cam swap on 2010 ls3

[cheyndixon]

anyone have any good tutorial videos on cam swap for a 2010 ss?? never done it before just want it to follow along with. it started to develop a lifter tick so i decided it was time to throw a bigger cam in it while doing everything at the same time lifters, rods, springs, rockers, all that might as well go ahead and clean tf out of the heads while im at it. if anyone has any videos that will help out or any tips in general that would be great

[HOJO]

This should be very helpful.
https://www.camaro5.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=52

[HOJO]

Sorry I can’t get the link to copy; just google “Roberts way cam swap on Camaro5 “ excellent source.

[InFiD3ViL]

Here ya go:

https://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125123

[wasthatacop?]

Originally Posted by InFiD3ViL

Here ya go:

https://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125123

Seriously, use this as a guide. Worked for me last summer. I did the swap in 12 days whenever I had free time.
PS, drop the oil pan a half inch when putting the timing chain back on. And replace the oil pump o ring. Be very careful when removing and reinstalling the oil pump bolt. I have 2 floating in my oil pan. 6,000 miles, no problems yet. But I do feel like I'm driving a time bomb.

[morepowerjoe]

If I was you I would bag and tag all nuts and bolts or keep them organized somehow. Write down all of your steps for tear down and build up and cross off each one at a time. I would also get some arp head and balancer bolts so you don't have to deal with the torque to yeld crap. Also don't skimp out on the lifters I would only get the Johnson lifters from gpi and I would only get the che trunnions for the rockers. And lastly if your going to do the oil pump I would recommend the melling 10355hv.

[shinzzerz]

Originally Posted by morepowerjoe

If I was you I would bag and tag all nuts and bolts or keep them organized somehow. Write down all of your steps for tear down and build up and cross off each one at a time. I would also get some arp head and balancer bolts so you don't have to deal with the torque to yeld crap. Also don't skimp out on the lifters I would only get the Johnson lifters from gpi and I would only get the che trunnions for the rockers. And lastly if your going to do the oil pump I would recommend the melling 10355hv.

I second the idea of upgraded Johnson lifters. They are on sale via tick performance; the 2116LSR or 2126LSR are your best bet to stave off a lifter from rotating. If you don't want to dial in preload and don't care about linked lifters then go with the drop in set of 2110 Johnson lifters.

This is also a chance to acquire a set of ARP head bolts and balancer bolt as mentioned by morepowerjoe. Just make sure to clean out the head threads of coolant and residual GM thread compound before you bolt the heads back down.

Good luck, I just did this job about a month ago, and make sure to have fun while you're in there.

[InFiD3ViL]

I agree with pretty much all above. If I could do it all again I would have pulled the heads and gotten new higher quality lifters. I am running the LS7s and know that this is the biggest weak spot in my build. I will likely be doing that upgrade in < 10k miles when I am ready for my spring swap, although I will probably upgrade my cam then too lol...because I didn't listen and went with a Stage I cam when everyone was telling me to go big from the beginning or I would always want more. I want more.

Invest a little more at the start of the build and worry less later.

Originally Posted by wasthatacop?

Be very careful when removing and reinstalling the oil pump bolt. I have 2 floating in my oil pan. 6,000 miles, no problems yet. But I do feel like I'm driving a time bomb.

I was so terrified of this happening that it slowed me down bigtime. I wound up using very light fishing line and tied it around the head of the bolt so when I inevitably dropped it I could just tug on the line and fish it back out. Worked like a charm, and I got to try it out multiple times!

Luckily they are certainly under the baffle now, so you should be ok. But yeah, I would be freaking out too.

[1JEWLDSSRS]

I also agree to pretty much of all the above. Great advice from everyone. Knowing what I know now I would have gone with the Johnson 2116LSR lifters, but my builder installed the Delphi LS7 lifters. So far knock on wood I haven't had any issues yet with them and I spin her upwards of 7400 a lot. I was also told by my tuner that if I went with these lifters now if I wanted to, I would have to measure for new pushrods. So as said above, get the good stuff in there on the first build so you don't have to do it again...

[SSFury]

Just did mine a week ago. The worst part of the entire process is the bolt holding on the Pick-up tube to the oil pump.. Its under the pump, and the oil pan covers it. You have to lower the oil pan an inch or so to get access to it. This is also a point where multiple gaskets overlap, so upon reinstall of the timing cover, use a blob of sealant in the corners to prevent accidental leaks from this area of.. less than stellar engineering.

There is a connector behind the air intake manifold that's a P.I.T.A. to reach also. The radiator has to be removed for clearance to remove the cam. The AC condenser is also in the way, but DONT disconnect it, just get it loose and rotate it out of the way, that way you dont have to recharge your ac system.

Water pump can be moved.. but because it is moved.. you need 2 ea water pump gaskets. Timing cover seal, crank seal , Head Gaskets if you remove the heads, and exhaust manifold gaskets under the headers if you remove the heads. Plus resurfacing the heads.. my machinist said that the compression becomes noticeable and improved after removing about .020", but the cam I installed had a .660 lift, so I removed the minimum amount of material, because I was concerned about the valves hitting the pistons.

[G8One2]

Valve tip heights vary as much as .025" between the intake and exhaust valves on stock heads. Keep that in mind when selecting parts.