Can I preface my question first before I get stomped on for not changing to a 350.

I have a 13 sec 400 sbc in another car, I just want to see what kind of fun I can have with the existing toilet LO3 before swapping it out later.

Is it possible to drop the front of the oil pan enough to remove the timing cover with the engine still in the car to upgrade the cam?
(recent '88 LO3 IROC T5 'vert purchase) Thanks.

 

I dunno why you think you would get jumped on. The issue is the computer so maybe you could try a cam from a 4th gen LT1.

What are your plans for the vehicle anyway? You'll have the intake off already. If you want to keep the car, then why not at the same time take off the heads and put on new head gaskets?

 

Yes, you can. The biggest obstacle is the crossbars in front of the radiator, as they cross exactly dead center where you need to stab the cam - but an extra set of strong hands can kinda hold them back out of the way just barely enough. Of course radiator has to come out.

 

I've done it twice. Need to remove rad/condenser/crossbars etc as mentioned. Drain oil. Pull exhaust/starter/whatever as necessary so you can get to all the oil pan bolts, and undo them nearly all the way - more the front than the back. I think maybe the front 2 had to come out completely.

Cross fingers - then gently crack the oil pan trying not to damage the gasket, and tilt the front down enough to remove the timing cover.

Last time I did this, I re-installed a 2 piece timing cover to hopefully avoid this hassle in future. Resealed with some Permatex at the front where necessary. Gotten lucky so far with no pan/cover leaks.

 

I feel lucky. I use a one piece reusable pan gasket. Just loosening off most of the bolts is enough to drop the pan down enough to get the timing cover on and off. Well I guess on. It's easy to pull off with the pan bolted up. With the front end of my car basically gutted, I can pull my tiny rad out in a couple of minutes which is enough to pull the cam. I just did a cam swap back in December.

Don't forget all the other extras such as pulling the valve covers to take off the rockers and push rods plus removing the distributor and intake to get the lifters out. Pulling the cam out the front with the engine still in the car is the easy part and still easier than pulling the whole engine.

 

Thanks for the advice all you guys,
This is the plan for 99% street use and taking the kids to Dairy Queen.
Performer intake
non-computer HEI
Mallory fuel reg(it's TBI now)
Holley # 80778 700cfm mech sec carb (on hand)
Hedman 68470 shorty headers
matching #17478 Y pipe
Jegs house brand cat back exh system #555-30415(Walker maybe?)
I'll have to stock up on permatex for this timing cover removal oil pan drop eh?
88 IROC T5 LO3 Vert
Thanks

 

I forgot the TFS Super 23 175 HEADS and
Lunati #DV270 YDRH CAM 219/219 .514"/.514" 110 LSA