cam change, c4 vs. fbody
Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 7
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cam change, c4 vs. fbody
I'm in the market for a c4, and currently have an LS1 fbody. Just wondering if there's anyone on here that's done a cam change in both and could comment on difficulty of one vs. the other. I'm more interested (at this point) in the L98 than the LT1, but depends on what I find. I know what the fbody difficulties are, esp. getting at stuff toward the back of the engine on the pass. side. Looks like that wouldn't be a problem on the c4, but how about getting at stuff from the front? Thanks.
Last edited by patrickd; Feb 5, 2007 at 09:03 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 5,141
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From: Metairie Louisiana
I had my radiator, fans, and shroud out at 11:00am on Friday and back in just before dark the same day. I did a radiator swap so I had some other things to do along the way, flushing, trimming, etc. Theres still the Water pump, opti and, timing stuff though. I thought I heard that it was best to pull the eninge to swap cams?? Something about the cross frame getting in the way and it can't be adjusted correctly if the engine isn't pulled?? Not sure.
Edit: Just noticed L98 = a little different also.
Edit: Just noticed L98 = a little different also.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 2,315
Likes: 110
From: Brandon Fl
We just put a cam and some other things in dad's car and the front crossmember needed some "love" (Read grinding) for the cam to come out. Some guys say they had to cut the crossmember but we didn't find that nessary. 
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 3,270
Likes: 26
From: Winchester VA
Cruise-In V Veteran
No problem here with the crossmember. This was 9 months ago and I'm pretty sure I did not change the engine angle for the clearance. And if it was tilted, at least you can see it is another option to grinding. Of course, everything comes off the front and the radiator and its mount have to come out. Nothing that is hard, all easy access.
The worst part may be working with the stock intake. (my only experience with that is one removal)
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 3,014
Likes: 18
From: Raleigh, NC
I've done both and the LS1 is easier.
The cam will clear in the C4 if you loosen the mounts and jack up the motor.
All in all, I would say the LS1 swap is 60% as difficult/time consuming as the L98 swap. It would be pretty close if you didn't have to pull the intake on the L98 like the LS1. Some guys have used pen magnets to hold the lifters up on L98 cars, but I've never tried that so I can't comment on it.
On the LT1 cars, I'll never do another one with the engine in the car. Pulling the hub is just too difficult. Even with the proper tools, it's just too difficult if the hub has never been off. Others will disagree, and say theirs was a piece of cake, but the handful that I have done were horrible. I can pull an LT1 from a C4 in about 5 hours if I hustle, maybe faster with air tools. It takes me 6 hours or so to re-install. I'll take 11 hours of normal wrenching over 2 or 3 of fighting with that hub any day. I always seem to find other things to do while the engine is out anyway. Whether it's just cleaning up the engine, or a head swap; something else always comes up.
That's just my o.pinion, yours may vary.
The cam will clear in the C4 if you loosen the mounts and jack up the motor.
All in all, I would say the LS1 swap is 60% as difficult/time consuming as the L98 swap. It would be pretty close if you didn't have to pull the intake on the L98 like the LS1. Some guys have used pen magnets to hold the lifters up on L98 cars, but I've never tried that so I can't comment on it.
On the LT1 cars, I'll never do another one with the engine in the car. Pulling the hub is just too difficult. Even with the proper tools, it's just too difficult if the hub has never been off. Others will disagree, and say theirs was a piece of cake, but the handful that I have done were horrible. I can pull an LT1 from a C4 in about 5 hours if I hustle, maybe faster with air tools. It takes me 6 hours or so to re-install. I'll take 11 hours of normal wrenching over 2 or 3 of fighting with that hub any day. I always seem to find other things to do while the engine is out anyway. Whether it's just cleaning up the engine, or a head swap; something else always comes up.
That's just my o.pinion, yours may vary.
