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Cam swap help needed

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Old Jul 3, 2010 | 01:33 AM
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Default Cam swap help needed

Me and a buddy started swapping TSP's 233/239 .595 .605 on a 112 in to my 04 GTO with stock heads. We are using 7.4 pushrods also. Every thing was going fine until we bolted the rockers back on and tried to turn the engine over again. Now when rotating the crank pulley it feels as if we are hitting a stop either way we turn. We lined up the dots on the cam and crank gears. I was told that this cam should fit no problem on a stock headed ls1. Does any one have any ideas? I was really excited about getting this finished this evening but that does not look to be the case. All help is appreciated.
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Old Jul 3, 2010 | 01:35 AM
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We just unbolted the rocker arms and now the engine turns freely again. Pushrods to long?
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Old Jul 3, 2010 | 09:24 AM
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soundz like you r building compression man thats why its hard to turn, the pushrods r not to long. john
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Old Jul 3, 2010 | 09:26 AM
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Yet another reason "how to" sites are dangerous.

Did you check pushrod length?
I'm assuming you didn't check PTV clearance?

Assuming things when building an engine is a good way to blow **** up.
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Old Jul 3, 2010 | 09:34 AM
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Its a good thing you stopped when you thought something was potentially wrong. I say try it again bc yes its gonna be hard to turn the engine over while building compression. If you want to verify that nothing is hitting, simply do this: pull the spark plugs out of the engine, and then it will be super easy to roll over by hand. If something is hitting, you will feel it for sure.
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Old Jul 3, 2010 | 09:50 AM
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Originally Posted by Damian
Yet another reason "how to" sites are dangerous.

Did you check pushrod length?
I'm assuming you didn't check PTV clearance?

Assuming things when building an engine is a good way to blow **** up.

do you really think the pushrods r to long?
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Old Jul 3, 2010 | 10:56 AM
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I am a retard. It was late and I had a beer or two and totally forgot to put the rocker pedestial under the rockers before bolting them down. Thank yall for your input. We should be starteding it here in less than an hour. I will keep yall updated!
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Old Jul 3, 2010 | 10:58 AM
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Post up a first start vid
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Old Jul 3, 2010 | 11:57 AM
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Originally Posted by johnster
do you really think the pushrods r to long?
It's possible. I once installed a 232/236 XE-R off the shelf plain ole Comp cam, and the damn thing took a 7.325 pushrod. I have no idea why, but with a 7.4 it was bottoming out the lifter before I got to 1/2 TQ.

NEVER assume anything when building an engine. Frankly, this whole "7.4 length should be fine" BS needs to go away period. Almost every cam I've installed in the past 3 years on a stock head required a slightly longer pushrod due to the smaller base circle on the cam.

Pushrods should be the very last thing ordered when building an engine. They should not be ordered with the cam.
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Old Jul 3, 2010 | 12:50 PM
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Well we just started it up and I am completely confused. Besides the completely obnoxious valve train noise, I cant even tell there is a differant cam in there. It idles at 800rpms by it self and doesnt have anymore lope to it then my stock cam did. I did look at the end of the cam when I got it and there were the correct specs ground into it. I let the car idle up to operating temp and shut it down. I will go back out and start it again in a minute. How long does it take to quite down the drive train? I went with prc .650's btw.
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Old Jul 3, 2010 | 12:54 PM
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how noisy is it. i have the pac singles with my 228 and the valve train is actually quieter with the cam for me.
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Old Jul 3, 2010 | 01:14 PM
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It is unbearably loud.
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Old Jul 3, 2010 | 01:24 PM
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Dont most untuned cammed ls1's have trouble idling before tune? Mine starts on its own and idles at 800rpms and has zero lope to it. I really am confused and irritated at this point. Any ideas?
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Old Jul 3, 2010 | 01:26 PM
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Originally Posted by Jtm2085
Dont most untuned cammed ls1's have trouble idling before tune? Mine starts on its own and idles at 800rpms and has zero lope to it. I really am confused and irritated at this point. Any ideas?
Did you put the stock cam back in?
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Old Jul 3, 2010 | 01:59 PM
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Depending on the idle speed, cam lope can completely go away. The lower it idles, the more lope. Just to make sure are they new lifters or reused lifters? Im assuming they are untouched but want to verify. Also, what did the oil pressure gauge read in the car?
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Old Jul 3, 2010 | 02:03 PM
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They are stock lifters. I have an 04 GTO and as far as I know it does not have a oil pressure gauge. And know I did not put the stock cam back in lol
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Old Jul 3, 2010 | 02:21 PM
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY4halwIxYc It is not as loud in the video. But you can here it and you can here how it does not sound like a 233/239
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Old Jul 3, 2010 | 05:34 PM
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Any ideas?
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Old Jul 3, 2010 | 05:41 PM
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.


It sounds like your pushrods are to short and your preload is to little.

If not sure, you need to measure for correct pushrod length.

With stock non-milled heads... 9 out of 10 aftermarket cams use 7.425 pushrods to obtain correct preload.



.
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Old Jul 4, 2010 | 12:20 PM
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What about the sound of the cam over all? Would any one else agree that it does not sound like a 233/239? I am wondering if TSP some how got the cam mixed up with another. It is idling at 800rpms and I can not hear any lope at all.
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