Engine Swaps

[glockyman]

Over the summer, my friends and I are thinking of working on an engine swap project. Right now, we're looking for just a basic idea of what will work.

Ive done some research, but haven't found much of anything about GA engine swaps with a 3400. Does anyone know of any other engines or cars that carry an engine that would fit in place of a 3.4 without massive adjustments or replacements on other parts too? We're looking for an engine that will give the car a little more of a kick, and confuse the people who slam GA's as nothing but show.

[nice96gt]

check out 60degreev6.com they talk about this stuff all the time. A couple people have done the 3800 S/C swap from a grand prix, but it takes lots of time, money and patients, on top of knowledge. I would just build up the 3400 with a s/c...:D

[glockyman]

what kind of s/c would be best for it though? a twinscrew, a root, or a centrifugal? plus its nearly impossible to find a s/c for the 3400. i can only find turbos.


EDIT:spell check:P

[car audio dave]

if you do a search youll find lots of info. i think RSMracing.com has a s/c, its the only one left on the market...it seems that theres too many GA owners that are talkers, and not enough that are doers.

[voyager]

nothing will swap in place of a 3400 without alot of customization, unless you count a 3100, which would be a downgrade, so you probably don't want to count that.

i think you should look into a 5spd swap and leave your perfectly good engine where it sits.

i don't think you're going to do the 5spd swap though, just because apparantly neither has anyone else.. but for the $$ i think it'd be better than a SC anyway. i mean, what are the guys with the RSM kit running? 14's? there's a guy on the beretta boards with an unmodified 5spd 3400 running 14.313 in the 1/4. he has no other mods other than a 3400 engine in his beretta, and he takes the exhaust off at the bottom of the downpipe at the track. his old 2.8l ECM isn't even running the engine right; he's using his 2.8l injectors. just think about how much quicker a properly tuned 3400 could be with a manual transmission and some bolt on mods, and you could probably pull it off for $1500 as opposed to over $4000 for a supercharger..

anyway no, nothing more powerful than the 3400 is going to drop right in. you could put in a 4.9l caddy engine, a 3800, probably a 3500, a 3.6vvt, heck a 4g63 but it's all going to take custom mounts, a wiring harness swap and probably stand-alone engine management. if you've got the cash, determination and down time, you can put a friggin hemi in there sticking 10" out of the hood. in the end you'd perobably have been better off just swapping in a manual transmission, buyin headers and a valve job, and learning how to shift.

[/rant]

[Colin]

Originally posted by voyager
you can put a friggin hemi in there sticking 10" out of the hood. You can ? WOW :eek: , i'm gonna get right on that this afternoon .....

[glockyman]

hm....a five-speed you say? Sounds like it might make a good project. Ill run it around with some of the buds Im putting this together with, and see what they think about it.

Thanks for the advice about switching out engines though. From the lack of info out there, I had figured that there really wasn't anything that could be realistically put in for real gains, but I figured Id go ahead and ask anyways.

[voyager]

i want colin's cash, determination and free time.. .

[Colin]

Originally posted by voyager
i want colin's cash, determination and free time.. . Dude , you were right , it just bolted right up ..... :lol:

[Dave C]

So there is a 5-speed manual that is compatible with the 3400? Is it the same as is in the 4-cyl? No, I probably won't do the swap... just curious.

[Prospeeder]

you could do a 3.4 DOHC conversion from the 91-96 Grand Prixs, Cutlass Supremes, and Chevy Luminas(w-bodies), many owners with W-Bodies switch from the 3.4DOHC to the 3400, because of the timing belt issue, it likes to break every 50k, and the belt coest 30$, and its not interference(right term?), so u wont reuin the valves, but if u dont do the work urslef, it could cost 500$ easy, the 3.4 DOHC puts out (91-93 200hp, 220tq) (94-95 210hp 225tq) (96 215hp 225tq) im not sure on how its done, or anything, if u want, check out W-Body forum www.w-body.com/forum

[videoman]

For an inter5esting swap wait until the new 3900 engine comes out this fall. It will be meant for the Impalas and the G6 GTP but comes from the 3400 with a few differences. It's one thing I will be researching very closely.

[GAGT8705]

where do you get the 5sp tranny for the 3400??? I am doing a 3400 swap from a 3100 on my grand am....

[mikem220153]

Consider this, If a 4T60 tranny will bolt up to a 2.4 or a 3100, then isn't it possible that the Isuzu manual tranny from a 2.4 powered GA would bolt up to the V6? But, you will also have to come up with a clutch, pressure plate, throw out bearing, and flywheel for the V6. 1 possible source would be the ones from something like the 2.8 liter Fiero. But there is another item that may make all of this a lot more difficult than you realize, and that is the computer. Remember that since 1994, GM has never produced a V6/manual tranny in any of the N bodies. This becomes even more complicated when you consider that the OBDII systems were used exsclusively since 1996. You may need the help of an expert to reprogram the PCM to compensate for the swap. I think it would cost you a lot more money and time than an engine swap. But if you have the time and money, you can accomplish anything.

[slowbird]

Sorry to bud on a semi-old thread...

But the 5-Speed from a Cavalier/Sunbird will bolt right up.

Us J-Body guys swap in the 3400 and mate them to our 5-speeds and get instant high 14's out of them.

The 5-speed trannies that bolt up to the 3400 are from:

3.1L Sunbirds
(NOT the 2.0L Sunbird...different bolt pattern!)
2.8L/3.1L Cavalier
1994 and down 2.2L Cavalier.

It's better to get the Getrag from the V6 motors due to their strength.
Also...using the 5-speed from certain Beretta GTZ trannies will allow you to get a better Gear ratio. Shorter gears...quicker car ;)
But that takes some modding, for you'll have to swap bellhousings and all.

But like what was said before....there may be issues with the ECU and all....then again...you could maybe just burn a new chip.

[Prospeeder]

Get one from a 2.8L or 3.1L or 3.4 doch W-body, same pattern, and there all V6's so they will be strong

[mikem220153]

slowbird;

It is not quiet as simple as burning another chip for a post 96 GM. This is the year they went to OBD II and moding the computer got a lot more difficult.

[slowbird]

yea...I just learned that a few days ago.

Damn OBD II

[grandam01]

im jumpin in tooo, let me in, hahaha, well i just looked up HP tuners and they have a program for $500 for two cars, you can get a full prgram and cables to tune your grand am, from the looks of the GUI (Graphical User Interface) it seems pretty decent and usable.

http://www.hptuners.com/