Garage Cam job
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 274
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From: auburn, california
Garage Cam job Im considering doing my cam job myself in the garage... now to most of you its no big deal but... i have not done something so big yet.... i have the resources to do it, and a few people to call if it gets hairy but was just wondering if i should even attempt such a task, and are there any things i could severely damage due to the lack of experience?
As long as you take your time, pay attention and have the right tools you can do it. There is a great write up on install university.com I believe that will guide you through it. Just take your time and turn your engine over by hand when done to make sure you don't have any unusual noises before cranking it up! Good Luck!
it can be done. just take your time and read the write ups. i never pulled a motor out of my car but we did it. i just didnt feel like paying some shop to do the work for me if i could do it myself
Originally Posted by mcamarols1
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 274
Likes: 0
From: auburn, california
Awsome.. exacly what i wanted to hear! thanks fellas.. i do have a question though... in that write up it shows removing of the heads for new ones, i dont plan on doing head just the cam so will i still have to do all that or can i completely leave teh heads alone , valve covers and all
Last edited by supersickss; Sep 5, 2007 at 02:56 AM.
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 970
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From: England UK
you don't have to change the heads, but depending on how much lift and ramp rate you have on the cam it may be advisable to change the valve springs.
Even if you don't change the heads you will need to take the rocker covers off as the push rods are pushing on the cam, and you wont be able to take the cam out. I believe you need to take out the push rods and lifters, to remove the cam, in that write up they do mention the roulette method but thats a gamble. I guess someone else will chime in with more info.
Even if you don't change the heads you will need to take the rocker covers off as the push rods are pushing on the cam, and you wont be able to take the cam out. I believe you need to take out the push rods and lifters, to remove the cam, in that write up they do mention the roulette method but thats a gamble. I guess someone else will chime in with more info.
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I was in the same boat as you... I said **** it, put the garage in the garage, up on ramps, and went at it. I took my sweet old time because I didn't wanna screw anything up, took two solid days/nights of work. When it was done it was so sweet to hear that sucker fire up 
I just used LS1howto.com and the help of a few members here.
-J
I just used LS1howto.com and the help of a few members here.-J
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Originally Posted by RedWS6 00
you don't have to change the heads, but depending on how much lift and ramp rate you have on the cam it may be advisable to change the valve springs.
Even if you don't change the heads you will need to take the rocker covers off as the push rods are pushing on the cam, and you wont be able to take the cam out. I believe you need to take out the push rods and lifters, to remove the cam, in that write up they do mention the roulette method but thats a gamble. I guess someone else will chime in with more info.
Even if you don't change the heads you will need to take the rocker covers off as the push rods are pushing on the cam, and you wont be able to take the cam out. I believe you need to take out the push rods and lifters, to remove the cam, in that write up they do mention the roulette method but thats a gamble. I guess someone else will chime in with more info.
If your not wanting to remove the heads you need to get some long dowl's & slide them in the block to keep from dropping the lifters. I forget the exact size & length, but a search will find it easily.
Originally Posted by BIG_MIKE2005
Well your not gonna get the lifters out without removing the heads & then the lifter trays.
If your not wanting to remove the heads you need to get some long dowl's & slide them in the block to keep from dropping the lifters. I forget the exact size & length, but a search will find it easily.
If your not wanting to remove the heads you need to get some long dowl's & slide them in the block to keep from dropping the lifters. I forget the exact size & length, but a search will find it easily.
Rockers will still need to be loosened and swung out of the way, and pushrods pulled out.
Most cam swaps require/ suggest new springs appropriate to the lift, and most folks would probably recommend a nice hardened pushrod at the same time.
Again, there is a specialty tool available to assist in changing springs in the car.
Personally, I'm up in the air about pulling the heads. I've done it lots of times on the car... but best results probably should include setting up the heads correctly with every installed height checked and shimmed and at least lapping the valves again if not a valve job. Installed height can be done on the car, but obviously not a valve job.
Another frequently ignored item in a home cam install (and far too many shop installs) is valvetrain geometry and pushrod length. Search is your friend.
I did mine myself (twice) the first time I had the help of a friend. The second time I did most of it but still got an extra pair of hands to pull the AC Condenser and to put it back in. I did not disconnect it.
Here are the things that were the hardest:
Here are the things that were the hardest:
- Getting the back bolts of the Coils bracket specially in the passenger side (do not put them back)
- getting the AC condenser out of the way and putting it back (getting all tabs to line up)
- Threading the cylinder fill tool to keep the valves up during spring swap (specially in the 2 back cylinder in the passenger side) The hose is stiff so it made it harder to spin around with the limited space. Threading it through the bottom prove to be a bit easier. A good spring compressor made the spring swap part of this a snap.
- Bolting up the oil pick up tube to the pump without droping the bolt in the pan. (fill the front of the pan with shop paper towels to keep the bolt from droping in all the way to the back of the pan if you do drop it)
- not getting on the gas after everyhting is put together, the car is running good, but you still need a tune.
Those cam install instructions were very good except one thing.
Leave your coil packs unplugged and crank the engine over till you get oil pressure. It may take a minute or few but it will come.
Don't crank your damn engine knowing there won't be any oil pressure.
Leave your coil packs unplugged and crank the engine over till you get oil pressure. It may take a minute or few but it will come.
Don't crank your damn engine knowing there won't be any oil pressure.
It's not a hard job.
You can screw it up.
Take your time
If you have someone who has done it before, have them help you.
Timming Gear is VERY IMPORTANT.
What size cam? Smaller lift & duration are more forgiving if you are off a tooth with the cam gear.
You can screw it up.
Take your time
If you have someone who has done it before, have them help you.
Timming Gear is VERY IMPORTANT.
What size cam? Smaller lift & duration are more forgiving if you are off a tooth with the cam gear.
Originally Posted by cpt_bimes
Those cam install instructions were very good except one thing.
Leave your coil packs unplugged and crank the engine over till you get oil pressure. It may take a minute or few but it will come.
Don't crank your damn engine knowing there won't be any oil pressure.
Leave your coil packs unplugged and crank the engine over till you get oil pressure. It may take a minute or few but it will come.
Don't crank your damn engine knowing there won't be any oil pressure.
EDIT- that was about the proudest moment in my life, when I cranked the engine and after the first crank I saw 10lbs of pressure. The gauge, at that moment, was a "did you **** up" meter, lol.
i just did mine and used dowels... dont worry about it. 5/16 dowels... lube it up, it aint like super hard but some things are a pain in the ***... i used to TDC method to swap springs, if it dont push the valve up all the way use a magnet and they will come up.. and by the way dont loose those stupid little keepers.