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i'm at work right now, so i can't really type that long, i'll re-read your thread and give my thoughts and opinions when i get home from work

 

If you can get one togeather for under 3K let me know. And that's JUST THE ENGINE.

 

i got mine damn near complete(just missing little things here and there) for $2300 SHIPPED, and that's a TTA motor not a GN motor

 

just an FYI there is a complete GN engine for sale on gnttype.org in Illinois for 2200 has 85K miles on it..check it out

EDIT: its an 86 u either want an 86 or 87 engine

 

I'm sure fly89gta will elaborate on this a lot more, but I thought I would give you a few of the things I've learned from reading questions about this swap many times. As I'm sure you know, this is a MUCH more difficult swap then a V8 swap would be. Your current tranny will not fit the 3.8 either, so you will need to get a new tranny. Unless you get a TTA engine, you will need heads off a fwd 3.8 in order to make the engine fit in the engine compartment. All new electronics are needed. Some of the parts you need for the swap are TTA parts that are no longer available, and are VERY hard to find. As I said fly89gta will go into further detail, but this is a difficult swap but well worth it when your done I hope to do the swap myself sometime WAAYY down the road.

Edit: Oh yea, I forgot to mention www.turbobuick.com There are a few guys there who have done the swap. Check it out.

 

okay

 

ok, let me clear up a few things

you DO NOT have to get a new trans for the sake of bolting it up to a buick 3.8, i would however get a new one for the sake of strength. TCI makes an adapter plate that allows a chevy bolt pattern tranny(ex 700r4 to bolt to a BOP block

also a turbo 3.8 with GN heads WILL fit in the engine compartment fine provided you don't have AC, which you don't so we're good there.

As far as the swap goes its not hard..would've taken about 2-3 days to rip a L98 out and put the TTA motor in but there were a few little stupid things missing, it took about 4 days.

the one thing you WILL have to get regardless of if its a GN or TTA motor is a TTA wiring harness, you could try to piece the GN harness with yours but its BIG TIME PITA.

Motor mounts have been a hot debate lately. You CAN use the GN motor mounts but the engine sits up a bit higher, i have TTA mounts...a buddy of mine used GN mounts on his GTA and the engine does sit a bit higher, i don't know if there are clearance issues since he has a 3'' cowl hood.

I'd upgrade the fuel pump while you're at it, the fuel lines and all should be fine.

Like i said its best to get a whole complete engine, the ECM's are cheap if u can't get one with the engine..the TTA harness is a killer, bout 375-500 bucks

I'm sure i'm forgetting little things here and there so if u think of specifics feel free to ask

i'll do the best i can.

BTW i'm VERY happy with the swap, though i kinda blew up my tranny peopl may say bah its not a V8..but whatever, i'm gonna be running better times and be WAY more streetable then they are

 

the people that insist GN headed turbo 3.8's won't fit in a fbody engine bay tell them to talk to someone i know that has a Iroc vert with a GN headed 3.8.

 

OK, I proved my ignorance with the heads part, I guess without AC they will fit, my bad. Fly89gta, did you notice he currently has a 3.1? I'm 99.9% sure that the 3.1 700r4 wouldn't bolt up, the V8 700r4 yes, but I don't think so with the 3.1 tranny. Of course I could be proving my ignorance again :lala:

 

I have a SS Hood....do you think clearance would be still be problem with it w/ the GN mounts?

So what I need for the setup is:

Complete GN Turbo 3.8L V6 Engine (looks like about $2500 when I shop around, how much power are these rated at?)
Buick 200R4 Automatic Tranny ($350)
New Motor Mounts (GN?) ($?)
TTA Wiring Harness (how much would it cost to have the GN one "pieced" together with mine?)

what about my v6 radiator and gauges, will they work or do I need to get replacements for them too? can anyone think of anything else?

I was thinking I should probably get some subframe connectors before the swap....

 

not sure about the V6 700r4 but i wouldn't use it PERIOD

AS far as the 200-4r don't forget you'll have to get a new crossmember and torque arm(Steve Spohn has them both for $399) and you'll hve to get a driveshaft.

Trust me don't try to piece the GN harness, its more trouble than what it's worth.

I didn't have any problems with my gauges except the tach, it didn't work so i got myself a 5'' tach

the Rad should work..and i'd DEFINATELY get subframes

As for labor costs at a shop i really don't know, a lot of shops probably wouldn't want to touch it, and i wouldn't trust anyone that doesn't know turbo buicks

As far as power...hmmm well they're kinda underrated from the factory..i'd put it around 260 HP and over 300 ft lbs of torque, but its SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO EASY to mod these things..is just sick.

 

Thanks for the help fly89gta

 

if u stick with the 700r4 you won't need to swap out all that stuff

as for the 700r4 vs. 2004r MOST buick guys will tell u not to use the 700. I've read a few people having good luck using the 700r4, i'll eventually convert to a 2004r when i have the cash

the problem with the 7004r is the steep first gear, sure it's great for a N/A car but by the time the turbo spools up u have to shift into 2nd...the 200r4 has a slightly better gear spread suited for a turbo motor...but i'm gonna run the 700r4 and see what i can get out of it

best thing to do is this...DO LOTS OF READING....i spent time on af few sites just reading...soaking in the tech stuff and opinions by the guys that know what they're talking about

www.turbobuick.com

www.turbobuicks.com

www.gnttype.org

start reading!! LOL

 

I cant give any advice about the swap, but I will say this. To my knowledge, you cant use your 3.1 700r4 because it is a 60* motor. The 3.8 motor is a 90* motor. You would have to get another tranny.

~Josh~

 

I pretty well figured that if I am gonna do the swap, I might as well go all the way and use the 200r4, though I really need to get money before I do anything...

 

yeah you're right, but like i said i wouldn't use it regardless if it would work or not...that poor tranny wouldn't last past 2 gear

 

Fly...he's got a V6 tach. The tach should work fine, but I'd go ahead and get another just in case. What would be great is if you could score a TTA gague setup with the inlayed boost gauge.

 

someone i know put a V6 tach in and that didn't work either...i was gonna go ahead and swap tachs but after i heard his didn't work i didn't bother, just put a 5'' tach in

as far as the TTA cluster be prepared to spend BIG bucks...also the oil pressure gauge is 80 PSI, but i think all V6's got them..TTA gauges are expensive

 

Odd, I heard the V6 tack will work. Oh well, just a thought.

 

yeah i heard it will work too, but it didn't..ah well maybe it was a bad tach

 

http://www.turbobuick.com/messagebd/

Just found that, thought you might be interested..........about 3/4 or the way down a guy is selling his TTA wiring harness.

hmm, ok, i guess I can't just copy and paste URLs off that sight. Its under Turbo Trans Am tech, then "Wanting to use a gn engine in camaro" Then it's 3/4 of the way down.

 

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Being 17 sucks eh. I got my car when I was 17. Now I am 19, well same job better pay a hell of a lot more bills, school etc.
Not to preach at you. But if you think as soon as you turn 18, or when your done college your going to have no bills, no mortgage a new car, and all your money to yourself you have something coming to you. Moddifying your car will always be on the bck burner. But someday when you can do it you will really enjoy it.


Trust me I should have modded my car before school. Or did something. All I know is 8% hike in school fees means good bye toys (firebird).

This is one interesting post. Although it does not seem like anything I will ever do, theres always lots to learn.

 

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I'm selling the pass. side header off a TTA, this is the discontinued one. Much needed for a 3rd gen LC2 swap
if you wanna keep the a/c. Custom headers are pricey.
.....$300

 

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Funny...I can get a full set of custom headers for $250.

 

Ovrclck350

I am planning on building a setup for a 2nd series 3800 but am planning on doing a TTA essentially, I realize that a series 2 head exhaust port would be different but if I could get you trace(paper and pencil, rub surface) do you think you could get me a set built that would be close enough to match? Just PM or respond or whatever, thanks.
Justin

 

...and I can get a set BFG Drag Radials, m&b for a $100, just depends who you know.

 

You guys are talking about clearance issues with the GN motor mounts. If I end up using them in my 3.8 from a '89 TTA swap to my '92 Camaro how bad of a clearance problem will I be looking at?
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And no, I didnt get the right motor mounts from the guy who sold me the engine. He gave me grand national ones. So any help getting those to work, OR what Id rather do if find the parts I do need to do this right, would be nice.

 

i don't know for a fact if there will be a clearance issue....the motor WILL sit up higher with the GN mounts, but like i said my buddy who used GN mounts has a 3'' cowl hood so i don't know if it would fit the stock hood

 

I'm not sure, I'd have to talk to my guy. You'd have to leave your car with him though for him to make them.