Did you notice a nice power gain? What did you change with the cam(retainers/springs/PR's)? And, did you do it yourself...or take it somewhere?
Cam Gurus...couple questions
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 212
Likes: 0
From: VA Beach VA
Cam Gurus...couple questions
just a few questions.
I have an 01 C5Z, I/H/E. Looking for some more power, so Im going to be getting a cam soon. I have been looking at the COMP X-ER 54-444-11, and beehive springs #26918. After the install I'll be getting a tune, so I'm hoping for 50-60 HP/TQ. Ok for the questions....
- good cam choice? Anyone running it?
- the springs: safe to run with stock cam? (if I was to do the job separate)
If anyone can help out I'd appreciate it.
I have an 01 C5Z, I/H/E. Looking for some more power, so Im going to be getting a cam soon. I have been looking at the COMP X-ER 54-444-11, and beehive springs #26918. After the install I'll be getting a tune, so I'm hoping for 50-60 HP/TQ. Ok for the questions....
- good cam choice? Anyone running it?
- the springs: safe to run with stock cam? (if I was to do the job separate)
If anyone can help out I'd appreciate it.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 212
Likes: 0
From: VA Beach VA
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 212
Likes: 0
From: VA Beach VA
Tech Contributor
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,731
Likes: 82
From: New Market AL
Tonight I am starting on my 11th cam swap in a C5. This is certainly a do-able job in the average 2-car garage using jack stands and typical hand tools. I plan on around 10 hours for a cam swap with new springs, oil pump, timing chain, and oil change. I'm sure some folks are faster than me and others may be slower. Don't let yourself get hung up on being fast.
Cliff Notes:
I like to take the steering rack completely out of the way. Don't over tighten bolts. Use thread lock on fasteners inside the engine. Make sure the oil pickup tube o-ring slips into the oil pump without cutting. Don't let lifters fall into the oil pan (use dowel rods in the oil galley to hold them up). Don't drop a valve into the cylinder when swapping springs. Buy a couple extra valve spring locks (they can be easy to loose). Verify you have proper piston-to-valve clearance. Check for proper pushrod length.
Cliff Notes:
I like to take the steering rack completely out of the way. Don't over tighten bolts. Use thread lock on fasteners inside the engine. Make sure the oil pickup tube o-ring slips into the oil pump without cutting. Don't let lifters fall into the oil pan (use dowel rods in the oil galley to hold them up). Don't drop a valve into the cylinder when swapping springs. Buy a couple extra valve spring locks (they can be easy to loose). Verify you have proper piston-to-valve clearance. Check for proper pushrod length.
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Race Director
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 13,760
Likes: 75
From: Haymarket VA
Take a serious look at the PAC 1518 beehive springs or 1521 dual springs. They are more expensive but the best drop in springs available. They will greatly outlast other springs out there. I've been running the same set of 1521's through 2 seperate builds and they still spec very close to new after about 20k miles with some very high (.660) lift cams. 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,315
Likes: 17
From: Near Jacksonville Fl.
The heads are Patriot stage 4 with Patriot gold dual springs & hardened retainers.
Power gain? Well hows going from 502RWHP to a little over 600 sound?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 212
Likes: 0
From: VA Beach VA
I did all the work myself, heads & cam, oil pump, double roller chain and new LS7 lifters with hardened push rods & HS roller rockers.
The heads are Patriot stage 4 with Patriot gold dual springs & hardened retainers.
Power gain? Well hows going from 502RWHP to a little over 600 sound?
The heads are Patriot stage 4 with Patriot gold dual springs & hardened retainers.
Power gain? Well hows going from 502RWHP to a little over 600 sound?
JUST KIDDING-thats bad ***. for now, I am just going to do the cam, oil pump, chain, and springs. At a later date, ill open up the heads again(or maybe just get some P&P heads, and get all the internals). I'm hoping for about 60rwhp after a good tune....but, since I am not spending the money to Dyno before-I wont know the exact gains. I cant wait til Saturday morning. Gonna take it easy on the Jack Daniels Friday night, or go without so i can wake up bright and early and get started. WISH ME LUCK!
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 29,063
Likes: 1,839
From: cookeville tennessee
Tonight I am starting on my 11th cam swap in a C5. This is certainly a do-able job in the average 2-car garage using jack stands and typical hand tools. I plan on around 10 hours for a cam swap with new springs, oil pump, timing chain, and oil change. I'm sure some folks are faster than me and others may be slower. Don't let yourself get hung up on being fast.
Cliff Notes:
I like to take the steering rack completely out of the way. Don't over tighten bolts. Use thread lock on fasteners inside the engine. Make sure the oil pickup tube o-ring slips into the oil pump without cutting. Don't let lifters fall into the oil pan (use dowel rods in the oil galley to hold them up). Don't drop a valve into the cylinder when swapping springs. Buy a couple extra valve spring locks (they can be easy to loose). Verify you have proper piston-to-valve clearance. Check for proper pushrod length.
Cliff Notes:
I like to take the steering rack completely out of the way. Don't over tighten bolts. Use thread lock on fasteners inside the engine. Make sure the oil pickup tube o-ring slips into the oil pump without cutting. Don't let lifters fall into the oil pan (use dowel rods in the oil galley to hold them up). Don't drop a valve into the cylinder when swapping springs. Buy a couple extra valve spring locks (they can be easy to loose). Verify you have proper piston-to-valve clearance. Check for proper pushrod length.
SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE DONE IT A TIME ARE TWO FOR SURE.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 212
Likes: 0
From: VA Beach VA
Tonight I am starting on my 11th cam swap in a C5. This is certainly a do-able job in the average 2-car garage using jack stands and typical hand tools. I plan on around 10 hours for a cam swap with new springs, oil pump, timing chain, and oil change. I'm sure some folks are faster than me and others may be slower. Don't let yourself get hung up on being fast.
Cliff Notes:
I like to take the steering rack completely out of the way. Don't over tighten bolts. Use thread lock on fasteners inside the engine. Make sure the oil pickup tube o-ring slips into the oil pump without cutting. Don't let lifters fall into the oil pan (use dowel rods in the oil galley to hold them up). Don't drop a valve into the cylinder when swapping springs. Buy a couple extra valve spring locks (they can be easy to loose). Verify you have proper piston-to-valve clearance. Check for proper pushrod length.
Cliff Notes:
I like to take the steering rack completely out of the way. Don't over tighten bolts. Use thread lock on fasteners inside the engine. Make sure the oil pickup tube o-ring slips into the oil pump without cutting. Don't let lifters fall into the oil pan (use dowel rods in the oil galley to hold them up). Don't drop a valve into the cylinder when swapping springs. Buy a couple extra valve spring locks (they can be easy to loose). Verify you have proper piston-to-valve clearance. Check for proper pushrod length.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 212
Likes: 0
From: VA Beach VA
Ive read a couple places that it takes the car 100-200mi to "learn" the cam, and will run a lil smoother. I'm hoping for a decent ride until I get it tuned. How much did you pay for the tune?
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,956
Likes: 135
From: Maryland
I did an ECS mail order tune to account for all my changes (cam, headers, injectors, ...). It took care of the stalling problem and will be good enough for me to make the drive up so they can do the dyno and driveability tune.
Drifting
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,482
Likes: 2
From: Pearland, TX
Just don't blow up the engine in the meantime. Until you get it tuned you have no idea how lean it's running.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 212
Likes: 0
From: VA Beach VA
Alright...5 hours of work today with the wife, and got up to breaking the torque on the crankshaft pulley as well as removing all rockers and PR's. That bolt was TIGHT...but finally came off. I rented a 3 leg/jaw puller from autozone, and cranked the hell out of it but that pulley will not come off.
So...I kept the torque on the puller as well as spraying the center of the pulley down with wd40 to sit overnight. Any tips or tricks to get this thing off?
So...I kept the torque on the puller as well as spraying the center of the pulley down with wd40 to sit overnight. Any tips or tricks to get this thing off?
Drifting
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,482
Likes: 2
From: Pearland, TX
Get a can of air duster and hold it upside down while you spray the crank snout. It will freeze and shrink it. Be careful though - the propellant in the can is R134 and it will give you frostbite if you spray yourself with it.