Buying an LS6 cam..
Re: Buying an LS6 cam..
ls6 springs and ls6 retiners is all you should need I believe.
Check around and find a good set of springs/titanium retainers to go in. Then just find a cam install kit from any of the sponsors, that will include all the gaskets/bolt/etc that you will need for the install.
good luck
Launching!
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 274
Likes: 0
From: Rochester, NY
Re: Buying an LS6 cam..
ls6 springs and ls6 retiners is all you should need I believe.
Check around and find a good set of springs/titanium retainers to go in. Then just find a cam install kit from any of the sponsors, that will include all the gaskets/bolt/etc that you will need for the install.
good luck
. I was just stating the bare min, because his ls1's may not hold up Trending Topics
TECH Addict
iTrader: (9)
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,085
Likes: 0
From: Texas, it's like your state, but better.
Re: Buying an LS6 cam.. from what i understand you're going to need pushrods too. the LS6 cam has a smaller base circle than stock. roughly 50 thousanths. if you havent milled the heads, you'll need a 7.45" pushrod to compensate. then the obvious, springs, retainers, ect..
the LS6 had longer valves and diffrent springs, thats how they got away with this using stock 7.4" p-rods. you might be able to get away with it, (honestly it's something i'd be inclined to try,) but it's going to be a crap shoot as to how it's going to work. might see if anyone else on here has done this.
the LS6 had longer valves and diffrent springs, thats how they got away with this using stock 7.4" p-rods. you might be able to get away with it, (honestly it's something i'd be inclined to try,) but it's going to be a crap shoot as to how it's going to work. might see if anyone else on here has done this.
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
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
TECH Fanatic
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,402
Likes: 1
From: CT,
Re: Buying an LS6 cam.. IMO You need a new crank bolt and front timing cover seal(where the balancer goes through)you will need water pump gaskets,LS6 springs, you can use your stock ls1 retainers if you like , and from what I understand you do not need pushrods your stock ones should be fine, I beleive from what I read there is enough lifter preload to make up the difference. Do a search on the ls6 cam install that should help you out.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,975
Likes: 2
From: SW Florida
Re: Buying an LS6 cam.. The stock LS1 cam has a 'base circle' of 1.552" (across the lobe). That equals .775" (19.7mm) from 'cam centerline' to 'lobe heal'. In fact, GM states that this distance is in fact 19.7mm on the LS1 cam.
GM also states that the 2002 LS6 cam has a 'cam centerline' to 'lobe heal' distance of 19.0mm. That is exactly .748"
The simple math will tell you that the difference in 'cam centerline' to 'lobe heal' distance between the two cams is 0.7mm or .027"
To be exact, the LS6 cam would require a .027" [longer] pushrod than the LS1 cam if you wanted to maintain the exact lifter preload as you had before the cam swap.
Going to a 7.45" rod (.050" longer than stock) is going to get you too much preload. I would buy Thunder Racing 7.40" hardened rods. They are actually .015" longer than your stock rods. That would make your preload just .012" less than stock ..... No problem at all
Ron,
GM also states that the 2002 LS6 cam has a 'cam centerline' to 'lobe heal' distance of 19.0mm. That is exactly .748"
The simple math will tell you that the difference in 'cam centerline' to 'lobe heal' distance between the two cams is 0.7mm or .027"
To be exact, the LS6 cam would require a .027" [longer] pushrod than the LS1 cam if you wanted to maintain the exact lifter preload as you had before the cam swap.
Going to a 7.45" rod (.050" longer than stock) is going to get you too much preload. I would buy Thunder Racing 7.40" hardened rods. They are actually .015" longer than your stock rods. That would make your preload just .012" less than stock ..... No problem at all
Ron,
Re: Buying an LS6 cam.. besides the obvious of needing gaskets,coolant,crank bolt ect i just went with ls6 springs and ive had no problems im aware of.if youre considering going with a more aggressive cam in the future i guess you can get better PRs for later on.
Banned
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 380
Likes: 0
From: Southern California
Re: Buying an LS6 cam.. All you need is a cam change gasket kit, the cam and the '02 LS6 valve springs. Highly recommend hardened pushrods (7.40"). Ive got 14000 miles on mine now, zero problems.
Re: Buying an LS6 cam.. I used 02 LS6 cam and springs, new gaskets and a new crank pulley bolt. I used my stock pushrods and have had no problems. Also no increased valvetrain noise with the LS6 springs.
I can shift faster than you.
iTrader: (21)
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 5,133
Likes: 0
From: Baton Rouge, LA
Re: Buying an LS6 cam.. I would also agree to just go ahead and install a set of Comp 918s in place of the LS6 springs in an LS1 application. The LS6 springs were designed to work with the lightweight LS6 valves. The LS1 valves are quite a bit heavier. This is going to require slightly more spring pressure.
7.400" hardened pushrods would be a good choice as well, but not 100% needed.
Jason
7.400" hardened pushrods would be a good choice as well, but not 100% needed.
Jason
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,839
Likes: 0
From: La Porte, TX
Re: Buying an LS6 cam.. Boomcase is exactly right...I have the cam and did the swap myself. Get everyhing he listed in his post and you'll be good to go. For what it's worth; you should go ahead and upgrade you plugs and wires while you have the coil packs off doing the cam swap. It makes life a whole lot easier. One more thing. This cam does not come alive until after 4500rpm, so if you have an automatic, you better get it tuned to take advantage of the cam, by raising shift points and revlimiters. That is all, good luck.
