[InFiD3ViL]

Originally Posted by gunchamp

And ive read alot of bailing the tensioner. So is the ls2 dogbone a direct drop in? Also is the factory chain i have fine? Factory oil pump? Thanks

Yes, the dogbone is a direct drop in. The most difficult part is actually removing the LS3 tensioner since chain and top gear need to come off. But you will already be in that far anyway. The LS2 style bolts right in easy peasy. It is nice piece of mind because it has zero moving parts, unlike the brittle and poorly designed LS3 part. Best part? It's like $16 for the AC Delco dogbone.

If you have the money I would highly recommend an oil pump as well. I installed a Melling HV 10296 in my rebuild. But you have an L99 pump which is already superior to the OEM LS3 pump. How many miles do you have on the shortblock? That should play a role in this as well. If it's low mileage, you L99 pump may be fine.

The chain itself is your call really. I have seen a ton of guys running in excess of 460 rwhp running stock chain. Check for excessive slop. I have personally never heard of an LS3/L99 timing chain failure, but I am sure it has happened to someone. But like all these other things we are mentioning, it is a nice thing to replace while you are in there and is fairly cheap to upgrade. All these parts offer a bit of comfort after spending this kind of money.

If I could do my LS3 rebuild over again, I probably would have put more money into the lifters. But money was tight and I went with stock LS7 lifters which was ok for me for now since I was just refreshing the engine on the stock cam.

In the end it all comes down to your wallet. If you have endless funds then replace everything while you are in there. If money is tight or you are trying to be careful, then prioritize. Think about your mileage and replace/upgrade wear parts. When building a monster engine it is always better to be proactive than reactive.