I'm doing a heads/cam swap on the ole impy and I wanna list what I have and what I'm getting, so someone can look it over and tell me if I've left anything out.

Parts I have:
Cam
rockers
rocker nuts
springs
retainers
locks
pushrods

Parts I'm getting:
heads(w/valves)
rocker studs
head bolts
guideplates
cam bolts
head gaskets
intake gaskets
header gaskets
water pump gaskets
timing cover gaskets

Thinking about getting:
Elec. Water pump
Cloyes Double roller

Probably need:
52mm TB

Anybody see anything I'm leaving out??

 

Maybe lifters and timing set if there are a lot of miles on them. Other than things like RTV sealant (copper) and thread locker, seems you have most things covered.

 

3 seals on the timing cover, oil pan gasket and coolent vent tube seals. Also, use thread sealer paste on all bolts that go through to the water jacket, that inclused all head bolts and some water pump bolts.
You'll need hardened pushrods with those guideplate.

 

Do yall think the elec WP and Double roller is a wise investment on a daily driver taht will never see more than 6500?

Already have the hardened p/r's but what is the 'paste' you're talking about?

 

I would advise against the electric waterpump. It might free up some power, but it's not as reliable as the stock mechanically driven one. If the stock pump were to go out it would still work unless something catastrophic happened. When an electric pump goes out, it doesn't work at all!

Don't forget to remove the front bolts on the oil pan, and loosen the other ones so you can let the front of it hang down. With the front of the oil pan hanging down pull the timing cover *straight* off the front. Any other way and you'll rip the front of the oil pan gasket and mess up the three seals in the front of the timing cover. You may know this already, but it's something I wish someone had told me before I did my heads/cam on the Camaro.

 

Yeah I figured the stock pump was more reliable, but you can't runa double roller with the stock pump. Is it a small enough gamble to mess with the elec pump in order to have a double roller chain?

And thanks a bunch for the gasket info, I didn't know that.

 

http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerc...54&prmenbr=361

ARP and Loctite makes a similer product. It's possible that you'll milkshake your oil without it, don't ask me how I know.
I would change the 3 seals on the cover simply because the cover is out and its simply not worth not to change. As for the oil pan gasket, the pan will be seperated from the block, so your more than half way there, it's better to do it.
If your ride is a 96 (ODBII) it comes with CPS, and its too much trouble to change to conventional double roller. LT4 extreme dute is strong enough IMO.

 

Have you looked into the LT4 extreme duty chain? I don't know much about it, but it would allow you to keep the factory pump. The question is, is it strong enough?

Trust me, I wish I had never put an electric waterpump on my car. I'd find any way around it that I could.

 

I've read that the LT4 'extreme duty' chain is a piece of ****. If I keep the stock pump, I'll just replace the chain with a good quality sbc chain and leave it at that.

 

Replace the Timing Set with another stock GM set. It'll run you about $80 for the new chain and both gears. The stock set is plenty strong. LPE uses it in their 383s and mine has lasted fine for 10 years. Doing a top end freshening now with a Joe Overton cam and head freshening. Even Joe said just to get a new stocker. His world record 388 LT1 car still uses just a stock timing set!!! That's running low 9s!!! I would get the whole set and not just the chain, so the whole combo can wear together...

Fast Z I agree with using the stock style water pump. Again, 10 years on the stocker and no overheating!! I'll lose a few ponies for that kind of piece of mind...

--Alan

 

is a stock chain with 57k miles on it strong enough?

 

Are you sure he isn't talking about an LT4 chain at least. I find it hard to believe he is running a stock chain. They can get sloppy quick and would cause inaccurate valvetiming. I personally would never run a stock chain. You pay $80 for a stock chain and for $180 you at least get the LT4 ED set. I can promise you if you break your stock chain it will cost you a lot more than the extra $100 the LT4 ED cost. People break their chains all the time. Heck there was a post about a guy just building a 383 LE2 setup and broke the stock chain in less than a few 100 miles.

 

Both LPE and Joe told me not to waste my money on an LT4 timing set. Even after over 13 years of building the LT1s, LPE still uses the stocker on their LT1 383s and Joe is running a stock kit on his 9 second ride. I've been running my stock timing set since 1995 and I'm by no means gentle on my car. My car is apart now for a freshening and I'm just going to replace the timing set with a stocker again. I have no scientific data I'm just saying that it hasn't let me down. I'm going with what I know works for me along with the recommendations of some pretty reputable people.

DiabloGT, while you're in there I would go to a new timing set for piece of mind...

--Alan

 

To get back on topic a bit, can yall see anything I've left out??

 

Seems like you got it....How about new spark plugs (unless they are fairly new), condition of spark plug wires, might be a good time to look at condition of coolant hoses, coat the headers (if not done already), and new lifters. Lifters are always a subject of debate, but it seems silly not to do it while you're in there. Again, I'm going with an OEM type, either GM or stock style Comps, LPE uses a stock style Dana...

--Alan