In due time...(when i get the money....but i'm getting there) i will join the rare breed of 2.8 V6 to 350 V8 Swap People
I'm prepared for the long road ahead to pull this off...but hey...the only good thing i can say is that i have some good connections so the swap won't cost as much for me ...i'll save a few hundred bucks...but still....its pretty expensive..
give me good luck
also any advice is in open arms to me


-'89 Firebird 2.8L V6
Flowmaster, Y pipe, K & N Filter

 

Good luck with your swap, "I'm in the process" myself. It seems never ending...

2 Snags that wake me up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat are changing the motor mounts using the vice/grip holding an open end wrench (A patented idea ) I did this before but it took a better part of a day and a lot of 4 letter words.

The brake line move doesn't scare me too much. I know it bends pretty easily.. as long as I don't kink it.

The prob I'm still wondering about is I have the full harness from an 86 camaro 350, going into a 88 2.8, whether or not the pin-outs for the drivers side junction block is the same. Like, ditch the computer, pull the harness out of the pass side, unhook the junction on the drivers side, horns/lights, everything, and just plug the new harness in with the new computer and everything will work ok. Except the fans, I have a v8 radiator and flex-lite duals, I got the hypertech fan switch for the cylinder head and will wire this two trigger two relays so both fans are dependant on the switch, not the computer.

Another problem I know i'm going to have is snapping all the trans x-member bolts off. They are seized (I already tryed to loosen them and snapped one, so I might as well snap all them off and try retapping through them)

I am changing the axle from a 3.27 9 bolt to a 3.42 10 bolt, panhard rod, lca's, and I think sfc are a good addition. I'm going to try out the v6 springs, I don't see how my v8 is going to weigh so much more than the v6 to make a difference. It's too high in the front anyway.

http://www.geocities.com/joelol75/index.html


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'88 Camaro RS 2.8L
'88 Formula 350 (Too many mods to list...)

 

You got your work cut out for you.
1 quick question.....i know i need new springs, but do i need a new tranny?
I'm not sure about that.
I'm gonna start heading out to junkyards and stuff to see what i can find. I'll prolly go with my dad cuz of his connections, and him being a car dealer and all.
the funny thing is ...i dunno know about you but i came to a realization not so long ago....cars have personalities...and now that i have been wanting to get the V8 my car has been going faster than normal...funny as hell. This is the same car that tries to make me look stupid everytime it gets a chance. Thing is i love my car to death and i wouldn't trade it for nothing.... so i'm getting a new engine. You probably like your car a lot too...cuz of going to the trouble of changing engines and stuff. Tell me more.

Keoki(Hawaiian for my real name)

 

The v6 trans won't bolt to the v8. If you are not going TPI there are some other problems, like the fuel lines are on the wrong side of the motor, the fuel pump needs to be removed from the tank and a piece of hose put in its place and the stock fuel filter can't (or shouldn't) be used for the carb, put a universal between the fuel pump and the carb. You need the v8 mounts, and the holes are already in the frame for them, but getting the nuts on the backside is a challenge. The radiator needs to go for a bigger one.... can't think of too much more.

Ohhh... The v6 tach needs to be swapped out for a v8 tach.

 

I'm planning the same swap. I priced parts at autozone.
motor mounts $8.99
radiator $113
z28 springs $130 (front and rear)
I have an engine and tranny, the tranny needs rebuilt and the kit is $113.

 

Im doing the v6 to v8 swap in my 84 camaro.I just installed the v8 motor mounts.Its a tight fit but it can be done.I used a socket extension and swivel on the backside.I used a little silicon to hold the washer on and duct tape to hold the nut and washer to the socket.I took the computer and harness out.Im installing a tubo 350 trans with a kit to bolt the torque arm up.I also had to move the brake line backon the crossmember.So far it is coming along.I plan to keep my v6 springs installed as I plan to bracket race the car .They allow for better weight transfer.There are some things that have to be changed but I think the swap can be managed if you can do without the computer

 

I plan to be one of the elite too. I'll be putting an aluminum block, twin turboed monster where the V6 used to be. I think I'll have my work cut out for me for the next 20 years, lol.

 

yes, i am too one of the fine, the few V8 swapperees. what engine i am gonna put in there changes about everyweek. i was just gonna throw a 350 together and put in, get things lined out. well, then a guy i know has a excellent running 400 he is gonna sell me. so i was gonna put that in there, well he has put off pulling the 400 out of his truck so i was going back to the 350 since it was cheap, then i could build the 400 like i wanted(good pistons, balanced, etc...)well, i talked to him tonight and he said he is gonna pull it out in the next week. i told him i was glad to told me so i didnt start spending money on the wrong engine, lol.
so far on my swap, i have taken the V6 mounts off, havent put the V8's in. i have cut out almost everything i dont need in the wiring harness(oh that was an adventure). then engine bay is bare as my ex gf's, wait nevermind bout all that. i need to get the V8 brake line, V8 mounts, i am going with energy suspensions mounts. i am going to run a long shaft TH350 with conversion kit and stock driveshaft(any idea how to get the speedo to work? its an 89 V6 bird, i know the VSS wont work.)
thats all i can think of at the moment. i am sure i will run into more snags as the process goes. right now my baby is engineless, sniffe sniffle, and dammit, i need something with a V8 to drive. lol.

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Wide Open Till You See God...Then Brake

 

Well, I'm in there with YOU guys...Putting a 350 in My '83 Firebird where a 2.8 used to be...I have an entire parts car for the computer & harness, suspension, transmission/torque arm/drive shaft, fuel line, radiator, accessory brackets, pullys, complete exhaust system, sending units, etc...I wasted the summer away and am way behind in my progress. I will move the engine frame mounts the same time I do the spring swap so I can get to the nuts up inside the frame. Fun fun...

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'83 Trans Am clone;
700R-4, 3.42:1 rearend, Z-28 suspension, H.O. dual snorkel air cleaner, H.O. exhaust manifolds & system, 180* 'stat, stock ECM. Awaiting 350 swap with CompCams 212/218 --.444/.444 -- 110* LSA

 

its great to see all of you(extremely ambitious..if you know what i mean)f-body lovers pulling off such feats.
I hope all your work is met with great pride and happiness.
Good Luck!

 

Thanks guys, i feel great! I didn't know I was part of an elite group. That just made my day. Good luck to everybody doing the swap. I swapped the 2.8 for a 350 in my '84 about two years ago. Learned a lot and enjoyed all of it. I'm glad to realize that I can look back at changing those motor mounts and laugh now. I know I was in no mood to talk about it back then though. I ended up gluing the nuts back in place to hold them inside the crossmember while I started all the bolts from the top. My swap wasn't as hard as some of yours. I just went for the basic, vac. advance HEI, carb setup, so wiring was easy. A few notes about questions asked above: you don't really have to change springs. I didn't. Search the archives, there have been a few discussions about that. And the transmissions. If automatic, they have to be swapped. If manual, they can be made to work. Again, good luck.

 

you said you got a kit for the torqe arm that is something im i need of so it you can e-mail me where and how much it runs$$ at hiker5601@yahoo.com

 

the swap was the easy part for me in my 84 bird sold the baby 2.8 for 400 bigones buyeing me one mean 383 stroker which fell in the hole just like it lived there before and those motor mounts are the pain arnt they i found the easy way to deal with them get a good zall saw and cut the heads off then to replace the bolts run string though the holes and pull the new ones in upside down cuase its much easier to get on the head of the bolt then it is getting a tool on the nut the( problem i ran in to is the torqe arm i tryed everything and everything just seem to snap under pressure of take off when to the floor i was told they have mounting kitts but not able to find any so if any one would be so kind as to point me in the right direction id be glade to go that way; also i need some pointer as to where i can find a hood with enough room to clear the to 850 double pumper and fan with out cutting the hood till i find one my baby is naked and open to the theves around town.) Good luck with your swapps may they be fruitfull

 

can i just jump in here a sec???

why do you need a kit for the torque arm???just too bolt it up or make it stronger???

and is a 2.8 v6 rear end strong enough too take a 350???

how much power will a v6 rear end take???


hmm anyone think i can wedge a buick 350x in there???

it not a big block but its bigger than a chevy 350.



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