kdick91

iTrader: (1)

I'm about to throw in a new oil pump and EPS cam ( I don't have the specs on me but it is about a .59x/.60x lift. ) And I am going with double valve springs, hardened PRs, new valve seals, etc. But I am keeping the stock rocker arms and lifters. I am pretty sure the rocker arms are okay, but am I okay stick with stock lifters?

Thanks
Kyle

P.S. It is a 2000 LS1 T/A

Whiteaw57

iTrader: (2)

how many miles?

kdick91

iTrader: (1)

72k. Give or take a few.

Always2Slow

iTrader: (8)

Get ls7 lifters they are 100 bucks and will easily pay for themselves when your 72k mile lifters decide to go out on you and you have to replace bolts depending on which ones you use and gaskets if you didn't buy cometics

kdick91

iTrader: (1)

Is there any way to do this without pulling the heads?

Whiteaw57

iTrader: (2)

I was gonna say, thats your kick in the pants......
heads coming off wasnt in your plans so no theres no other way to change lifters to my knowledge. That fact and the oil pump design are my only two complaints with the LS based engines. So to answer your question, my friend with a 223/239 .595/.603 cam is running stock lifters in his 133k mile car. I currently have stockers in my 224/230 .581/.592 cammed camaro with 89k, so yes you can do it, just no garuntees and first start is crucial(lots of oil). Change the oil often and run a good filter and theoretically id say youll be ok. Just plan on ls7 lifters for the future and go ahead and start saving for that head swap. GL

Always2Slow

iTrader: (8)

nope you have to pull the heads no way around it, but it beats taking everything apart twice.

Whiteaw57

iTrader: (2)

I agree if you have any concerns then wait up and do a h/c/i swap all at once. To do lifters later on you'll be repeating most of the stuff you'll be doing to swap the cam.....Also It would seriously suck to break a lifter and not only ruin the cam but possibly the rest of the motor.

kdick91

iTrader: (1)

Well a failing lifter is pretty easy to catch. And work is free... In a blaze of ignorance, I'm gonna wait for the stockers to start failing then replace and maybe convince myself to get new heads... On the 133k car, are you running dual VS? I feel the greater spring pressure may attribute to an earlier failure. But you say first start is crucial... I'm pretty aware of everything that goes into the cam swap (based on prior knowledge and LS1HowTo) but what extra info should I know outside of that write up (assuming I have no prior knowledge). I know to clean the cam with brake cleaner or something of the like and SOAK it in oil. Prime the pump. Don't pinch the o-ring. And fire it up. What lubricating details am I missing?

Whiteaw57

iTrader: (2)

you got it. just no such thing as too much oil thats all. Luckily LS engines do have roller cams so its not as big of a deal as if you had flat tappet lifters. the 233/239 does have dual valve springs and he is scared to death of the lifters and currently saving up for heads. He has the lifters just not installed them. Obviously he isnt scared enough to not drive it. I doubt you will have a problem and you're right if you develop a tick after a while you'll know its time. I think you should be fine. I just dont want to garuntee them and you run into a problem. GL

blazer427X3

I found out the previous owner of my car used his old lifters which probably had about 40K miles on them when the cam (TSP 233/239 595/605) was installed. Since I'm not 100% sure what the exact mileage was when the cam went in ...I'm guessing about 17-19K miles later a lifter failure wiped a lobe on the cam. By the time I heard the lifter the cam was already damaged.

Spend the $ on the new lifters and consider doing a trunion upgrade on the rockers if they look okay. BTW, the tech guys at TSP recommended stock rockers or LS7 lifters.

Good luck with the build !

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

To insure the lifters last, or help them anyway. Measure for pushrod length to make sure you set preload correctly.

kdick91

iTrader: (1)

How do you set preload? I'm going with hardened PRs, so I'm sure they will be correct length. Checking though, can never be too safe...

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

You set the preload with the pushrod length

silverZ98

iTrader: (6)

get a push rod checker then get the right push rods after u check them

kdick91

iTrader: (1)

I'm getting the 'right' PR length based on Geoff's (from EPS) recommendation on the cam he is making me. I found how to set preload. I appreciate that piece of advice! And thank you for the trunion suggestion, didn't know that existed!

kdick91

iTrader: (1)

Excuse me if I'm saying anything incorrect or unwise. If so, please correct me. This is my first cam swap on an LS1.

Whiteaw57

iTrader: (2)

are you going to get a double roller timing chain?

kdick91

iTrader: (1)

No, but I am not keeping the stock. Just a single-roller. I keep reading stories (not a lot though) of people having their double rollers fail. I haven't read one of a single roller failing though. I know all fail, but just I read more on the double roller failing and people trying to hunt down the right chain from the right country... Too much of a hassle and not aggressive enough of a cam or springs.

Whiteaw57

iTrader: (2)

I got ya. Well then you wont have to worry about spacing the pump. Just be careful of that o-ring....its a pain to have to go back in and fix it, I had to after the 233/239 install. the only other little things are just get all new gaskets, and when you drop the pan slightly to do the oring is only drop it as much as you have to. I dropped the buddies all the way as far as I could without removing the bolts and at the filter where it makes pressure the pan gasket didnt seal. I'm not sure if theres a procedure there or if its just luck. May wanna ask some others about this, If anyone else knows please chime in. I still dont know what I did wrong there. And oh yeah dont flex the a/c condenser too far the solid line will leak