If you've never do it before but know what needs to be done, I would think you could change the timing set out in a few hours...figure on a Saturday. The only thing you have to pay a lot of attention to is lining up the timing marks. Ge that wrong and you'll have a seriously weak engine....might not even run at all.

Yet, the LT1 power in Pontaics and Chevys is the same....

 

1.) Like mentioned, probably a day or two if you've never done it before. You'll spend alot of time familiarizing yourself with everything.

2.) Yep.

 

Okay great, thanks! I'll do those two mods then while I am down there. Any good recommended tuts on the timing set?

 

Not sure what a tut is, but Cloyes 3145 is what I use (and it seems alot of other people use too).

 

I have a guess..a tutorial?

If that's what he's after, he should go buy a haynes manual

 

lol, sorry, programmer language from my IS days. I was just hoping for a "tutorial" with pictures maybe?

 

The LT4 Extreme Duty cam sprocket is godawful heavy..... they built it with a solid web reportedly to help tame the LT4's cam torsion. But it doesn't have to stay that way.

http://www.injuneer.com/images/photo.../newfront.jpeg

I'd still wait with replacing the timing set until you rework the rotating assembly.

 

Aww dang. This is getting expensive fast. I don't plan on working on the rotating assembly any time soon. What advantage is there to waiting, in all honesty? I mean, if I rework the rotating assembly, we're talking as much work as a rebuild here for me in terms of access. Is there a disadvantage to replacing the timing set before I do this. As hunter said, I'll probably go with the Cloyes and a EWP along with a new opti. But yeah, why rework the rotating assembly. Sounds like a PITA for where I am at right now.

 

I'm not suggesting you arbitrarily rework the rotating assembly so you can use an upgraded timing set. I'm suggesting that LATER, when you go for the 500HP build, you will THEN need to upgrade the rotating assembly, and that's when it would make more sense to upgrade the timing set.

That's why my engine has the LT4 ED set, with the cam sprocket web machined to reduce weight. I was building a stroker, and everything else in the rotating assembly was brand new, and upgraded.

 

In my experience changing the timing set takes considerably longer than just changing the opti.

 

Injuneer:
Gotcha. Yeah I may just wait then, but we'll see. I'm in a tough spot because I eventually want a 383 in here, so I don't want to do too much work. At the same time I wouldn't mind getting more power until I do that and I want to make sure that the current chain will hold up alright. We'll see, anyway.

 

Wait on the timing set till you do a cam or something along those lines.. that's the time to be messing with that kind of stuff.

 

Will do... Thanks for the input.

 

You have to take it off any way to do the cam install; that is when I installed mine. Also, if you are thinking about buying it in the near future I believe some people have clearance issues with the double roller... it has been years since I did the install but for some reason I remember clearancing something? Just another added step...

It seems we got way off topic, why did you originally want to delete the opti? Was it for ease of maintenance (less opti replacements)? Or was it for HP gains? If it was for HP gains, I don't think you will see much.