technical motor questions
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 554
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technical motor questions
1. if i was looking at a set of heads, how would i know if they were ls1 or ls6 heads?
2. when doing a cam change do the heads have to come off or can you get to the lifters thru the valley pan, (removable?)?
3. and does the harmonic balancer come off at this time?
4. and when does the oil pump get changed?
thanks, don
2. when doing a cam change do the heads have to come off or can you get to the lifters thru the valley pan, (removable?)?
3. and does the harmonic balancer come off at this time?
4. and when does the oil pump get changed?
thanks, don
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 851
Likes: 103
From: St Louis, MO
I just completed a head, cam, timing chain, and oil pump swap. Go to ls1howto.com and you will find a very good step by step instuction. I am not a mechanic and I did the entire swap without any help. However, I worked on my cars in my younger days. It will take you 20 + hours to get the job done.
I followed the instuctions and the car started right up and runs great.
Good Luck!!!
I followed the instuctions and the car started right up and runs great.
Good Luck!!!
Race Director
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 17,101
Likes: 4
From: No more yankee my wankee, the Donger is tired!
I just went through the same procedure as jjk2509. Head cam swap, went to a double roller chain and ported oil pump. There were a few things ls1howto.com forgot or could have described better. But they did a good job.
As far as the heads, either the casting numbers will tell you what heads are which, or the exhaust ports. LS1 are a "O" shape and LS6 are "D" shaped.
Casting numbers
853 97-00 aluminum 5.7
241 01-03 aluminum 5.7
243 LS6 aluminum 5.7
As far as the heads, either the casting numbers will tell you what heads are which, or the exhaust ports. LS1 are a "O" shape and LS6 are "D" shaped.
Casting numbers
853 97-00 aluminum 5.7
241 01-03 aluminum 5.7
243 LS6 aluminum 5.7
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,796
Likes: 1
From: Annandale VA
You do not need to pull the heads to change the cam. By rotating the cam beforehand, the lifters will be held up by the retainers. To be absolutely sure that the lifters don't fall down into the pan (MAJOR PITA!) some guys use pen magnets to hold the lifters up.
It's not a given that you have to change the oil pump. I ran a heads/cam setup, & didn't change the oil pump --- no problems. You have to drop the pan to change it, which is not that easy. My friends who do a lot of installs have told me they've seen just as many problems resulting from guys swapping out their oil pumps as they have from guys leaving them in too long.
It's not a given that you have to change the oil pump. I ran a heads/cam setup, & didn't change the oil pump --- no problems. You have to drop the pan to change it, which is not that easy. My friends who do a lot of installs have told me they've seen just as many problems resulting from guys swapping out their oil pumps as they have from guys leaving them in too long.
I've never changed cams on anything without new lifters. 
