122K LS1 Cam on stock lifters?

[davith]

Hi All,

I have researched and seem to have found plenty of examples of high mileage H/C ls1’s however I have not seen too many high mileage cam only on stock lifters….

What do you all think? I would like to keep the price down and not pull the heads off. Do you think the average well maintained LS1 with over 120K on it will handle a moderate to mild cam on the stock lifters? Since my oil pan is leaking a little oil, I might change out the rod bolts while I change the gasket as well….

I plan to change all the other standard items, pushrods, springs, oil pump, timing chain.

Any help is appreciated

Thanks,

[Z28boy2000]

i did my swap with similar milage and didnt swap lifters and its been smooth sailing for me...i wouldnt do them if i was in your seat.

[meathammer]

I did the same thing with the original lifers have about 8k on the car since the cam no problems so far.

[BlackSS1]

I cammed my ls1 at 100K and kept stock heads and lifters. Running great so far after 5K miles... I'd leave the stockers in there. If they fail later, you can take the heads off at that point, but they may last and you saved a ton of work.

Just make sure you get proper length pushrods (use a checker) or buy a cam with the same base circle and keep stock length.

[Firebirdjones]

I would personally just do the cam and see how things go. Keep in mind if a lifter bites the dust it will wipe the cam out too. Usually the trash it creates takes out bearings and others goodies. Just a possibility I'd keep in the back of my mind so I wouldn't be too upset if it happened....
But it's a chance I would take anyway, knowing that if I pulled the heads to change lifters during a cam swap, that would lead to a new set of heads too, and it's just a domino effect from there. Know what I mean??

[davith]

I would personally just do the cam and see how things go. Keep in mind if a lifter bites the dust it will wipe the cam out too. Usually the trash it creates takes out bearings and others goodies. Just a possibility I'd keep in the back of my mind so I wouldn't be too upset if it happened....
But it's a chance I would take anyway, knowing that if I pulled the heads to change lifters during a cam swap, that would lead to a new set of heads too, and it's just a domino effect from there. Know what I mean??

Thanks, I am thinking I might just save a little more for a TSP combo, or look for a set of 243’s on ebay and change out the lifters so I won’t have to worry about it. My only concern is that I will spend close to $3K in the motor then spin a bearing and have it mess up my new top end….? If it was to spin a bearing would it have a chance of damaging my new heads, cam valve train ect????

[Firebirdjones]

Thanks, I am thinking I might just save a little more for a TSP combo, or look for a set of 243’s on ebay and change out the lifters so I won’t have to worry about it. My only concern is that I will spend close to $3K in the motor then spin a bearing and have it mess up my new top end….? If it was to spin a bearing would it have a chance of damaging my new heads, cam valve train ect????

I know what you mean, when you step back and look at it from a price perspective.

I've had bottom ends let go before, and been lucky enough to not damage anything up top. Worse case scenario for me was just alot of trash through the motor, and I had to dissassemble everything for a thorough cleaning, including flushing the block and all oil galleys.

If spending close to $3k on the top end, and sticking all that on a 120,000 mile motor,,,,then why not look at a new LS6 crate engine for $3,400??? It already has the heads you are looking for. It's all fresh, stab a cam in it and go.....another 150,000 miles without a worry. If you are going to keep the car you would be money ahead in the long run.

See what I mean about this domino affect???

[JunkyardZ]

Don't want to steal the thread, but who sells a new LS6 crate for $3400? I've seen remans for around 3 grand but new ones closer to $5000. I want to do heads and cam on mine but it makes so much noise on cold startups that I hate to spend money on a new top end and not take care of the piston slap. Thanks.

[Firebirdjones]

I believe it's crateengines.com or something like that.
There was a rather large post about this maybe a year back or so. Some claim they are new, but after reading descriptions on the website I suspect they are rebuilt, can't say for sure. They are stripped down versions though, with no intake, no sensors or any electronics, and they come with the CTS-V oil pan, so that all has to be swapped over. Compared to the $5-6,000 crate motors you are referring to that I've seen come with everything, sometimes even a computer and harness.

What I do know for sure, is that several people from this site as well as a couple of people I've known or seen, have used this crate engine with very happy results. They have dynoed around 370-380hp at the rear wheels in stock form and run mid 12's at about 110-112 mph. It's just a cam swap away from 400+ and should be an easy 11 second car.


I don't mean to persuade Davith into this direction, it's just something to consider when spending so much on a head/cam package on an engine with high miles.
Honestly Davith, if money is an issue, I'd go with a cam swap along with the correct pushrods and springs, and just ride with it. There are plenty of people that do it with success on high mileage motors.
Maybe save your coin for a complete engine swap later down the road...

[davith]

Well just when I thought I had my mind made up …….. Now I am going back to thinking about just doing a cam ( ether custom grind or TR230/224) pushrods, oil pump, timing chain and maybe not even dealing with my slightly leaking oil pan gasket and hoping it last a year or two… It’s not that I don’t have the money its getting it loose from my Wife’s death grip… after getting a new trans and high stall late last year…