About to do my first cam swap in my 2000 SS. 92,000 miles. Full bolt ons etc etc.

I have several questions on what I should and shouldn't replace. So far I have

SI5 cam
BTR Spring kit
7.400 hardened pushrods
LS6 Intake

Still have to get
Timing chain
All neccessary fluids
Waterpump, timing cover, and intake gaskets, as well as the oil pump O ring

I'm still wondering if I should replace the lifters, waterpump, and the oil pump. The car runs fine as is, the lifters aren't making any noise. Any help would be appreciated. Just trying to get a final list together

 

well the lifters cant come out until the heads are off, and once theyre off youll need new head gaskets, head bolts, and get the heads surfaced milled to make them nice and flat and youll have to clean the deck of the block of the old gasket material really good with a scraper.. then you can get a good seal when bolting the heads back down with new gaskets... wheww that was alot of typing..

ya know unless your not ready to do a head swap, then I would leave the lifters alone... thats why if you search alot of people and vendors recommend doing them together.

but yes add a ls2 timing chain to your list, and If your not replacing your oil pump then you dont technically need an o-ring.. as long as your oil pressure is still good.

 

oh forgot to ask if you were going to take the heads off anyway to replace the valve springs or If you were installing the springs with the heads still on using the TDC method..

 

Sorry I didn't know the heads had to come off in order to access the lifters! These aren't the good ol' smallblocks. And yes I am leaving the heads alone as I'm doing a cam only setup and I'm doing the springs with the TDC and a comp valve spring compressor tool. My oil pressure is fine, I just wasn't sure because I've heard ported/LS6 pumps are better if you have a cam.

 

Ported ls6 pumps are better than a stock oil pump... I didnt see that in your list, just an O ring...

Its good insurance to get a ported ls6 oil pump w/ new O ring..

 

Okay now the O ring seals the gap around the crankshaft correct? First time diving this deep into an LS motor so bear with me

 

Ok your talking about the front main seal where the crank pulley is at...

The oil pump O ring is the ring that seals the end of the oil pump to the oil pickup tube..

 

read this

http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=23

it will tell you everything and has alot of pics to make it very helpful

 

Got it! Now does an LS6 oil pump flow more than an LS1? I was thinking I would just go to the auto parts store and say I needed an oil pump for a 2005 CTS-V.

 

I actually have that printed out and am reading it like a book! I'm starting the tear-down tomorrow

 

it does<

the part # is 12586665

and its the replacement oil pump for any 98-02 ls1 when you buy it ..

 

Great. Also what's the best method for holding the lifters in place while swapping the cam? I'm not buying the tool for it, I was told to get two 5/16" steel rods and cut them to three inches longer than the cam. Or should I opt for the pen magnet method? Really don't want to lose any lifters

 

Honestly I did the pen magnet version a while back with a friend, it worked good.. just expensive for the magnets...

heres a tthread that might help with the other idea

https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...ifters-up.html

 

Careful of using LS1howto, many have severely damaged the motor (especially the crank) following that web site. There are many inaccuracies. Do a search on damaged crank threads to find out.

 

good point, that has not been updated...

I made my own crank pulley install tool since some people have pulled the threads out of their crank using ls1howto.com method...

 

I would have saved alot of money if I just did heads/cam together. If you have the funds I would go that route.

For my cam swap I got push rods / dual springs / ls2 timing chain / ported oil pump. You could also check your injectors. I got away with stockers cam only.

 

I used 5/16 wood dowels to hold the lifters in place and they worked perfect.

 

I have the si5v2 cam, I would say you may need larger injectors like mikews6 said call Jim their tuner or Tom at speed inc and they will tell you for sure. Also with the ls6 intake and the stock coolant lines it will hit the bottom of the intake. Mine did, even with grinding off the ribs on the bottom of the intake, may need to switch coolant lines.

 

I also forgot to tell you just buy the arp crank bolt. I had to remove my crank pulley after I had it torqued down so I needed to buy another bolt, I got smarter and just bought the arp do to it not being a torque to spec bolt. So you can re use it next time you tear the car apart, in case you pinch the oil pump pick up o ring!

 

a new cam retainer plate would probably be good insurance for maintaining your oil pressure. keeping a good gallery seal there will protect you from "internal bleeding" so-to-speak