I read through the FAQ best I could and it answered a lot of what I already was wondering.

Just a couple more questions.

To start, my car is bone stock right now except for a lid I installed last week. I have a SLP catback still in the box new, waiting to go on. I have a list made and am ready to buy whenever.
I've already sent the money for my cam, which is a custom grind from isky racing along with their springs. It seems pretty big to me, but they said it'd be great for my cam only setup.

Cam specs: 236/240 "598/606" 284/288 110lsa

My current list of parts to buy:
New Pushrods
LS2 Timing Chain
Pacesetter Y-Pipe
Pacesetter Longtube Headers /w no Emissions
Poly Motor & Transmission Mounts
Plugs&Wires
Cam Swap Gasket kit from tsp /w GM MLS
Oil Pan Gasket

First question:
The pushrod calculator link is dead, so I'm still not sure what length pushrods I'm going to need to run.
The LS1 oil pump should be fine, correct? It's still new, or else I'd get an LS6.

Stock lifters - my buddy said the stock lifters should be okay. (The problem is I don't have any more money in my budget at all... as of now I will have JUST enough to get a tune at Speedinc)

With this big of a cam, will the car be drivable at all without a tune? I intend to drive it up to Speedinc. I'm hoping it's at least okay enough to get on the highway and sit in 6th gear for a few hours.

Those are the main questions I have atm.
I'm ready to click "buy" whenever, I just mainly need to know what pushrods I need, or if I even need them?

Thanks all

 

It's kinda hard to tell what size pushrod you need unless you measure for it. Your stock lifters should be fine since you don't have any more money to spend on it. I also noticed that on your list of things to buy, that you didn't list new valve springs, (You're going to need them). As far as driveablility with that cam and no tune....It's not going to be fun so if you can, trailer it to the tuner. If you can't trailer it, DO NOT go wot.

 

No doubt, trust me with as long as I was into the built DSM's I know not to beat on it without a tune.

I figure as long as I can get it into 6th on the highway, I'll be good since 90% of the trip is at 70mph on the highway

And the springs are coming with the cam

 

My buddy said I should be okay with stock pushrods since I won't be reving it really any further than stock.

Would I be okay to stay with stockers for now? I have no problems pulling the heads in a few months again and tossing in some lifters / pushrods when the funds are up again.

 

I doubt you will be able to run the stock pushrods with that cam. 1. You will probably bend one. 2. They may not be long enough. I wouldn't do it. You don't have to pull the heads to swap the pushrods. You just have to take the rockers off and slide them in.

 

Yeah, and you will be taking off the rockers to change the valve springs anyway.

That cam will not like idling without a tune, but at least you have a manual. If it is your only car and a daily driver then you might want to rethink it. I think it is an odd recommendation without knowing some other things about it... whatever. Do have some questions:

What about fuel injectors? Are stock 26pph injectors in the 1999 going to be able to fuel that cam properly?

Do you still have the stock intake manifold? Does it make sense to run a cam like that with an LS1 intake manifold?

How many miles are on the stock lifters? Why not wait a little while longer and save enough money to get some new lifters while you have the engine torn apart anyway?

Plan to change gears at all?

 

Motor is actually out of a 2000+ (not sure of the donor car, but I know it's a 2000 +.. I didn't know it when I bought the car but it has been proven as I've done work to the car that it isnt original)

Not sure if that makes a difference with the injectors?

It is my only car atm, however I will have another daily driver after the summer. I live only about a mile from both school and work so it isnt a problem for me. I'm not expecting it to idle at all really haha.

Stock lifters probably have around 80k miles on them.

Eventually getting 4.10's

When I ordered my cam, Isky first recommended me a small cam that'd be very streetable, and should be a good cam only cam that would get me to my 400 goal with good tuning. However I told them I eventually intend to get heads / FAST intake / etc. They recommended me this one saying that while it wouldnt have its full potential, cam only with a stock ls1 intake (i may even have a LS6 intake if my motor is out of a newer car, how can I tell?), and the 3.46's - it will make my goals easily if not more currently and will still have tons of potential with more mods, it'll simply not be as streetfriendly which is fine with me.


The car to me is a cruiser. I'm not even necessary building it to be super fast, just want it to be a fun cruiser that has a lot of growl and plenty of power to back it up. I won't even be beating on it a whole lot.

 

It's kind of a waste to run on the ls1 intake 01-02 cars came with the ls6. I'd see about picking one up, they go for $350 shipped all day long on here and when you decide to do a fast intake, you'll always get you money out of the ls6. You Shoukd def look into port/polishing your throttle body also. I'd def get some pushrods though, they are cheap. Wait like a week or two and buy some damn push rods. That's a pretty big cam for ur stock gearing, it's gonna b a little sluggish around town in the lower rpms on stock gearing. cam only, u should b ok with stock injectors, just check the duty cycle and make sure they are < 80%. Same thing goes for the litters, just make sure u pick up some new lifter when you decide to de a set of heads.

 

Well the point I was sort of dancing around is why do you feel the need to throw a big cam in it right now if it will be suboptimal with the other parts? Alternatively you could get all of the other parts on the car like the intake manifold, gears, exhaust in the mean time and the car will be faster than stock and better to drive around every day than with a cam spec'd for some future engine configuration in the otherwise stockish motor.

For what I was asking about, the 2000 motor isn't much different than the 99. The injectors are also 26pph and it has the LS1 intake manifold. The 01's got the LS6 style intake manifold and 28pph injectors.

I suppose you could wait on the lifters if you didn't plan on taking off the heads. As repeated above a couple times, I would get new pushrods though. But then again, I would not be putting that cam in my motor at this stage if I were you anyway.

 

I agree with others - save a little longer. You can go with stock lifters on a small cam but stock push rods or not changing springs is just a ticking time bomb. I also agree with going with an LS6 intake. Just save a little longer and do it well so your car will be reliable.

 

The car isn't going to idle or do anything on the stock tune with that cam. It'll be a nightmare in 6th gear going down the highway too. IMO, it's way too big for a stock type setup. You're not doing heads, a FAST manifold, big headers, or anything to support it. I'd get ISKY to do something in the 228-232 range.

You'll need hardened pushrods. Measure for them. The tool is $20.

Springs - make sure you don't go overkill on springs. What spring pressures was ISKY giving you? What lobes on the cam?

Stock rockers will be fine. Stock oil pump will be okay (if new). Stock lifters will be okay if you get stiff pushrods and run just enough spring. Going with flimsy pushrods and overkill springs creates a nice pogo stick effect with the lifter on the cam lobes.

You'll need a new clutch most likely.

You still need to budget for coolant, spark plugs, and miscellaneous crap that comes up.

Read this if you haven't: https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...alvetrain.html