Cody Brooks

iTrader: (2)

ok I have a cam that I'm about to install as well as pushrods and valve springs. I bought 3 feet of 5/16's rod (drivers side) and 3 feet of 3/16's (for passenger side since some have problems with 5/16 fitting). I'm planning on using air to hold up the valve and make a "larry tool" for the valve springs.

Heres my questions.

Do I need larger than 3/16s on the passenger side? I have seen guys put velcro and stuff to increase the size and still allow rods to slide in easily, but I'm thinking since its going to be directly under the lifters size shouldn't matter right?

What assembly lube do you guys recommend on a used cam with about 3,000 miles on it? I was thinking some E.O.S. from GM mixed with some mobil 1 for the cam and soaking the pushrods in oil the night before the install. What do you think about that?

What size thread do I need to make the "larry tool" with ?

01_SuperSlow

iTrader: (7)

A 1/4 inch rod fits in the passenger side without a problem.

Cody Brooks

iTrader: (2)

yeah but do I need bigger than 3/16's?

01SSDRVR

iTrader: (1)

Are you doing it in the car with out a lift? If so have fun. I did a cam swap last weekend on my 01 SS and if I could do it over I deffinetly would have pulled the motor. I will never do a cam swap on a f-body when the engine is in the car again. Good luck

Cody Brooks

iTrader: (2)

doing it without lift. pulling radiator and condensor out for the cam swap.

01SSDRVR

iTrader: (1)

I would pull the motor. The time you waste pulling the motor is nothing compared to the time you'll waste trying to change the springs. Those back cylinders are such a pain. I know im not the most patient person on the planet but those springs are enough to make you want smash something. Not trying to discourage just trying to keep you from making the same mistake I did.

Cody Brooks

iTrader: (2)

well I understand that but I have to do the valve springs and pushrods in one day. I'll do them first so that if I don't feel like going further or don't have time then I'll just wait untill the next Saturday and then do the cam. The back cylinders shouldn't be too much trouble using the larry tool the only thing that I can see being hard is getting to air hose in to hold up the valves on cylinders 6 and 8 possibly #7 also. I'll do those first and get the hard ones out of the way.

I notice your refering to an 01 ss and I've worked on them as well as 02 TA's and they are harder to work on period since alot more stuff is in the way than on my 99.

Turo

iTrader: (23)

That completely depends on the tools used. The 2 back cylinders took me 3 hours to do with the TR More tool the first time. Using the Crane Cams tool, I changed every single spring (including all the back ones) in under an hour. Not sure how good Larry's tool is, but Crane's is great, and it lets you change 2 springs at a time.

glennster

iTrader: (1)

I would never pull the motor to install cam/springs,WTF.Get a crane valvespring compressor,they are awsome and do 2 at a time.Use 5/16 brake lines and "oval" them slightly in a vice,the dr side will be cool and the pass side will need this oval.spin the lifters and install the rods,then turn them to tighten the lifters.

01SSDRVR

iTrader: (1)

you can pull the motor in 2-3 hours and save all the headaches of trying to do it in the car. Plus your back and hands will thank you the next day. Im not saying its fatser just much much eaiser. I will never change them in the car again. btw I had to change the timimg chain too.

01SSDRVR

iTrader: (1)

if you want to pay 150$ for cranes spring compressor go for it. But i already had and wasnt going to get raped by crane for one.

Turo

iTrader: (23)

I did, and would recommend it to anyone doing an in-car cam/spring swap. It definitely takes longer to pull the motor than to use a good in-car spring compressor. Do a search on valvespring tools, you'll see that the crane is recommended the most.

EDIT: By the way, its $100, not $150.

Cody Brooks

iTrader: (2)

ok guys back to the original questions that haven't been answered. do I need larger than 3/16's on passenger side, i know that most use other options but I have this already and would like to use it, so it big enough to get the job done or any reason to get larger? What is the thread size for the all-thread to make a larry tool with?