Okay, I was already to do a newer vented conversion when I ran into this little problem. I will be damned if I am installing another cam in the engine, but, I was thinking, couldnt one just cut off a prtion of the snout sticking off the newer opti? As long as thier is a shaft going into the timing chain sprocket, that should give it enough stability, correct? I mean, thats the way the older ones are.

 

unless your going to a traditional distributer setup, that dowel pin needs to extend into the non vented opti.

 

the vented opties u need the longer dowel


now if u had teh longer dowel and had the unvented opti u can just tap it in with a hammer or grind it .

 

nooooo no no no no no, I mean on the newer style opti itself. On the newer opti, you have that big round peice on the back that goes over the cam bolts and pin. In the middle of it, there is a snout sticking out, what, leyt me get me ruler.....1 inch and has 2 rubber O rings on it and it goes inside the middle of the cam. If I chop that off, whatever the depth of the hole in the cam is, it would just fit inside the sprocket, like the older style that has the teeth inside the cam sprocket.

 

Why would you want to cut that pice off? The LT1 is engineered to use those components the way the are designed. That "snout" is there to help stabalize the rotation of the optical sensor wheel, as well as your rotor. I wouldn't tamper with it.

 

Its either that, or, install a new camshaft. It also seems good enough for the 93-94's. Maybe not the best, but, I dont want to kill it either. I would still cut another groove in the shaft to have 2? o rings provided there was enough room.

Next option up would be drilling the camshaft center hole and THEN reaplceing it.

 

I think the vented and non vented opti have to different timing chain covers. My vented opti timing chain cover has a larger hole in the center where that "snout" slides into the center of. THe dowel pin is also longer because of this, because it needs to go through the timing chain and connect into the back of the opti. It sounds like your trying to make the vented opti work with your non vented cover.

 

If you're going to the trouble and expense of this upgrade how can you even consider fubaring the new opti?

It shouldn't have been any surprise - the cam differences are discussed on the various web pages describing the swap, as well as in many threads on this and other LT1 forums.

 

Heatmaker, yea, they are differant and I was going to get the newer style cover also.

I "JUST" started searching and putting 1+1 together. I learned about everything BUT the camshaft first, then, after I thought I had it all planned out and was looking for peices, found out you need to swap the cam. Well, looking at the feact that the newer opti needs a deeper hole, I am thinking why not just shorten the opti's shaft. Yes, I know, not the most desireable, but, was good enough for the 93-94's. Now, please all, qualified critisism only, no *well go ahead and try it and then tell us how it went* stuff please, it IS a bonafied question.

 

So have you bought the parts yet? If not, then the best option is to not upgrade. It makes no economic sense. Especially since you've said in other threads that you're not keeping this car, and it's too rusty to be worth modding.

The aftermarket optis give you venting for less $ than the conversion. The main reason to do the conversion would be to use a better timing set without having to convert to an EWP.

Actually, I wouldn't replace the opti on your 190k engine at all. Take the $600 for the opti and conversion parts and put it towards a used engine. You should be able to get something with ~50k miles for $1000.

 

The 93-94 style has the drive stub for the opti protruding into the cam gear. So, it has it own stabilization method.

Let's say you modify the vented opti drive to work with your existing cam. Then, it runs erratically because the drive is not stable or the rotor blows because instability caused too much rotor run-out. You are left with a "ruined" opti and still have to buy (or modify) a cam, plus do all the work over again.

Sorry you missed the part about the cam having to be changed. Anything I have ever seen about a vented opti conversion mentions that (especially, since it is probably the biggest factor in doing the conversion).

 

Well, to mee too rusty would be ANY rust. This car has some cancer developing on the underbody and I would expect it to start showing in about 2-3 years if I do not catch the important areas first. Since having the car for a week now, it runs so good, I would be willing to keep her around for a year or two as a daily driver, she runs that good. I just would not want to get too involved in her as of now for a longer term investment.




Ahh, shoebox , well, I am thinking that while yes, the older opti's have thier stablization method, it is just a shaft that goes into the camshaft sprocket. As I just took some measurements, the newer opti is 1.7-ish" and the old opti (with stub sticking out) is 1" . The rubber O ring groove on the newer style is 1.2ish" on its farthest outter edge, which tells me that IF I was to try this, the first O-ring should be right about where the cam sprocket and cam come together. That alone should be enough shaft for some stability. My next question would be how deep is the camshaft hole itself? If I knew this, maybe I could just fit the second original O-ring in there, chop off the rest of the tip just past the second O-ring? If thats not an option, then I will need to maybe chop just past the first original o-ring, then, make a groove before it so I will still have 2 o-rings. I was looking at the older stub/shaft and about .70" is about the half way point on the splined part that goes into the cam gear. Now, assuming the cam gears are the same thickness (god help me) that would allow me to notch a groove into the new opti shaft right where that hole is on the side, but, what is that hole for? Its a stright tunnel/channel out the back end? I would assume for oil flow, but, so, is there oil flowing through the center of the cam and into the opti shaft for sure? If so, I guess the second o-ring could be notched away from it.

I wish I had a bad 95+ cover for a mock up. Does anyone have one from an accident? I would just throw a new (or old) cam gear on, bolt it down with a bolt or two, and see how far the opti sticks out from its mounting perches and work from there, with a window cut in the side for a view.

I think it could be done. I dont think it is a hot swap type of deal and I would be pioneering the move, but, I think it is safley possible, at this point. I just wonder if anyone has thought of or done this yet?

 

The center hole in late cams is .500" diameter x 1.0625" deep.
Your cam hole is .450" diameter in the front and tapered down to .240" at the bottom.
No oil passes into the opti. The o-rings on the drive shaft are to make it fit snugly in the cam hole.

 

Hmmmm, the center holes .450 could probably be worked out to .500 with out too much problem (hmmm, can you drill a cam, how hard are they, lol?) but that .2 depth compared to an inch just isnt gonna give me what I was looking for. I thught I might have .4 min, but.... I guess that leaves chopping the stub off right at the end of the first o-ring and making a new o-ring before it.


"no oil goes through the opti"
You d know the holes I am talking about tho, right shoe?

Yea, I figured the o-rings were on there to keep the shaft from bouncing around on the cam.

Only other option would be to get a non vented opti, vented cap and find another place to drill a hole.

 

Hey, anybody got a broken 95+ housing, old 95+ cam gear, damaged 93/94 AND 95+ camshaft they want to send me? I will pay for shipping, I just need something to experiment with without it costing me an arm and a leg, especially if it isnt going to work, lol.