Ok here's the story. I've got a 1985 camaro with the weak 2.8 liter MPFI in it. It's got the stock 700r4 v6 trans as well. I would like to put a 350 in it. I've found someone selling a 1976 Pontiac 350 (5.7L) engine out of an old Delta 88 Royale. It has all the accessories, the TH350 transmission with it, and it's got low miles. Now, other than exaust and the obvious motor mount stuff, what else will need to change? I realise I will probably need to rig an old school fuel pump in, as mine is controlled by the ECM I believe. Also, I will be totally getting rid of the computer as it will no longer have a purpose. Will I need to do anything with the crossmember? Has anyone put a TH350 in a 3rd gen? I'm almost positive the 350 will fit, as Pontiac's 350's are almost identical to chevys. I'm a little worried about the trans bolting in tho... Regardless, please send me any and all your thoughts! Thanks a lot!!!!

-Jordan Brown

 

LOL, I have both.

350 eng/350 turbo tranny

Goes in with ease, good luck man. Sorry I'm not informative, Im eating just wanted to let you know it'll all fit.

 

Thanks! But can you gimma a little more info when you get a chance? I take it u had the 2.8 liter in her before? What mods did u need? What year is the engine? Thanks again man!

-Jordan

 

Pontiac 350 is not the same as small block Chevy 350. Next to nothing in common (air cleaner may fit), doesn't mount the same as a SBC, etc.

Can it be done? Sure, most anything can be done. But, if you're going to put a Pontiac engine into a 3rd gen, at least make it a 455.

The V6 to V8 swap itself isn't a cake walk, either.

 

Oh sweet lord, Not a V6 to V8 swap. 305-350, easy stuff. V6 to V8, as said many times before, no walk in the park. And my engine is from the late 60's . I love her to death, but try finding parts for it...

Anyway, good luck with ur project, Im no mechanic by any means, trust me you dont want me to walk you thru this project

 

76 Pontiac 350?

Hate to say this... but your 2.8 probably makes more power. You'd have to rebuild that 350 with something other than a lame cam and no compression to get it to perform respectably.

 

Yeah, I think im skipping that idea. I found a kid selling a z28 engine and t5 trans for like $300. It's the TBI 350 that came on them in 92 i think. It will all just drop right in with some light mods to the center console and crossmember i think.

 

TBI never came with a 350 in the camaro..

Pontiac 350 is: 3.875 Bore / 3.75" Strock = 353.8 cu.in

 

Perhaps u meant tPi

 

don't use the pontiac 350. the pontiac 350 is the equivalent of a 305 chevy, small bore so it can't breath well and doesn't make power. get a 350 chevy. As for the v6 to v8 swap I'm 18 i did it last year to my Camaro and as long as you aren't installing a computer controlled engine you can just use the v6 wiring harness and splice certain things. The computer won't do anything but cause the "service Engine" light so I took the bulb out of the gauge. As for the rest of the swap changing motor mounts is the hardest part. And you'll need a tach cause the one in the car will read 7000 when your really at 4500. Kinda cool.

 

Yeah, I found it's actually an Ol's 350. Also, since you seem to know quite a bit on the electrical side of the conversion, can you send me an email or post on what you needed to splice and where you got your diagrams etc? That would help me a ton. I think I'm going to be going for this 92 z28 engine with the 5 speed instead. Simpler swap, no overdrive, and NO ECM woohoo. Thanks again!

-Jordan

 

Olds 350 is the best one..
its got 4.057 bore - 3.385 strock
comes with 6" rods standard, 1.77:1 rod/strock ratio.
I bet it wont hook up to the chevy trans..

Tho Lingenfelter said it was based on the chevy 350 ..

 

Nope, you have to use a BOP transmission. I used to have an olds 350 in my 82 regal, also had a chevy 350 in it. Swapping to an olds mobile in a thirdgen is going to net you the same type of problems as a poncho motor will. exhaust, motor mounts, trans adapation to the tourqe arm, which isn't a big deal if you get the swap kit.
There's an aftermarket poncho company that makes a swap kit, poncho engines into a 3rd gen. I think the idea is really cool If someone would make some good exhaust for it, it would be a heck of alot easier.

 

Don't waste your time and money on a Pontiac 350... they are worse than a 305, because at least the 305 Chevy has an aftermarket, wereas the P-350 is junk, and has no aftermarket.

The only Pontiac engines worth putting in anything are the 400ci (4.125 x 3.75 I beleive) and the 455ci (4.155 x 4.25 I think)

Anything smaller than a 400 is junk, except maybe the 389, but thats worth too much to use in a 3rdgen anyway, lol.

 

??

All pontiac engines are the same, its like a small block chevy but worse. You can't tell the difference between a 350-400-455, and some others but I can't think of them. anything you can buy for a 400 you can buy and put on a 350, heads/cam/intake/exhaust, whatever. yeah running a 400 or 455 would be better but if he only has a 350 then thats what he has. One of the good things about these engines is the tourqe and long rods they put in them.
Jason

 

I've never seen a Poncho 350 or 455, but the 400 mills I've had had the "400" cast in the block for ease of ID .

I think the P-350 is better than the chebby 305, but never, ever, een if offered for free, get a 301 :nono: