So I'm getting everything together that I think I need to do a cam swap Over the winter I just want some input from you guys if you think I have my **** together or not.
So I plan on ordering these parts
Melling 10296 oil pump
Cloyes single adjustable roller timing chain
Texas speed cam kit 233/239 112 lsa double valve spring 7.4 inch hardened pushrods
Is there anything you guys would change or think I should add to the list?

 

wait to order pushrods until you measure what you will actually need. You'll need a Balancer bolt and cam change gasket set.

 

Don't order pushrods until you measure first. Don't forget tools. You need the correct tools to remove and install the harmonic damper (pulley). Don't follow ls1howto.com, many have ended up with a mess due to improper methods used on that web site. How about tools to hold up the lifters and change the valve springs. If you are going with the Cloyes, I assume you have a degree wheel kit. Then there are all the gaskets and o-rings such as timing cover, crank seal, power steering hose o-rings, etc.

You need to remove the water pump so new gaskets and a good time to change the coolant. Also, if the hoses are original this is a good time for those as well since they are out of the car.

 

So true. LS1howto.com shows using a cut off SBC-style valve spring compressor. Don't. That's how you break a bolt off in the rocker arm mount on #8 cylinder where you can't get to it with a drill . Don't waste your time with the autozone style one either. It is fine for removing the stock springs, but the replacements can easily break the compressor, sending springs and retainers flying across the garage costing you two hours looking for them . Ask how I know... Order the Procomp / comp cams / etc valve spring compressor off summit or jegs something for the easiest valve spring swap possible. Tool is $100 and worth every penny. Make sure the cylinder that you are working on is at TDC.

Also, go to lowes or home depot and get yourself 2 24" long 5/16" wooden dowels. after you take off the cam gear, there are these two holes behind it next to the cam. Spin the cam over a few times and slide the dowels in - this will pin your lifters so that they stay put during the swap. The cam is about 19" long, so you should have about 5" sticking out the front of the engine when they are all the way in.

 

Sorry I forgot to add in all the gaskets and I will wait to order pushrods then. I'm going to be doing it with a buddy that builds his own race engines so I'm sure he has all the right tools the only thing I know I have to get is a valve spring compressor that works when the heads are still on the car. So here's the new list
Gasket kit
Coolant/hoses
Oil pump
Timing chain
Cam/valve springs
Wooden dowels
Balancer bolt
I'll have to look into rocker prices in trying to keep this in the 2000 dollar range. What do you guys recommend for rockers?

 

Stock rockers with trunion upgrade. I think that's $140 from comp.

Don't buy into the aluminum rockers with roller tips etc. steel is far stronger, has an order of magnitude better fatigue life, and the weight over the valve is the same or even better in favor of steel.

 

Another suggestion. Take your balancer bolt and match it up with some thread rod and nuts and washers to make an installer tool for the balancer.

Ask the guys who have ruined their crank threads or lost hours (even days) trying to get the broken balancer bolt out.

 

Are you talking about the 13702 kit? And what do you mean by make a tool with threaded rod? As in put the balanced on using the old bolt and rod then torque it in with the new bolt?

 

No, as in DONT use the old bolt or a longer bolt. get some thread rod that matches the threads and pitch of the bolt, but plenty long. Run the thread all the way into the crank. With balancer on, slide washer(s) on and then run the nut down the thread rod. Crank on the nut to install the balancer. Think of it like the difference between a stud and a bolt. Or if this helps, think of it like a power steering pulley installer tool. You put zero torque on the crank threads - only pulling force - so there is no risk to the crankshaft. you might need to put two nuts jambed together on the back of the thread rod to use as an anchor point for a ratchet.

Any yes to the comp trunion kit 13702

 

Ok I understand what you mean now. I just have one more question I read that the double roller timing chain is safer but people were having problems with fitment with the oil pump and the timing cover should I just stick with the single?

 

There is someone selling some of the balancer install kits in the classifieds. I think its $25. Since it is metric and threaded rod, you'll probably have to buy it somewhere special. You will probably have near that in stuff to do it. I just bought one a few years ago because of the trouble to buy it all. JMO

 

I really don't know the best answer here. I went with the LS2 chain because it is thicker than the LS1. I went single row because I wasn't sure myself. The set I got was a cloyes C3220. Will be installing in the next day or two to replace my current timing set. Long story but I am not getting good engine behavior out of this cam and it is either the timing set or the cam itself so I'm replacing both. The C3220 is non adjustable so I can't screw it up.

 

Ok let me know how it works out for you that's probably the timing set im gonna go with. I'm going to be installing my nitrous kit this weekend which I think is nowhere near the struggle of doing a cam and everything along with it haha. Much more you can mess up when doing a cam.

 

It went in quite well. I didn't take a picture, but you hold the chain up next to your current stock chain, and it's obviously beefier. I was afraid it would have a bunch of slack, but it didn't. it was more like it BARELY reached the cam with the teeth perfectly seated, so no fear of jumping time, though I may go back and install the LS2 damper as a precaution.

 

LS2 chain is fine.
hell,i used the OE cam gear and chain from my first cam swap I did about 12 years ago,about 60,000 miles on them.but, i'm only reving to about 6000 rpm though.