ordered my LS engine upgrade stuff today.. I think I made a huge mistake..PLEASE HELP
02-19-2015, 09:14 AM
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ordered my LS engine upgrade stuff today.. I think I made a huge mistake..PLEASE HELP ordered my LS engine upgrade stuff today.. I think I made a huge mistake...
This is my first LS build into a BMW and I feel like I got completely screwed and ordered the wrong stuff. I have a friend telling me that I really messed up.
can someone that knows this stuff review this invoice and tell me what I need to ditch, and what is good.
Kind of urgent. I ordered it tonight and need to change the order first thing in the AM.
thanks.
pretty sure I just went full retard... I think the spec clutch setup should be swapped for a oem LS7 setup. and I should stay away from an adjustable timing set, right?
a friend of mine also commented that comp cams have horrible quality control and that the cam lobes have been off by as much as 10% per lobe on cams that he has purchased from them. Any truth to this? I certainly don't want to have any cam issues from the start of this project. Thanks!
on a slight budget, right at $3k or under into the motor is the goal - head and aggressive street cam package with some extra little bolt-ons is the goal. Looking for somewhere in the mid to upper 400whp n/a - a little more or a little less isn't a big deal. going in a e36 sedan street car.
I have long tube headers for the conversion and will likely do a free-flow exhaust with no cats. Just don't want to be too ridiculous aggressive with the cam - still needs to be a street car.
This is my first LS build into a BMW and I feel like I got completely screwed and ordered the wrong stuff. I have a friend telling me that I really messed up.
can someone that knows this stuff review this invoice and tell me what I need to ditch, and what is good.
Kind of urgent. I ordered it tonight and need to change the order first thing in the AM.
thanks.
pretty sure I just went full retard... I think the spec clutch setup should be swapped for a oem LS7 setup. and I should stay away from an adjustable timing set, right?
a friend of mine also commented that comp cams have horrible quality control and that the cam lobes have been off by as much as 10% per lobe on cams that he has purchased from them. Any truth to this? I certainly don't want to have any cam issues from the start of this project. Thanks!
on a slight budget, right at $3k or under into the motor is the goal - head and aggressive street cam package with some extra little bolt-ons is the goal. Looking for somewhere in the mid to upper 400whp n/a - a little more or a little less isn't a big deal. going in a e36 sedan street car.
I have long tube headers for the conversion and will likely do a free-flow exhaust with no cats. Just don't want to be too ridiculous aggressive with the cam - still needs to be a street car.
Last edited by m3j0n; 02-19-2015 at 09:24 AM.
02-19-2015, 09:34 AM
#2
while the spec clutch isnt the best its much better than any oem ls7 clutch, never buy one of those. Either keep the spec or swap it out for a monster, mcleod, etc. comp cams do have some issues yes theres no denying that. However their "shelf" grinds like the one you got are usually just fine.
The list looks fine your friend needs to slow down. The adjustable timing set is a great upgrade, get a cam degree wheel and ensure that the cam gets installed just as it was supposed to.
I personally wouldnt run a comp grind due to recent QC issues however chances are you will be just fine. The list looks good if you really wanted to change something I would change the clutch and maybe do a cam motion core cam. If you're hapyp though that combo will make good power and I'd run it
The list looks fine your friend needs to slow down. The adjustable timing set is a great upgrade, get a cam degree wheel and ensure that the cam gets installed just as it was supposed to.
I personally wouldnt run a comp grind due to recent QC issues however chances are you will be just fine. The list looks good if you really wanted to change something I would change the clutch and maybe do a cam motion core cam. If you're hapyp though that combo will make good power and I'd run it
02-19-2015, 10:38 AM
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while the spec clutch isnt the best its much better than any oem ls7 clutch, never buy one of those. Either keep the spec or swap it out for a monster, mcleod, etc. comp cams do have some issues yes theres no denying that. However their "shelf" grinds like the one you got are usually just fine.
The list looks fine your friend needs to slow down. The adjustable timing set is a great upgrade, get a cam degree wheel and ensure that the cam gets installed just as it was supposed to.
I personally wouldnt run a comp grind due to recent QC issues however chances are you will be just fine. The list looks good if you really wanted to change something I would change the clutch and maybe do a cam motion core cam. If you're hapyp though that combo will make good power and I'd run it
The list looks fine your friend needs to slow down. The adjustable timing set is a great upgrade, get a cam degree wheel and ensure that the cam gets installed just as it was supposed to.
I personally wouldnt run a comp grind due to recent QC issues however chances are you will be just fine. The list looks good if you really wanted to change something I would change the clutch and maybe do a cam motion core cam. If you're hapyp though that combo will make good power and I'd run it
02-19-2015, 12:22 PM
#7
I see youre also in pompano. My shop is on copans and powerline. Where is the best place to order a moster or McLeod? im looking for really smooth engagement for a nice stock-ish feel. just did a spec clutch in my friends turbo tercel and it drives HORRIBLY...I couldn't deal with this car feeling anything like that. I cancelled the spec clutch, and the texas speed damper, and kept the adjustable timing set. Didn't do anything with the cam yet.
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02-19-2015, 12:49 PM
#8
while the spec clutch isnt the best its much better than any oem ls7 clutch, never buy one of those. Either keep the spec or swap it out for a monster, mcleod, etc. comp cams do have some issues yes theres no denying that. However their "shelf" grinds like the one you got are usually just fine.
The list looks fine your friend needs to slow down. The adjustable timing set is a great upgrade, get a cam degree wheel and ensure that the cam gets installed just as it was supposed to.
I personally wouldnt run a comp grind due to recent QC issues however chances are you will be just fine. The list looks good if you really wanted to change something I would change the clutch and maybe do a cam motion core cam. If you're hapyp though that combo will make good power and I'd run it
The list looks fine your friend needs to slow down. The adjustable timing set is a great upgrade, get a cam degree wheel and ensure that the cam gets installed just as it was supposed to.
I personally wouldnt run a comp grind due to recent QC issues however chances are you will be just fine. The list looks good if you really wanted to change something I would change the clutch and maybe do a cam motion core cam. If you're hapyp though that combo will make good power and I'd run it
02-19-2015, 01:35 PM
#11
Looks like you have some redundant gaskets too. I'm not sure what's in the basic head/cam swap kit, but I would imagine the timing chain gasket is in there. Pretty minor stuff. I think I ended up with a couple of duplicate sets of bolts or gaskets along the way.
The Comp Cam in there is okay. The biggest question is: did you mill the heads? Did you talk to TSP about maximizing the heads with that cam? Typically they can mill with the 5.3L heads and that cam. But that may change the pushrod length. I'd have waited and measured on that.
Also, the LS7 lifters are blah. Worth the upgrade to Morel 5315s if you must have drop in lifters. They are under $200 and won't blow your budget.
Also, you could have bought most all of that from WS6Store or BTR... and it would have saved you all the shipping you paid to TSP.
The Comp Cam in there is okay. The biggest question is: did you mill the heads? Did you talk to TSP about maximizing the heads with that cam? Typically they can mill with the 5.3L heads and that cam. But that may change the pushrod length. I'd have waited and measured on that.
Also, the LS7 lifters are blah. Worth the upgrade to Morel 5315s if you must have drop in lifters. They are under $200 and won't blow your budget.
Also, you could have bought most all of that from WS6Store or BTR... and it would have saved you all the shipping you paid to TSP.
02-19-2015, 05:22 PM
#13
I see youre also in pompano. My shop is on copans and powerline. Where is the best place to order a moster or McLeod? im looking for really smooth engagement for a nice stock-ish feel. just did a spec clutch in my friends turbo tercel and it drives HORRIBLY...I couldn't deal with this car feeling anything like that. I cancelled the spec clutch, and the texas speed damper, and kept the adjustable timing set. Didn't do anything with the cam yet.
Also for what its worth we have used Comp Cams for all of our builds here at SNL Performance and we have never seen one fail.
The LS7 self adjusting piece has some design flaws, and most see them start to slip with hard abuse and a few mods.
02-21-2015, 10:11 PM
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Thanks for all the help gentlemen!
seen that problem firsthand in even stock Camaros.... can be very scary...I do not like that very much.
shoot.. Texas speed never mentioned anything about milling the heads.... WS6store isn't local to me, so shipping would have applied anyway. what is BTR? I guess there is still time to upgrade to the morels.
that sounds like the clutch for me! How much for that and does it come with a ltw flywheel? I am glad I ditched the spec unit.. Care to elaborate on the pros/cons of the monster vs. the rst mentioned above? thanks
Looks like you have some redundant gaskets too. I'm not sure what's in the basic head/cam swap kit, but I would imagine the timing chain gasket is in there. Pretty minor stuff. I think I ended up with a couple of duplicate sets of bolts or gaskets along the way.
The Comp Cam in there is okay. The biggest question is: did you mill the heads? Did you talk to TSP about maximizing the heads with that cam? Typically they can mill with the 5.3L heads and that cam. But that may change the pushrod length. I'd have waited and measured on that.
Also, the LS7 lifters are blah. Worth the upgrade to Morel 5315s if you must have drop in lifters. They are under $200 and won't blow your budget.
Also, you could have bought most all of that from WS6Store or BTR... and it would have saved you all the shipping you paid to TSP.
The Comp Cam in there is okay. The biggest question is: did you mill the heads? Did you talk to TSP about maximizing the heads with that cam? Typically they can mill with the 5.3L heads and that cam. But that may change the pushrod length. I'd have waited and measured on that.
Also, the LS7 lifters are blah. Worth the upgrade to Morel 5315s if you must have drop in lifters. They are under $200 and won't blow your budget.
Also, you could have bought most all of that from WS6Store or BTR... and it would have saved you all the shipping you paid to TSP.
The Monster LT1-S drives and feels exactly like stock but is rated to 700RWTQ/HP. Feel free to give us a call or shoot me a PM if you have any questions.
Also for what its worth we have used Comp Cams for all of our builds here at SNL Performance and we have never seen one fail.
The LS7 self adjusting piece has some design flaws, and most see them start to slip with hard abuse and a few mods.
Also for what its worth we have used Comp Cams for all of our builds here at SNL Performance and we have never seen one fail.
The LS7 self adjusting piece has some design flaws, and most see them start to slip with hard abuse and a few mods.
02-21-2015, 10:14 PM
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This is my first project with an LS. Most of my knowledge is in BMW stuff - this motor is going in a BMW. Anyone with expertise with ls1 head/cam install in south florida want to oversee this project? Ill buy the hooters and the beer! 
02-22-2015, 01:46 PM
#17
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Although a lightweight flywheel is available for Monsters LT1-S clutch its not really needed because it's a smaller diameter so it has a lower moment of inertia which has the same effect as having a lighter clutch. The difference between a Monster LT1-S and McLeod RTS is one is a C7 Corvette LT1 clutch with a CNC machined billet steel flywheel, and the other is a V6 5th gen Camaro clutch with an adapter ring that you bolt to stock or aftermarket flywheel. It might also be worth asking them about using a TQV4 instead of the V2, it uses more modern lobes that make good power without beating up your valvetrain parts.
02-22-2015, 03:53 PM
#18
Although a lightweight flywheel is available for Monsters LT1-S clutch its not really needed because it's a smaller diameter so it has a lower moment of inertia which has the same effect as having a lighter clutch. The difference between a Monster LT1-S and McLeod RTS is one is a C7 Corvette LT1 clutch with a CNC machined billet steel flywheel, and the other is a V6 5th gen Camaro clutch with an adapter ring that you bolt to stock or aftermarket flywheel. It might also be worth asking them about using a TQV4 instead of the V2, it uses more modern lobes that make good power without beating up your valvetrain parts.
02-23-2015, 02:27 PM
#20
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The difference is also about 20lbs my rst assembly weighs 32lbs with the flywheel, vs 53 for the monster or 49 for the ltw one, so the rst will indeed be a lighter clutch with a smaller moi despite it being the same dia. And it holds 700hp while not 700whp like the lt1-s its still PLENTY for any fbody.