C5Z Cam swap question
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 13
Likes: 1
C5Z Cam swap question
About finished up with my cam project, (stage 3 btr cam, high pressure oil pump, SD 25% under drive pulley). My only issue is replacing the valve spring that the cam came with. I don’t have a compressor to hold the valve up at the house I’m at. Would it be ok to put the stock springs and pushrods back in to drive the car about 3-4miles where I have a compressor to do the rest of the work?
Popular Reply
Feb 27, 2022, 11:32 AM
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 4,308
Likes: 3,455
From: Somewhere, Florida
St. Jude Donor '20-'21-'22-'23-'24
You don't need one.
You can let the pistons hold the valves up and do them two at a time.
Pull the plugs and remove the rockers.
Put cylinder #1 at TDC (doesn't matter what stroke) - now cylinders #1 and #6 are at the top. Change those springs.
Rotate crank 90 degrees clockwise. Now cylinders #8 and #5 are TDC. Change those next.
Rotate another 90. Cylinder #7 and #4 are TDC. Change those next.
Rotate another 90. Cylinder #3 and #2 are TDC. Change those too.
I've done this on every LS I've ever changed springs on, because I also don't own an air compressor.
You can let the pistons hold the valves up and do them two at a time.
Pull the plugs and remove the rockers.
Put cylinder #1 at TDC (doesn't matter what stroke) - now cylinders #1 and #6 are at the top. Change those springs.
Rotate crank 90 degrees clockwise. Now cylinders #8 and #5 are TDC. Change those next.
Rotate another 90. Cylinder #7 and #4 are TDC. Change those next.
Rotate another 90. Cylinder #3 and #2 are TDC. Change those too.
I've done this on every LS I've ever changed springs on, because I also don't own an air compressor.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 4,308
Likes: 3,455
From: Somewhere, Florida
St. Jude Donor '20-'21-'22-'23-'24
You don't need one.
You can let the pistons hold the valves up and do them two at a time.
Pull the plugs and remove the rockers.
Put cylinder #1 at TDC (doesn't matter what stroke) - now cylinders #1 and #6 are at the top. Change those springs.
Rotate crank 90 degrees clockwise. Now cylinders #8 and #5 are TDC. Change those next.
Rotate another 90. Cylinder #7 and #4 are TDC. Change those next.
Rotate another 90. Cylinder #3 and #2 are TDC. Change those too.
I've done this on every LS I've ever changed springs on, because I also don't own an air compressor.
You can let the pistons hold the valves up and do them two at a time.
Pull the plugs and remove the rockers.
Put cylinder #1 at TDC (doesn't matter what stroke) - now cylinders #1 and #6 are at the top. Change those springs.
Rotate crank 90 degrees clockwise. Now cylinders #8 and #5 are TDC. Change those next.
Rotate another 90. Cylinder #7 and #4 are TDC. Change those next.
Rotate another 90. Cylinder #3 and #2 are TDC. Change those too.
I've done this on every LS I've ever changed springs on, because I also don't own an air compressor.
No Hostility Be Happy
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 10,082
Likes: 7,398
From: South Hill Wa
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2021 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Same as Stinger here. I've never used anything other than making sure the hole you are working on is at TDC.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 13
Likes: 1
You don't need one.
You can let the pistons hold the valves up and do them two at a time.
Pull the plugs and remove the rockers.
Put cylinder #1 at TDC (doesn't matter what stroke) - now cylinders #1 and #6 are at the top. Change those springs.
Rotate crank 90 degrees clockwise. Now cylinders #8 and #5 are TDC. Change those next.
Rotate another 90. Cylinder #7 and #4 are TDC. Change those next.
Rotate another 90. Cylinder #3 and #2 are TDC. Change those too.
I've done this on every LS I've ever changed springs on, because I also don't own an air compressor.
You can let the pistons hold the valves up and do them two at a time.
Pull the plugs and remove the rockers.
Put cylinder #1 at TDC (doesn't matter what stroke) - now cylinders #1 and #6 are at the top. Change those springs.
Rotate crank 90 degrees clockwise. Now cylinders #8 and #5 are TDC. Change those next.
Rotate another 90. Cylinder #7 and #4 are TDC. Change those next.
Rotate another 90. Cylinder #3 and #2 are TDC. Change those too.
I've done this on every LS I've ever changed springs on, because I also don't own an air compressor.
So this is my first time doing this, will I feel pressure on the valves itself. I’m like 90% sure I’m at tdc rn I have both dots lined up.
No Hostility Be Happy
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 10,082
Likes: 7,398
From: South Hill Wa
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2021 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Don't overthink it. Just take all the rockers off and have all the plugs out. You literally can just look into the cylinder with the plugs out and see where the piston is at in relation to TDC of each cylinder you want to work on if that makes sense.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 13
Likes: 1
understood, appreciate the help! Unfortunately my motor is in and I didn’t take my headers off so looking through is not an option for me lol
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No Hostility Be Happy
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 10,082
Likes: 7,398
From: South Hill Wa
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2021 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Stick straw works and so does a mirror if you have one.
You should have an inexpensive 2" mirror in your toolset. Great also for when you drop stuff in weird places lol.
You should have an inexpensive 2" mirror in your toolset. Great also for when you drop stuff in weird places lol.
No Hostility Be Happy
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 10,082
Likes: 7,398
From: South Hill Wa
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2021 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 13
Likes: 1
You don't need one.
You can let the pistons hold the valves up and do them two at a time.
Pull the plugs and remove the rockers.
Put cylinder #1 at TDC (doesn't matter what stroke) - now cylinders #1 and #6 are at the top. Change those springs.
Rotate crank 90 degrees clockwise. Now cylinders #8 and #5 are TDC. Change those next.
Rotate another 90. Cylinder #7 and #4 are TDC. Change those next.
Rotate another 90. Cylinder #3 and #2 are TDC. Change those too.
I've done this on every LS I've ever changed springs on, because I also don't own an air compressor.
You can let the pistons hold the valves up and do them two at a time.
Pull the plugs and remove the rockers.
Put cylinder #1 at TDC (doesn't matter what stroke) - now cylinders #1 and #6 are at the top. Change those springs.
Rotate crank 90 degrees clockwise. Now cylinders #8 and #5 are TDC. Change those next.
Rotate another 90. Cylinder #7 and #4 are TDC. Change those next.
Rotate another 90. Cylinder #3 and #2 are TDC. Change those too.
I've done this on every LS I've ever changed springs on, because I also don't own an air compressor.
did it this way and saved me some money renting a compressor, thank you so much for the tip helped a lot
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 12,864
Likes: 4,668
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 13
Likes: 1
AGREED!!!! DO NOT RUN WITH OEM SPRINGS!!! If lift exceeds coil bind specs of OEM springs (which it probably does!!), you'll ruin the motor before you can change the springs. Kinda like the guy who runs out of oil, the engine seizes, then he dumps 6 qts of synthetic in!! "That'll git'er runnin' again!!" NOT!!!!!
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
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From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
;earned about coil bind the hardway many yrs ago. Couldnt figure out, why at 5k it felt like somene slammed the breaks on....and that tack tack tack noise. What could that be?