Pray

iTrader: (7)

I have literally done at least twenty cam swaps in the past but only on 04' and below Vett's, T/A's, GTO's, and Camaros. Never any trucks. I was swapping out the cam in my 06' Silverado and go to take the oil pump off like I have done at least 50 times in the past and the oil tube bolt is not on the top left like has always been. It is on the bottom right and impossible to get to with out dropping the pan. The truck is a 4WD which makes it even harder. Is this the norm? I really don't want to leave the stock 80,000 mile timing chain in there. But I am not going to dig much deeper into this thing. I can't be the only one running into this. What's the trick?

2000chevysilverado

iTrader: (11)

I've ran into it on my first swap said f*ck it used stock pump and chain with 130k on them still was fine but its to your discretion

Pray

iTrader: (7)

I think that is what I am going to do. I will feel dirty afterwards but such is life. I think a streatched chain will advance the cam but I am not sure. I will find a way to degree it. It is so hard with the heads on because the lifters get stuck in the trays. The chain feels really loose. It doesn't look like the previous owner didn't take very good care of the motor. It is all going to come apart in a year or so anyway.

2000chevysilverado

iTrader: (11)

if your gonna do it in a year or so wouldn't worry about it that's why I bought a second 5.3 to ddo my cam heads and all the other stuff then drop the motor in when I'm ready

Petey62782

iTrader: (19)

Is this the problem with all truck motors. I don't mean to hijack but I'm looking into a cam and time chain swap myself . I'm running a 04-05 lq9.

Pray

iTrader: (7)

I have a 5.7 LS1 and 4L60 out of a customers Vette that I am going to stroke or forge to stock displacement when I get back from my next deployment. That is why I am not that concerned right now. But if I go FI with that combo and have to do a cam swap I am going to be pretty upset.

JoeyGC5

iTrader: (24)

I've loosened the oilpan all the way around but in a tapered appearing fashion front to rear. This allowed me to access the small 10mm head pickup tube bolt to get the pump and tube separated. I then replaced and tightened the oilpan bolts to spec praying for no leaks and it worked in the few cases I did it. One truck developed a leak that I had to replace the pan though, so 5 outta 6 times no issues.

01WS6/tamu

iTrader: (36)

I'm sure your truck is back together now. But, no need to mess with a chain on a newer LS engine they have so little slack it is not effecting anything. I've had these trucks come through shop with 400K+ and never had a problem with the chain.

I agree if it was easy to do and for how cheap it is why not do it anyway.
But it's a pita and a 4wd makes it more of a bitch and no matter how hard you try once you crackk that oil pan loose you will wind up with an oil leak at one of the corners of the pan more than likely. You just can't clean it good enough to get silicone to stick still inside the truck.

good luck

Pray

iTrader: (7)

Thanks for the advice guys. Guess I am not the only one doing it this way. It is all back together now. Just have to add fluids and new plugs and fire her up. I never mess with the pan unless the motor is out. It is an integral part for the rigidity of the motor/trans connection and I like to get it perfect before the motor goes back in. You just can't do that in the vehicle. Not worth it to me. If the chain has some slack it will just retard it a little bit and in a truck that isn't neccessarly a bad thing.

JoeG. Didn't we used to talk Vette stuff? Didn't know you were a truck guy too. You have some nice set ups.