1998 z28 donor swap into third gen camaro
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1998 z28 donor swap into third gen camaro
I Have a 1998 camaro z28 6 speed manual(daily driver) and I want to motor and tranny swap to A third gen. Do I need to buy anything else? Does everything interchange? If I buy an automatic third gen can I take everything from my 4 gen to make it manual? Please include personal experiences as well if you have done the swap with A donor car. I want to know everything I can about what I need to get and any tips about doing the swap.
Last edited by Vance1; Sep 18, 2018 at 02:20 AM.
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Joined: Jun 2002
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From: North East GA
Car: 1989 Firebird
Engine: 5.7 LS1
Transmission: T56
Re: 1998 z28 donor swap into third gen camaro
It's not a direct bolt in... Its not a weekend project... its not even a week project, it will take you longer than you expect.
Here is my post on it
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/ltx-...ter-years.html
and
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/ltx-...56-manual.html
Also look through this one:
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/ltx-...-qwktrips.html
The wiring is the most daunting part but once you get into it, it isn't that hard and you can buy custom stand along harnesses and computers now a days vs reworking the 98 wiring if you wish. If you decide to use everything then you will need to have someone delete VATS from the computer. The 98 also has a unique wiring harness, it changed in 99-02 so make sure any references you use are for the 98.
The major things are:
* The AC compressor on the LS1 interferes with the K-member, you can notch it or you can use an after market K-member. The other choice is a new accessory drive bracket set that relocates the AC compressor to the top of the engine. You will need engine mounts and a trans cross member.
* The rear axle on the 98 is longer but will bolt in, it just kicks your tires out
* Not much you can use of the front suspension from the 98
* You can use the brakes you just have to cut the spindles and make our buy adapter plates
* with a little work you can fit in the cats and all the emissions into the thridgen.
* when you send the PCM out to get vats deleted you can get the speed/tach mapped also. If your thirdgen has a mechanical speed-o you will need a dakota digital or other converter.
* the fuel tank from the 98 fits but the sending unit is the wrong ohm range, you can use a grand prix sending unit to correct this, or cheaper buy an autometer sender and drill a hole in the tank to mount it. That is if you use the thridgen gauges. I've seen people use the 4th gen clsuter with varying amounts of effort to make it "fit" the car.
* the dash bolts in but doesn't really look right without alot of work
* the center console fits mostly
* the seats fit
The conversion to manual is something I probably wouldn't do again. But its not super hard but the little things add up. Cut the hole in the tunnel, you can use the pedals from the 98, but as I found the clutch master cylinder doesn't work well because of the slight firewall geometry differences it doesn't have the same stroke so you will need a bigger bore master.
I've got about 90-120 hours into actual work spread out over a year to get it running and driving, but a lot of that was painting the engine bay etc-- this isn't a weekend project that you can do on something you need to drive, its something you do to a "fun car".
If you don't currently have a thirdgen I would look for a manual v6, should be dirt cheap, if you have the auto already its doable.
If you have the money you can pay Hawks to do it.
It all really comes down to -- do it if you enjoy the work or want to learn. Every detail you need is already posted here or one of the other forums... its all been done and answered before so spend some time reading on it, and then ask yourself can you spend all your weekends for the next year in the garage
Here is my post on it
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/ltx-...ter-years.html
and
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/ltx-...56-manual.html
Also look through this one:
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/ltx-...-qwktrips.html
The wiring is the most daunting part but once you get into it, it isn't that hard and you can buy custom stand along harnesses and computers now a days vs reworking the 98 wiring if you wish. If you decide to use everything then you will need to have someone delete VATS from the computer. The 98 also has a unique wiring harness, it changed in 99-02 so make sure any references you use are for the 98.
The major things are:
* The AC compressor on the LS1 interferes with the K-member, you can notch it or you can use an after market K-member. The other choice is a new accessory drive bracket set that relocates the AC compressor to the top of the engine. You will need engine mounts and a trans cross member.
* The rear axle on the 98 is longer but will bolt in, it just kicks your tires out
* Not much you can use of the front suspension from the 98
* You can use the brakes you just have to cut the spindles and make our buy adapter plates
* with a little work you can fit in the cats and all the emissions into the thridgen.
* when you send the PCM out to get vats deleted you can get the speed/tach mapped also. If your thirdgen has a mechanical speed-o you will need a dakota digital or other converter.
* the fuel tank from the 98 fits but the sending unit is the wrong ohm range, you can use a grand prix sending unit to correct this, or cheaper buy an autometer sender and drill a hole in the tank to mount it. That is if you use the thridgen gauges. I've seen people use the 4th gen clsuter with varying amounts of effort to make it "fit" the car.
* the dash bolts in but doesn't really look right without alot of work
* the center console fits mostly
* the seats fit
The conversion to manual is something I probably wouldn't do again. But its not super hard but the little things add up. Cut the hole in the tunnel, you can use the pedals from the 98, but as I found the clutch master cylinder doesn't work well because of the slight firewall geometry differences it doesn't have the same stroke so you will need a bigger bore master.
I've got about 90-120 hours into actual work spread out over a year to get it running and driving, but a lot of that was painting the engine bay etc-- this isn't a weekend project that you can do on something you need to drive, its something you do to a "fun car".
If you don't currently have a thirdgen I would look for a manual v6, should be dirt cheap, if you have the auto already its doable.
If you have the money you can pay Hawks to do it.
It all really comes down to -- do it if you enjoy the work or want to learn. Every detail you need is already posted here or one of the other forums... its all been done and answered before so spend some time reading on it, and then ask yourself can you spend all your weekends for the next year in the garage
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