Engine SwapEverything about swapping an engine into your Third Gen.....be it V6, V8, LTX/LSX, crate engine, etc. Pictures, questions, answers, and work logs.
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I have an 1989 Camaro. I started my swap in December. I removed the 305, the ecm and most of the wires except for the few i need for the new motor, and i removed the a/c ( dont need that windows are great) and heater blower ( i live in florida dont need that). next i cleaned the enngine bay sanded it filled the holes in the fire wall, and then painted the engine bay a flat black. right now the new motor is a 87 roller motor casting number 14093638 its on the engine stand it just about down i'm hoping to have it in buy next weekend. here are some pics will have specs when im done and many more pics and better to come
Thats the exact thing I'm doing! My 355 is goin in tomorrow. Except i couldn't afford the paint for the engine bay. I hope you plan on headers.. my advice if you go with headers, put em in before the motor. Its WAY easier. Nice choice, and good luck.
__________________ Kid with his 'modded' Integra(type-r!!!!) says, "I can burn out at 50 mph no problem"
Lady at the register at McDonalds says, "You need new tires"
Thats the exact thing I'm doing! My 355 is goin in tomorrow. Except i couldn't afford the paint for the engine bay. I hope you plan on headers.. my advice if you go with headers, put em in before the motor. Its WAY easier. Nice choice, and good luck.
thanks bro beleive it or not the paint cost about $30 it just took for ever to sand it the prime it and the i painted it with an automotive spray paint and it came out great i even tested to see how strong it was and perfect so if the headers take any off i got some to fix it.
30 dollars? I must have been lookin at the wrong paint.. the stuff i saw was like 120 for the entire thing. But the thing with the headers... with the air conditioning it might be hard to slide it in on the passenger side. But my ride didnt have ac and it was a tight fit. Why did you decide to switch to carb?
__________________ Kid with his 'modded' Integra(type-r!!!!) says, "I can burn out at 50 mph no problem"
Lady at the register at McDonalds says, "You need new tires"
i removed the a/c i dont need it windows are way better, i know how some people are on here about all the smog laws but florida doesnt enforce it so that not an issue, i just like carbs simple to work on a much cleaner look, i dont need a million wires and harnesses all that stuff. what about you?
Yea man i got tired of the computer issues with not enough air in the exhuast, too much air.. But eventually the 305 went poof and i finished my 355 so i went that way. I like the way the carbs look, and they are so much easier to work with. And the wires were gettin extremely annoying. I hope it works haha its my first build. Its going to be interesting with emmisions though.. Arizona is pretty strict.. and i got 3 foot pipes dumped at the tranny. No mufflers/cats and i got some Mickey Thompson slicks goin on this weekend too...
__________________ Kid with his 'modded' Integra(type-r!!!!) says, "I can burn out at 50 mph no problem"
Lady at the register at McDonalds says, "You need new tires"
man that sounds great. yea this is my first build so im hoping it goes good also. after this is down im goin to start with that chassis and suspension i think im goin with spohn for all that then the interior then paint maybe a 12 bolt rear end but that will probaly be next year when its tax time again
Yea man i hear ya. I got a lead on this 95 z28 posi axle with disks for like 200 dollars. Just gotta sell some bass equipment. But i cant decide on the suspension/chassis. I've been looking at some Eibach lowering springs and some new shocks and them Polygraphite performance bushings. But i dont know if my slicks will fit in the wheel wells. But i suppose i'll cross that bridge when i get there.
__________________ Kid with his 'modded' Integra(type-r!!!!) says, "I can burn out at 50 mph no problem"
Lady at the register at McDonalds says, "You need new tires"
Well everything coming to the end here are some better pics, motor is complete will take pics, going to put it in this weekend, then do the afpr, tune and bring it to my buddies shop for the tcc lockup kit
but how do you hook up the fpr because i have the same one. like do i have to force feed the fuel back to the tank or to i just hook the return line to the fpr?? where it says then another line back to the carb. also what did you do with all the wires?
the hose coming out of the bottom of the afpr is the return line, on the right is the fuel coming in from the tank and the hose on the left is the line going to the fuel log into the carb but i need to cut it and put the gauge in the line so i can see the psi, the hardware uses is 3/8 thread to 3/8 barb (or nipple ends) and 2- 3/8 block nuts, and the 3/8 braided fuel lines and on the fuel lines soming in i used a 3/8 for the fuel inlet and 5/16 for fuel return i have to find the receipt cause it was a different fitting the the afpr lmk if this helps just hook up the return line and adjust wires i removed the ecm anything that went to a sensor i took out i save the wires to the disty starter alternator oil pressure temp the lights and a couple of other things all these went itno the firewll on the driver side i kept all the wire just in case then i rigged that vats and i need to do the lockup coverter tom.
the hose coming out of the bottom of the afpr is the return line, on the right is the fuel coming in from the tank and the hose on the left is the line going to the fuel log into the carb but i need to cut it and put the gauge in the line so i can see the psi, the hardware uses is 3/8 thread to 3/8 barb (or nipple ends) and 2- 3/8 block nuts, and the 3/8 braided fuel lines and on the fuel lines soming in i used a 3/8 for the fuel inlet and 5/16 for fuel return i have to find the receipt cause it was a different fitting the the afpr lmk if this helps just hook up the return line and adjust
yes that helped and made sense to me thanks for your help and btw nice job with your motor i like it.
I'm thinking of doing the same thing with my 91 RS. The only question I have is what do I have to do with the in tank fuel pump? will it work with carb? I have a walbro 255 or do I need a fuel regulator?
__________________ 91 RS Conv 5spd swap in process
89 Camaro RS 5spd 305 TBI
85 z28 5spd Carb 350********Gone
87 Trans am ttop 5spd 305 TPI****Gone
I'm thinking of doing the same thing with my 91 RS. The only question I have is what do I have to do with the in tank fuel pump? will it work with carb? I have a walbro 255 or do I need a fuel regulator?
a carb does not need the rate of fuel the FI system needs so all you need is something like what i have the mallory 4309 adjustable feul pressure regulator hook that up and set you pressure and you will be good to use the intake fuel pump
the hose coming out of the bottom of the afpr is the return line, on the right is the fuel coming in from the tank and the hose on the left is the line going to the fuel log into the carb but i need to cut it and put the gauge in the line so i can see the psi, the hardware uses is 3/8 thread to 3/8 barb (or nipple ends) and 2- 3/8 block nuts, and the 3/8 braided fuel lines and on the fuel lines soming in i used a 3/8 for the fuel inlet and 5/16 for fuel return i have to find the receipt cause it was a different fitting the the afpr lmk if this helps just hook up the return line and adjust wires i removed the ecm anything that went to a sensor i took out i save the wires to the disty starter alternator oil pressure temp the lights and a couple of other things all these went itno the firewll on the driver side i kept all the wire just in case then i rigged that vats and i need to do the lockup coverter tom.
So after swapping in the new motor and converting to carb and removing the computer and all wiring do I still need to overide vats?
Almost.
the vats Module will be connected to the back side of the defroster ducts, on the right side. this means that you have to take out the dash, dash support, and all air ducts.
after doing my research if you are running you stock ECM, removing the vats module and grounding the start relay, your car will not run, with out the ECM being reprogrammed. the ECM will look for a coded sycle from the VATS Module. (will say PASS KEY on it)
I found this. It says that the computer will look for a signal from vats before starting so if no computer it won't look for the signal and start anyway? Atleast thats what I gather from this post I found
__________________ 91 RS Conv 5spd swap in process
89 Camaro RS 5spd 305 TBI
85 z28 5spd Carb 350********Gone
87 Trans am ttop 5spd 305 TPI****Gone
I found this. It says that the computer will look for a signal from vats before starting so if no computer it won't look for the signal and start anyway? Atleast thats what I gather from this post I found
Yeah if you take all the computer crap out it should work fine being a carb engine.
So i got the motor in i will have pics tom. got the alternator,starter, battery, dizzy, fan, fuel pump wire up, had to bypass the starter enable relay cause of the vats. then when the fuel came to the fuel log i had a leak so i will deal with that in the morning a couple of little things to do then i hope it will fire up
so i still cant get it to start i think my timing is off it just cranks will not fire up so today i gonna work on it and see where i get will let everyone know
looks good so how's she running? I've been slacking off on my swap. I got the 350 carb in everything mounted. but i have not installed the trans, distributor or plug wires. I'm also going with SS fuel lines so I need to figure out how i'm going to run them.
__________________ 91 RS Conv 5spd swap in process
89 Camaro RS 5spd 305 TBI
85 z28 5spd Carb 350********Gone
87 Trans am ttop 5spd 305 TPI****Gone
its running great just finished tuning today. it a beast goin tom. to get the drag radial on and then put some miles on her and see how it goes she has only gone around the block
I was happy to see your thread. We are just getting ready to order a 383 Blueprint Crate from Summit and will be starting our project in the next 2 weeks. We are replacing the stock 305 TBI on the 92 rally Sport and look to do the same as you however we need the heater in Colorado but have not yet decided on the AC. Put in a 10 bolt 373 Posi from a iroc 2 weeks ago, big change over the 308 gears but whines under load. Thanks for the great info on the Mallory, did your 89 with TBI have a sufficient return line fro fuel or did you run another?
I was happy to see your thread. We are just getting ready to order a 383 Blueprint Crate from Summit and will be starting our project in the next 2 weeks. We are replacing the stock 305 TBI on the 92 rally Sport and look to do the same as you however we need the heater in Colorado but have not yet decided on the AC. Put in a 10 bolt 373 Posi from a iroc 2 weeks ago, big change over the 308 gears but whines under load. Thanks for the great info on the Mallory, did your 89 with TBI have a sufficient return line fro fuel or did you run another?
srry i didnt see this post the other day the return line was fine i have had no problems
Your Engine looks great. Ended up getting a good rblt 350 instead of the 383 and ready to start pulling the 305 tonight! Excited and scared at the same time. I am concerned about all the electronic stuff that will be disconnected and not used anymore. Did you have any good reference book/site/article to tell you what needed to be hooked up or bypassed in order to make the ECM happy? Thx.