How difficult is a cam swap?
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 17,710
Likes: 1,219
From: Phila PA, Bonita Springs FL
How difficult is a cam swap?
Would like to know exactly what parts, need to be removed, & fluids etc. to change a cam in an A4...
Also some time frame for the labor.. How difficult a task is this?
For a professional... , is it easy, moderate, basic but time comsuming, or, you better have done them a bunch of times before tackling this????? etc.. thanks,
Also some time frame for the labor.. How difficult a task is this?
For a professional... , is it easy, moderate, basic but time comsuming, or, you better have done them a bunch of times before tackling this????? etc.. thanks,
Racer
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 438
Likes: 15
From: satellite beach fl
Here's a good description, you'll have to make up your own mind about your mechanical skills and patience.
http://ls1howto.com/index.php?article=1
http://ls1howto.com/index.php?article=1
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,802
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio Texas
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'08
Cam Swap
Some people do them with out removing the heads.......but if one pushrod falls through....guess what, you are in for more work.
Ive heard they use magnets or pins to hold the Push Rods
Ive heard they use magnets or pins to hold the Push Rods
Racer
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 438
Likes: 15
From: satellite beach fl
Originally Posted by mikes99corvette
Some people do them with out removing the heads.......but if one pushrod falls through....guess what, you are in for more work.
Ive heard they use magnets or pins to hold the Push Rods
Ive heard they use magnets or pins to hold the Push Rods
Racer
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 365
Likes: 0
From: East Brunswick NJ
Originally Posted by purrvert
The lifters are the rascals, but are normally retained with plastic retainers built into the engine. Two spins of the cam after removing pushrods and they should stay up and out of the way.
Just keep spinning the cam untill you dont hear the clicking of the lifters anymore. Don't rush it if it takes 2 turns the so be it, if it takes 102 turns then keep turning it, its a lot easyer then removing the from frame to get the oil pan off to get the lifter out.
Also what you can do it use a pen magnet to pull them up, but some people have gotten the magnet suck in the head and had to remove the head. The best of what I have seen so far is a long metal dowel about 1/4"Diamiter that is inserted in the cam retainer plate openings, goes all the way in and holds the lifers up in place.
You will need a few extra hands to pull back the radiator and AC condencer coil in order to get the cam out, unless of cource you completly remove those. Taking the hood completely off also helps out a lot in moving around to get the cam out.
Good Luck.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 17,710
Likes: 1,219
From: Phila PA, Bonita Springs FL
I can't read all that stuff...
Too technical & involved for me..
I just wanna know like what needs to be removed..
I don't need all the in's & out's..
I can tell its complicated & looks to be a major PITA.
Of course I would NEVER attempt this... I am not a wrench, but want to know what my tech is up against..
Too technical & involved for me..
I just wanna know like what needs to be removed..
I don't need all the in's & out's..
I can tell its complicated & looks to be a major PITA.
Of course I would NEVER attempt this... I am not a wrench, but want to know what my tech is up against..
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,471
Likes: 1
From: Pensacola FL
I just installed my own cam. I used the LS1 "how to" as a guide. It was a bit time consuming, but pretty straight forward. I took my time & it took me about 12-15 hrs from start to finish. I read alot before I started, and didn't rush so I didn't screw anything up. I used the pen magnets & bent the pocket clips so they stuck in the rocker thread holes. It worked fine. I'll try to list everything that need to be removed.
airbox/maf
radiator
condensor
water pump
alt
crank pulley
idler pullies (optional)
timing cover
oil pump
sprockets/chain (i'd replace it)
plugs/wires/coilpacks
valve covers
rockers/pushrods
springs/retainers
valve seals(why not)
rack & pinion
Thats all I can think of now....
airbox/maf
radiator
condensor
water pump
alt
crank pulley
idler pullies (optional)
timing cover
oil pump
sprockets/chain (i'd replace it)
plugs/wires/coilpacks
valve covers
rockers/pushrods
springs/retainers
valve seals(why not)
rack & pinion
Thats all I can think of now....
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 17,710
Likes: 1,219
From: Phila PA, Bonita Springs FL
THANK YOU!
THAT was what I was looking for!
So no throttle body or intake manifold needs to be removed?
But now, the A/C system needs to be evacuated & re-charged, since you removed the condensor? ugg
Coolant, and since I have a tranny cooler mounted on the radiator, tranny fluid too, right?
Damn........
Maybe since I'm not a mechanic, but this looks like quite the hornets nest with a ton of other issues that could arise due to everything that is involved..
Tell me its just me because I'm not familiar with this process..
Might seem like a piece of cake to someone experienced, right??
THAT was what I was looking for!
So no throttle body or intake manifold needs to be removed?
But now, the A/C system needs to be evacuated & re-charged, since you removed the condensor? ugg
Coolant, and since I have a tranny cooler mounted on the radiator, tranny fluid too, right?
Damn........
Maybe since I'm not a mechanic, but this looks like quite the hornets nest with a ton of other issues that could arise due to everything that is involved..
Tell me its just me because I'm not familiar with this process..
Might seem like a piece of cake to someone experienced, right??
Last edited by YO-EL; Feb 2, 2005 at 10:56 AM.
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Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 17,710
Likes: 1,219
From: Phila PA, Bonita Springs FL
RIGHT ON with THAT bro!!!
They are the BEST!
Thats why they're getting it!
I just wanted to know exactly the stuff that was gonna be removed etc..
So I can maybe think about other stuff, like new TB, plugs, injectors, electric water pump, pulley etc..
Now I know....
They are the BEST!
Thats why they're getting it!
I just wanted to know exactly the stuff that was gonna be removed etc..
So I can maybe think about other stuff, like new TB, plugs, injectors, electric water pump, pulley etc..
Now I know....
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 7,370
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From: Slave to the evil empire
Cruise-In V Veteran
St. Jude Donor '04
Originally Posted by YO-EL
But now, the A/C system needs to be evacuated & re-charged, since you removed the condensor? ugg
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,973
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From: Milton, West Virginia
Cruise-In IV Veteran
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Cruise-In VI Veteran
Originally Posted by runamuk
The condensor does not need to be removed, once the radiator is out you'll be able to remove the cam without even touching the condensor and then to reinstall it you'll have to barely reposition the condensor to give you room to lign up and slide the cam in.
, I didn't remove mine either
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
From: Greenbrier TN
Man you really have to take out the rack to swap the cam out>?!?! Man that sucks. I read the ls1 how to and it sounded pretty involved to me. THe only ls1 cam swap I saw was on a TA and it didnt seem that bad.
Seems like I read in a GM High Perf mag one time about SLP doing a cam swap on a vette. They made it sound simple. ANd seems liek they said they had enough room to remove the cam without taking the radiator out (but I dont see how you could though). Darn magazines making things sound easier then they are!
Jason
Seems like I read in a GM High Perf mag one time about SLP doing a cam swap on a vette. They made it sound simple. ANd seems liek they said they had enough room to remove the cam without taking the radiator out (but I dont see how you could though). Darn magazines making things sound easier then they are!
Jason
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 7,370
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From: Slave to the evil empire
Cruise-In V Veteran
St. Jude Donor '04
Originally Posted by jwa95ta
Man you really have to take out the rack to swap the cam out>?!?! Man that sucks. I read the ls1 how to and it sounded pretty involved to me. THe only ls1 cam swap I saw was on a TA and it didnt seem that bad.
1. raise the front of the vehicle and remove both front wheels/tires.
2. remove the sway bar (6 bolts)
3. drain your power steering reservoir (I used a turkey baster) and disconnect the 2 hydraulic lines going to the rack and remove the 1 bolt going to the steering column.
4. loosen the 4 nuts holding the lower cradle to the frame
5. disconnect both tie rod ends from the spindles
6. remove the 2 18mm nuts/bolts securing the rack to the cradle and then pull it out thru the drivers side wheel well.
Did I miss anything?
I think that pretty much covers it, 1 person can do the job but when it comes time to reinstall it is easier with 2 people just to align it up with the mount bolts.