Hey everyone, I have done my own headers, 1.6 rrs, valvesprings, and a few other mods myself and was wondering if a cam install would be too hard for me and a few friends to muster. I am a junior mechanical engineer @ texas tech, and have plenty of time, no real garage, but a car port I can jack my car up in. basically I have been looking at these 2 how-tos on how to install a cam, and would be following each of these step by step. http://shbox.com/1/4th_gen_tech1.html and http://www.streetillusionsracing.com...ll/Cam/cam.htm
so any other how-to guides are very helpful, and I would like to know where you or anyone you know got stuck, made a mistake, etc. I havent started the install yet, probably wont do it before school starts the 14th, but I sure would love to. any advice is helpful, thx.

 

Cam is easier then headers for sure. Just takes some time.

 

I'd volunteer to help with another cam install. If someone asked me to help with another header install, they'd have to be a really good friend

You've already done headers, if you can follow directions then print out the two great guides you already have and go for it. Hopefully the springs you put on will handle the lift of the cam you pick, but if not you already know how to swap them.

My only suggestion in addition to shoebox's great guide is to slip a trashbag over the AC condensor if your going to keep it connected and tilt it up out of the way. I used that method along with many others without breaking the lines. The condesor tends to drop lots of little dirt particles out if you bump it and thats not good for a cam with assembly lube on its way in.

-brent

 

cool, thanks for the hint. Looks like this week will be a cam install

 

Hey, when people say upgrade your timing chain, do they mean only the chain? I can get a Lt4 timing chain from thunderracing for 59$... should I pay the extra 240 to get the sprockets upgraded? I really am doing it on a budget... thanks for advice.

 

Depends on your milage. I replaced my chain only when i did mine because it was low milage. I extrapolated my vast bicycle experience to cars and it worked out for me. On bikes at least, you can replace a chain numerous times resusing the same sprockes as long as your below a certain wear/stretch threshold. Too many miles though and your new chain will not mesh with your worn sprockets and will try to climb up on a tooth. In the case of a car or track bicycle with a fixed gear the chain will climb a tooth and snap itself. I felt i was ok at ~50k miles. If your higher milage i'd definitly replace it as a set though.

In your case you already have a vented opti and newer style timing cover. You could purchase an electric waterpump and a SBC cloyes double roller timing set for about the same price as the LT4 set. That would free up about 7 lb ft of tq.

If you don't want to spend that much and your high milage then i'd just get the less expensive LT1 replacement. How many times do you see posts on here about people breaking timing chains??? not too often...

-brent