Ok I couldn’t sleep last night so I did some research for a cam swap I am hoping I will get to do this winter. I have already purchased a lightly used ZZ4 cam. I already have LT4 valve springs and 33lb injectors installed. I will go to 1.6 roller rockers and PAC1218 springs at a later time. I am planning on replacing the Opti. and the water pump while I have it apart because as far as I know they are both original with 125K miles. I am also debating the vented Opti. swap.

Here is a break down of what I believe I will need. (All prices are form www.gmpartsdirect.com )

10128485..........Stock Timing Belt...........$28.12
10128343..........W.P. Gaskets................$8.20
10217886..........W.P. Seal.....................$5.00
12553792..........Seal............................ $4.40
10128293..........Front Cover Gasket........$2.76
10128317..........Seal, Ign......................$2.72
10457702..........Non-Vented Opti............$350.55
12527741..........Water Pump..................$188.81
10108676..........Oil Pan Gasket...............$34.11
12371041..........Push Rod Set.................$24.02
12499225..........LS7 Lifter Set................$99.74
93442037..........Oil Pump w/ ¾ Inlet........$74.79..........Summit..........$34.6 9
12550042..........¾ Oil screen w/ Tube......$10.86..........Summit..........$14.69
3848911............O.P. White Spring...........$2.32
10105379..........T.B. Gasket....................$4.12
12524653..........Intake Manifold Gasket Kit.$21.47
.......................Total...................... ......$861.99

I am also considering doing the vented Opti. conversion. The fallowing is the parts list I have if I go that route. Please let me know if I have something I don’t need or if there is something I have forgotten. Also, is the vented Opti. swap worthwhile?

10128343..........W.P. Gaskets....................$8.20
10217886..........W.P. Seal.........................$5.00
12553792..........Seal............................ ....$4.40
10128293..........Front Cover Gasket............$2.76
10128317..........Seal, Ign..........................$2.72
11040319..........Vented Opti......................$286.83
12527741..........Water Pump......................$188.81
12370835..........LT4 Timing Set..................$230.78
12552426..........Vented Front Cover............$80.98
25147187..........1LE Elbow w/ V. Opti..........$59.12
12130319..........Vented Opti. Harness..........$111.45
12499225..........LS7 Lifter Set....................$99.74
12371041..........Push Rod Set.....................$24.02
10108676..........Oil Pan Gasket...................$34.11
93442037..........Oil Pump w/ ¾ Inlet............$74.79..........Summit..........$ 34.69
12550042..........¾ Oil screen w/ Tube..........$10.86..........Summit..........$14. 69
3848911............O.P. White Spring...............$2.32
10105379..........T.B. Gasket.......................$4.12
12524653..........Intake Manifold Gasket Kit....$21.47
.......................Total...................... ..........$1180.48


Ok, anything I forgot, don't need?
Anywhere I can get parts cheaper?
Any suggestios?
Why is the Opti. harness so darn much?

 

You can get the MSD opti for less than the difference between your two lists, about $1112 total. Those are all vented, just make sure they give you the correct one for your model year.

You can get all Felpro gaskets from autozone or O'Reilly's for cheaper than what you get through GMPD. They rape you on shipping.

 

Update:

The throwout bearing came apart on me today so it looks like i'll be pulling the engine alot sooner than I had hoped, so I cannont afford to replace the Opti and water pump like I had wanted. So how does the revised list sound?

10128485..........Stock Timing chain........$28.12
10128343..........W.P. Gaskets................$8.20
10217886..........W.P. Seal.....................$5.00
12553792..........Seal............................ $4.40
10128293..........Front Cover Gasket........$2.76
10128317..........Seal, Ign......................$2.72
10108676..........Oil Pan Gasket...............$34.11
12499225..........LS7 Lifter Set................$99.74
10105379..........T.B. Gasket....................$4.12
12524653..........Intake Manifold Gasket Kit.$21.47
93442037..........Oil Pump w/ ¾ Inlet........$74.79..........Summit..........$34.6 9
12550042..........¾ Oil screen w/ Tube......$10.86..........Summit..........$14.69
TOTAL = 260.02

I would like some more info on oil pumps availble for the LT1, basicly whats is the best/cheapest place to get an oil pump and bolt on screen?
I am planning on replace all the rod and main bearings while it out because the oil pressure has been a little low.

Any tips, ideas or suggestions?

 

just buy fel pro gaskets...wayyy cheaper.

Also you have alot of stuff on there that you really don't need

 

Ok, I'll go with Fel-Pro's. What don't I need?

 

I'm in the middle, or later half now of swapping cams.
Here's a thread on the oil pump I went with, higher pressure but stock volume so you can use the stock pan and I replaced the Melling spring with the white GM spring as well.
http://web.camaross.com/forums/showt...highlight=pump

If you are switching to a '95-97 opti setup, here's the harness for much cheaper and from a great vendor I've dealt with for years for my GN stuff and have met in person several times at the Buick Nationals.
https://www.casperselectronics.com/M...Category_Code=

Not sure if switching to a vented opti is worth it or not since I never had a '94, but if you got 125k miles from it, why switch to a vented would be my reasoning.
Most all of the parts you have listed I'd replace since they have 100+k miles, my car in fact has 98k on the clock so I don't see anything that you don't need if wanting to do the oil pump etc...some say you don't need to drop the pan to do a cam swap, but it sure makes sealing the front cover alot easier than doing it twice because it leaks. But it sounds like you need to pull anyway now to check out whats went wrong and replace the bearings so its a mute point now.

On pushrods...don't order those until you have properly measured for the correct pr length unsing a $20 pr length checker so you get the correct length, its easy to check for the length and takes about 1-2hrs to do it right. Be sure and get the right valve spring seats and retainers for the PAC1218s, if you have stock valves you'll want the +.050 locks, Comp part# 614-16.

And lastly, don't buy your GM parts from GMPD, as mentioned earier, shipping is rediculous, and you'll pay a huge shipping charge for each individual part, then they ship it all in one box for the cost of 1 part.
Get them from either of these guys, usually the same price as GMPD but no crazy shipping costs. http://shbox.com/1/4th_gen_tech2.html#Dal_and_Jason