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Cam Swap On A Budget


Fireman31

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You hit the nail on the head Joe, this is going to be a down and dirty cam swap, nothing crazy as budget is a big part of the plan. Am I correct in saying that you have to pull the oil pan to change the timing set?

 

 

You don't have to pull the pan. You just have to losen the pan bolts, remove two bellhousing bolts, remove two plastic covers (under the starter, and above the oil filter) , and a front wire harness below the front cover ( one screw on right side, then slide the harness to the right and it comes out of a hole). Then loosen the pan bolts about a half an inchand the pan should drop down. When you get to the oil pump pick up tube bolt, I used a flex head gearwrench. It saved me alot of time and was perfect for it. Then tie some fishing line to the bolt before it's all the way out. I stuffed some rags in the front of the pan where it's open incase the bolt fell, then put a 1"x3"x1/2" magnet I had laying around on top of the rags incase it fell. I have also used some thin wire and bent it around another bolt on the threads to make it look like 0< (about 4" long on one leg and 1" on the other) and squeezed the two legs together to open the round part up over the bolt head and when it was over it I took a plier and tightened it around the threads. This worked great but make sure the way the bend is going over the threads will let you use it as a wrench and not go up the threads. You can use this to get the bolt back on too and it saves your fingers.

 

If you do decide to do the timing chain and gears you will need a 2 finger gear puller for the crank gear.

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You don't have to pull the pan. You just have to losen the pan bolts, remove two bellhousing bolts, remove two plastic covers (under the starter, and above the oil filter) , and a front wire harness below the front cover ( one screw on right side, then slide the harness to the right and it comes out of a hole). Then loosen the pan bolts about a half an inchand the pan should drop down. When you get to the oil pump pick up tube bolt, I used a flex head gearwrench. It saved me alot of time and was perfect for it. Then tie some fishing line to the bolt before it's all the way out. I stuffed some rags in the front of the pan where it's open incase the bolt fell, then put a 1"x3"x1/2" magnet I had laying around on top of the rags incase it fell. I have also used some thin wire and bent it around another bolt on the threads to make it look like 0

 

If you do decide to do the timing chain and gears you will need a 2 finger gear puller for the crank gear.

 

Thanks for the info, seems like alot of work........probably will not be changin the timing set, LOL....

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... did not change mine and the truck had 60K on the clock and now has 66K. I drive her hard and dont have any issues. Good luck!

 

I agree never changed the timing set on my 5.3 when I did the cam swap, seemed fine has 50K and the engine is a 2002...

 

...I left mine in there, but agree with the possibility of there being some error, and when you want every drop of power a couple of degrees that go unaccounted for can be power on the table...

 

You hit the nail on the head Joe, this is going to be a down and dirty cam swap, nothing crazy as budget is a big part of the plan...

 

I never said that the existing chain wouldn't work.

 

Let me be BLUNT - we replaced the perfectly good timing chain in 8 UR HMI's truck with a $50 new OE LS2 chain/sprocket and his gas mileage instantly went UP 2-MPG. The manifold vacuum improved 2 inches. Those are not opinions, Bob and I have the EFILive logs to prove it. The truck's off-idle was radically improved and as a passenger I felt a very strong improvement in the 60-ft time; I was astounded and the experience converted me.

 

I am NOT trying to make you splurge - remember I *know* your situation personally. I am TRYING to SAVE you money, in the long run by not pissing away money via the gas tank. Then again, I totally understand being on a fixed income, and I completely know the value of $50. If it's not there to spend then AOK no prob, I totally understand and it'll get replaced down the road in the future when situation permits.

 

Mr. P. :)

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I never said that the existing chain wouldn't work.

 

Let me be BLUNT - we replaced the perfectly good timing chain in 8 UR HMI's truck with a $50 new OE LS2 chain/sprocket and his gas mileage instantly went UP 2-MPG. The manifold vacuum improved 2 inches. Those are not opinions, Bob and I have the EFILive logs to prove it. The truck's off-idle was radically improved and as a passenger I felt a very strong improvement in the 60-ft time; I was astounded and the experience converted me.

 

I am NOT trying to make you splurge - remember I *know* your situation personally. I am TRYING to SAVE you money, in the long run by not pissing away money via the gas tank. Then again, I totally understand being on a fixed income, and I completely know the value of $50. If it's not there to spend then AOK no prob, I totally understand and it'll get replaced down the road in the future when situation permits.

 

Mr. P. :)

 

 

It isn't like I am in in dire straights, my recent career change came with better pay and a ton of OT, but at the same time I am trying to pay off 2 trucks and college loans ahead of schedule. What it comes down to is that I do not want to get involved changing the chain/sprocket for the sheer fact that there is a good amount of work needed in changing it, and I also do not want to open up a can of worms......

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Dan its more than worth it. It doesn't take that long at all. U of all ppl

Know it's not worth skimming a little vital part to a build. My pump

Just randomly quit on me and steve rushed down to Austin to help me. I had never done one but we did my cam so I knew how to rip the motor apart. Once u have the timid cap and water pump off it's maybe 45 minutes worth of stripping after that. It's not hard at all. The pump is very easy to

Do except for the oil pickup tube which is annoying but not actually

Hard. The timing set is gonna b better for the higher rpm range when a huge load is on the motor. Doesn't matter how Many miles are on the truck, the factory timing chain and gears are a piece of crap. Just spend the extra 80 bucks and hours worth of work to save a headache down the road.

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