Cam Install Question
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Cam Install Question Ok so i have been basing it off of Ls1howto.com, and search. i have compiled everything needed, except the 1/2" 24mm Socket that ls1howto calls for. i did a search, and well every thread i found just says 1/2" 24 mm socket. is this a deep socket thats needed or a normal? 2nd, Whats the best install lube for the cam, so many people recomend so many diff ones in these threads, but whats the best bang for my buck?
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From: TEXAS
The 1/2" 24mm socket is to remove the Harmonic Balancer bolt. Deep or shallow is your choice. With a short 1/2" extension, either one will work. I usually use a deep socket on a good impact to spin the bolt off. As for the cam lube, I use clevite cam lube. To be honest, they are all about the same. If it says cam lube and it comes for a reputable company, it should be fine.
Careful with that LS1howto. It's an excellent writeup, but there is critical area that isn't exactly correct:
Pressing the balancer back on the crank. Use a proper tool (there is a guy on this site that sells them) that threads deep into crank so you can press the balancer on without damage.
Once you have the balancer pressed most of the way on, this is the procedure if you are using a GM bolt:
1) Torque OLD bolt to 240 ft.lbs., then remove.
2) Torque NEW bolt to 37 ft.lbs.
3) Tighten bolt an additional 140 degrees.
It takes a HUGE breaker bar to achieve this spec. You may not even get the full 140 degrees, but it should be o.k.
Pressing the balancer back on the crank. Use a proper tool (there is a guy on this site that sells them) that threads deep into crank so you can press the balancer on without damage.
Once you have the balancer pressed most of the way on, this is the procedure if you are using a GM bolt:
1) Torque OLD bolt to 240 ft.lbs., then remove.
2) Torque NEW bolt to 37 ft.lbs.
3) Tighten bolt an additional 140 degrees.
It takes a HUGE breaker bar to achieve this spec. You may not even get the full 140 degrees, but it should be o.k.
Just heat the Crank pulley in the oven for a few minutes on loe heat and it will slide right on. Or use a torch to heat it up. I have done at least 50 of these without a problem. I would also spend the $27.00 to buy an ARP Crank bolt.. It is re-usable and you do not have to torgue to yeild... Just my 2 cents.
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The Vinci/Crane spring tool is a big time saver as it is the only one that does two springs at a time. It's the one most expensive of the spring tools made specificially for the LS series, but well worth it because it cuts the number of times you have to install and remove the spring tool in half.
i just finished up another build in the garage...
STP oil treatment is great assembly lube for that cam and you get a quart bottle for half of a mini bottle of lucas or "assembly lube".
The Crane spring tool is definetly the way to go.
If the heads are on the motor, be aware of dropping a valve!!! You can buy a rod from Thunder to slide in the oiling ports above the cam to keep them in place or buy a air fitting that fits the spark plug and fill the cylinders up to keep the vlave in place. (by the way a long 3/8" rod from Home Depot will work instead of buying one, but i like the air method)
ARP all the way on the crank bolt too... heat that pulley up a bit, put a 2x4 across it and "tap" it on, should be pretty easy and cheap, never had a problem.
STP oil treatment is great assembly lube for that cam and you get a quart bottle for half of a mini bottle of lucas or "assembly lube".
The Crane spring tool is definetly the way to go.
If the heads are on the motor, be aware of dropping a valve!!! You can buy a rod from Thunder to slide in the oiling ports above the cam to keep them in place or buy a air fitting that fits the spark plug and fill the cylinders up to keep the vlave in place. (by the way a long 3/8" rod from Home Depot will work instead of buying one, but i like the air method)
ARP all the way on the crank bolt too... heat that pulley up a bit, put a 2x4 across it and "tap" it on, should be pretty easy and cheap, never had a problem.
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yea im leaving the heads on the motor when i do it, i was gonna go by rotating the crank to have the cyl im doin at tdc, i thought the rod/tool was to hold the lifters not the valves
i used the tdc method, it works great. use a 5/16 rod to hold up the lifters and make sure its atleast 22" long so there is room to bend a handle. for one of the rods (passenger side) the top needs to be shaved a bit flat for it to fit in. just carefull not to nick the side of the valves when you remove the valve stem seal
oh, are you replacing the oil pump? if so, pick up a thicker oil pump O ring.. You'll thank me later.... I've read countless threads of "Lifter tick" and half seem to listen when you mention that small O-ring.. My buddy and I spent DAYS trying to figure out what that damn ticking was.
I made a balancer reinstall tool out of some scraps at work ( m16 all thread and some washers). As for the tick I had it at first too, I don't know if I didn't get the rocker arm bolt torqued fully or missed it with the lock-tite but it backed out. Luckily the length of the bolt is greater than the distance to the valve cover so it just hit the cover and the rocker arm flopped around. Didn't mess anything up but did give me a reason to polish the valve covers since they where off anyways.
Thicker oil pump o-ring GM# 12557752
The ticking sounded almost like a leaking header primary and sounded like ti was coming from the driver's side bottom in back of the tire..
Apparently the smaller oil pump O ring was causing oil system aeration and #7 is the first lifter to get oil... So it would cause the lifter to not pump up all the way. = ticking..
Here's a link to the lifter tick thread... Solutioin was on page 5 or 6 or something.. P/N on page 7 IIRC..
https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...r-preload.html
Good thread.. adn kind of funny now that I read it back over again.. I kind of wish they would have stickied it.. or our solution thread..
Last edited by bayer-z28; Nov 29, 2009 at 04:44 PM.
