Do you think I can do my own cam swap?
08-10-2011, 03:37 PM
#1
TECH Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Do you think I can do my own cam swap?
After everyone sayin around 650 to swap my cam I'm thinking I will give it a shot and do it my self. I did the motor swap and everything else to my truck, I'm not mechanically challenged at all. I'm just worried about messing up a cam bearing or a lifter falling during the swap, and is it just line up the 2 dots on the gears and the cam is timed right? What do you guys think should I give it a shot or just send it in?
08-10-2011, 04:09 PM
#3
LS1Howto.com
I used the wooden dowel method and no problems. Just take your time. An extra hand, doesn't need to be mechanically inclined, would definitely help though.
Also, I would buy the Crane valve spring compressor tool (99472-1), it would have made my swap an hour or two quicker, and you can re-sell it on here for probably $20 less than you paid, so you're only out $20.
I used the wooden dowel method and no problems. Just take your time. An extra hand, doesn't need to be mechanically inclined, would definitely help though.
Also, I would buy the Crane valve spring compressor tool (99472-1), it would have made my swap an hour or two quicker, and you can re-sell it on here for probably $20 less than you paid, so you're only out $20.
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08-10-2011, 04:41 PM
#8
If you're mechanically inclined, and you have the proper tools, you should be able to do a cam swap on one of these trucks. It's tough to tell over the internet if someone has the ability to do something without actually knowing them IMO, (I'd hate to tell someone "yeah you can do it", and then they accidentally have a catastrophic failure 
), but the cam swap itself isn't hard IMO, just make sure that you have some method to hold the lifters up, and line it up dot to dot. I like to line it up before I start personally.
Since you're doing a cam, I'm going to assume that you're doing springs also, which is the most tedious part of the cam swap IMO. My advice, is get a good spring compressor like the Crane one, and use compressed air to keep the valves closed. Also, when you're choosing your springs, please stay away from anything that Comp has to offer (918, 915, etc). If you search around here and LS1Tech, you'll find enough pics of broken 918's to make a pretty desktop background collage.
If you go down to the member made tool section, or SDPC's site, you'll find a real cool balancer installer tool that Tyler (dirt track racer 81) designed and builds, and SDPC sells exclusively.
Balancer Tool:
http://sdparts.com/details/scoggin-d...-center/sd6628
https://www.performancetrucks.net/fo...l-tool-476965/
SDPC Spring Compressor (same design as Crane tool)
http://sdparts.com/details/scoggin-d...nter/sd99472-1
), but the cam swap itself isn't hard IMO, just make sure that you have some method to hold the lifters up, and line it up dot to dot. I like to line it up before I start personally.Since you're doing a cam, I'm going to assume that you're doing springs also, which is the most tedious part of the cam swap IMO. My advice, is get a good spring compressor like the Crane one, and use compressed air to keep the valves closed. Also, when you're choosing your springs, please stay away from anything that Comp has to offer (918, 915, etc). If you search around here and LS1Tech, you'll find enough pics of broken 918's to make a pretty desktop background collage.
If you go down to the member made tool section, or SDPC's site, you'll find a real cool balancer installer tool that Tyler (dirt track racer 81) designed and builds, and SDPC sells exclusively.
Balancer Tool:
http://sdparts.com/details/scoggin-d...-center/sd6628
https://www.performancetrucks.net/fo...l-tool-476965/
SDPC Spring Compressor (same design as Crane tool)
http://sdparts.com/details/scoggin-d...nter/sd99472-1
Last edited by budhayes3; 08-10-2011 at 04:48 PM. Reason: added links
08-10-2011, 04:52 PM
#10
TECH Enthusiast
Thread Starter
I already have the cam and springs tsp tq v.2 and PAC dual springs. And comp 918 I know all the problems with them I have them in my truck right now. Milkey57 I appreciate the offer when I start the cam swap I'll be sure to let you know, it always helps to have someone there that's done something before. And how do you like the v.2 in your ls1?
Thanks for all the encouragement guys you talked me into doing it!
So what do you guys think my current cams worth
Bullet racing 218/222 .544 .544 113las 9658miles on it?
Thanks for all the encouragement guys you talked me into doing it!
So what do you guys think my current cams worth
Bullet racing 218/222 .544 .544 113las 9658miles on it?