This is my second lt1 so I know how much they suck to work on. So when I start modding my motor I only want to do it once. I am planning to do heads cam and longtubes all at once. My question is, with the heads off can I lay the headers down in the engine bay so that they are in place once I get the heads on or is there not enough room?

 

The only problem is tightning the short head bolts down, these go below the headers and it would be very difficult to put a socket with the headers on top.

 

Exactamundo... But if I read you correctly, your just thinking about laying them in the but not close to the heads right. I think you still need to shift that motor around a lil.

 

I think this is a bad idea for a simple reason:

You are eliminating all your controls.

By this, I mean that, you are undertaking a HUGE overhaul, and when you put it back together and start it up, how are you going to tell rocker misadjustment from a header gasket leak screwing up the o2 sensors? The point I am trying to make is that it is always good to keep as much constant as you can. By this I mean that if you know the motor runs right as it is, bolt up the LTs. Run around for a week. If nothing screws up, go for the heads and the cam install. I just wouldn't want to do it all at once or you could be stuck with a car that doesn't run right and a thousand different things to examine for trouble.

I am speaking from experience too, having done both a cam, and a longtube install. I never would do them both in one shot.... unless you had access to prescription valium.

 

Good point, but if you pay attention to what you are doing it shouldnt be a big deal. I did a cam, hooker LT and CSI pump install all at the same time and didnt have a single issue. Just pay attention, dont take short cuts and have friends over (make them do the work ) and things go fine.

 

Good suggestions. I would also like to add: when you are tired, stop working, it avoids mistakes. (Like not tightening half the water pump bolts, ask me how I know )

 

I did everything at once here recently. I was also thinking about laying the LT's in the engine bay before putting the heads on, but after I got to looking it over I thought it would make the lower head bolts too much of a hassle to tighten up. Just make sure you take your time and do everything right the first time around so you don't have to go back and do a lot of work over again and you should be fine doing all of the mods at once. I am glad that I got it all over with at one time.

 

The drivers side will fall low enough (with the fron t sliptube off) that with finagling you can get it done no problem , the pass side will not fall low enough to get at theback lower headbolts.

Take your time and avoid mistakes, when you rush and like someone else said when youre tired is when you make the mistakes, so what if it takes a week, atleast you know you have it all done right, A second set of eyes goes a long ways as well.

 

thanks for all the input. One more idea. Should I just pull the motor?

 

I would only do it if you had the resources available to you and people to help. It will make work a lot easier on the motor and what not.