cam installation

[kozzmo49]

im looking to get the stage 1 cam from ADM Performance. Does anyone know what a cam installation entails? and how long it takes?

[radz28]

Probably take an experienced back-yard guy a good weekend and special tools. Otherwise, a shop will probably charge a good 8 hours for the install - $800? You're going to probably want to upgrade springs too.

[o2camaross]

It's really not hard at all. U can prolly keep ur stock springs if ur goin with the stage 1 cam bc there isn't much difference in lift.

[kozzmo49]

yea they said i wouldnt need to change the springs.

[Ringo]

What's the gain in a stage 1 cam?

[rodimus prime]

Seriously I would change the springs reguardless of the cam you put in. A tiny bit of valve float will cost you more than the $400 for decent springs. Oh, might as well throw in some hardened pushrods to.

If you havent done a cam swap before or are not real experianced with working on cars, do youself a favor and bring it somewhere, or get a buddy who knows what hes doing. Its easy cheesy after the first time, just like sex.

[ADM PERFORMANCE]

Originally Posted by Ringo

What's the gain in a stage 1 cam?

DYNO 1 = Completely stock(Tune and all) with 14 miles on it.
DYNO 9 = Completely stock(Stock Tune) with ADM Stage 1 cam.
DYNO 11= Completely stock(Stock tune) with ADM Stage 1 cam
and ADM Offroad downpipes.
DYNO 17= Completey stock(Stock tune) with ADM Stage 1 cam and
Headers

[camaro1]

shouldnt take more than a few hours,

[o2camaross]

Honstly if ur gonna go through with it go bigger than that stage 1 cam unless ur goal is most hp without a tune. You'll thank urself later

[Bungalowbandit]

can any one post a step by step link 2 an install

[mike@newera]

That depends on if it is the LS3 or the L99, quite a few differences there.

[Bungalowbandit]

ls3

[chromepusher]

I checked Shopkey for some labor times for cam R&R. Nothing listed yet for the 2010 but a Corvette with LS3 takes 22.5 hours and an Avalanche with an LS engine takes 25 hours. An 02 Camaro takes 15.5 hours. These are the labor times many shops refer to when quoting a job.

[tandtperformance]

if you call me i will tell you everything you need to do i just got done with mine and will be starting in the am when my tune guy gets there i can tell you i have a auto shop and it takes longer and is alot more to it than what i have seen alot of people on here make it out to be so pm me and i will give you my number
ps you will need to get a/c sucked out before you start

also if your new cam is a 3 bolt then you will need to get and top gear for and ls7 vette because your ls3 stock cam has a single bolt gear

[camaro1]

those numbers are way high, because gm figures you should replace the lifters to do a cam swap(heads have to come off to swap lifters)

just a cam swap on these cars with someone who has done cam swaps on other ls engine can do it in a few hours easy

[tandtperformance]

i will try but you can pm me and i will give you my phone #

drain antifreeze, remove trans lines from radi, remove power steering cooling lines from the bottom of a/c cooler , upper and lower radi hoses from block,2 small hoses on top radi buy the radi cap, remove air box (2 10mm bolts) and just pull up there is nothing else holding but it will be feel tite and remove air tube from box to intake inlet, remove both 10mm bolts holding top of radi then lean radi toward motor and removed both 13mm bolts holding top & bottom a/c lines now remove a/c cooler & radi together, remove both heater hoses from water pump,then remove belt (the other belt for a/c will have to be removed when you pull the damper off, remove 6 (10 mm bolts ) from water pump & remove it ,then take 2 15mm bolts from alt mount the ones on the left side then losen the 15mm nut beside them so you can slide alt over a little bit, then remove 24mm bolt holding damper on and you will need a puller to remove it because is pressed on, then remove all (10mm ) timing chain cover bolts there are 2 bolts on bottom coming up to the bottom of cover, and the 2 10mm bolts holding cam sensor bracket and unplug both ends of it and remove it, now remove both vavle covers remove all rockers and push rods now you want to turn your cam around one full turn by hand then start pulling out if it feels like its hanging on smething that means all lifters are not up in there pocket and you may have to try to turn it again make sure you have your other cam ready to go right in so lifters dont fall because if they do you will have to remove heads because lifters are under heads i may have missed something the best thing to do is just call me

[tandtperformance]

there is noway you can do it in a few hours it will take that long just to get ready to pull it i started mine last night and worked on it 4 or 5 hours today and i still have to add fluids

[camaro1]

Originally Posted by trsc1970

there is noway you can do it in a few hours it will take that long just to get ready to pull it i started mine last night and worked on it 4 or 5 hours today and i still have to add fluids

how many lsx cam swaps have you done?

[tandtperformance]

well you could say we have done a few all iam tring to say is that it will take you over 2 hours to get it ready to pull plus if you have the problem like we did on this one the lifters wouldnt stay up in the trays so we had to slide mag down the rod holes to hold lifters up so they wouldnt fall plus i did swap springs out because this cam was to big for stock springs and that was fun we had to fab someting to fit under cow to remove both back springs on each side

[camaro1]

the lifters are easy to hold up,, you just get a couple dowels and put them in the holes on both sides of the cam after you spin the cam several times

this is the jpr tool, i just use 2 wooden dowels:

[camaro1]

and this is a great tool for the ls valve springs, tims valve spring tool, he is on ls1tech in the tool section:

[tandtperformance]

dont look like you can get much leveridge on that spring tool if it works thats cool them dowels work good if i could haqve found them we would have used them but we didnt so we used what we had

[camaro1]

Originally Posted by trsc1970

dont look like you can get much leveridge on that spring tool if it works thats cool them dowels work good if i could haqve found them we would have used them but we didnt so we used what we had

you dont use any leverage on the tool,, all you do is screw in the stud then place the tool over the stud and on the spring retainer and tighten the nut,, easiest best tool i have ever used on the ls engines

[tandtperformance]

it looks like it if that works i want one because i was throwing stuff everywhere tring to make something work

[kozzmo49]

yea so i dont know if im ready to get this mod yet lol.. say i get the stage 1 which is 399... the installation, with it being 20+ hours, thats gonna be a S*IT LOAD of money