Guys, ladies, whoever....I'm a bit confused. I just received my Hot Cam kit last Friday (Good Friday, but VERY GOOD Friday for me), and I received some literature included with the kit. It states something about needing a heavy duty timing chain. I looked up the timing chain information on www.gmpartsdirect.com and this is what I found:

"This extreme duty timing chain kit is for 1995 and newer model "Gen II" LT1 and LT4 engines. To convert 1993 and 1994 engines, you must use camshaft P/N 10224242, distributor P/N 1104032, timing cover P/N 12552426, vac harness P/N 12554395, and vac fitting P/N 14082470. Included in this kit are the following steel gears: water pump gear, a camshaft sprocket, crankshaft sprocket P/N 14088784, and timing chain P/N 14088783. These parts are not the production replacement components, but this roller chain kit is a great performance upgrade. Use with pin drive camshaft only "

Do I need these parts to complete my install? I'm totally confused. For one, the LT4 Hot Cam is not even P/N 10224242! I'm unable to find that P/N ANYWHERE!

Any help would be greatly appreciated. What do I need to complete the install, and do I need a new timing chain?

Am I really "converting" anything?

Thanks!

 

Need? No

That upgrade requires a vented opti.

I replaced the stock chain when I installed my HC with another stocker - it would have been nice to install a cloyes or something but I thought the cost if replacing (for me a new opti) and all the other stuff was to high.

All you need are gaskets, it's a good time to replace your chain but you don't have to.

hope that helps a bit

 

Thanks for the reply. It definitely does help. I'm not looking to upgrade anything. I just want to install my Hot Cam kit and have the parts I need for top reliability. I'm not looking to upgrade to a vented opti. I could care less.

I think I will go ahead and replace the timing chain when I do the install of the kit.

 

i just finished my hotcam install this morning! take some advice and order a new timing set! i thought i would go without and just keep the stock one, but there was a ton of slack in the chain! so half way through the job i had to wait over a weekend to order a new timing set! i went with a brand new stock timing set. ive read on the board that it will be strong enough.

also.. you dont NEED to upgrade to the 95+ opti. i guess its a good time to, but i didnt. if you did, you would have to buy new timing set, timing cover, opti, and all the opti hoses and stuff.

the only thing you will need to "convert" is the cam dowel pin. it needs to be shortened to the length of our stock 94 cam dowel length. i just used a dremel. pretty easy! any questions let me know!

good luck and have fun!!!

 

I put a new stock setup in. No problems so far.

 

You guys with the stock chains you valve train will be toast at any minute trust me. You better go back and do a heavy duty or go with a cloyes with electric wp. I own a hotcammed Impalass and I know of some horry storries.

 

Comp cams has a stock LT1 replacement set on their site. They make sets for both cam gears types. They also recommend it for their XE grinds so that's good enough for me. Should handle a hotcam easy.

Jeff D.

 

Lets clear a couple things up here guys, 1. The non vented opti doesn't need to go. How ever and this is a must, you, Dan, yea you, must ground down the dowel pin on the hot cam to match the stock cam, thats the only way it will work. For a hot cam, the stock chain will be ok, I recomend changing it out with a new one. As for the comp non vented set, its worthless on your car, it costs in at 600. You dont need it for a hot cam, a new stock will do fine or the Cloyes for some added insurance.

I know a couple guys with CC305s and stock chains, no problems. All are new stock chains and not the originals though. I can see what your saying very well hapeneing with an old stock chain.

Neil "Clearing up the confusion" Biswas

 

Yeah if you do decide to upgrade the chain go with the cloyes\elec pump that is what I did very easy and costs less total for the setup than the extreme duty or the CC. JMHO

 

Neil, the Cloyes will not work with the non-vented Opti. The Cloyes cam gear is not splined in the center and will not drive the Opti.
I already tried! Ordered one before I took it apart and had to send it back and go with a replacement stocker.

 

Thanks for the info, Neil (and others). I do plan on replacing the timing chain with a new one when I do the cam swap. I'd hate to see anything go wrong after investing the cash into the motor.

As far as grinding the dowel, I'm assuming this isn't real tough to do. However, I don't want to end up screwing something up either.

 

I was able to tap mine in with a hammer & a piece of aluminum & hammer to the same length as the stocker.. Keeps the tolarance of the dowel intacked.

 

Well i am putting the hot cam in my car and i am going to use a new stock timing set for mine.The stock set should be fine,they used the stock set in thunder chicken in GM high tech performance and run it hard for 50k and had no problems and that was a 396 with cc305 cam.

 

the post under yours said the cloyes wont work w/ a non vented opti, but you have a 93. did you do the conversion?