SearayC5

Alright guys, so I just finished the cam swap in my 2006 Z06. Just waiting on the computer to come back with a baseline on it so I can actually start her up. I will post a few pics later. I installed LG 1 7/8 " headers with catted x pipe, Fast 102 with billet rails, nw 102 throttle body, 160 stat, Ragin Racin V2 blower cam(it is N/A now, but will be blown later), Nextel Manley .700 lift springs, etc. It is a straight forward swap and almost exactly like all C5/C6 LSX motors except for the few tips down below. Start everything by just draining the oil first, once it is up on jackstands for you need to this anyway for the headers and cam swaps.

1. To actually slide the steering rack out of the car, it needs to slide towards the passenger side. You need to remove the idler pulley that sits next to the harmonic balancer towards the driver side of the motor. It simply unbolts with a 15 or 13 mm socket wrench. You also need to unbolt the ABS bracket and hold it as far forward as possible. Once unbolted you have to disconnect the small and large wire connectors going to the ABS module.

2. (This step only applicable if you can not remove the oil pump without tearing seal) Once the timing cover is off you will notice that the oil pump cannot be removed because it is wedged against the oil pan. This is not terrible, but is timing consuming. You need to unbolt the two 18 mm nuts on the motor mounts from underneath the car. Then jack the engine up an inch. Then slip a spacer, I used two 1/4 inch drive 7 mm sockets, one on each side, in between the mount and the front cross member. Then lower the jack. You now have to loosen the 10 mm oil pan bolts. There are like 10 at least, some are in terrible locations. Just take your time. Loosen them up like half an inch or so. Maybe 3/4". Now go back to the front of the car and push down on the oil pan. It should slide down a half inch or so and then the oil pump should slip right off the crank shaft once unbolted.

3. Then everything else is just like a standard C5/C6. Slide two 24" long 5/16 wooden dowels into the holes above the cam. This will hold your lifters up. You need to rotate the engine a few times with the pushrods/rocker arms off to lift the lifters back into their trays. Just make sure that #1 you line up the dots on the crank and cam sprocket perfectly. Check, multiple times. The simplistic way is once lined up rotate the engine multiple times and check to see if the dots stay lined up. Of course I prefer checking if the cam is degreed in correctly with a degree wheel. Can't really explain this when not in person. MAKE SURE YOU TORQUE AND LOCTITE THE CAM SPROCKET BOLTS ON CORRECTLY.

4. You need to remove the oil lines from the dry sump tank to the oil pan in order to slip the headers in. Once the oil pan was bolted back up and the spacers slipped out, I did jack up on side of the engine(only slightly) to create more space to slip the headers in. Also connect the 02 sensor extensions before you slip the new headers in.

This is just a basic DIY group of tips that fill in the holes between all the great common knowledge on the standard c5/c6 cam swap, that has changed on the LS7. I take no responsibility for you f***ing your engine up, this is just a little hard learned wisdom being passed on. Do with it as you might.

FASTBLUEZ06

I have my car taken apart right now down to the timing cover. I was going to pull it off tonight to swap the cam in. I was not aware that I had to lift the engine, and drop the oil pan to remove the oil pump. There is no way around this? This really sucks!

Unreal

You don't. The oil pump will come off without lowering the oil pan. Just got to wiggle it a bit.

FASTBLUEZ06

Since the LS7 doesn't have a pick up tube like other LS platforms... If I do it this way with wiggling it, is there any seals/o rings I can damage on the bottom of the oil pump/oil pan, since the pump seals to the bottom of the pan?

Unreal

There is a seal but if you do it carefully you won't have an issue. Just slid a thin piece of material (shim stock or something) between the pump and pan. Then pry up on the pump as you pull it off. I've never heard of anyone dropping the pan until now on an LS7. My friend and I both did our own cams and had no issues wiggling the pump off. Even the install guide I saw did it the same way.

SearayC5

The lowering of the pan was to keep from damaging the oil pump seal/o ring. Yes it can be pulled off without it but damage has occured to some peoples seals.

FASTBLUEZ06

Hmmm, I def don't want to drop the oil pan, but I do not have a piece of shim stock or know what that is... Anybody else on here able to take the pump off by just wiggling it off without sticking somthing under the pump and prying it upward?

06-Z0SICK

I did my cam swap last spring in the garage. Didnt drain the oil or didnt have to lower the oil pan to get the oil pump off. Just be careful to not hit the o-ring or gasket when you pull. Go slow. Youll be fine.

FASTBLUEZ06

Thanks a lot guys! My worked heads will be here Wednesday from WCCH and im throwing the Black Widow cam in my car tonight... I will have some nice videos once I bring it down to ECS for a tune.

SearayC5

+1 on this. It is possible. I have done a couple of cam swaps on LS7s. Two allowed the pump to slip on and off easily. The last one would not come free unless I tore/wrecked the gasket. That is where that tip come from.

Buddy A

When replacing the cam, are you guys using the stock timing set?

dvandentop

ahh good olde cam swaps. wish one of my friends would get a cam over this coming winter so i coudl do another, maybe i will do my cts-v

Unreal

Every local cammed ls7 I know of is still using the stock timing set.

Buddy A

Thank you Unreal. I presumed that was the case since I could not remember seeing any mention of an upgraded timing set when cam swaps were mentioned. Inching closer to installing a Black Mamba in my garage. Read 5 times and do once.

tjwong

You don't need to lift the engine to loosen the pan bolts. Get a long 1/4" extension, a 10mm snap on wobble head socket, and loosen the pan bolts about 3 turns, that is all that is needed. No need to drop the pan a half inch, there is only a .040" seal crush if that on the pan to pump o rings. With the long quarter drive extension and wobble head socket all the bolts that are hard to get at are easy.

Unreal

Carlos will send you everything you need. I love my mamba and installed mine in my garage. If you have any questions just give him a call. You could PM me too and even call me if you want.

NORTY

Are you guys changing to stainless valves too?

Unreal

I did not and have no immediate plans too. That would require pulling the heads. If I pull the heads they are going to WCCH or AI for CNC work/milling and probably stay with the stock valves.

Buddy A

I am not touching the heads either. If I removed them I would need to upgrade them as well. Not in my budget at this time. Staying mild to avoid going all out.

scottss

Has anyone had a banging noise come from engine compartment/under the car post cam install? The car is untuned as of now (pretty rough idle)...when you press the clutch in over 1/2 of the way to all the way, the banging noise stops...you release the clutch pedal and the banging noise starts back again...kinda like something is hitting something. I am getting the car back in the air Monday to have my guys take a look...just wanted to get some feedback from the DIY guys.

ps I also installed Kooks 1 7/8 headers

Scott