LS7 Cam Swap Questions
LS7 Cam Swap Questions First time I am swapping cam and springs in an LSX engine and I have a few questions. This is still a brand new engine with 0 miles.
1) How do you measure 240 ft-lbs on the new balancer bolt? Way out of range for my 1/2" drive torque wrench.
1A) How do you hold it still on the engine stand while doing this?
2) Do I need to align the front cover with the balance for the seal to live a long life? Looks like GM has a tool that does this when you put the cover on since there are no dowel pins - looking at the pics anyway
3) Do I need to replace the front cover gasket, front seal and water pump seals or are these o-ring type seals?
I am also swapping the springs but I am using the small spring compressor where it grabs the sides of the spring and you crank it down by hand.
Any other tips would be great!
Mark
1) How do you measure 240 ft-lbs on the new balancer bolt? Way out of range for my 1/2" drive torque wrench.
1A) How do you hold it still on the engine stand while doing this?
2) Do I need to align the front cover with the balance for the seal to live a long life? Looks like GM has a tool that does this when you put the cover on since there are no dowel pins - looking at the pics anyway
3) Do I need to replace the front cover gasket, front seal and water pump seals or are these o-ring type seals?
I am also swapping the springs but I am using the small spring compressor where it grabs the sides of the spring and you crank it down by hand.
Any other tips would be great!
Mark
Staging Lane
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by pcf_mark
First time I am swapping cam and springs in an LSX engine and I have a few questions. This is still a brand new engine with 0 miles.
1) How do you measure 240 ft-lbs on the new balancer bolt? Way out of range for my 1/2" drive torque wrench.
1A) How do you hold it still on the engine stand while doing this?
2) Do I need to align the front cover with the balance for the seal to live a long life? Looks like GM has a tool that does this when you put the cover on since there are no dowel pins - looking at the pics anyway
3) Do I need to replace the front cover gasket, front seal and water pump seals or are these o-ring type seals?
I am also swapping the springs but I am using the small spring compressor where it grabs the sides of the spring and you crank it down by hand.
Any other tips would be great!
Mark
1) How do you measure 240 ft-lbs on the new balancer bolt? Way out of range for my 1/2" drive torque wrench.
1A) How do you hold it still on the engine stand while doing this?
2) Do I need to align the front cover with the balance for the seal to live a long life? Looks like GM has a tool that does this when you put the cover on since there are no dowel pins - looking at the pics anyway
3) Do I need to replace the front cover gasket, front seal and water pump seals or are these o-ring type seals?
I am also swapping the springs but I am using the small spring compressor where it grabs the sides of the spring and you crank it down by hand.
Any other tips would be great!
Mark
Hi mark,
if the engine hasent been heated, then you dont need to change the seals.
but do so if they look nicked or similar.
DoC
On The Tree
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
From: Denver CO.
Originally Posted by pcf_mark
First time I am swapping cam and springs in an LSX engine and I have a few questions. This is still a brand new engine with 0 miles.
1) How do you measure 240 ft-lbs on the new balancer bolt? Way out of range for my 1/2" drive torque wrench.
1A) How do you hold it still on the engine stand while doing this?
2) Do I need to align the front cover with the balance for the seal to live a long life? Looks like GM has a tool that does this when you put the cover on since there are no dowel pins - looking at the pics anyway
3) Do I need to replace the front cover gasket, front seal and water pump seals or are these o-ring type seals?
I am also swapping the springs but I am using the small spring compressor where it grabs the sides of the spring and you crank it down by hand.
Any other tips would be great!
Mark
1) How do you measure 240 ft-lbs on the new balancer bolt? Way out of range for my 1/2" drive torque wrench.
1A) How do you hold it still on the engine stand while doing this?
2) Do I need to align the front cover with the balance for the seal to live a long life? Looks like GM has a tool that does this when you put the cover on since there are no dowel pins - looking at the pics anyway
3) Do I need to replace the front cover gasket, front seal and water pump seals or are these o-ring type seals?
I am also swapping the springs but I am using the small spring compressor where it grabs the sides of the spring and you crank it down by hand.
Any other tips would be great!
Mark
You can reuse all the gaskets, I've had mine off and on at least 5 times over the last 35K miles and no leaks at all.
The secret to installing the cover is to start all the bolts but keep them loose, then install the crank pulley. This aligns the cover to the crank seal which is the most important. Next, tighten the lower two pan bolts, then tighten the rest. Don't forget to put some RTV on a bead along the lower cover where it meets the oil pan.
For the springs, put the spring compressor you have in the garbage and get the dual spring compressor made by Crane. Most of the sponsors carry this. You can do two springs at once and this is the most time consuming part of the install.
If you already have lifters in the motor, use two 5/16 wooden dowls about 24" long to hold the lifters up when you pull the cam.
Also, triple check your timing marks by rotating the engine several times to make sure they line up every time. If you have the engine out, I'd get a degreeing kit (comp cams) and check the cam timing.
Good luck.
Thanks for the tip on the Crane tool. I'll let you guys know if it works on the LS7 head. The cam swap sounds like the easy part now! Any tricks to installing the balancer? I assume I should rent/buy the install tool versus a very large mallet...
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Couple of feedback items now that the job is done:
1) Katech rocks! The cam, springs and retainers came when promised and are superior quality.
2) The Crane tool DOES NOT work on an LS7. Not even close. I used my old reliable type that grabs the outside of the spring and you turn a crank to compress - took me 90 minutes for all of them (engine out)
3) I needed to slide the oil pump away from the crank key to align the dots. This sucked. I needed to loosen the pan bolts and gently pry down on the pan to get the pump free or it would slice the gasket as it slid back.
4) I did not need any new gaskets but I had them so I used them.
The brand new LS7 cam, springs and retainers are available if anyone want to make a deal.
1) Katech rocks! The cam, springs and retainers came when promised and are superior quality.
2) The Crane tool DOES NOT work on an LS7. Not even close. I used my old reliable type that grabs the outside of the spring and you turn a crank to compress - took me 90 minutes for all of them (engine out)
3) I needed to slide the oil pump away from the crank key to align the dots. This sucked. I needed to loosen the pan bolts and gently pry down on the pan to get the pump free or it would slice the gasket as it slid back.
4) I did not need any new gaskets but I had them so I used them.
The brand new LS7 cam, springs and retainers are available if anyone want to make a deal.
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