i own 2 1992 camaro's, one that i fixed up and put a V-8, 385hp crate motor in it (hence my name), and one that i'm fixing up that is currently only a V-6. i was planning on putting a crate motor in that one too, but decided against it as i'd have to install a new transmission also to handle the extra hp. i have found a great deal on a 1999 SS LS1 engine plus the transmission from it also. the engine comes complete with all belt-driven accessories, wire harness, etc. anybody know if i can put the 99 engine in my 92, and if it's possible, then what problems i might run into putting the engine in a different generation? i really hope it will work because i can get both the engine and tranny for $3700, whereas the crate motor was $4000 by itself. i can't even imagine how it would feel driving with 140hp one day and 325hp the next!! thanks alot yall.

 

yeh , it can be done....there are some things that'll need to be solved. The motor mounts are one issue that have to be fixed....according to my friend (who swapped a LS1 into his 91 RS) he used 305 v8 lower mounts along with 350 upper mounts and it worked just fine. The transmission mount is another thing, the crossmember is in the wrong place for either tranny. if it's a t56 manual you'll have to buy the adapter crossmember for the t56, if it's an auto then you'll have to do a lil' welding onto you're existing crossmember to make it fit right. The last major problem comes from front crossmember where the oil pan rests. if the engines from a corvette you bettter swap oil pans to an f-body version (also alternator location on vettes make the swap more difficult) so thebest engine to use if an f-body LS1. What most do is grind away some of the metal on the frame, another way to do it is to make custom motor mounts which will sit the engine's oil pan just aft crossmember. upgrading front springs is definately recommended, and rear springs as well...the best stock option are apparently 88 IROC springs for a L98 engine. (very very stiff) the pegleg out back can stay for as long as you want it, or until you blow it up. Hopefully it won't come to that. Also you won't really need to switch radiators as the six cylinder's radiator will cool the LS1 enough to keep it in manageable power ranges. Past that i just wish you good luck and happy swapping. I've got some pix of the finished project on the site somewhere, maybe i'll post a link

 

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=154950

 

thanks alot for the info...not what i wanted to hear though, i was hoping it wouldn't be a hard swap. i don't have enough experience to put in an engine and tranny by myself, and having a shop put in the engine and tranny, plus the custom work you mentioned (welding, making room for oil pan, etc.) will cost a s***load!! i think the $3700 price i found is great for that engine and tranny (with 25K miles on it), but with shipping bringing the total to $4100, and then who knows how much more for installation, i might need to think of another plan to give this beast some power. if you talk to that friend of yours w/ the LS1 engine anytime soon, would you mind askin about how much $$ he had to actually spend for parts to make the install work? i have an automatic so i don't need to buy the adapter crossmember, i just need the mounting brackets and fuel lines, etc. one last thing......what about the wiring harness? the LS1 comes w/ a wiring harness but i doubt it connects to a 92. any idea what your friend did for this? thanks alot

 

It's so weird that people come to the V6 forum, where 99% of us have V6's in our cars, and ask for help in swapping a v8 in.

If this was the "People who owned V6's and swapped V8's in" board, it would make sense... but I guess that's what the Motor Swap forum is for.

 

Tom, i posted the same post on the engine swapping board, but I got alot of looks and no replies. I posted on here because I figured there would be more people on here who knew engines and trannies of both V6's and V8's, rather than just V8's.

 

well, i'd need to give chris (my friend) a phone call about the swap's price, it wasn't cheap but, it wasn't the most expensive either...it's also the plan for my firebird when the money rolls around enough. the swap was done in his own garage, yet he graduated from tech school in auto repair also, which helped him out alot. there's a site on the net that swapped a 350 TPI out for a LS1 automatic , would be pretty nice. This guy didn't do any hammering at the crossmemeber and instead made himself a set of motor mounts. The mounts he made gave enough clearence for the engine's oil pan to the frame (not much but enough appanretly), but the transmission bolt was to far back. I'd think that if the engine was bolted in w/ stock connections (305/350 mounts) that the tranny might be far enough forward to not need the extra welding on the tranny crossmember but i don't know that for sure. As far as wiring, chris bought a custom wiring harness which apparnetly set him back roughly 1k. It connects to the stock LS1 computer, and engine, along w/ tying it into the complete 3rd gen electronic system, so that does have to be replaced, and isnt' cheap at all. If you're new to swapping stuff, easiest swap would be a 3.4L v6 swap. Ked85 can talk you through that one, hes already talked about 20 folks through it. That swap uses a 3.4L short block along with all of you're 3.1L accessories and computer. easy way to up yourself an extra 30 horsepower, but it's not an incredibly power increase. If you want a v8, think a carbed chevy 350 engine w/ a turbo 350 tranny. both can be found very cheap, parts are cheap and abundant, and the swap wouldn't require all the cuttin and breakin or complicated stuff the LS1 swap would. Wish you the best of luck, oh, and if you're worried about emissions , the LS1 would pass in your car as a 3.1L v6....amazin technology eh. lol.

 

holy s***!!! $1000 for a wiring harness???? hmm that could put a damper on my plans. it would be incredibly easy for me to sell my 92, buy a 93, and swap out the engine for the LS1, which i'd put in myself. but no way in hell i'm giving up this body style. oh well thanks again for your advice, even though that news sucked