In Progress.......Head and Cam Install
 

I am in the middle of my head and cam install, and it is a little harder than I anticipated! I have built many of the pre-computer engines, but this is my first LS1 job! Many of the bolts and plugs are hard to get to. I have cut and scraped my hands and arms pretty good! I guess we (my 15 year old son and I) aren't doing to bad though. We started Friday afternoon and have everythig out, but the heads. They are ready to come off, but we stopped there to take a break. Working in a two car garage with one side full doesn't help matters any, but hopefully we will have everything back together by next weekend. We are going to try an install a torque converter while we are at it!

Anyone have any tips for making things easier would be appreciated!

The only tip to make it easier that I can think of is to use the instructions from www.ls1howto.com. It can't get any easier than that. Good luck :)

Yeah, those writeups are a life saver for new explored territory. At least your doing heads and not springs! Good luck and post up if you hit any road blocks.

man everyone and their mother is installing some sort of patriot head combo this weekend :) did u manage to break your oil pressure sender? lol

How did you know? I guess that has happened quite a few times Eh?

What are the two sensors in/under the valley cover with the rubber covers?
I started to take them out when I realized that they were not mentioned in LS1howto or any other article that I have seen! I broke one of the palstic clips that holds one of the sensors on. I have it back on, but I am concerned about it!

those are the knock sensors, you could always get a new harness if its messed up

Thanks! That is what I thought they were, but I wasn't sure. I put a touch of super glue on the one I broke. It is holding fast now.

Why did you try to take those sensors out? They dont need to be removed for a heads and cam install, which is why I didnt mention it ;)

I did not take them out. I just removed the harness. It looked pretty bad and was covered with crap, so I figured I would clean it up! The clips were pretty dried up, I guess from the heat and age!

Be sure to soak up the water in the bolt holes in the block with rolled up paper towels and then blow out the remaining water with compressed air. After that spray a little WD-40 on the threads. Don't forget to clean the deck surface real well.

Double check your Patriot heads and make sure you got the springs you were supposed to.



Stu

Yes , I posted in another thread that Pace/Patriot sent me the wrong heads!
They were supposed to be stage 2, but they were stage 1. Took me almost a month to get them, so I am not happy right now!

I had no clue. Sorry. The only reason I said somethin is that they sent a friend of mine the wrong springs on their heads. He ended up breakin one and its been about 2 months and hes still waiting on retainers.


Good luck.

Well, that is OK! It looks like it was just a part number mix-up to me! I will find out Tomorrow. I have been talking to "TVWilkes" on this site. He is the project manager at Patriot Performance. he says that that Pace will make it good and that it shoud not take three weeks to get them, which is how long it took the first time!

Maybe your friend should talk to him!