If anyone tells you that they recommend pulling the engine for a cam swap you need to turn around and walk out! It's easy to do with the engine still in the car. You'll just have to pull the radiator and a/c condensor so you have room to pull the old cam out and put the new cam in. If you're interested in doing it yourself, I'd recommend running a search on installs. There are some really good write-ups on the swaps. Matt Baskett and John Campbell come to mind on the write-ups.

 

run away! run away!

as Trevor said, just pull the ac condensor and radiator.

I just my first ever heads/cam/intake swap and it wasn't bad at all.

 

mines in the shop right now getting cams switched <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />

no engine pulling is needed at all <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />

 

On a heads and cam swap I feel it is easier to just go ahead and drop the engine out. That is if you have a lift and the proper tools to handle the job. It is a lot easier to torque the heads properly with the motor on a stand than it is in the car. On a cam swap alone I wouldn't pull the motor.

 

Run Away is right. I have tons of photos on my site from my change. Piece of cake really. Anyone that has to pull the motor doesn't have a clue on how to work with an LS1. Pulling it would take longer than the cam change anyway!

 

It depends on what you're doing. Heads/Cam can easily be done with it in the car. If you're doing heads, cam, oil pump, timing chain, head studs, etc then it saves a lot of time if you pull it.

 

I just did my cam and springs sawp this weekend ,, i took all weekend to do it but i wanted to work slow and i followed the above mentioned install walkthroughs.. was a chore but i have pride now that i did it my self.. hardest part was valve springs while on the block , if your doing heads then you would not have to deal with this .. only nervous part was pulling actual cam out and sliding new one in and fearing dropping a lifter... but I had new cam pre lubed and ready to go so I didnt leave the lifters hang too long .. I say do it your self LS1 tech and the other sites provide a wealth of knowledge and support and you will save between 800-1000 dollars (the cost here in atlanta) that can be well used for other mods ..

my 2 cents

 

OK, does anyone know of a comprehensive writeup on how to swap heads/cam then? If I can do this in my garage, I will do it. But I haven't the foggiest of how . . . never done anything like that before.

- Dug

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by ChevyNo1:
<strong>OK, does anyone know of a comprehensive writeup on how to swap heads/cam then? If I can do this in my garage, I will do it. But I haven't the foggiest of how . . . never done anything like that before.

- Dug</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Derty's
Raughammer
<img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" />

 

THANK YOU!! <img border="0" alt="[hail]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_hail.gif" />

- Dug

 

Another question should I decide to just take it somewhere and have it done ( Going away for a week, sure would be nice to drop off and pick up <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" /> ). What would be a good price for a shop to do heads/cam? Or just heads?

- Dug

 

dont know prices in your area,, in atlanta area is 800-1000 dollars for a head/cam swap

 

just a follow up to that , think of this it may take a couple of days to do if you work slow an paitent but by doing it myself it is paying for my torq thrust 2's .. thats my incentive

<small>[ July 23, 2002, 05:33 PM: Message edited by: phat-ss ]</small>

 

Thanks . . . the cheapest price I have come by so far is $1100. The next? $2100. The next? $2600. I'm not paying that much. $1100 I could handle.

Phat, I know what you're saying . . . but I've done a fair bit of work on this car already and I'm just damn tired of working on it. Also, how will the car run before I get it tuned for the new combo? Like ****? Is it driveable? I'm considering taking it to MMS for tuning as an option, can I drive it from AZ to CA once the install is done locally?

- Dug

 

Hell, give me a call if you have questions. I listed all of the sources off my website that I found. I had no clue going into this. Just staring at the motor alone is intimidating enough. Once you get the radiator out and the intake off it's just another motor though.

I don't have a writeup yet, more than I have pictures. I followed the JMX method mostly, it's pretty flawless. And for the cam change I followed the mbaskett stuff. Buy some metric gearwrenches from Sears (stubby and regular length), a few deep and shallow well sockets and a good torque wrench. It wouldn't hurt to have some band aids and bactine around either!

Like I said give me a call if you have questions, 616 292 0370. It really isn't that bad, just takes a couple days and some patience for the first one. I can now tear my engine down to the block in a few hours no problem! Just get the electrical crap out of the way first.

Good luck.

 

I have been talking with a local shop about a cam swap. They said what while you can do it with the engine in the car, they pull the engine to do the swap as it's much easier. This translates to $$ for me if they do it. Can it be done with the engine in the car? Can it be done in a regular garage with a good set of tools? And how long would it take? I'm looking at both a cam/heads change . . .

- Dug