I've posted on the Southern California board, and they said its smog legal to swap in a 3.8 V6 as long as you have all the smog equipment working. Would it be way too much work, considering that the trans is a 4L60-E and custom wiring would need to be done for the gauges??? Would motor mounts be a problem?? Any ideas guys? This is just something I was pondering after I read it IS legal to swap in a 3.8.

 

Best way to do that would be to buy a wrecked donor car and swap out everything from it into your car. The 4L60-E is just a computer controlled version of the old 700-R4, so a V8 version of our transmission should bolt up and work. The problem is going to be getting the electronics all to work together. That is why I would use the tranny and the computer/wiring harness from the new car. That way it will run the DIS, the injection system, and the transmission. It would be a lot of work, though.

 

if he does indeed use a SBC 4L60E he will need a trans adapter to mount to the buick engine's bolt pattern, they do make them, but perhaps a tranny built for the engine would be a better choice

 

I believe that they changed the Gen II 3.8 liter to the Chevrolet Small Block bolt pattern. I believe that is right, correct me if I am wrong.

 

Question for the more expierienced:
I know the 80's 3.8 Would not fit between the wheel wells without a head swap from the 3.3L.

Will the new 3.8 fit between then without a big hassle?

 

nope, i was a buick/pontiac mechanic's apprentice all this last year, and unless they changed it yesterday, your wrong

 

i should add what they did do, though, was they put a removeable bellhousing onto the 4L60E trannies, so that way they will fit several engines

the bolts are not on the outside of the trans though, you have access them after you take the torque converter out