I have plans to swap an engine from a Buick Grand National into my 92 Camaro RS with a 3.1. I am looking for ANY help or suggestions, but mainly: Will the 3.8 turbo bolt up to the chassis and T-5 tranny? Will it fit under the hood? Will it require any electronic work such as ECM, computer, etc.? Exhaust? Any thing that you submit will be helpful. Thanx!!!

 

Im sure you will end up with pretty much a Grand National with a camaro shell.

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1992 Camaro RS 3.1L
T5 Manual 5 speed
Cold/RAM air intake
Z-28 Exhaust
8.5mm MSD Ignition wires
TB Coolant bypass

Kills:

95 (****) Probe GT
94 Mustang GT
91 CRX (dont ask me why he raced me)
2nd Gen Z28 (350) haha to you V8 guys!
1992 RS 305 TBI (good race)
More to come

 

nothing you can't over come. i'd get everything from the GN. all the hardwear ,fittings, harnesses. anything and everything. it'll fit i'm sure and it should bolt up to your bell houseing as far as i know.

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-=ICON MOTORSPORTS=-
1st & 3rd

 

I don't know what's involved in the swap but I've seen it done in many magazines. It'll fit with little problems.

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Stephen's racing page

87 IROC-Z Pro ET Bracket Race Car
383 stroker (carbed) with double hump cast iron heads and pump gas
454 Big Block buildup now in progress for the 2001 racing season

Best results before the 383 blew up
Best ET on a time slip: 11.857 altitude corrected to 11.163
Best MPH on a time slip: 117.87 altitude corrected to 126.10
Best 60 foot: 1.662

Racing at 3500 feet elevation but most race days it's over 5000 feet density altitude!
Member of the Calgary Drag Racing Association

87 IROC bracket car
91 454SS daily driver
95 Homebuilt Harley

 

There was a 90 or so at the Moroso a few night ago. It had a turbo V6, I assume it was a GN motor. Car broke on the long end (tranny?) but out of the gate it ran like a scalded dog!

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1992 Pontiac Firebird 350/Six Speed
1987 Toyota Pickup 383/500+ HP

 

It will work. GM built the Turbo T/A in 1989...remember???? Just make sure you get everything and anything that you could possibly need. Good luck.

Tim

 

Also, try checking some of the 20th Anniversary turbo T/A sites out on the web.

Tim

[This message has been edited by TimRS (edited December 05, 2000).]

 

You'll need the cylinder heads from a 3.8 FWD Buick LeSabre...the stock GN heads are too wide to fit the engine bay; also will need mounts for designed for the TTA...be aware the stock bellhousing will not fit the Buick engine. As far as wiring, i'm not sure, but I can imagine a nightmare trying to interface the two systems together; for the exhaust, use factory TTA parts or seek out aftermarket pieces (I'm not sure what is available for them).

Pete

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Pete's Place
HiOutput <a href="http://www.hioutput.com/rpmworld.html">Virtual Racing Team</a>

<IMG SRC="http://www.hioutput.com/pics/SC.gif" TITLE="Pete's 83 SC">
My 83 SC...(originally V6) 201,900 mile LG4/5-speed from an 84 Z28, 3.42 one-tire-fryer, T-tops, PW, PH, boxed LCA's, Hedman Hedders and y-pipe, Dynomax cat-back, .420" lift cam, custom air induction .....best ET is 14.935@94.14</P>

 

This has been done, I will have to do some digging to find the guy's name and phone number, but he put a Turbo Buick in an 87 IROC convertible a few years ago. The trans won't work without an adapter plate, and Buick engines don't need the 3.06:1 first gear anyways. A 2004R with an aftermarket torque arm is the best bet. Caspers Electronics makes a harness to do the swap. Get the ECM from GM and the prom from a reputable Buick tune shop. Exhaust is definately an ATR purchase. Motor mounts i'm not sure about, I think you will need to drill some holes. The stock GN heads and headers will fit contrary to the above post. The only reason the TTA has different parts is GM discontinued the earlier design after the turbo cars were done. Beware of your stock rearend. Buick torque is known to destroy 7.5's with regularity.

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Torque is KING!
All pray to the god of grunt! When ye thinkth ye has been whupped than shall ye meet the mighty Buick! For none can surpass her majestic power, and all will yet try. All pray to the god of grunt. For the King of torque has arrived!
1. 82 Camaro+ 1. 455" Buick+ 1. N2O plate = YOUR WORST FRIGGIN NIGHTMARE!!!
Da Problem Child
ProbChldR@aol.com

 

This entire topic is covered in the FAQ. What is contained there conflicts with some of what has been said here.

 

What I've read is that the Regal exhaust manifolds won't fit, so you'll have to get manifolds for a TTA. But GM only has one side still in production, and you'd have to find the other piece used or something. At least that's what I remember reading.

 

Get a t5,clutch,flywheel,etc out of a 95 up maro with the 3.8. You do have to change the heads and the exhaust manifold for one side has been discontinued from gm(believe its the pass side.). Maybe just get the whole drivetrain from a 95 up v6 maro, firebird, and the gn. You should have everything then. Sounds like plenty of work to me.

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87z 383,afr 190's, crane hyd roller(224/230-.509/.528,112 sep),Ported and polished mini ram, 30lb inj, 3.42 gears, strange 12 bolt, tremec 5spd, , 1,3/4" slp headers.

 

I would first like to thank every one for their in put. Second, i checked the faq page, and tried to contact Steve Kaminski Turbo High Performance but got a disconnected number. Are they out of business? If not do they have a web site or a new number?

Thanx

 

Actually you can use the Buick Heads and Headers but you will have to remove the A/C. The reason for the Heads is not for Shock Tower Clearence its for the Bracketry to run A/C. The Buick Motor is actually easier to change plugs in than a TTA Motor in an F-body.

You will need to make a Custom Downpipe though if you stay with the Buick Heads.

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Mike
1989 Turbo Trans-Am
11.25@121.25
Only had the valve covers off once... 106K miles and still going. 300+ Runs.

1998 Trans-Am LS1 6 Speed
13.10@106 Bone Factory Stock

 

AKA Turbo Trans AM

 

Uhh, Mike? Those are some pretty sick ETs there.. I'm guessing your TT/A isn't stock, and I'm quite interested in just what you did to it to get that kinda speed out of it.. asking because I'm considering a 2.8 to 3.8 GN swap also.

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'86 Camaro SC, black /w silver stripes
MSD Coil, Accel 8mm wires, splitfire plugs.. need a job to get this list longer

 

Aside from the usual stupid crap K&N, Gut the Cat, 160 Thermo, Chip stuff like that..

I added a Bigger Turbo, Strech Intercooler, 50lb Injectors and a 3 Inch Downpipe.

The Motor is stock. Stock Bottom end, Cam, Heads, Intake, Throttle Body, Headers.. bla bla.. The only thing that has been changed in the motor is the Valve Springs.

I still run the Stock Convertor with 3.27 Gears.

If you know what your doing these cars will FLY with almost nothing done to them. The Trick is knowing what to touch and what to leave alone.

This is a Street car. Not a Race Car that runs on the street. I drive it to Bristol Tennessee to go racing once a year. My Mom takes it to the store every once inawhile and has no idea she is in a low 11 second car. Its almost totally quiet and looks bone stock.

If your sick of the unstreetability of a Carb'd V8 then you might wanna look into the swap. Its not cheap to do but once its together its really cheap to go fast.







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Mike
1989 Turbo Trans-Am
11.25@121.25
Only had the valve covers off once... 106K miles and still going. 300+ Runs.

1998 Trans-Am LS1 6 Speed
13.10@106 Bone Factory Stock

[This message has been edited by TTA (edited December 20, 2000).]

 

Hey Mike whats up,looks like everybody wants to make their own TTA

My swap is underway also(87 GN motor in an 89 GTA)and I should have it at Bristol next year(I'll be the RED TTA),driving it of course.You should be in the 10's by then too right

As for the swap,if I can help anyone please E-Mail me TTA850@aol.com .I would suggest dumping the T-5(it'll break in two anyway)and go with the 200R4 from a TR.Basically,if you try to duplicate a stock TTA and get used to tuning it as if it were a stock TTA you will be happier in the long run(ie,build it to stock TTA specs)unless of course you have experience with Turbo Buicks then by all means go nuts.

Steve

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TTA#124-129,bone stock.Cloth/T-Top Festival car
TTA#850,bone stock,best 13.68@100
TTA#861(almost sold),near stock,best 11.99@112.26
TGTA#01,nowhere near stock,9's or bust
Pics and info on My Cars
TTA850@TurboBuicks.com

[This message has been edited by TTA850 (edited December 20, 2000).]

 

This 3.8 liter motor kicks butt. I've owned 4 corvettes 1981,1986,1993 and a 1995 twin turbo stealth and nothing pins you to the seat like a 3.8 turbo. I'm now on my third 3.8 I had two 1987 grand nationals pervious to my TTA.

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3.8 turbo 20th anniversary transam #497 first owed by Clifford Williams, Bass player from rock band AC/DC

 

I'm curious. If you put a turbocharger on a V8 that was built to handle it, would it be faster than the V6 Turbo? Or is it that the V6 takes the turbo much better than the V8 ever could? I don't see many turbo V8s, but I see a lot of V6 turbos. And from what I see, the V6 is faster. How come?

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1989 IROC-Z Convertible
305 TPI automatic
White with black top
Mods:
None to date... Working on it!!!
My webpage: http://mindspring.com/~humvee