The sad thing is that my buddy was using a torque wrench when he snapped the cam bolt and it was set to 26 ft. lbs, I checked. The damn rocker bolts broke, in my opinion, because the valve spring tool I was using sucked and put too much pressure on the bolt. I had 3 buddies helping me on this and I'm a fairly experience mechanic. **** happens. I bought a set of LS6 heads this morning.

 

Lol I was going to say the same thing!

You know what might help, go to home depot and buy a $40 space heater that runs off propane. I can make my garage toasty in no time, and after awhile I'm out there comfortably working in a t-shirt even if there's 3 feet of snow on the ground. I've also noticed that the warmer it is, stuff seems to come apart easier. If you want to be a cheap *** about it, the barbecue works too. Propane burns clean, just make sure you have a bit of ventilation for the carbon monoxide.

 

I was working with my mechanic Aussie Ls1 yesterday helping him put back my fule tank after an in tank pump upgrade and even highly experienced mechanics have frustrations . I leave all the hard stuff to the experts, just like Clint Eastwood said "a good man knows his limitations"......

 

"werd"


fuerzaws6

 

Don't give me any ideas I'm installing my new rear this weekend.

 

This is why I like the valve spring compressor tools that only compress the spring itself and don't use the aluminum cylinder for leverage. You've received enough good advice here to do 20 LS-1 top end jobs WITHOUT breaking a single bolt.

 

OK, I got the new cylinder heads today along with a new #1 cam bearing to replace the one I gouged removing the cam. It was a PITA to remove the old cam bearing from in the car, but I did it.

The high tomorrow it 14, so I've got some nice weather for the HC swap while working in the unheated garage! I've got two buddies helping me, and were starting at 7am, so we should be done tomorrow. Of course my buddy that has the garage my car is in has to go on a "date" with his wife, which is B.S., that means work has to stop at 7pm. I think he needs to give his wife a little lesson in guy priorities!

I'll let you know how this nighmarish build ends.

 

I stripped the head where the rocker bolt goes, broke a water pump bolt and when I started the engine on rocker arm broke and bearing went into my engine I will change oil tommorrow and try to get the rest of the bearing out.

 

good luck, and remember - if you have never almost cried while wrenching, then you really don't work on cars. lol.

 

Keep going dude! Dont worry things will get worse!!

 

...but true...

 

Or swear so loud that your neighbors close their windows and make their kids stop playing in the yard.

 

True story:
My neighbors are preachers (both wife and husband). One day I was tooling around my car and has always I kept hitting, cutting my arms and hands, things getting stuck...etc, you know the works. Naturally I starting swearing, shouting, kicking stuff.... Here comes the female preacher saying: "whats wrong?? you seem like you are loosing control. Why don't you take some time and go for a ride to clear your mind.....you're really loud..." I didn't answer back and the bitch said..."if you keep shouting I will need to call the police and THE LORD knows I dont want to..." I caught a little smile in her face and that did it for me!! I just shouted.."get the **** out of my property or I WILL call the cops...in the name of THE LORD!!..."

Ive never talk to her since...cops never came...6 hours later I was able to finish installing the damn alternator!!

 

Did you say something like, "God Damn F**cking piece of ****"?
I wish I could control my language better but that's usually what comes out when I get frustrated.

 

You don't need to buy the lifter tools. Go buy 5/16 wooden dowl rods. I believe that is the right size. Then shave one side of each to match the block on the inside of the holes. This will make it easier to slide the rods in and out. I would never recommend using the "chance method" or "pen magnet" method when doing a cam swap. I can't believe you broke some bolts with the valve springs. Must have been super tight. I did a head/cam swap with a friend of mine tweeks ago on a 01SS automatic in less than 1.5 days. It was pouring rain with no garage and only hand tools. I had to buy a large tarp to put over the entire car to keep us dry. Just take your time and do it right. It will save you money later.

 

I thought I was the only one who did that.
I learned to work with the garage door closed.

 

I'm usually cussing out the dumbazz packaging engineer. U know, the guy tha t figured out how to stuff 20lbs. of car **** in a location that will only allow 10lbs.

 

i know no one really knows me but my .02...i work on an assembly line building trucks for toyota, and there is such a thing as a 'factory crossthread'...seen me do it a few times..can't help but wonder if some broken bolts are result of factory techniqes?

 

I didnt know you could complete a job on a car without at LEAST 5 cuss words, 2 cuts, 3 drops of blood, one kicked object of your possesion(this one is optional. I am getting better and have yet to kick something on my current cam install), couple mins of just staring at it, a radio, and some drinks.

Oh, BTW, I have almost cried when working on my car. Gay, but true. Everything back together and came up with that "extra" bolt. Had to rip it right back apart to just install 1 frickin bolt! It was an important one though and my fault so I couldnt complain. (but I felt I was intitled to get extremely pissed off)

 

For the record, the more tool is a POS. If you're doing double springs, get the crane tool, it's the only one worth buying.