01 Trans-Am WS6

iTrader: (5)

I am currently in the process of camming my Trans-Am, we are at the part where we need to hold up the lifters to slide the stock cam out. I know of 3 different ways to do this:
I know Thuder Racing makes a special tool for this
You can use 16 retractable pen magnets
Or just hope the lifters stay up by friction and do not fall...

I am NOT looking to do method #3, I was planning on getting 16 pen magnets thinking they were like $3 each....they are nearly $7 a piece!

The tool from Thunder Racing is $102...I am really not looking to spend $100+ just to hold my lifters up, especially nearly $120 on damn pen magnets. It just feels like a waste of $$ to me, is there anyway around this? Does anyone have hookups for pen magnets lol?

JonCR96Z

iTrader: (33)

Most just go to lowes and get some 1/4"x3' wood dowels.

fuel_junkie

or use an air compressor.

JonCR96Z

iTrader: (33)

lifters not valves.

I just recently helped put a cam in a new truck and we used some long screwdrivers. Anything small that is long enough to reach the back of the block will work.

blue98Z

iTrader: (29)

I spent $17 on pen magnets from auto zone. Don't get the ones hanging on the rack, get the ones by the register in the bin. There were like $1 give or take with tax.

xhk651

+1... you can get them for MUCH cheaper than 7 bucks.

BriancWS6

iTrader: (18)

Just get whatever cheap pen magnets you can find, then the next time you go to the auto parts store, take them back. That's what I did with my first cam install back in 04

Another way is to get some metal rods, and make your own. I tried the 1/4" on a buddies GTO and they were too little. The 5/16" should work.

xhk651

i was going to say that.. just dont **** them up and keep your receipt..

SOMbitch

iTrader: (8)

3/8" wooden dowels

01 Trans-Am WS6

iTrader: (5)

The 2 auto parts stores near me only carry the ones hanging on the shelf, I've never seen them in a bin near the register.

Also I would reurn them after I use them lol, but the friend helping me with the cam said that we have to bend them pen magnets to get to the lifters? Is that right?

Also what are these wood dowles everyone is speaking of?

F3RR3T

Why not just remove them?

JonCR96Z

iTrader: (33)

You can get them at lowes for next to nothing. Just cut them the right length and slide them in the holes after removing the pushrods and spinning the cam around a few times. 3/8 is probably the better size.

You have to take the heads off for that.

PontiacFan

iTrader: (104)

Not to start any arguments, but I've always read where the dowels should be 5/16" not 1/4" or 3/8", ...

You'd think that the dowels & pen magnets would come up for sale more often.
( *Goin' searchin' now, ...*)

JonCR96Z

iTrader: (33)

I would say as big as will fit to ensure the wooden ones don't break. The intake lobe on a 01-02 LS1 cam is .274" which is the lowest clearance that you would have between the cam and rocker. So you may need to sharpen the end of the rods to ensure that they slide easily past the lifters

I've never used wood dowels, the only reason I said 1/4 to begin with is because the screw drivers that I used recently were only about that big around.

You could also get the aluminum or steel rods from lowes as well.

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

agreed....

01zx6arrrr

what he said.

StoleIt

iTrader: (3)

Anti gravity...

DCsLS1

just buy the tool from thunder racing and then if you want your money back then im positive there is a thousand people on this site that would buy it from you. also do you really want to trust your engine to a 1 dollar pen magnet? i alway say if your not going to do it right then why do it at all, use the right tools for the job

EHat911

iTrader: (15)

what he said!!!!

01 Trans-Am WS6

iTrader: (5)

Can someone explain to me how to use these wooden dowles? I am very confused here...glue magnets to the end?