I'm new to this site but I recently turned 17 and two days before my birthday I bought my first car, it's an 87 camaro with the 2.8l MPFI but it had gotten a new transmission just before I bought it, it has a 700r4. I drove it for just about a month, I was driving one of my buddies to go look at an 83 he is buying and my motor started to knock, I was very sad but stuff happens. It was decided by my dad and I that it should not be driven anymore so we got I towed home, after about a week I had gotten the old motor pulled out and determined it was a spun rod bearing. It was the bearing for the rod journal for cylinder 1. With my little experience and the consultation of a few friends we thought I could replace my bearings and oil pan gasket and be back on the road. I bought a gasket and bearings and come to find out all of my rod journals are different sizes, differing from 1.967in. to 1.989in. So that means the crank had been machined before but it was out of spec due to the bearings. So then i thought I could get it all machined and rebuild it. But why spend well over 1000 to do that? So I am buying a 1988 4 bolt main 350 TBI with a new torque converter and motor mounts from a guy off of craigslist for $400. So what will I need to do? I know I will have to modify my brake lines so that the new mounts will fit, will my alternator bracket and power steering pump bracket fit on the 350? Will I need a new wiring harness since I only have 6 plugs for the injectors instead of 8? And when we pulled the motor we didn't pull the tranny, so will it be easier to pull the tranny out now and bolt it to the motor or leave it in the car and bolt it to it in there? Thank you!

 

You got a long way to go converting a V6 to a V8. The wiring harness needs to be changed. I will wager the brackets for your accessories will not work as well since the V6 block and V8 block are different. Also you need to change the coil springs as they we meant for a V6 not a V8. Dont forget the exhaust too needs to be changed. Different Y pipe I believe. The computer is also different I believe as well. Honestly You will have less of a pain in the neck finding Camaro with a V8 already in it. 3rd gens are pretty cheap and you can probably find a roller for a 1000 or less. A decent running one goes for around 2000-3000k.

 

Yeah you will need ALOT more parts to do this swap.

Your transmission will not bolt to a V8
New engine wiring harness
New ECU
New engine mounts
New rad.
All acc. drive brackets, non of your V6 brackets will fit
Exhaust manifolds or headers for a V8
V8 Y pipe


You however could/can keep your front coil springs. A V8 in a V6 car with V6 springs is not a real bad thing. You will get 1/4" to 1/2" lower ride height in the front. Think about it. The weight diff in the V6 and V8 is very small really. 200 lbs give or take.

 

it got a new transmission a few weeks before I got it. It has a 700r4 now. That will bolt to a v8 won't it?

 

I was told the coil springs needed to be changed, but if he can keep them that's okay I guess. Still... It's A LOT of work and money to convert the car to a V8. He's still probably better off just finding one with a V8 already in it.

 

Yeah a lot of people will tell you the coil springs must be changed, that just aint the full truth.

I have been using my stock '88 camaro RS V6 front springs on my V8 swap for around 12 years now.

No... Your new, just replaced 700r4 will not work on a V8. The V6 engines are 60* engines and the V8s are 90* engines... The bolt pattern is no where close to the same.

Even though both will be a 700r4 trans, the bolt pattern for the V6 and V8 are not the same and will not interchange

 

Oh ok. That makes a lot more sense. Is there adapters that would work or would it be better to just get a new tranny?

 

And can I use my old alternator? I'm gonna be buying a carbed 350 with a turbo 400 instead of the tpi, can someone make a list of all the parts for me?