3.4 to 3.8 conversion

[ITSSLOW]

How hard is it really? I was planning on building up a decent 3.4 but what's really involved in swapping to a 3.8? Do my current 3.4 headers work on a 3.8? All questions are specifically intended on a GTP motor. Or atleast a 3.8 supercharger top end on a 3.8 RWD motor.

[Forced_Firebird]

Traitor. 60 degrees FTW! :jest:

[giiventofly]

headers won't be the same.

supercharger won't fit without some modifications, but its been done.

[ITSSLOW]

Traitor. 60 degrees FTW! :jest:

:rofl:

I was just asking.... GOSH!!!! In all honestly it depended on if my headers worked or not. I know that's super lame but I'm balls deep in my Trans Am mods and looking at my options for my 94. Anything 3.1 or 3.4 ever supercharged?


headers won't be the same.

supercharger won't fit without some modifications, but its been done.

That's what I just seen on someones Fquick and my uncle is cert'd in tig, mig, and arc.

[97rs4life]

nope, headers are different. Yea the l67 sc engine with sc takes some modding to work, not a simple weekend project.

[ITSSLOW]

nope, headers are different. Yea the l67 sc engine with sc takes some modding to work, not a simple weekend project.

Honestly Travis, I was more worried about the 3.8 into a 3.4 car then the GTP supercharger onto a 3.8 car. My uncle can do that no problem. I was talking about wiring and how it mounts in the engine bay.

Like I said, I know it's a super lame excuse but I've already got headers, intermediate pipe, CIA, and ported TB for the 3.4. I'd really just like to find a used 3.4 and rebuild it with a cam, springs, my (already owned) goodies, and a few other mods like cleaning up the heads, and all the maintenence stuff like gaskets, seals, and bearings.

[Forced_Firebird]

Honestly Travis, I was more worried about the 3.8 into a 3.4 car then the GTP supercharger onto a 3.8 car. My uncle can do that no problem. I was talking about wiring and how it mounts in the engine bay.

Like I said, I know it's a super lame excuse but I've already got headers, intermediate pipe, CIA, and ported TB for the 3.4. I'd really just like to find a used 3.4 and rebuild it with a cam, springs, my (already owned) goodies, and a few other mods like cleaning up the heads, and all the maintenence stuff like gaskets, seals, and bearings.

If you are looking to get some real power from that 3.4, dump the poorly designed iron heads and swap on a FWD aluminum top end ;) You can even keep your headers.

[ITSSLOW]

If you are looking to get some real power from that 3.4, dump the poorly designed iron heads and swap on a FWD aluminum top end ;) You can even keep your headers.

Whats that whole 3400 fwd swap gonna cost me though? I'm looking for a decent rebuild but I'm also looking to use this as my DD because the Trans Am is always under the knife or parked for the winter.

[Forced_Firebird]

If you are doing a rebuild, then use 3400 pistons and 3400 top end. There is a sticky in the 60* section telling you all about it ;).

[...rallyred]

conversion section, we have it...

[Amagine]

if your looking to SC.. prolly the most creative way to do that I've found is to grab a eaton M90 from a mid 90's thunderbird SC. It's remote mount so you don't have to worry about intake management much.
also look into getting a DIS4 or at the very least hotter coils, it will help tons with our ignition systems. Our exhaust systems are fairly good for the motor size...we've got 2.75 inches all the way from the headers back.. which is doing better than many 6's out on the market.
We lack the capabilty to breath past 4500, hell 4000 on hot day. The hed swap is probably the best solution out there for it. Even with a head job on the iron and boost, you'll see massive gains all along the powerband... plus with GM going back to the 60* there's tons of new stuff out. There's couple of guys looking into adapting the ignition and control systems for the 3500 and the 3600 to our motors to get the full benefit of the new tech.
I'm looking into how to fully convert em to E85 and boost...

[RobertMalibu]

you mean you can put a 90 thunderbird sc into a 3.4 ????

[Forced_Firebird]

you mean you can put a 90 thunderbird sc into a 3.4 ????

Eaton M90 on the Ford's are remote mount, they don't sit on top of the intake manifold like most other roots blowers.

[RobertMalibu]

okidoki

[RobertMalibu]

so in others word there's nothing you can put on top of the 3400

[Forced_Firebird]

so in others word there's nothing you can put on top of the 3400
As I mentioned to you before, the cheapest HP you can get is dropping a 3500 in there. Then you are starting with a 200hp motor in stock form.

If you want to go forced induction, a turbo is the most efficient, but can be costly if you can't do the work yourself. A centrifical supercharger is another option, but the Eaton M90 can be had cheap - just isn't as easy a modification IMO.

[Camaro_94]

Its not worth it... Your going to be spending a whole lot of money on something that really wont be worth it in the end. I'd just put the money towards some parts for your LS1 Trans Am :thumbsup:..

If you want a 3.8L Camaro/Firebird, just sell your 3.4L and buy F-Body with a 3.8L engine in it from the factory. You'll save a lot of money this way (depending on the current shape of your engine and the condition your cars in for selling it).

[Camaro95V6]

Why not go with some 3500 heads, a 3500 LIM, and a 3400 UIM? You'll have at least the same amount of power as the 3.8 and the engine will weigh less.

[Forced_Firebird]

Its not worth it... Your going to be spending a whole lot of money on something that really wont be worth it in the end. I'd just put the money towards some parts for your LS1 Trans Am :thumbsup:..

If you want a 3.8L Camaro/Firebird, just sell your 3.4L and buy F-Body with a 3.8L engine in it from the factory. You'll save a lot of money this way (depending on the current shape of your engine and the condition your cars in for selling it).
Why don't you tell that to all the guys dropping SBC's in favor of the turbo Buick. I've seen several 3rd Gen Fbods do it (home-made TTA).

[Camaro_94]

Why don't you tell that to all the guys dropping SBC's in favor of the turbo Buick. I've seen several 3rd Gen Fbods do it (home-made TTA).

I'm not saying it cant be done, I'm saying its just a waste of money. It would probibly cost you at least $1,500 if you did all the work yourself. Then if you had someone else do it, Your probibly looking to spend $2,500.

With that money, You could just buy a 3.8L Camaro and have some left over to spend. Or better yet, You could sell yours and buy a LT1 Z28.

And as for the small block chevy vs turbo buick, I'd rather have a SBC (although some of the turbo buick motors are bad ass).

"theres no replacement for displacement".

Dont get me wrong, I like V6 Camaros, and I dont mean to sound like I dont, But I just dont think this swap would be worth it in the end..

[Camaro95V6]

"theres no replacement for displacement".


Actually, there is a replacement for displacement. It's called better design engineering. The design of an engine is more important than its displacement. GM now has a 3.6l engine making 300+hp. That's 100hp+ more than the higher displacement 3.8.

This same principle can also apply to mods to some extent. Modder A might have a bigger engine, but if Modder A is some amateur mechanic whereas Modder B has more experience, is highly educated in engines, and has done a lot of research in the engine he is modifying, Modder B could probably do more than just make up for the stock power difference in the long run. Plus, even if Modder A's engine still makes more power, how do I know that he hasn't taken the steps to make sure the engine also has supporting mods that help with the engine's durability? I know I don't want a car that will break down all the time. The bottom line is: When it comes to engines, SMARTS do count.

Also, it doesn't take 275hp for a 60* FBody to beat an LT1. The engine weighs less.:P

[Camaro_94]

Actually, there is a replacement for displacement. It's called better design engineering. The design of an engine is more important than its displacement. GM now has a 3.6l engine making 300+hp. That's 100hp+ more than the higher displacement 3.8.

This same principle can also apply to mods to some extent. Modder A might have a bigger engine, but if Modder A is some amateur mechanic whereas Modder B has more experience, is highly educated in engines, and has done a lot of research in the engine he is modifying, Modder B could probably do more than just make up for the stock power difference in the long run. Plus, even if Modder A's engine still makes more power, how do I know that he hasn't taken the steps to make sure the engine also has supporting mods that help with the engine's durability? I know I don't want a car that will break down all the time. The bottom line is: When it comes to engines, SMARTS do count.

Also, it doesn't take 275hp for a 60* FBody to beat an LT1. The engine weighs less.:P

I think my IQ just dropped a little bit after reading your post..

Half of the things you mentioned had nothing to do with anything anyone was even talking about.. Your comparing an idiot mechanic to a smart one..

[3800V6GTP]

i think if your going to go trough all of that to put in a 3.8 you could do a lt1.but i know allot of guys that could be of real help on the fwd top end swap over at 60degreev6. i think i would go with doing that to the 3.4 then doing either swap plus you all ready have a ls1 right?

[ITSSLOW]

Well I decided to go with a 3.4 with some cleaned up heads and a small cam. A friend of mine is giving me his 3.4 from his Camaro that I'm going to replace some bearings and put in a cam. I went out yesterday morning and picked up a complete 6.0 that I'm going to build for my Trans Am. That leaves a low miles LS1 just sitting in my garage.....

For now it will get a different 3.4 because my 6.0 swap in the TA won't actually take place until I graduate (Dec '08) and then I have to find time to still swap that 3.4 for an LS1. The camaro might become an auto because there was an auto on the back of the LS2. There is no way I could put that slushbox in my Trans Am!

[Kenny B]

if your looking to SC.. prolly the most creative way to do that I've found is to grab a eaton M90 from a mid 90's thunderbird SC. It's remote mount so you don't have to worry about intake management much.
also look into getting a DIS4 or at the very least hotter coils, it will help tons with our ignition systems. Our exhaust systems are fairly good for the motor size...we've got 2.75 inches all the way from the headers back.. which is doing better than many 6's out on the market.
We lack the capabilty to breath past 4500, hell 4000 on hot day. The hed swap is probably the best solution out there for it. Even with a head job on the iron and boost, you'll see massive gains all along the powerband... plus with GM going back to the 60* there's tons of new stuff out. There's couple of guys looking into adapting the ignition and control systems for the 3500 and the 3600 to our motors to get the full benefit of the new tech.
I'm looking into how to fully convert em to E85 and boost...


H/O ive been looking to install a S/C on my car for a while now...i have a 1995 3.4L Firebird....but i dont want to buy a whole kit i dont have money for a purchase like that...all i want to get is a charger so that i can build my own kit around it...your saying that a 90 thunderbird S/C would fit on a 3.4L Firebird/Camaro...i thought those S/C's mounted on top of the intake manifold...there is no clearence for our cars...im looking for something that could mount where my intake is and just run a belt drive to it and a pipe to the throttle body.

[v6droptop]

I have the complete S/C from a T bird
Low miles,injectors,wiring, distributor,ECM,SC,IC.ducting
everything for $400 firm plus shipping