ok I need to pull the intake complete tpi manifold because I have a the beginning of a coolant leak in the base plate. I am a novice mechanic so I am expecting this to take me a couple of days. The time frame does not matter because the car is a toy, I have a work truck I drive every day, so if it sits a couple of weeks it doesn’t matter.

So here is the question, I was thinking I could pull the heads at the same time to do some minor porting. seems like a good time since the intake will already be off. I have read a ton of post telling how sloppy the cast iron heads are, and I have read that they can be made to flow much better buy just de shrouding the valves a little and smoothing out all the bumps and ridges.

I also will be porting the intake, plenum, and cleaning up the base plate. I will not be simesing the base plate just smoothing out and cleaning. I will also be doing basically all the free moods. I will not be cutting up the maf because I will switch to sd before it will be a restriction. Also will be reinstalling the same valves, I don’t want to touch the cam right now, and same exhaust manifolds. Will be upgrading exhaust late next year if money allows.

my question it be worth the work or not and cost now. Or should I wait? I am not sure if it will be worth it with stock intake, and stock cam. Also any idea what a good set of factory head gaskets would run me, or would I be better off running thinner gaskets to up compresion Oh the other idea I had was to replace the springs because the car has sat for extend times roughly one month at a time several times over its life. I have read that can ruin springs. That is why the car has such low miles 55,000 I have read that the stock springs seem to be junk. Sorry for the long post, thanks in advance for the reply’s.

 

Sure, do the porting. It's the valve bowls where most of the gains are obtained. Replacing the factory valve springs is a very good idea, as they weren't very good to start with. You might also consider pinning the rocker studs while you've got them apart.

It would also be a good time to replace the cam. The intake has to be off to do that, so why not now? Of course, until you do the exhaust and go with aftermarket runners you aren't going to realize the full gain, but again, you'd only have to take it apart once that way.

As long as the block & heads decks are good and flat, steel shim gaskets will work great. The factory used them, not sure but all 3rd gens will have them. But, no reason not to if the sealing surfaces are flat.

 

the only problem is i cant aford a cam right now, it is 300 i realy need to spend elswhere on the car witch is why i am trying to figer out if it i stll worth it. or can i get a decent quality cam for less that that?

sorry bout all the questions but i am still a newb

 

I'm almost afraid to point it out, but there is nothing wrong with installing a good used roller cam - Emphasis on the "good" part of that phrase.

You have a roller cam already, which is greatly in your favor. Several members have had good success with the LT1 take-out cams as a replacement for the stock cam. A little hunting might even turn up an aftermarket cam. There are a bunch of roller cams on eBay at any given time, many under $100.

If the intake and heads are already off, this would be an excellent time for replacement.

Another note - The springs won't go bad because they were sitting for extended periods. They were already weak when the factory installed them. They're the same old 85# springs that SBCs have had since the Revolutionary War. It's been an excellent governor for SBCs for decades. The engine won't spin up too high if the valves float.

 

I never thought bout using a used cam. For some reason I thought I had a hydraulic cam, witch I would never use used, but from what I have read a used roller cam doesn’t wear like hydraulic, at the same time I do that cam I was planning to replace the timing chain since it will be off anyway, would it be ok to just use a stock replacement or should I try to scrape up the change for a double roller? Haven’t compared the cost yet. guessing bout double. Thanks for the help.

 

Another question, I was looking on the jegs website and a new stock ls1 roller cam is only 150$ is this the cam you were referring to? also can I use the existing , (sorry I cant remember the correct name), roller lifters, (I think that is it, things that float on the cam), as well as the stock rockers and pushrods with that cam?

so a complete parts list,

Cam
timing chain
timing chain cover gasket
springs
head gaskets
cheap set of valve covers, to cut up for adjusting valves,
valve cover gaskets
complete set of TPI intake manifold gaskets.
also should probably send the injectors out to be cleaned and tested.

anything else I have forgot? Thanks for the help.

 

No, the LSx engine is a completely different animal. The LT1 is what was mentioned above.

And yes, assuming the roller still operates as it should, you can reuse it.

 

k re read the above post thanks.. it was confusing me why i could use a ls1 cam.. thanks for the clarification.

 

You want the modern LT1 cam... don't get that mistaken for the vintage solid-lifter LT-1 cam from the '70s. You don't want that.

You want an LT1 cam from a '93-97 Camaro/Firebird or '92-96 Corvette.