single or three bolt cam?

**cfgioja** · 08-22-2010, 10:25 PM

Purchasing a short block without a cam.

I am not sure what cam I am suppose to use, single or three bolt.

it is an ls1 with forged pistons, h beam rods, stock crank and I am running ls6 heads with dual springs.

any help would be nice.

thank you

**Mr. Luos** · 08-23-2010, 05:41 AM

What are you referring too?

What bolts? On the end of the cam there should be three bolts. They hold the cam timing gear on.

**cfgioja** · 08-23-2010, 07:16 AM

ok, comp cam ask if my cam was a single bolt or three bolt. It refers to the ones at the end of the cam. They have one that has just a center bolt and a offset tab that inserts into the gear. But I will stick with the three bolt then.

**Mr. Luos** · 08-23-2010, 09:09 AM

They do have an offset tab. Even the 3 bolt.

I haven't been inside the Gen IV LSx...maybe they are a bit different.

Used in my 1999 LS1 and my 2004/05 LQ9

**cfgioja** · 08-23-2010, 09:46 AM

thanks

**Damian** · 08-25-2010, 09:25 PM

Originally Posted by cfgioja

ok, comp cam ask if my cam was a single bolt or three bolt. It refers to the ones at the end of the cam. They have one that has just a center bolt and a offset tab that inserts into the gear. But I will stick with the three bolt then.

The reason they asked you that is because all the GEN IV engines and newer use a "single bolt" camshaft. Meaning it bolts to the cam gear with one single bolt going through the center, rather than 3 small ones.

You will need a 3 bolt camshaft.

**SOMbitch** · 08-26-2010, 05:07 AM

Originally Posted by Damian

The reason they asked you that is because all the GEN IV engines and newer use a "single bolt" camshaft. Meaning it bolts to the cam gear with one single bolt going through the center, rather than 3 small ones.

You will need a 3 bolt camshaft.

^^^^^ yep

All LS1's are 3 bolt...

**Imhung** · 12-25-2020, 03:35 AM

I know this a old thread but you can run a single bolt in a gen 3 . It’s not better than a three bolt but you can do it??? Am I wrong or am I on the right track. Reason I ask is I just bought a factory ls3 cam to put in a gen3 5.3 . I heard it is a notable different cam with the gen 3. 5.3 having the smallest cams of the ls family and the 6.2 having the largest it’s a cheap upgrade. So can I use it in my 5.3 even though it’s single bolt and vvt?