Cam Swap Pointers
Cam Swap Pointers Hey guys I have been on LS1howto and looked through some old posts and some new posts. I'm thinkin bout swaping my cam out for a G5X4.....I will be gettin an ls6 intake cuz i cant afford the 90/90 combo but anyway that being said do you have any pointers as far as doin the swap it will be my first swap and anythin would be appreciated as well as problem areas you guys had and what to watch out for, tips, tricks of the trade. thanks alot guys
Take your time.
Take pictures if you want/can to remember how things were before you dismantled them.
String around the oil pickup tube bolt is a nice trick, also works with sock/rag/towel in the oil pan.
I wish there was a perfect solution for holding up the lifters, but I've never read anything but the $80 tool working 100%, that being said, its nice to have a camera to see if any lifters are hanging too low in the nerveracking event that your cam gets hung up on something.
Other than that the double spring changing tool from Crane is nice to have, i sprung for that, as I'm going to have to replace my springs in so many miles anyway, why not make it easier in the future and now.
Take pictures if you want/can to remember how things were before you dismantled them.
String around the oil pickup tube bolt is a nice trick, also works with sock/rag/towel in the oil pan.
I wish there was a perfect solution for holding up the lifters, but I've never read anything but the $80 tool working 100%, that being said, its nice to have a camera to see if any lifters are hanging too low in the nerveracking event that your cam gets hung up on something.
Other than that the double spring changing tool from Crane is nice to have, i sprung for that, as I'm going to have to replace my springs in so many miles anyway, why not make it easier in the future and now.
Originally Posted by Formulated
Just to extract some more information....
Is it necessary to discharge the AC and remove the condenser?? or can everything be worked around??
Is it necessary to discharge the AC and remove the condenser?? or can everything be worked around??
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2004
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From: BFE
Originally Posted by Formulated
Just to extract some more information....
Is it necessary to discharge the AC and remove the condenser?? or can everything be worked around??
Is it necessary to discharge the AC and remove the condenser?? or can everything be worked around??
You can do it by moving the whole thing with pipes on, out of the way but if you pry too hard, you can kink a line and discarge it any ways.
If $$ is not a big issues, to discharge is a good idea so not to bend anything.
Anything else??? how bout using the dowels to hold the lifters up??? some say yes and others say no? all that 90 tool is, is about the same principle right? also any tips when it comes to gettin the crank pulley on/off from reading old posts this sounds like a total PITA....
thanks for all the info guys
thanks for all the info guys
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Originally Posted by YellowMonster87
Anything else??? how bout using the dowels to hold the lifters up??? some say yes and others say no? all that 90 tool is, is about the same principle right? also any tips when it comes to gettin the crank pulley on/off from reading old posts this sounds like a total PITA....
thanks for all the info guys
thanks for all the info guys
Originally Posted by 99blancoSS
I rent out the tools: jpr rods, crane dual spring tool and the air fitting for the cylinder to pressurize to keep the valves up. pm me for details
cant i just use wooden dowels like others have said to keep the lifters up and use push rods on the spark plug hole for the valves or am i wrong?
Some have had bad luck and will never use wooden dowels again. Some use the russian roulette method and have no trouble. You can use what you want. I'm saying I have the tools for rent to anyone who wants them.
I like real tools that dont splinter or break. The rods are also bevelled on one side. They arent round. I suspect this would have helped Cashss99 when he had homeade rods and had to get a wooden dowel to finish. He tried making his own rods and it wouldnt go all the way in. He got lucky and had the wooden one work for him.
I've never heard of putting pushrods on the spark plug hole?? Pushrods are skinnier than the spark plug hole. Is that supposed to keep the pressure in the cylinder? Some also dont use anything to hold the valves up. All kinds of ways to "cheat" but when cheating goes bad its a giant PIA compared to doing it right.
Its up to you.
I like real tools that dont splinter or break. The rods are also bevelled on one side. They arent round. I suspect this would have helped Cashss99 when he had homeade rods and had to get a wooden dowel to finish. He tried making his own rods and it wouldnt go all the way in. He got lucky and had the wooden one work for him.
I've never heard of putting pushrods on the spark plug hole?? Pushrods are skinnier than the spark plug hole. Is that supposed to keep the pressure in the cylinder? Some also dont use anything to hold the valves up. All kinds of ways to "cheat" but when cheating goes bad its a giant PIA compared to doing it right.
Its up to you.
Originally Posted by 99blancoSS
I've never heard of putting pushrods on the spark plug hole?? Pushrods are skinnier than the spark plug hole. Is that supposed to keep the pressure in the cylinder? Some also dont use anything to hold the valves up. All kinds of ways to "cheat" but when cheating goes bad its a giant PIA compared to doing it right.
Its up to you.
Originally Posted by SoCal01z28
when i read that what i got from it was this; the push rod will tell you when the piston starts reaching or has reached tcd, so if the valves do fall when the cylinder is at tdc they won't drop all the way in the cylinder.......
right i thought that was how it was explained to me before to but thats why i wanted to get more advice on whta that really meant....isnt tha wher you get tdc do certain cylinders then 90* and do more cylinders and then 90* and so on?? not to clear on that method
to put the crank pulley back on, pick up one of the tools that 918hawk sells. send him a PM and he can get you some pics. Worked great for me, made putting the crank pulley back on a breeze. As for holding up the lifters, i used the $90 JPR tool. I had a ton of "thunder bucks" from thunder racing so it only ended up costing my like $25. It worked great though.