I'm trying to get together a list of stuff I will need for swapping out the cam on my 5.3. Sorry if this is a repost, but I want to make sure I'm not missing anything.


Cam (duh) - 210/218-551/551-116
LS6 springs
Comp Cams Chromemoly pushrods
Gasket Kit (I was thinking the $45 one from Scoggin Dickey)
5/16 or 1/4 dowels for holding up lifters
Spring compressor
Oil for cam re-installation
3-jaw puller for crank pulley
longer crank bolt


Anything you can think of that I'm missing?

 

- Gatorade
- Breaker bar
- Torque wrenches (in/lb and ft/lb)

You may want to buy some spring locks in case one or two goes flying. You don't want your whole install to come to a halt because of a $.06 part.

If your motor is cold, that will be best, because when you spin the stock cam around the lifters will likely stay up. I used both the dowels and pen magnets to keep them up (because I am paranoid).

Oh, and make sure you have all 8 springs on hand....

 

Don't forget beer.

 

Looks liek your on top of it sir!

 

USE THE PEN MAGNETS ON THE LIFTERS ITS EASY AND SAFE! ALSO THE PEN MAGNETS WILL COME IN HANDY TO GRAB THE RETAINERS WHEN YOU GET THE SPRING COMPRESSED ENOUGH TO GET THEM OUT, CUZ ITS REAL EASY TO DROP THOSE LITTLE BASTARDS. TRY GETTING ONE OUT OF THE HEADERS ALL THE WAY DOWN INTO WHERE THE COLLECTOR IS!!!

 

i did like kboboz71. use the pen magnet to retrieve the valve locks off of the valve. also i put some grease on the locks before reassembling them on the valve so that they can stick to it.

 

I took the opportunity to replace my coolant when I did my cam swap...

 

RTV for the bottom of timing cover, a 10mm box end ratcheting wrench would come in real handy for those timing cover bolts - are you using air or the top dead center method to hold up the valves?

this is what I went off of : http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?ar...952c9b119576e8

 

I got the air hose thingy from VHP, will be buying a compressor this weekend. I've read through those instructions a couple of times, will print them out on swap day. Thanks for the help everyone.

 

Imagine that, that Mark would say beer.
Ill bring a couple of cases for the cam swap.