Ok, first thread here... I'll give a little background first then let you know my parts list & plan of action.
2001 ECSB 2wd 5.3L 4l60E 3.42 gears stock tires/wheels, my dad got this truck from an old man with 1500miles. He drove 80% hwy miles to 90k, then I got it for cheap. I live in KC and drive it much more "spirited" than he ever did, but this truck is solid, has always ran great and has 145k on it now. A few months ago, after deciding to go all in with this truck & not trade it, I got the mod bug. I installed a remote start, K&N FIPK, Nelson mail order tune, installed e-fans, big 3 wiring mod, corvette servo, rear sway bar, replaced front sway bar bushings, still stock exhaust & manifold. This truck has had a recent fuel pump & water pump go south and replaced.

I am not going to the track or even a dyno probably, I just want to make my truck more fun driving around town. Now, the plan is to do a cam swap with springs and possibly oil pump & timing set, then calspeed headers & y-pipe when they come back in stock (April), then get my 60E rebuilt with a little bigger stall, around the 2600-3000 range.

Cam swap parts list, let me know if I got the part numbers right and anything I DON'T need to do or am overlooking. I plan to order from SDPC:
Comp Cam XR265HR-14 212/218 low lift 54-412-11
GM LS2,3,6 valve spring set, max lift .570
O-Ring seal for LS oil pump pick-up tube p/n 12584922
**Corrected P/N: LS Engine Oil Pump 12586665**
**Corrected P/N: GM Performance Parts HD Timing Chain 12586482 **
**Corrected P/N: Cam Install Gasket Kit, 1999-03 LS1/LS6 SD51902**
**Corrected P/N: LS Balancer Install Tool SD6628**

I am confident I can do the cam install but the oil pump & timing set worry me. Are they really needed? Also, I guess I'll buy the needed install tools and try to sell them off later:
air hose adapter tool from o'reilly for spring replacement
Crane valve spring compressor tool
LS Balancer Install tool (needed?)
aluminum 5/16" dowel for lifters
Do I need a pulley puller? Or any other parts?

Thanks for any advice, I tried to cover my bases before writing this...
I'll get a new Nelson tune for the cam also. Later will come headers with stock catback, then a transmission rebuild with stall.

I have read the LS1 install guide but I will reread 5-6 more times before I dive in.

 

One more thing, I prefer a quiet ride, hence the stock exhaust setup and this is intended to be a 5+ year vehicle, if that matters at all...

 

Sounds like you've done your homework.

Welcome from just across the Missouri border.

 

Are there any cam swap tools in the KC area that someone would let me rent for a weekend?

 

You will need a puller for the pulley, and the tool to install it back on the crank. No ands if's or buts about it. For the love of sanity DO NOT USE THE OLD PULLEY BOLT TO INSTALL THE PULLEY BACK ON THE CRANK, you can skip the install tool by using a much longer bolt to install the pulley, then remove and install the new pulley bolt.

For the oil pump and timing chain remove the oil pan completley from the truck, its not that big of a job, just messy. Many guys have f'd up the engine by being lazy and only dropping the pan 1-3" and screw up the o-ring on the pickup tube. With the pan off its almost impossible to screw up the 0-ring.

 

These are the bits of advice that I'm looking for, thanks TXS. Anything to help me not screw it up!

 

Welcome from a ways west in Kansas! I think you should be able to knock out the swap fairly easy, it sounds much more difficult than it is.

 

Thank you Slammed! My wife & I are both from central KS, her North & me South, along hwy 281. We moved to KC after college to find "good jobs"...

Anyway, I see in your sig that you are running a similar setup to what I'm looking at with the 212/218, except you have LT's already. Are you happy with that cam choice? Do you feel the LTs helped that cam quite a bit? I'm confident in my cam choice but the more I read, theres always something that puts a little doubt in your mind.

And thanks for the confidence booster, that always helps too.

 

The headers were on the truck when I bought it, so I'm not sure what difference it made over stock exhaust with the cam. I love this cam, very well mannered for daily driving, and a definite increase in power over stock. The higher stall will help even more when you get it as well.

Also, I may be up in your area this weekend, if I end up heading that way I could loan you my balancer puller and spring compressor if you need them. I'll shoot you a message when I'm for sure on if I'm going or not (should know by tomorrow).

 

That would be a huge help mainly because the compressor is the high dollar part that I would have to resell. I was going to rent a puller from Advanced Auto but I would sure rent it from you instead! And that would force me to get this installed sooner than later.

FYI, I called SDPC and I have the wrong oil pump picked out. I was told the replacment oil pump is GM part no. 12586665 and that I only need to replace the timing chain, not the whole set. And the gasket kit they sell includes a new balancer bolt.