cam swap is done!
06-14-2005, 02:05 AM
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F14 cam swap is done! (now w/ dyno graph) WOW!!!
I dont know what all to say, the experience was awesome,
I bought the F14 (112), PRC dual springs, pushrods, a new oil pump, and timing chain. I started on Saturday, worked a little bit each day around my schedule, and just finnished up everything earlier tonight.'
Did I mention I did the install all by MYSELF! Of course I had the great help of the ls1howto, but I ended up doing 95% of everything all by myself. A couple friends cam over and one helped me with the moore tool during the spring swap (on #1,6 cyl.), but then he had to go so I ended up soing the rest on my own (yes even #7,8 cyl.) BTW the moore valve spring tool is badass!
Anyway I feel super proud that I did everything in my garage, with no ls1 cam experience, and everything turned out perfect. My hands look like I got paper cut tortured and I am sore and tired, but I feel nothing but good now that its done.
I guess I had good luck on my side because everything seemed to go very smoothly. I was able to get the oil pickup tube bolt off easy, and put it back on with my first try using my fingers. Never dropped it.
The harmonic balancer had some trouble, but I hit the inside with a hammer to get it on a little further and then the old bolt did the trick.
I bought a new oil pump and "ported" it by removing the sharp edges around the intake/exit areas. I then added a .12" shim I believe under the spring to increase the pressure.
I cranked the eninge 5 secs without spark to get some oil flowing, then I cranked it up... WOW! the cam sounded just how I wanted it to. It stuttered a very small amount at first but then idle smoothly. I was very shocked at how well the engine idles w/o a tune. Oil pressure was at ~60 at first, then went to ~40 after it warmed up fully. Now after letting it cool and starting it up again, it trys to find idle at first, then sets in nice. The drivability is almost exactly like stock. I give it a little gas to take off, and thats it, I can cruise around at 1,250 rpm in 4th or 5th and give it some gas, and it acts almost exactly like my stock cam did. At very low rpms, it may start to buck but if I push in the clutch it will stop. I am very impressed with how it drives, after hearing some storys about untuned cams.
Well I am very excited and had to share a little bit of what I just got done doing. I am going to start looking for getting it tuned tomorrow.
I dont know what all to say, the experience was awesome,
I bought the F14 (112), PRC dual springs, pushrods, a new oil pump, and timing chain. I started on Saturday, worked a little bit each day around my schedule, and just finnished up everything earlier tonight.'
Did I mention I did the install all by MYSELF! Of course I had the great help of the ls1howto, but I ended up doing 95% of everything all by myself. A couple friends cam over and one helped me with the moore tool during the spring swap (on #1,6 cyl.), but then he had to go so I ended up soing the rest on my own (yes even #7,8 cyl.) BTW the moore valve spring tool is badass!
Anyway I feel super proud that I did everything in my garage, with no ls1 cam experience, and everything turned out perfect. My hands look like I got paper cut tortured and I am sore and tired, but I feel nothing but good now that its done. I guess I had good luck on my side because everything seemed to go very smoothly. I was able to get the oil pickup tube bolt off easy, and put it back on with my first try using my fingers. Never dropped it.
The harmonic balancer had some trouble, but I hit the inside with a hammer to get it on a little further and then the old bolt did the trick.
I bought a new oil pump and "ported" it by removing the sharp edges around the intake/exit areas. I then added a .12" shim I believe under the spring to increase the pressure.
I cranked the eninge 5 secs without spark to get some oil flowing, then I cranked it up... WOW! the cam sounded just how I wanted it to. It stuttered a very small amount at first but then idle smoothly. I was very shocked at how well the engine idles w/o a tune. Oil pressure was at ~60 at first, then went to ~40 after it warmed up fully. Now after letting it cool and starting it up again, it trys to find idle at first, then sets in nice. The drivability is almost exactly like stock. I give it a little gas to take off, and thats it, I can cruise around at 1,250 rpm in 4th or 5th and give it some gas, and it acts almost exactly like my stock cam did. At very low rpms, it may start to buck but if I push in the clutch it will stop. I am very impressed with how it drives, after hearing some storys about untuned cams.
Well I am very excited and had to share a little bit of what I just got done doing. I am going to start looking for getting it tuned tomorrow.
Last edited by BigSteele; 06-15-2005 at 04:24 PM.
06-14-2005, 11:12 AM
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Haha. just got my F14 installed too. Don't you love the lope! I was also extremely impressed on how well it drives and idles on stock tuning. Can't wait to get it tuned.
06-14-2005, 11:48 AM
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Successfully finishing a cam install has to be one of the best feelings in the world. You are going to love the F14. I was also suprised how well it behaved when I started it up on the stock tune, and how well it has been running on the stock tune (HPTuners is in the mail).
Kevin
Kevin
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06-14-2005, 11:51 AM
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Congrats, you give me hope man. I will be doing the same thing by myself in a couple of months because I dont really know anyone up here. I just hope everything goest smoothly becuase it will be my first time also.
06-14-2005, 11:54 AM
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be proud, don't hide it! i have also done a cam/heads/intake swap in my garage w/ the help of a buddy, but mostly myself. it is a great feeling and an even greater accomplishment when you do it right. congradu-f*cking-lations man! good work.
i also did my motor swap..
and got it out the top instead of dropping it out of the bottom like everyone else does. old school.
i also did my motor swap..
and got it out the top instead of dropping it out of the bottom like everyone else does. old school. 
06-14-2005, 01:02 PM
#12
Great job. I know the feeling especially when its your first time. I turned my LT1 into a stroker with the help of everyone on the boards. Before I did that the most I did was change oil. You should be proud. You'll even be prouder when you get to nail it down the quarter or at traffic lights and guys tell you "awesome car" lolol. I'm happy for ya.
You'll even be prouder when you get to nail it down the quarter or at traffic lights and guys tell you "awesome car" lolol. I'm happy for ya. 
06-14-2005, 01:46 PM
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thanks everybody!
Id say the most challenging part was the springs. At first I was using a $15 compressor from sears, the top is a T-handle that you have to screw by hand. This was not going to do it, once I tried to hit the #6cyl I knew I had to get something better. I posted on the Texas section asking if I could borrow someone's, and LS1JOE let me borrow his Moore tool. I would think the Crane tool would be easier if you were doing it by yourself, but I think the moore tool is a lot faster and do-able. BTW I stuck my pen magnet right on top of the valve stem and when I compressed the spring, the keepers popped out and right onto my pen magnet. I never had a problem with them flying with this method (only when I didnt do this)
Moral of the story is either borrow someone else's expensive tool, or buy your own, it will be worth it!
I made a little video, Ill try to get a good one of it starting up and idling and post it up pretty soon
Id say the most challenging part was the springs. At first I was using a $15 compressor from sears, the top is a T-handle that you have to screw by hand. This was not going to do it, once I tried to hit the #6cyl I knew I had to get something better. I posted on the Texas section asking if I could borrow someone's, and LS1JOE let me borrow his Moore tool. I would think the Crane tool would be easier if you were doing it by yourself, but I think the moore tool is a lot faster and do-able. BTW I stuck my pen magnet right on top of the valve stem and when I compressed the spring, the keepers popped out and right onto my pen magnet. I never had a problem with them flying with this method (only when I didnt do this)
Moral of the story is either borrow someone else's expensive tool, or buy your own, it will be worth it!
I made a little video, Ill try to get a good one of it starting up and idling and post it up pretty soon
06-14-2005, 06:47 PM
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just got done crusing around today, the car RUMBLES at the stoplights 
I got on it a little and I can tell it pulls more up top but definitly not as much as I think it will after it gets tuned. Its going to MTI tomorrow.
I got on it a little and I can tell it pulls more up top but definitly not as much as I think it will after it gets tuned. Its going to MTI tomorrow.
06-15-2005, 04:49 PM
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heres the dyno after the tune. the lower lines are with cutout closed, the top green/black line is with cutout opened.
My performance mods are:
(6 speed)
MTI clear lid
K&N filter
Hooker LT’s
Hooker ORY pipe
F14 112+4 (see chart below)
9”, 31 spline, locker, 3.89 gears
QTP electric Cutout
Free ram air
Descreened MAF
Polished TB
!EGR
!AIR
(LS1 intake)
(stock pulley)
here my Futral F14 cam specs
Im happy with those numbers. I know I need to get the LS6 intake. the 9" take away hp with the drivetrain loss so I was guessing/hoping Id get right around 370.
I dont care too much about the dyno numbers, I want to see what it can do at the track. I need some good slicks now.
It is an amazing feeling to feel the car pull to 6000 rpm!
(limiter is at 6.8)
My performance mods are:
(6 speed)
MTI clear lid
K&N filter
Hooker LT’s
Hooker ORY pipe
F14 112+4 (see chart below)
9”, 31 spline, locker, 3.89 gears
QTP electric Cutout
Free ram air
Descreened MAF
Polished TB
!EGR
!AIR
(LS1 intake)
(stock pulley)
here my Futral F14 cam specs
Im happy with those numbers. I know I need to get the LS6 intake. the 9" take away hp with the drivetrain loss so I was guessing/hoping Id get right around 370.
I dont care too much about the dyno numbers, I want to see what it can do at the track. I need some good slicks now.
It is an amazing feeling to feel the car pull to 6000 rpm!
(limiter is at 6.8)
06-16-2005, 02:16 AM
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wow, took it out for a night of crusing with many other car guys and ran a couple people on a highway. The car feels so good now. It feels wierd being able to rev it up a lot higher and it just keeps pulling. Everytime I shift it just slams me back.
I LOVE IT!
Oh yeah, I was driving and I passed up a car with 2 fine girls, so I slowed down to check them out again, and I smiled at them and they kind of yelled. and then a little bit later they shouted and I looked over, and the girl in the pass. pulled up her shirt and flashed me, and then the slowed down and took a right turn. I couldnt slow down and I didnt want to look like a stalker so I just kept going. Anyway, see what all a cam can do for you! (t tops probably did it too)
I LOVE IT!
Oh yeah, I was driving and I passed up a car with 2 fine girls, so I slowed down to check them out again, and I smiled at them and they kind of yelled. and then a little bit later they shouted and I looked over, and the girl in the pass. pulled up her shirt and flashed me, and then the slowed down and took a right turn. I couldnt slow down and I didnt want to look like a stalker so I just kept going. Anyway, see what all a cam can do for you! (t tops probably did it too)
