Wow...that was a long weekend! I'm still recovering from sleep deprivation, and I'm sure the neighbors aren't too happy about the 3:30 am fire up with the cutout open!

Quickly, what I changed:
->Patriot Performance Stage 2 LS1 style heads, 10.8 CR, PP big double springs, viton seals, titanium retainers, chromoly pushrods, etc.
->TSP 225 Cam on 112 LSA (has a nice *aggressive* idle, but hasn't died on me, even with the AC on or decelerating in gear)
->Texas Speed and Performance ported oil pump
rollermaster double chain timing chain
->ASP underdrive pulley (crank only)


Engine revs a lot easier now...it doesn't feel so resticted (keep in mind I still have stock exhaust manifolds/catback with the exception of the cutout)

Idles great - definately not a sleeper cam, and definately won't pass CA emissions ;]

The valvetrain noise is much more noticeable...but I expected that with .598" lift!

Oil pressure is much more stable now - seems pegged around 65 PSI.

Alternator/charging system works well.

High beams do not work (weird huh)

Having the car fire up was worth 3 days straight of hard work and moments of extreme frustration. I'd probably pay to have this done in hindsight ;]

There is so much I could say to help the other people that want to do this swap...but I really don't feel like typing it *all* out ;]

First of all, jmX's web site:
http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=3
helped a ton.

Now for the highlights...

Put all of your bolts from each section/item in seperate xip lock baggies and label them with a permanent marker so you remember what you have, where it goes, and how many you need when the time comes to reinstall.

Put towels over your fenders. I used 3 - one for the bumper, one for each fender. Not only do they keep you from scratching/dirtying your car, but they make a nice wide area to set tools on.

Get a 15mm deep socket - it will make life easier on a few bolt heads.

Get a micro set of box/open end wrenches. I got a Craftsman set of like 4mm to 11mm...they are super tiny...and they actually fit a couple places that your hands and other wrenches won't.

Use red automotive grade loctite on nearly every bolt.

Use thread sealer on the rocker bolts because they do stick down into the intake passages with ported heads.

Label all of the wires/plugs that come off the back of the intake and heads (unless you have a great memory and/or want to spend 20 minutes planning out what goes where. I'd even recommending writing down each connection...because it is easy to miss a wire hanging down in the back behind the block.

Remember to plug in the knock sensor wire on the back of the engine (it has blue ends).

The power steering bracket sucks to get back on (because of that 1 hidden bolt)...just take your time (about 20 minutes worth).

With a double roller timing chain, the oil pump gets pushed out 3mm, but the pickup tube doesn't. This really sucks. After a couple hours of frustration, we found a very easy method: put the oil pump on the crank snout - all the way back. Have a buddy pull the pickup tube down/away from the pump. Rotate the oil pump counter clockwise about 30 degrees, and the two should snap together nicely.

You don't have to disconnect the AC, Power Steering, or the fuel lines to do the install (though doing so would make it a little easier, but not a whole lot). I sat the intake on the driver fender for most of the install with the fuel lines connected.

There is probably a dozen more little *tips/tricks* that I learned/figured out...but I can't remember them right now...I'm still dead tired :-)

The car will (hopefully) get dynoed at ForceFedPerformance on Friday when I get the clutch/flywheel/line lock/ds loop installed.

Track times in a couple of weeks.

Thanks to Chris, Laura, Brian, and everyone that helped me on the boards either with this install or in the past.

 

agree with everything you said. the 15mm deep socket was key for me on the head bolts. just curious, why the h/c before LT's?

 

Good tips, interesting notesand I'm also looking forward to dyno graphs.

 

Glad to see its all installed How you liking that camshaft?

Jason

 

well since you arent complying with emissions anyways, you need to get some headers, new y-pipe and catback Congrats on the install. Keep us up to date on this setup with dyno and some track results.

 

jrp - to answer your question about why I didn't go with Long Tubes...I like to do things right the first time...and nice stainless steel LTs w/X-pipe, sweet thunders, routed over the axle (b/c I have a TA), and chrome tips will cost me around $2000.

For $3000, I got heads, cam, ported pump, double roller chain, underdrive pulley, etc.

For the extra $1000, I think I gained more than the LTs, and I didn't want to piecemeal things together over time...


The cam is mean. It is very aggressive for a daily driver. I like it
Idle is mean and lumpy...like a classic muscle car in the movies. Valvetrain noise - yep. But I expected that and it doesn't bother me.

It does need tuning though to be a little easier to drive around parking lots (slow speed, turning the wheel, on the brakes, AC on) - requires a lot of vaccum. The car has stalled on me about 3 times, but I always have the AC on.

The car pulls hard up top. Less power below 2k (who cares), feels about the same as stock til 3k (fine), above that the power just builds and builds fast. My 6300 rev limiter hits way too quick...if it wasn't for the shift light, I'd be bouncin off that thing all day.

I can't wait to get this thing down the track. I took 3 of my buds on a hill-climb yesterday ...long straight stretch of road that is pretty steep. Got up to 120 pretty quickly. Daddy like...

 

BTW - the customer service at Texas Speed is top notch!

 

that is the same reason I did my cam before the exhaust. The headers I want will cost me 1500+ and net me maybe less than a cam wouldve been worth

 

I agree.