install time? Heads, cam install...
install time? Heads, cam install... sup guys, ill be installing a heads and cam package on my car soon, this will be my first head, cam install ever, and i plan on taking my time to make sure i get everything right...just curious how long the adverage install time is for this? and if there are any tips anyone has for me? something a first timer might need to know on this install? also the reason i ask is b/c ill have to rent out a stall in our hobby shop so i want to know how much itll cost me for renting it...im pretty excited b/c i have been wanting to put heads and cam on my car for some time now, and now that i have the chance im pretty happy! 
i got some TEA 5.3 heads, stg. 1.5 rev2, and a FMS F14 cam...i still have stock ls1 intake, pulley, and tb, but i think i should still make some decent power...i hate reading posts when ppl ask "what kinda power will this combo make, or will my car make?" but im curious to how much power ill be missing out on not having a ls6 intake, ported tb, and underdrive pulley? ill be putting in chromoly pushrods, single roller t/c, cam swap kit (gaskets and seals) and a ls6 oil pump as well...
so what kinda minor details do i need to be looking at when doing this? some things a first timer might over look b/c of not having the experience or knowing what to look for? whats the adverage time most ppl take when doing this install? and what kinda power am i missing out on not having whats listed above? and ya, sure if you want to tell me what kinda power you think ill put to the ground after the install and a tune...sure go ahead and tell me, but im not asking!!
thanks alot fella's
Jon
i got some TEA 5.3 heads, stg. 1.5 rev2, and a FMS F14 cam...i still have stock ls1 intake, pulley, and tb, but i think i should still make some decent power...i hate reading posts when ppl ask "what kinda power will this combo make, or will my car make?" but im curious to how much power ill be missing out on not having a ls6 intake, ported tb, and underdrive pulley? ill be putting in chromoly pushrods, single roller t/c, cam swap kit (gaskets and seals) and a ls6 oil pump as well...so what kinda minor details do i need to be looking at when doing this? some things a first timer might over look b/c of not having the experience or knowing what to look for? whats the adverage time most ppl take when doing this install? and what kinda power am i missing out on not having whats listed above? and ya, sure if you want to tell me what kinda power you think ill put to the ground after the install and a tune...sure go ahead and tell me, but im not asking!!
thanks alot fella's
Jon
If its your first time ever??
take a good solid 3 days to do it...
It can be done by an experienced person in a day and a half...sometimes just 1 day...but common would be about 2 days....
take a good solid 3 days to do it...
It can be done by an experienced person in a day and a half...sometimes just 1 day...but common would be about 2 days....
Be very careful not to drop things in the block. When you take a bolt out, make sure it's not going to fall into a spot where you'll never get it back.
Also, be VERY careful not to cross-thread bolts.
Also, be VERY careful not to cross-thread bolts.
Originally Posted by Tech
Be very careful not to drop things in the block. When you take a bolt out, make sure it's not going to fall into a spot where you'll never get it back.
Also, be VERY careful not to cross-thread bolts.
Also, be VERY careful not to cross-thread bolts.
Jon
TECH Resident
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 857
Likes: 0
From: Orlando
Trending Topics
Launching!
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 249
Likes: 0
From: Cary, NC/University Heights, OH
Take your time like you said. The biggest pain in the butt part, and most time consuming is playing with installing the cam, messing around with the oil pan and pickup tube (use an old t-shirt and stuff it behind the oil pump, it's all you need; also get a pen magnet for this part). Things will go back together MUCH faster than it came apart.
Having a friend help is the best advice in my opinion; it makes tough jobs, like removing the radiator and AC condensor (I recommend removing it), much easier.
Read www.ls1howto.com, but be ready to encouter obstacles and have things not exactly like the tutorial. Be flexible and make sure things are done right and it'll be all good.
Having a friend help is the best advice in my opinion; it makes tough jobs, like removing the radiator and AC condensor (I recommend removing it), much easier.
Read www.ls1howto.com, but be ready to encouter obstacles and have things not exactly like the tutorial. Be flexible and make sure things are done right and it'll be all good.
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo
Originally Posted by Jimm
Take your time like you said. The biggest pain in the butt part, and most time consuming is playing with installing the cam, messing around with the oil pan and pickup tube (use an old t-shirt and stuff it behind the oil pump, it's all you need; also get a pen magnet for this part). Things will go back together MUCH faster than it came apart.
Having a friend help is the best advice in my opinion; it makes tough jobs, like removing the radiator and AC condensor (I recommend removing it), much easier.
Read www.ls1howto.com, but be ready to encouter obstacles and have things not exactly like the tutorial. Be flexible and make sure things are done right and it'll be all good.
Having a friend help is the best advice in my opinion; it makes tough jobs, like removing the radiator and AC condensor (I recommend removing it), much easier.
Read www.ls1howto.com, but be ready to encouter obstacles and have things not exactly like the tutorial. Be flexible and make sure things are done right and it'll be all good.
Jon
Originally Posted by 02_CETA_ws6
me and my buddy did mine in about 8 hours but its not the first time
Jon
go to sears and buy a 1/4" drive air ratchet along with an air hose swivel to put in line before the connector
i use this tool to remove 90% of the bolts on my car, that little bastard will remove every single header bolts w/out lifting a wrench (unless you have to break one loose). it will snake its way into anywhere. its the most used and best tool i own. if you have a good set of 1/4" drive sockets, 1/4 - 3/8 adapters, swivels, extensions, wobble extensions, etc. things will be easy. some bolts needs just the right combination of swivels, extensions etc. to get on them and be in a good position. the passengerside lower rear head bolt is a bitch, just telling you beforehand. the wrench wants to hit the a/c / heater thing and crack it while tightening it.
get a big wrench and a cheater pipe to make tightening those head bolts alot easier. use the sharpie marker across the heads method and do the specified 22 ftlbs - 90 degrees- 90 degrees (2 50degrees instead) method. make SURE the threads are clean, i put some tubing over my blower tip to blow most of the water out and also made a tap out of an old bolt (ls1howto) which worked awesome. be carefull with the sensors and clips.
be CAREFULL with the coolant temp sensor, the plastic AND the brass part will break off at a moments notice and leave you PHUCKED. make sure you get the gasket surfaces PERFECTLY clean. i used a shop-vac while i was cleaning so that nothing fell out of sight, just held the hose under where i was scraping and let the vacuum suck it up.
i use this tool to remove 90% of the bolts on my car, that little bastard will remove every single header bolts w/out lifting a wrench (unless you have to break one loose). it will snake its way into anywhere. its the most used and best tool i own. if you have a good set of 1/4" drive sockets, 1/4 - 3/8 adapters, swivels, extensions, wobble extensions, etc. things will be easy. some bolts needs just the right combination of swivels, extensions etc. to get on them and be in a good position. the passengerside lower rear head bolt is a bitch, just telling you beforehand. the wrench wants to hit the a/c / heater thing and crack it while tightening it.
get a big wrench and a cheater pipe to make tightening those head bolts alot easier. use the sharpie marker across the heads method and do the specified 22 ftlbs - 90 degrees- 90 degrees (2 50degrees instead) method. make SURE the threads are clean, i put some tubing over my blower tip to blow most of the water out and also made a tap out of an old bolt (ls1howto) which worked awesome. be carefull with the sensors and clips.
be CAREFULL with the coolant temp sensor, the plastic AND the brass part will break off at a moments notice and leave you PHUCKED. make sure you get the gasket surfaces PERFECTLY clean. i used a shop-vac while i was cleaning so that nothing fell out of sight, just held the hose under where i was scraping and let the vacuum suck it up.
i'd say you could pick up 20-25 hp w/ the pulley, LS6 intake and TB. hell with heads AND a cam, you will probably pick up 25-30. definatly worth while.
make sure you go somewhere that has lifetime tunes or somthing similar because you WILL need more tuning with the ported throttlebody and LS6 intake after the heads/cam tune.
make sure you go somewhere that has lifetime tunes or somthing similar because you WILL need more tuning with the ported throttlebody and LS6 intake after the heads/cam tune.
I love to see people do their own work. I have worked on my own stuff for years but didnt start out on nice cars. I cant imagine my first head and cam swap a nice *** f-body. For that I say you have *****. I respect that,good luck.
LS1TECH Sponsor
iTrader: (33)
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,399
Likes: 0
From: Out on the farm in Central IL
Like said above. Get a good set of swivel sockets and a set of gear wrenches will help a lot as well. We used a shop vac and an attachment that had a needle like tip connected to a straw to suck a lot of the water out of the head bolt holes. This worked well.
i plan on doing this install at our hobby shop we have on base, which has a lift, many tools and air hookups, basically everything i will need, i just have to rent out a stall for a weekend, and whatnot...thanks for all you guys help, i wouldnt have ever thought that getting the water out of the bolt holes would of been such a big deal...but this is why i ask these kinda questions, b/c there is always stuff i didnt think about or i would have never thought to think about...so thank you guys
Jon
Jon
Originally Posted by XtrmLS1spd
Also, be sure you clean the block before you put the new heads on. Just take a plastic scraper to it. The turn the crank and bring each piston to the top and clean that area as well.
thank you!Jon