Please, if you have any LT1 Cam swap related questions. DO A SEARCH or post here.

DO NOT START A NEW THREAD.

This will eventually contain every question and answer relating to the topic, so use this post please. Thank you.

Also, if you know the answer is in another thread or find it after posting your question here... POST A LINK TO IT HERE. Thank you.

Just trying to clean up redundant topics...

Thanks for your help in making Thirdgen better.

 

i followed a link that shifty had posted in another thread about lt1 cam specs. my cam is a 95 z28 cam. the spec sheet read as follows: dur-230/208, lift-450/460, and lsa-116. my question is, is the 230 correct, or is it a typo? and is the 116 lsa correct?

 

I'm a member a http://www.fbody.com and own a '97 Z28. Everyone over there says '94-'95 cams are as follows....... Dur:203intake & 208exhaust, Lift:.450intake & .460exhaust, Lobe Sepration:116. This is with 1.5 rocker arms.

I just got a '94 Z28 cam myself. Check out http://www.f-body.org for more info, there full of info on 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th gen F-bodys.

 

duh i didnt use the rite search terms. here are the specs for the cam i have in my 305:
GM 205 207 447 459 477 490 117 LT1 stock ('96)
Since i dont know anything about cams I assume that this is better then the peanut cam it cam with?

 

Yea, the '92 & '93 has a different cam, the '94 & '95 had there own and then the '96 and '97 had there own too.

 

Are the distributer gears the same on the '96 LT1 camshafts as they are on the stock cams? I tryed to drop in my distributor but it doesnt want to fully seat on the manifold and the holddown clamp wont reach that hi up.

 

Yes the gears are the same. Your oil pump shaft is driven by the end of the distributer shaft,and the slot on the pump shaft is not lined up with the tang on the dissy shaft. Turn the oil pump shaft alittle (the right direction) and the distributer should fall in all the way.
Good luck

 

Found a thread with QUITE A BIT of useful info. Here's the link! Any questions about it please post them here...

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=217507

Bruce (90RS305)

 

I need to know what springs to use with my LT1 cam swap? Its going in my LO3. I would like to spend as little as possiable as I'm building a 388SBC for the car now. The LT1 cam was gave to me for only $15 shipping. So I figiured what the he||, why not try it. I talked to http://www.tbichips.com and he said he would burn a chip for the LT1 cam eqiupped LO3 for $44. Then we could datalog if need be(I feel sure it would). Someone please help on the springs though. Some part #'s would be really nice. Thanks, Bobby

 

.

 

.

 

94-95 has .450/.460 lift and 96-97 has .449/.462 I Believe...don't quote me on that.

As for 92-93...I have no idea.

 

.

 

People say that the stock GM heads CAN be good for up to .480 lift but most people won't go much past .460 on stock heads. Thats what makes the LT1 cam so great for our cars...they're right at the maximum lift and have great tuneability.

 

.

 

BadBlue91RS,
So your saying that the LO3(305 TBI) springs will be good with the LT1 cam? I hope so. I don't want to put much money in the 305 as I have a 388 in the shop being put together now.
Thanks, Bobby

 

could you pass emissions with an LT1 cam?

 

thats a good one as anyone passed with the lt1?

 

i know over at jegs they have this

# 270-114142

Serious performance for modified 305 5-spd. & 350 w/3.73-up.
Adv. Duration: 272º/284º
Gross Lift: .454''/.480''
Series: 2050


and its smog legal

 

okay, I'm picking up a lt1 cam and plan to put it in as soon as the weather heats up. I need to know all the parts I'm going to need along with the tools to do a full swap. Also, are there any parts i should replace since i have 90,000 on the car? What's the best way to go if i want to get this done in under 250 excluding the cam? Is that too low or enough to fund the project? Also, can any write up a small how-to for me? I'm going to be taking an engine apart for the first time so I'm interested in all the help I can get.

 

since it was a b!tch to find because everyone just linked to this thread:

 

i have a comp cams LT1 cam and wanted to now how easy is the installation into the 305, the specs on the cam are 212-218* 488-495" lift also would it benefit from freer flowing heads and intake???

 

will the stock LO3 springs be ok for the LT1cam ???

 

Yes but it is not a good idea to re use them when new ones are so cheap.

 

Shifty, did you ever get that tech article typed up on the LT1 swap?

 

so if an LT1 cam works in the standard small block can I use the small cap hei on an LT1 engine to delete the optispark?

 

As far as I know, no, the only way to delete the optispark from an LT1 is to buy a complete stand-alone optispark delete ignition system, like this:

http://www.hawksthirdgenparts.com/in...?v=1&pid=21192

 

Yes I did. Check out the common TBI mods sticky at the top. There is a link to it there.

There are now a couple of options to deleting the opti. The opti direct sells for about 500 or 600 and compleely cures any ignition related problems associated with the opti.

 

this may be rediculous but shifty on your write up im assuming you pulled the engine out of the car, can you do this swap without having to pull the engine? if so how are you able to slide the cam in from the correct angle without hitting the radiator or anything like that. and do 1.6 rockers with this cam make a good combo?

 

Here's the thread on how to do it:

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=262466

Yes, you have to remove the radiator and move the AC condensor aside (the piece in front of the radiator). But, no, you do not have to remove the engine. You would definetely have to change the springs to run an LT1 cam and 1.6 RRs. The stock springs can just barely handle the LT1 cam, so adding 1.6 RR is going to require some more serious valve springs. I couldn't tell you what kind, though.

 

on the chart of cams for the lt1 up there the bottom 2 show 93-96 lt1/lt4. with different lifts than the above ones. what is the dif between the 93 y-body and the bottom 2 cams?

john

 

also where can i find the specs on a 97 z28 cam

 

Not sure what exaclty you are asking but the LT1 cams in the f-bods did change over their tenure. I am assuming you looked at that web page with the green backround? The vette (y-body) cams were identical to the f-body cams.

 

so If im using 1.6 RR with mine, any springs you guys could suggest?

 

Sorry to bring this thread back but i was just told this:

Only problem you will have is the stock LT1 cam and all LT1 cams are all roller cams. Your GM TBI engine is a hydraulic flat tappet so you would need to buy the spider and OEM roller lifters if you block as the bosses for the roller lifter retainer spider. If not you would just be better off with a cheapie Wolverine flat tappet camshaft kit or a cheap COMP flat tappet cam kit with new flat tappet lifters

I dont need to change anything right?

 

I really suggest you do read, all the "stiky" treads on top of the TBI + TPI board and the tgo "thech articles". Before posting and making statements like you did.
There is also a "search" feature on the top, to use besfore making any new post on subjects that have already been disscussed many times. Enjoy assimilating the great information on TGO.

 

I read the sticky's. thats why i plan on doing this swap. That wasnt my statement. That was someones statement to me.

So i was just checking. I guess the guy that said it is a performance shop owner and wanted to make sure he was wrong so i can laugh at him.

 

This was true for some of the truck 305 TBI motors. All the passenger car versions (b-body and F-body) were roller set-ups.

 

Lol the guy still dont believe me. but thanks for the response. just have to order the valve seals and the cam is ready for install.

 

Can anyone answer the question as to whether the car'll pass smog with an LT-1 cam swap?

 

You will be fine. As long as you leave all your pollution equipment intact.

 

So my motor is almost all apart and ready for the cam. Dont know if i missed read or it wasnt posted. I ordered the springs you had listed but what retainers should i use? Would stock ones suffice?

 

i put a big cam in my 97 SS last year. Now im thinking about putting the LT1 cam in my 91 RS. I'd prob reuse my lt1 springs too if they will work fine.

 

What is Comp talking about when they say the LT1 heads need machining for certain cams? I thought just the springs needed to be changed.