I posted a few weeks back about having problems with a knocking in my '98 T/A WS6. I've talked with a few mechanics and looked at several posts on here and I believe that the culprit behind the problem is a lifter.

My father has some LS2 Heads on his '07 CTS-V. Soon (within this week or next) he is going to change the heads and cam on his CTS-V. For a small sum of money, he'll give me the LS2 Heads and Cam.

I've done a little bit of reading on the LS2 cam in an LS1 engine. I'm basically hearing two different things on the matter. One is that the 2007 LS2 cam is the same as the LS1 cam, but this is the only year it is like this. Another is that every model for the LS2 cams will NOT work in an LS1 engine due to different timing marks between the two cams. I understand that the gains from an LS2 cam will be minimal at best, but this isn't an upgrade for performance. It's simply an upgrade to keep my car running and not damaging the engine because of a bad lifter and a replacement for a cam that has probably been scuffed. If this cam will NOT work, I need advice as to which cam to get. I am on minimum budget here (in college and working part-time).

What specifically will I need for this project?

As of right now this is what I have in mind to get:

*GM Performance LS2 Lifter Guide Trays

*Need advice on some good lifters. I've heard mixed reviews on the LS7 Lifters

*Need advice on some good pushrods. I'd like to have something where if I ever end up missing a shift, I won't have to be replacing pushrods. This is not to say I will be missing shifts left-and-right.

I'm almost positive I have not listed everything that I will need. Please enlighten me as to what else I will need for this project.

Thank you for your time.

 

Ls 2 trays are good start.
Ls7 lifters. I'm installing a set right now. They are cheap if your on a budget.
Head gaskets
Head bolts or studs. Your choice
Possibly intake gaskets

If your car is a 98 and it has the perimeter bolt valve covers you will need to change to center bolt valve covers if using 243 heads. In pretty sure the coil brackets are also different but not positive

 

Yup, add center bolt valve covers and coil brackets. Most cams are around the same price, I personally like the torquer v3..great gains and decent driveability with a good tune. TSP has some of the better pricing for cam kits.

 

Well, I understand what needs to be done for the heads now. Very greatly appreciated for all of the good info. However, I'm still at the same question about the cam: can I use the '07 LS2 cam or will I need to just get one of the ones mentioned by arock24 and BKsNHRA. If it's possible to add something to my LS1 to make it able to run an LS2 cam, that would be great. I really had a Lingenfelter GT1-1 cam in mind on down the road probably a year or so for now. Adding any kind of aftermarket cam right now we're probably talking about $1200. Not exactly what I had in mind to spend at the moment, hence the urgency to figure out if I can use this LS2 cam and make-do with that for a few years.

 

The ls2 heads will not work due to the larger valves. The heads are meant to go on a 4.00+ bore block. The exhaust valve will actually hit the cylinder bore.
Also, the intake runner are rectangular ports and not cathedral ports, so you'd need a new intake manifold as well.
Sorry.

 

aren't the ls2 heads just 243 heads? I did the swap on my 98 with 243's that came off a 07 ls2 vette if i remember correctly, I used the valves that were on the heads with no problems.

 

You might be right, I forget what year the ls2's went from cathedral to rectangular ports.

 

Hummm, slipping there

 

Idk if the cam will work or not. I don't have experience with ls2 cam. I'm not sure if it used a single bolt can or not. If I were you I'd try to find a small gm hot cam or a 224r can out of the classifieds for cheap. A small cam used and a set of beehive springs for the heads. You'd only be talkin a few hundred more dollars. It would probably run ok until you could save a few dollars for a tune. If you can't do a cam. Your cam that's in it may be ok. Pull the lifters and spin it over and take a look at it.

 

I believe the LS2 cam is the same specs as a 01 Z06 cam....
Heads will work....

 

Alright, thank you guys for all of the help. The cam situation was probably the most confusing of all for me before coming into this post. A small gm hot cam should do the job and I'd be as happy as a lark.

 

New Lifters/Trays (Im running LS7 lifters, no problems)
Centerbolt Valve Covers/Coil Brackets/Coils
Head Gaskets/Head Bolts

As far as the cam, it MAY be a single bolt cam, where-as the LS1 cam you have now is a 3 bolt. You may be better off looking into a ZO6 cam, and yellow springs. The cams are relatively common in the classifieds, and the springs can be bought new pretty cheap. I know TSP has the springs for about 80.00.

 

Yeah, I thought the ls2's swtiched over from cathedral to rectangle ports at some point, and different years in different vehicles.

I forget. I'm still running cathedral port, ls1 stuff so I never followed the gen 4 too closely.