end that goes inside the head and set ur compressor at 50psi...holds the valve up perfectly.

i cant get the crank timing gear off, idk how to either...mf is pressed in and doesnt wanna move.

ill think of something else tomorrow im sure....gotta finish tomorrow
 
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Oct 16, 2011
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no real progress today...mostly spent the day with wiffuh, got like 2-3 hours in today.

if ur using the hf valve spring compressor, its gonna take forever to swap springs...the pos slides off the springs all the time...be prepared for flying springs, so never point it at urself.

I was able to reach the springs closest to the firewall, just gotta cut some of the padding off...no biggie.

Looks like i need a smaller 3 jaw puller for the crank sprocket, will get that tomorrow.

In order to drop the oil pan, Ive got to drop the front crossmember, seems like theres a special sequence when bolting up the pan, gotta look into it and find out what goes on first.

Other than that, it should be smooth sailing tomorrow.
 

HackMcMaster

Active Member
Jun 26, 2012
4,758
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Dunes
That's what I said the last 5 days something always pops up and bites me in the ass


Sent from a secure terminal using the classified military network
 
Oct 16, 2011
4,621
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cam is in and fired right up. took a while for it to pump oil but came right up....idke is fucked and its relearning so its all over the place...can barely hear the lope cuznits idling at 700+.

removing the crossmember was easy...remove 2 bolts for the crossbars, remove 6 bolts for tje xmember and 2 for the rack n pinion. the pan drops right down after that...just make sure u remove a bolt holding a bracket on tjhe passenger side.

my pan had NASTY sludge at the bottom, took a while cleaning it out. the oem gaske jhas 3 rivets, drill them out. dry it, put the new gasket on and all the bolts, tje hasket holds them in place.

when installing the pan again, put on ur timing cover, hand tihten the bolts for the cover...then hand tighten all the pan bolts, including the ones that hold the timing cover...i put some rtv where those 2 meet. then tighten the 2 smaller bolts at the back of the pan, then tje 2 that go to the trans. once all are snug....tigjten the timing cover....the one bolt by the compressor is a lil bitch....then go back down under tje truck and tigjten tje pan bolts, then the lil bolts and finally the trans bolts...torque was 22ft lbs, 106in lbs and 37 ft lbs...make sure u torque the two lil bolts to in lbs, not ft.

after that, just slap on ur xmember and rack back on.

whem u install the timing cover, dont tighten it before putting on the pulley, the pulley centers the cover around it and makes its own seal.if u tigjten the cover w/o tje pulley on there, u run the risk of the seal not sealing. You def need a longer crank bolt for this...use one of the washer from the steering rack and press the pulley on a turn or two....then use ur old bolt to fully seat the pulley....pay attention to the sealing surface on the pulley, that will tell u where the old seal was cuz one section is clean, other is dirty/black.

i was able to remove the crank gewr with a 2 ton 3 jaw puller from oreillh, they have 2 diff ones, u want the one with the thin hooks.

to remove the pulley, u need some metal plate to put on the crank snout so the puller can press on that...the oem crank bolt head is too big, the puller wont reach behind tue gear..i used a lil piece off my quad chain press.

to put the new gear in, slide it on, gears towards engine (i pressed it on backwards the first time...lol) and slide the old one on...grab ur old crank bolt and crank away....new gear installed.

oreillys timing cover set comes with 3 diff oil pump o-rings, use the red one...youll also have paper water pump gaskets, junk them...and a round gasket, junk it was well.

sorry if this isnt in order, im just adding as i remember..more to come tomorrow
 

Fourstar07

Active Member
Jan 23, 2011
1,399
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a lot more shit to drop on a crew cab it seems, nice write up eddie, ill keep some of this in mind, thanks
 
Oct 16, 2011
4,621
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SoCal
ill get a vid once Im retuned, idle is all over the place right now and its hard to really tell what this cam sounds like. im just waiting on jenna to get back to me, need to know when justin will be in town.

ive got a shitty sound clip, ill fwd it to you.
 

Peyton676

New Member
Mar 10, 2012
1,588
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Le Boot
Its not going to cut up to hard,my truck idles at 750,we dont idle our trucks at 300rpm lol

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