SLP / Rollmaster LS1 Timing Set Install

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This one is kind of a pain, but can be done with some patience and care.

1. Get to the point where you have the front cover removed and the chain/sprockets are exposed.

2. Put the car in neutral, and use your old crank bolt with a ratchet to line the sprockets up, either dot-to-dot or 180 degrees out of phase. Basically get to a point where you will be able to remember exactly where they were. Use a marker to mark the locations if necesary. Put the car in gear and apply the parking brake.

3. Drain the oil and remove the filter.

4. Remove all the oil pan bolts. Two are under the K-member and require some patience. The final two connect the pan to the tranny, and there is one above the oil filter that holds a little plastic splash guard in place. The two in the tranny can be left in, just loosen enough to let the oil pan drop as far as it can (about 1 to 1.5 inches).

5. Remove the bolt holding the oil return pipe to the oil pump. Shove some cloths in the oil pan first to prevent the bolt from falling in there.

6. Remove the bolts holding the oil pump on and discard (or put in the misc parts bin).

7. Now, you need to rotate the oil pump clockwise while pulling the tube out. Slide the oil pump off the crank and set aside. Check to make sure the blue O-ring is still on the return tube, if not, pull it out of the pump and put it back on the tube.

8. Remove the cam timing gear by backing out the 3 bolts. Slide the gear off the cam and let the chain fall. Gear and chain go in the stock parts bin.

9. Use a 2 jaw pulley puller to remove the crank sprocket. Toss in the same bin.

10. Install the new sprocket so the timing dot is in the same place. There are guides that make this easy. If you want to advance/retard the timing, you will install it on one of the other slots and the dot will not be in the same spot.

11. Slide a piece of pipe over the crank and up against the new sprocket. Tap the end of the pipe with a hammer to seat the sprocket as far as it will go.

12. Hang the chain on this sprocket before reinstalling the pump.

13. Reinstall the oil pump by lining up the two sets of gears, and sliding it on the crank, while it is turned about 45 degrees clockwise. Line up the return pipe, and rotate the pump back to normal position, inserting the pipe. Slide the two spacer plates between the pump and block, the larger one goes on the driver side, make sure the hole lines up with the one on the block or you'll block the oil feed. Coating both faces of this larger one with sealant is a good idea too. Install the new bolts and tighten the pump down. Now install the return pipe bolt and tighten.

14. Reinstall and tighten all the oil pan bolts. Re-install the filter (or a new one if changing the oil).

15. Place the chain over the cam gear, and get it lined up on the crank sprocket, so the dots are in the same place they were when removed.

16. Now, the new cam gear fits pretty tight. Get your fingers in the engine and grab the first lobe of the cam. You need to line the cam up to the gear. If you didn't replace the camshaft, it should be pretty much already there. Use those fingers to prevent the cam from sliding back while installing the gear. The way I got it on was to begin threading the first bolt in, then the second and third. Tightening them down seats the gear on the cam, just make sure you aren't cross-threading!

17. Check again to make sure the dots are in the right place, then replace the front cover and put it all back together.