Is it possible to change the camshaft in a Lt1 while the motor is still in the engine compartment?? And if so for whoever who has done it how hard is it???

 

it can be done, you have to remove the radiator though

 

Also what would be the best cam to buy?? I dont want to have to reprogram the computer. The car is pretty much stock with bolt ons and its gonna have 100hp of NOS...

 

hotcam or CC305... those are the answers I got when I asked this a while back.

The hotcam has a bit more lope to it, the CC305 nets about the same gains but sounds more refined.

 

You won't get the benefits of a cam change without reprogramming.

 

I you wont reprogram then stop modding your car.
From you screen name I would guess you have a 95 custom programming starts at about $50 or so so refusing to do it is foolish at best. It is a good mod on a stock car and required on a modded one.

 

Programming will not only help get more power, it'll make a camed car more drivavble.

 

From the description of the post, the motor seems stock, so please include a valve spring swap, with or w/o roller rocker change and for the rocker the ratio indication (1.5/1.6)

for example

LT4 hotcam 218/228 .525"/.525" 112 @0.050"

the lift has 1.6 ratio rockers included, if you left it 1.5, it would be.

.492"/.492"

while other companies indicate lift with 1.5 ratio rockers.

 

Now I have a Caprice not an f-body BUT after doing one cam swap in car I will now pull the motor for the next, way too much leaning into the engine bay to do this work in car. Doable yes but I would,'t recommend it. I believe the Caprice is easier to yank the engine out of though, if it is a royal PITA in the f-body then it might be better in car but I doubt it.

 

But it strengthens the back muscles, and there's that exciting yet uneasy feleing when tilting the condenser up out of the way.

 

Try handling the condenser with oily hands and no gloves once. My hands are pretty tough from 10 years in woodworking but it still cut me to ribbons I used a bungy cord to the rafters in the garage to hold it up out of the way.

 

i had no problems doing the install in car- took a total time from start to finish of about 7 hours... and i had never done it before..

follow the guide on shoebox's site-

as far as the condensor..i left it in place then when i needed to pull the cam out i just pivoted it and got the bottom drivers side corner to sit on some hose or something...dont remember which...ohh and you'll have to pull your hood latch...with that off you have just enough clearance to get the cam in and out

 

On my friend's 93 t/a we didnt have to remove the hood latch, the condensor was out already so we were good there.

I just removed everything except the short block yesterday. For my very involved cam swap. I was looking at it and if I didnt have to swap my comp cam 987 springs for different ones and check the installed spring height. I could have the cam back in and the motor back together in about 8 hours.

 

I have 1.6 roller rockers already just not on the car. If i have to get my copmputer reprogammed not a problem i was just seeing if there was a way around it but if it aint gonna run right i wont do that. Whats a good company to do teh reprogramming?? Also if anyone has put different valve springs in whats a good set to use????

Other Mods :
MAF Sensor
Throttle Body Splitter
Moroso Cold Air
Edlebrock Shorty Headers

Will Be Installing:
Loudmouth Exhaust
1.6 Roller Rockers
Nitrous Kit
Underive Pulley
Possible Cam

 

KEEP THE STOCK MAF this can not be said enough times and don't "port" it. Edelbrock makes some good products but not masny for latemodel stuff their headers are pretty poor fit and quality at least in what I have seen in other applications. Don't bother with the UD pulley either, the WP is not belt driven the AC shuts off at WOT leaving the PS and alternator, the alternator would likely end up needing overdriving to get idle charging back on track. The PS is not really worth underdriving unless you road race and tend to overheat it. UD pulleys are more useful with belt driven water pumps where there is more load to be reduced.