I'm highly thinking about doing a cam swap on my 4.8l. I have been reading about size of cams and everything so that is not of my concern right now. I'm thinking along the lines of a 212/218 cam... like the 265HR cam a lot of people use. What my concern is that since my motor has 96k miles on it, is a cam swap safe? If i do the swap, should i change more than just the springs since it has higher mileage? I'm wondering about things like timing chain, push rods, or maybe even things like rockers??

My motor runs good, no problems out of it. I do have a ticking, or chatter, sometimes. It isnt really there when the motor is cold or on start-up, but comes when the motor gets warm but is not always there.... kind of confuses me.

Any input guys, thanks!

 

on my 110k truck i just put springs and push rods in.. it seen quite 6800 rpm with a 150 shot along time.. till 127k till it went boom.. my friends 4.8 (130k) has a 212 218 comp cam and we did the same with it. just rods and springs its still jivin..some will say change your timing chain.. but honestly i dont know of any one thats broke one yet.. rockers-keep em

 

When I did mine, I changed the push rods, springs, seats, seals, timing chain(beefed up version). I didn't have that many miles on mine, but still thought it was worth changing. I was told that the lifters are just as good as some aftermarket ones, so I chose to stay stock with those too. Same with the rocker arms.

 

i have read the general consensus would be to do the push rods but the timing chain is a toss up. but i have read about things can go wrong with seals and such if you do a new timing chain.

 

96k isnt chit for these motors. along with the cam swap, i would replace springs and the timing chain. stock rockers are fine. you may have to change push rods depending on the base circle of the cam.

 

The LS2 timing chain is $40. That's cheap insurance.

 

i have the 212/218 in my 4.8 and i really like it...just enough IMO for a dd, but then again i never heard another cammed NBS truck or ridden in one...when i did my cam swap my truck had 160K on her and its been around 3K now and knock on wood everything is good...i just changed the cam, springs and push rods...i have a 6.0 that will be going into the truck so i didnt really bother with the t-chain...i wouldnt hesitate to put the cam in ur truck, go for it...

 

Ive done a cam swaps on higher mileage engines several times, that get run HARD, and no issues. The last one, 88k cam, radix supercharger, springs, runs great!

 

I wouldn't hesitate to do it, from all the **** I have read, seen, these are some realy stout motors, hell people are puting FI on them at 80k on the clock.. DO IT

John