First of all i have a 1984 pontiac firebird with the 2.8l 700r4 trans and 3.23 gears, what engine should i put in? need opinions. id put in a 350 but the gas prices r too high, so if my motor goes out i wanted to go the best route.

P.S. if u think i should put in the 3.4 just add a reply. cuz i forgot to add the 1 to the poll. thanx

 

If I were you, I'd try to find a 3.4 longblock. The 3.4 is externally the same size as your 2.8, but offers an extra 50 ft-lbs of tourque, and 25 more horsepower than the 2.8. Everything will bolt right up IIRC, and you can top it off w/ an aftermarket cam, a little headwork, and a bit of a tune. I bet you could get 225 horse/275 ft-lbs w/ a 3.4.

You can probably drop at least a second off your quarter mile and you'll still have that near 50/50 weight distribution common w/ our v6 brethren.

Plus it'll look just as stock as before...better to fool ppl into races with.

 

well i was looking on this new motor from gm, its a replacement 4 the carbed 2.8 s10 motors but wasnt sure if itll work or not?(3.4)

 

look for the thread 3.4 swap boogie ?

the 3.4 is a bolt in swap. Everything is reused.

 

I think GM discontinued that motor right?

 

My vote is a 3.4L

 

I think hes talking about the reman. 2.8L there like new. But yea they stoped making 2.8L
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I would stay with the 2.8L they are good motors. IMO

 

Not sure but i seen it on this website Chevy 350 Engines, New Chevy Crate Engines & Rebuilt Engines for Chevrolet . it said it was a new product so i think they remade them.

 

and if you are worried about gas prices stay away from the 5.0L gas hogs

 

oh, seems that they still do make the thing

but like the others, my vote is on 3.4.

 

why stay with a 2.8, if a 3.4 is externally identical, AND has an extra 50ft-lbs of torque and an extra 25 horses?

sounds like you're shooting yourself in the foot if you ask me...
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Not out to flame you or anything, but my v8 (350HO, carb, 700r4) just got 23MPG on a 900 mile road trip, averaging 80MPH the whole way...and I've seen other members on here w/ more rear gear, and more horsepower, getting even better fuel mileage than myself.

 

How good r the 3.4l like in dependability becuz i want something dependable with some power.

 

iv seen his car and his motor is fine it would be a waste of money and time to put a 3.4 or 5.7 in it when theres nothing wrong with the 2.8L

 

yeah, im might go ahead with the 3.4l to give it alittle more power, like ppl said the 3.4 has just as much power as the 5.0, let me know how good the 3.4 is.
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im looking to add some more hp to my bird. i think the 2.8l only has a 107hp stock. mine i probaly have 140hp with the upgrades and the stuff done to it.

 

Id go a 3.8! One out of a newer camaro or bird... I had a 99' 3.8 camaro and that thing was incredibly fast and great on gas! Thats just my opinion, if your wanting the gas milege. BTW there are quite a few aftermarket parts for that motor too!

What do you guys think about the 3.8?

 

can u convert the 3.8l into a carb, i want that old school feeling.

 

Not sure?

That would kill its gas milege though... You can get bigger injectors and throttle body and all that stuff!

If you want milege and power, Id go 3.8, and upgrade the fuel system (not needed).

If you want the carb and power, I would go 305, no question about it...

 

I like the power of the 3.8, but the other V-6 guys say it's a real hassle to do. But I think they refer to it like that if you swap over the wiring too. Not to sure about the carb idea, but i think you'll need a new tranny and all that other stuff where as the 3.4 reuses more less what you got.

 

The 3.4 mounts like the 2.8. There's a tech article about that swap. I've never heard any reliability issues with the 3.4.

The 3.8 is a completely different animal. If you want old-school, you aren't talking about anything made since the 3rd gens came out. If you get something later, you're going to have fun putting a distributor on it.

3.4 or small block Chevy. Or, be realistic and keep the 2.8.

 

put a lt1 t56 in it... ive seen them for less then 2g's for the pair... you can get like 30 mpg with them tooo

 

455 Pontiac

 

J/k

niceroc, where is the how to on that? You should link, it would help talk the guy into it!

 

Or you could just read the sticky. . .

 

I have one I could sell him too...That needs to be built....I put a 400 pontiac in an 87 GTA T-5....It was awesome...
DO THIS MAN>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>455 ALL THE WAY!

 

I have an 83 trans am i put a 350 in it with a holley 650 and the gas mil is not that bad and the parts are so easy to get forget the 5.0 and go with a vortec 4.3 liter or a 5.7 the 4.3 is very reliable and close to a v8 in torq

 

i would but i want something with a carb.

 

I think your goals are contradicting if you want the old school feel of a carb, yet want good gas milage. smaller engine + carb will most likely give you worse gas milage and certainly less power than a larger engine with fuel injection.

 

I think the 3.4 crate engine comes ready for a carb right? I think that would probably be your best bet if you really want carb and some decent gas mileage. Anyone else have thoughts on this??

 

yeah i think im going to get a 3.4l, im worried if i get the reman. 2.8l itll go bad again becuz of the crankshaft.

 

If you want gas mileage buy a 4cyl daily driver and keep the bird as a project car. As was already said the LT1 swap would be my 1st choice. Not too expensive really and just takes some time. Gas mileage on the LT1s isnt that bad. Probably better MPG than any carbed V6.

 

At this point if it gets better than 15mpg it gets good gas milage to me.lol

 

A fuel injected motor is not at all a bad thing and you can just about put a carb on anything if you really want to its the wallet that it hurts and the 4.3 leaves alot of room in front of the engine for turbo or what ever else If i could do it again I would go with the 5.7 or 4.3

 

4.3L

 

can u add a carb to a 4.3l?

 

Ive seen it done. Dont know with what though... from what your wanting from a motor Id say go 4.3 or 5.0.. You can do alot with both engines and there are so many parts out there for them...

And you should be able to swap fairly easy..

 

There is a carbbed V-6 in some older astro vans..A 4bbl at that...Maby you could find one in a salvage yard

 

Yeah you can put a carb on a 4.3 I have an 88 astro van for a work van its got a tbi which is almost the same thing just the comp. runs it and it gets good gas for a van i would find one out of probably a 93 gmc with the vortec seriously that engine is bad *** i had one it would light the tires up nice plus it did not eat my pocket. Im sure you would really like that engine in a t-a. If you dont end up doing it i will next year probably i believe that engine stock produced 300 ft lbs of torque and if you wanted to get crazy with it you will probably have the room for dual turbos just dont let piggys see under your hood lol

 

Well, the regular vortec was 200 hp dunno the torque, but the turbo one from the syclones was 280 hp and 360 ft-lbs of torque. Yeah those 4.3s are pretty powerful.