Cam install and spark plug help needed! - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

J-Rod6410 · 08-22-2010, 03:17 PM

Well I'm installing my cam kit at home and came across a couple of problems.
First off does anyone know what the bolt specs are for the 3-bolt cam gear

I bought the gear at the local dealer but he did not have the GM bolts in stock and said nobody in the Houston area had any either

What he gave me and said would work are some generic 8.8 hex head bolts about an inch long each. To me they look too short and the heads of the bolts dont have flange or built in washer to seat on. They're just standard type bolts. Does anybody know if I can use generic hardened bolts or do I need washers or loctite and what length should they be? Also, when I pulled my spark plugs out, the ceramic and the ground electrode are a deep red color, almost like a rust red

WTF?? I cant remember ever pulling spark plugs out of any kind of car and looking like that. And I've done hundreds of them... So do I reuse them, replace with new ones or go with the ngk's? Should I replace the T-stat to 160? I've read on here that the stock t-stat on the LS3's is better for performance.

Anyway if you guys can give me some insight on any of these things I would appreciate it very much.

Right now my car has Kooks headers w/high flow cats, Rotofab intake, muffler delete and stock tune.

Thanks, jrrod.

Ovenmitt · 08-22-2010, 06:36 PM

Regular bolts on the cam, the highest grade you can find (12.9 pref). I used red loctite on mine, but some like thread sealant. The important thing is that they are torqued/stretched to spec and wont back out.

160 and 185 (stock) thermostats will make little/no difference. The car runs at 195-210, which is beyond both thermo's threshold.

4xchamp · 08-22-2010, 08:15 PM

Octane booster colors the plugs rust red .

3min3m2 · 08-22-2010, 09:32 PM

And I've heard fuel cleaner, water remover, etc do it too

J-Rod6410 · 08-22-2010, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4xchamp

Octane booster colors the plugs rust red .

Octane booster?? Who, me?? Neverrrrrr

SSteve · 08-22-2010, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrrod6410

Well I'm installing my cam kit at home and came across a couple of problems.
First off does anyone know what the bolt specs are for the 3-bolt cam gear

I bought the gear at the local dealer but he did not have the GM bolts in stock and said nobody in the Houston area had any either

What he gave me and said would work are some generic 8.8 hex head bolts about an inch long each. To me they look too short and the heads of the bolts dont have flange or built in washer to seat on. They're just standard type bolts. Does anybody know if I can use generic hardened bolts or do I need washers or loctite and what length should they be? Also, when I pulled my spark plugs out, the ceramic and the ground electrode are a deep red color, almost like a rust red

WTF?? I cant remember ever pulling spark plugs out of any kind of car and looking like that. And I've done hundreds of them... So do I reuse them, replace with new ones or go with the ngk's? Should I replace the T-stat to 160? I've read on here that the stock t-stat on the LS3's is better for performance.

Anyway if you guys can give me some insight on any of these things I would appreciate it very much.

Right now my car has Kooks headers w/high flow cats, Rotofab intake, muffler delete and stock tune.

Thanks, jrrod.

I would not recommend using bolts that are not the same length as the stock ones. However, a heat treated/hardened 8.8 bolt should be fine. Be sure to use red loctite.

I'd replace the spark plugs.

J-Rod6410 · 08-22-2010, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ovenmitt

Regular bolts on the cam, the highest grade you can find (12.9 pref). I used red loctite on mine, but some like thread sealant. The important thing is that they are torqued/stretched to spec and wont back out.

160 and 185 (stock) thermostats will make little/no difference. The car runs at 195-210, which is beyond both thermo's threshold.

What lengths do the bolts need to be?? Corvette torque specs??

Thanks everybody for the help

J-Rod6410 · 08-22-2010, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SSteve

I would not recommend using bolts that are not the same length as the stock ones. However, a heat treated/hardened 8.8 bolt should be fine. Be sure to use red loctite.

I'd replace the spark plugs.

I'm converting to 3-bolt from 1-bolt so I dont know how long the stock ones are on a 3-bolt set-up. I wanted to keep 1-bolt but the cam I got was only available in 3-bolt.

Slowhawk · 08-22-2010, 10:55 PM

To me 3 bolt gears are stronger.The bolts are about 1" long. I'd prefer the correct GM one's (but we have a ton of spare gm bolts from jobs) but a 8.8 should be fine.Use red loctite and I think the torque is 28 ft/lbs. (I torque them to stretch,never had 1 back out in 10 years)

The red plugs are additive in the gas.

08-22-2010, 03:17 PM	#1
J-Rod6410 M6 9 second club Drives: A 4000 Lb BeaSSt Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Crackin Azz on a hi-way near you Posts: 1,033 View My Garage	Cam install and spark plug help needed! Well I'm installing my cam kit at home and came across a couple of problems. First off does anyone know what the bolt specs are for the 3-bolt cam gear I bought the gear at the local dealer but he did not have the GM bolts in stock and said nobody in the Houston area had any either What he gave me and said would work are some generic 8.8 hex head bolts about an inch long each. To me they look too short and the heads of the bolts dont have flange or built in washer to seat on. They're just standard type bolts. Does anybody know if I can use generic hardened bolts or do I need washers or loctite and what length should they be? Also, when I pulled my spark plugs out, the ceramic and the ground electrode are a deep red color, almost like a rust red WTF?? I cant remember ever pulling spark plugs out of any kind of car and looking like that. And I've done hundreds of them... So do I reuse them, replace with new ones or go with the ngk's? Should I replace the T-stat to 160? I've read on here that the stock t-stat on the LS3's is better for performance. Anyway if you guys can give me some insight on any of these things I would appreciate it very much. Right now my car has Kooks headers w/high flow cats, Rotofab intake, muffler delete and stock tune. Thanks, jrrod. __________________ TEAM LS3 Best pass: 9.61 @ 146 with M6 TBDRWHP TBDRWTQ ECS S/C 408, YSi, m6, Mantic Triple, ZL1 diff #BuiltByJRod.... J-Rod's Speed Shop.... Tuned by: Matt Sorian @ MS Tuning Check out my youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/6410Jrod Follow me on Instagram: @J_Rod6410

08-22-2010, 08:15 PM	#3
4xchamp MURC 666 Drives: 69 Pace Car 68 Camaro Restomod 81 Z Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: New England , U.S.A. Posts: 480	Octane booster colors the plugs rust red . __________________ Guys hoarding their Camaros are depriving some youngster the opportunity to restore it 25 years from now . Drive it like you stole it , let the next guy baby it !

08-22-2010, 09:32 PM	#4
3min3m2 Drives: 2011 2SS/RS SIM L-99 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Dunbar WV Posts: 385	And I've heard fuel cleaner, water remover, etc do it too __________________ 3rd Time is the charm 2012 2SS/RS VR 6M. Borla S type, Volant CAI.

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08-22-2010, 06:36 PM	#2
Ovenmitt Account Suspended Drives: 2011 RJT 1SS Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Fort Lewis, Washington Posts: 730	Regular bolts on the cam, the highest grade you can find (12.9 pref). I used red loctite on mine, but some like thread sealant. The important thing is that they are torqued/stretched to spec and wont back out. 160 and 185 (stock) thermostats will make little/no difference. The car runs at 195-210, which is beyond both thermo's threshold.

08-22-2010, 10:55 PM	#9
Slowhawk Drives: 1999 Trans Am Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Bridgewater,Ma Posts: 2,018	To me 3 bolt gears are stronger.The bolts are about 1" long. I'd prefer the correct GM one's (but we have a ton of spare gm bolts from jobs) but a 8.8 should be fine.Use red loctite and I think the torque is 28 ft/lbs. (I torque them to stretch,never had 1 back out in 10 years) The red plugs are additive in the gas.