So ive been looking around and researching engines for a while and been trying to decide what to put in my 91 camaro. im now thinking the motor from the 2010 camaro would be pretty sweet. im wondering if anyone else has done this yet and what kind of probems they ran into. i also have been looking on hawks at the products they have for swapping the ls1 and im wondering if theyll work for the ls3 such as the plug and play. if you have some information itd be much apreciated. thank you

you'll have to get a few different electronics pieces but other than that you're set. the ls3 is gen 4 and the ls1 is gen 3 they just moved knock sensors, cam position sensor, and you'll need a map adapter harness

A few people here have done the LS3 swap, maybe not specifically a 2010 Camaro pullout but the LS3 nonetheless. Search this forum for it.

I'm probably about 80% done swapping in a 2008 aluminum 6.2L (while keeping the variable-valve-timing) into my '89 GTA - and I can't imagine that the 2010 engine would be very different...

You can take a look at my build thread right here... (Of course I'm doing a fair bit more than just the engine & transmission too.)

Hope this helps.

hey rumble, how much you spent on this build?

That's like asking a woman how much she weighs. . .

Yeah, no kidding! I've been trying not to think about that particular facet of the build, especially because I still need to do a few things, like get the ECM programmed, finish the exhaust, etc. But having said that, I got a pretty darn good deal on the engine, & I've been able to haggle & deal on most of the stuff.

I'll leave it at this - It was a lot easier to justify it when I had my last job & was making a GOOD bit more than I am now...

ha, the only reason i ask is because it seems like a lotta money to put a brand new all aluminum engine like that into a third gen

Train wreck prices.

Yeah, I can see that - but at the same time, take a look at the most-recent issue of Popular Hot Rodding, the cover article is '178 Real-World Readers' Rides' or something like that. If you notice how much many of them have said that they've spent ($50,000 even 75,000 and more!) for cars that are usually using 40 or 50 year old engine designs... Man, I'd barely qualify as a "poor country cousin"!

Also -

1 - These are pretty capable cars. Living near the mountains like I do, I've had the opportunity to get some real work out of my car's suspension. Taking the extra 100 lbs or so off the nose is only going to make that better.

2 - I'm really fortunate, in that I've been able to start with a fairly low-mileage car (it shows about 78k or 82k miles on the clock right now) that's in good shape. I've also replaced a few "wear items" like ball joints, A-arm bushings & the like, so once this swap is complete, I'm expecting to get several more years out of the car - so if you look at it that way, maybe it's not quite so bad.

3 - For the money spent, I figure that I'll have a fairly capable car, one that's more than capable of embarrassing owners of cars that cost several times as much. Now hopefully I won't succumb to those urges very often, but once every great while, you run into some arrogant preppie dork in his Biff-mobile...

4 - I've always loved cars that were sleepers. I currently have the quietest performance muffler that I could find on this car - until I open the electric cutout. And having an honest 403 SAE-certified flywheel HP with a dead-quiet idle just might be kind of fun...

5 - WHEN the price of gas goes up again, I should be able to continue to drive the car for at least a while longer just because of the incredible jump in efficiency. Seriously, I don't think that anyone here wants to drive a Prius... :vomit: (I apologize if this point gives anyone nightmares...)

6 - It's one HECK of a learning experience, & I should be able to use the experience I've gained for the rest of my life. I already save at least several hundred dollars a year on automotive maintenance/repair costs, expanding that skill-set certainly isn't going to hurt me any.

(Have I made enough excuses yet??)

BTW, five7kid is right - I lucked out & got the engine literally because of a train wreck, so I was able to get it for half-price. Yeah, it came with a busted intake manifold, but I would've needed to replace that anyway to fit under the hood - and I was able to sell the busted intake at a swap meet (because it still had injectors, fuel rails, sensors, etc.) to get some of that money back.

To the original poster - I apologize for hijacking your thread to discuss my own project, I'll bow out now & let you get "back on track"...

Just about any LS is going to be a big improvement over whatever your car came with. I'm doing it because most of the clutter underhood is far simplified, and it'll be easier to make the LS legal when testing comes to my area. Trying to piece together enough of a TPI, well, some of it just can't be found anymore. Sure, some places offer complete kits, but $3500, with no upgrades of injectors or TB or FPR or the base or runners, (TPiS) is more than I'll spend to do this, and get this legal, and I still end up with another 100 horses or more over what those stock TPI bits can support. The LS3 may be best, but you don't have to start there to end up there.

ok, i see your point

I think if you want to run the 6-speed automatic that comes with the new Camaro you may have to do a LOT of chopping on the trans tunnel, that thing looks huge!!!

Building a car worth having takes more coin than ANYONE wants to spend. Once its done I seldom if ever see anyone have regrets though. Especially these LS swaps mine has been so fun and reliable and easy to drive I could write a book but I practically have with all the posts I've made about it.

Always going to have the naysayers think your nuts but are we living life to please them or ourselves? I never needed anyone elses approval to follow my dreams no matter how absurd they may be.

All said and done a 6.2L swap is going to cost some good coin but it will be a completely bitching ride. Another thing to consider nowadays is LS1's in good condition with low miles are getting increasingly more difficult to find so a complete rebuild is often in order. This puts the cost factor against a newer LS3 swap much closer.

Plus consider that most of the guys who rave about LS1 swaps did them when no one else could or was brave enough. Once the book was written on how to do it...well just look at the swappers going ape nuts now

If you swap an LS3 and do a real sweet job of it and post up how to do it you'll only inspire other to follow your lead. Its a give and take here on the internets...

Good luck whatever route you choose