Head Swap, Motor In or Out?
12-29-2005, 02:35 AM
#1
Teching In
Thread Starter
iTrader: (6)
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Head Swap, Motor In or Out? Going to be doing a head/cam (AFR 205/Com Cams) swap in the next couple of months on the '99 LS1 Camaro. How many people are doing this with the motor in the car? If you are taking the motor out - is it from the top or dropping it out the bottom? I plan on using ARP head bolts to eliminate the angle torque issue. Thanks.
12-29-2005, 10:41 AM
#4
On The Tree
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 156
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Having done the R&R on one recently (from below), if you aren't in a hurry it would sure make it nice. The net time difference may not be all that much since you get to stand up the whole time.
12-29-2005, 11:18 AM
#6
11 Second Club
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
i am having this done to my 2001 SS as we speak. the swap is done with the engine in the car. make sure you check your deck height on your block so you get the right compression ratio. we will be milling my afr 205 heads to get me to 10.8:1 compression ratio. the comp cam that i am using is the 114 lsa with the 224 intake and the 230 exhaust duration @.050 > lift is a split pattern with .581 on the intake and .588 on the exhuast. what cam are you using and what compression ratio are you gonna go with?
12-29-2005, 12:06 PM
#7
For once I have to disagree. I just pulled my engine/tranny out of the car from the bottom in a couple of hours. Prior to this I had done a cam swap/headers/TC and other misc. stuff leaving the engine in the car, and while it was still doable, I believe it would have been much easier to pull the whole assembly out . It is really easy, you just have to unhook a whole bunch of stuff and then pull it out from the bottom. PERSONALLY, i would even suggest doing it for something as easy as a cam swap.
Trending Topics
12-29-2005, 12:15 PM
#8
On The Tree
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 171
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Coming from the bottom though, you have to deal with bleeding brakes, and LOTS of conenctors, etc... I'ld leave it in, and I've had mine out. I've done heads and cam in car before to, leave it in. Maybe if I had a 2 post lift at home, and have taken 3-4 in/out from the bottom, I'd change my mind, but my advice is do it in the car.
Mike
Mike
12-29-2005, 12:22 PM
#9
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (18)
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Clifton, NJ
Posts: 1,091
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
leaving motor in = less stuff to worry about reconnecting etc.
and it really isn't all that hard - but then again, i am on the smaller side and was able to literally climb under the hood to tighten bolts down versus doing it from outside the car
and it really isn't all that hard - but then again, i am on the smaller side and was able to literally climb under the hood to tighten bolts down versus doing it from outside the car
12-29-2005, 02:51 PM
#10
Staging Lane
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Either way is pretty easy. If you have a lift and something to support your whole drivetrain, you can have the motor out of the car in less then an hour. It takes no time at all to disconnect the wiring harness off a LS1. It is hell of a lot easier to get to all the bolts with nothing impeading you movement.
In the car for most people is the only way to go since most people do not have a lift and a engine cradle for the drivetrain. But it is still easy compared to most cars out there. The LSx motors are possibly the easiest motors to work on. Even a caveman can do it.
In the car for most people is the only way to go since most people do not have a lift and a engine cradle for the drivetrain. But it is still easy compared to most cars out there. The LSx motors are possibly the easiest motors to work on. Even a caveman can do it.