Goldie Hawn's "Cam Job"
So, here is how this started.
Back in March I noticed a coolant issue, slow leak. I found that odd as all of my cooling components were new (hoses, radiator, pump, etc, etc). I eventually found a very, very small hole right at the water pump neck (up high). I replaced the hose and thought my problem to be solved. Then the tell-tale white smoke at start up...and the leak got faster.
I have the 706 heads, which if Castech, have a known issue with cracking. Yes, I should have looked earlier, but at 200K miles I figured I was probably safe. Removing the heads and rockers reveled the tell-tale Castech casting mark of death, and the water in my oil pan confirmed the worst. So new heads were ordered. Nothing fancy, just re-mans. Frustratingly, though ordered together, one came in as a 706, the other a 803. The research I did told me that they are compatible and can run on the same block, even mixed. So on they went. Mind you I hadn't been that deep in an engine since high school but I figured a small block Chevy can't be
that different from a Gen3 LS - and they really aren't for the work I had to do.
New heads went on, but not without me thinking I
should probably do my lifters and rods while here, but didn't. Six months later, a persistent valve-train tic told me I should just do what should have been done in March and take care of the entire valve train - so I whipped out the card and made an order:
Brian Tooely Racing "Truck Norris" cam, new lifters, rockers, springs, rods, gaskets, trays....and "while I'm here" new oil pump, timing set, sensors, etc.
All in all the job went simply enough, though I did wind up with some new tools (harmonic balancer puller, installer, valve spring compressor, bigger breaker bar).
Got her buttoned up, and maaaaannnnnn did she run rough. Turns out, you MUST tune this cam. No way will she idle without.
Tips I learned along the way:
- To remove the harmonic balancer:
- Wrap a heavy chain through the balancer and around the front cross member. That will keep the crank from rotating and allow your breaker bar to work. Same on the install, but without the breaker bar.
- Breaker bar needed 6' black pipe.
- To remove the oil pan:
- Remove all bolts for front diff, but not the axles.
- Just lower the diff on a small jack stand.
- Oil level sensor:
- Turns out, this is orientation specific. Mine is on "off key" but seated.
- Next oil change I will remove it, confirm proper orientation with a meter, and re-install. If I feel like it's not well seated I'm not sure what I'll do but I may bypass. I check oil every other fill up out of habit and my rig has a good, reliable oil pressure gauge.
- Tuning:
- I wanted to go with the HP Tuner, but I'm a Mac user and didn't feel like spending money my wife will notice missing on a new PC (even a cheap one). So I went with Holley's Diablo Sport InTune i3 Platinum.
- I adjust tune as follows:
- Idle P/N no AC 700 RPM
- Idle P/N w/AC 750 RPM
- In gear no AC 800 RPM
- After driving ~ 500 miles to TN and back I can probably dial each of those back about 50 RPM. I also noticed that she no longer down shifts on most of the hills of HWY 72 where she used to every time. I'm guessing that's due to some substantial torque increase.
Goldie now has a "muscle car lope" to her idle, and needs a muffler to match. She does get some looks at lights as the sound is a bit unconventional.
I am by no means a mechanic, but didn't find this work to be all to bad. In fact, I'm thinking of getting a junk yard 6L LS to rebuild over the course of many months (and a 4L60e to upgrade) then drop them in. Overkill? Maybe, but I seem to have been bitten by a bug here. I quite enjoyed this project.
I know I didn't go into too-great detail, but hope this helps someone or perhaps inspires you to take on a project like this.
KG
