Swapping cams
Swapping cams Is there any special way that swapping the cam is different from putting in a regular hydraulic cam in an older chevy? If there is any difference may yall please explain so that I can properly put in the cam. Do I also have to put new lifters in the engine? All this is going into a 1997 LT1 engine any help would be greatly appreciated.
TECH Regular
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 444
Likes: 1
From: Bahrain
There are minor difference over the regular SBC. The water pump has 6 bolts, when removed you can access the optispark (distributor) which is retained by 3 bolts. The timing cover will come out like any SBC, and when the sprokets are removed, the cam is retained in the block by a retainer and 2 small torx bolts. Offcourse the intake manifold has to come out to remove the lifters which could be reused if still good. These lifters are hydraulic rollers so they they don't have to be shanged with every cam change.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 549
Likes: 0
From: St. Peters, MO
one other thing i remember...is instead of the distributor in the back there is an oil pump drive gear that comes out w/ a 10mm i believe...but that needs to come out after the intake is off to get the cam out/in. only thing i can think of. 
yea like they said basically like a SBC. just make sure you put the oil pump drive back in! And as one of my frinds learned make sure you get all the bolts out of the intake. cause he missed one(it was like 3:30 in the morning,tired, etc). he yanked on it and those aluminum aren't that strong. he cracked where the intake bolts up. just remember there shouldn't be any parts left over
