Camshaft Install Guide

Link researched and provided by Dsean8705. Thank Sean for your research to bring knowledge to the forum.

Here is a guide to swapping cams. I would assemble the valve springs first and put the valve covers on early in the install(minus the rockers) to keep all the dirt out of the cylinder headshttp://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=23

jshertx wrote:Link researched and provided by Dsean8705. Thank Sean for your research to bring knowledge to the forum.

Here is a guide to swapping cams. I would assemble the valve springs first and put the valve covers on early in the install(minus the rockers) to keep all the dirt out of the cylinder heads http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=23

I completely agree. Valve springs are the most frusterating part BY FAR lol. And this is speaking from experience.

Those were your words brotha! I was just the messenger.

Dsean8705 helped me complete a cam swap in my goat this weekend. Midlandqsm let us borrow his LS specific spring compressor which was a BIG help. The cam install guide noted by dsean8705 has great instructions to follow. We both have copies of the guide, so If anyone wants a copy let me know. There were a few things we did differently from the guide, and it worked out better. The following are some tips to help you out:

1. When using a pulley puller, forget the longer bolt! Find a socket in the neighborhood of 20-24mm and place it with open end facing the crankshaft. Then, tighten the puller against the socket. The pulley will come off without having to back off the crank bolt every few cenimeters, and you don't have to risk breaking the timing cover with a pry bar. This was dsean8705's idea, and its one to remember!

2. Before you remove the cam gear, make sure the gear has the "dot or mark" facing straight down at crankshaft before you remove it. Make note of the position of the camshaft before you pull it out. Reinstall the new one in the same position to avoid any "line up" issues. This way you avoid 30 minutes to 1 hour trying to line up the camshaft to the gear, and the gear to the crankshaft.

3. Don't trust the TDC (top dead center) method by turning the crankshaft 90 degrees. If your going to use the TDC method, remove the spark plugs, and stick a piece of the dowel rod in the spark plug hole. Rotate the crankshaft until you feel the piston reach TDC with the dowel before you change the valve springs on each cylinder. We tried the 90 degree method alone and almost lost a valve in the cylinder!

Don't forget to have some cold beer and friends to talk shit with during the swap!