detailed instructions with pictures www.ls1howto.com

 

had them printed off but thank you. and no i tried it during friday afternoon and saturday but my helpers schedule didnt line up with mine too well so we eneded up not working on it as much and we broke two sockets taking off the rocker arms along with a wrench so we went ahead and put it all back due to me working that sunday morning.


on a side note when i had my valve covers off my heads looked black compared to some pictures i just saw. is this normal for a 79xxx car?

 

Research more...ask questions...get the correct tools - as this will make life much easier...take your time...go back and review...ask more questions...eat, drink...go back to it...check for everything...CRANK HER UP!

It takes more patience than experience...and RESEARCH.

 

What kind of oil and filter do you run and do you change the oil every 3000 miles.... it should be a caramel color at worst.

 

^^^maybe time for seafoam???

 

Probably

 

You need a 6 point IMPACT grade 3/8" socket to get the rocker bolts out without breaking the socket. The rocker bolts are locktited in at the factory(you'll find orange locktite under the head of the bolt when you get it out). If you use this socket and a 3/8" breaker bar with a short extension and give the bolt a quick hard snap you will break the locktite and then be able to unscrew the bolts with your fingers. They are only held by 22ft/lb., but it takes about 100lbs of force to break the locktite. Make sure the socket is sitting squarely over the bolt head and that the breaker bar is at 90 degrees to the fastener when you apply quick hard force to the end of the breaker bar. To me the hardest part of the cam swap is getting the old cam out. It always seem to hang up on one of the bearings on the way out. I custom made myself a handle just so I can get a good grip on the cam as I remove and install it and to keep it as straight as possible during the whole process. The cam has to be perfectly lined up with the bearings to get it in and out. Sometimes a few choice curse words help.

 

I wonder what a shop would charge for a cam swap? That drop top needs a cam.

 

Yeah it was, and you can bet I left that little bastard out to save myself from the trouble next time..

 

my first head/cam swap took me and 1 friend 13.5 hours. thats with 2 trips to autozone and one trip to jack in the box. not too bad if you ask me.

 

heads cam myself, took about 10 hours but i have done it before and had tools organized and on hand.

 

Cam swaps aren't THAT hard but time consuming for sure, just make sure you have all the proper tools, ratchet wrenches FTMFW!

 

ratchet wrenches are the ****