ok im about to get a 94 camaro parts car and a 90 camaro parts car. I wanna put the 3.4 in my 91, with minimal downtime. So i need to know what MUST be transfers on the 3.4 for a easy smooth swap. Looking to use the orignal ecm and harness thats on the car. Can u use everything 3.4 but the intake and have it all plug in? What else should i change if i want to do it "plug and play" What tranny should i use? the tranny with the 3.4, or my 700r4? Im researching this as u read.

 

i am finishing up this swap as we speak. read through KEDs write up on the swap.
2.8 parts needed:
motor mounts
intake setup minus injectors
timing cover
waterpump
sensors
oil pan (depending on year)

3.4 parts needed:
long block
injectors
oil pan (depending on year)
exhaust manifolds
starter
flywheel/ flexplate
balancer

i reused the pan from the 3.4 since they were the same. older 2.8 pans are not the same as the 3.4 so i read. you recreate the 2.8 using the block and heads and internal parts from the 3.4. just read KEDs write up and so searches on it. i did this for a couple months. then youll have to ask questions anyways. good luck on the swap!!!!

 

3.4, use..
Block
heads
crank
pistons
cam
injectors
lifters
pushrods
rockers

3.1,
all 3 upper intake sections.
timing chain cover
oil pan
throttle body
engine accessorys
transmission
flywheel
manifolds
distributer

new
timing chain
oil pan gasket
intake gaskets
rear main
waterpump gaskets
any other part you may even THINK is going bad.


BTW, depending on how soon you get the swap done, I will be in the market for a few 3.1l parts

 

my fault, i meant 3.1. ive been dealing w/ this 2.8 for so long, i hear about this swap and thats all i think of, lol. but theyre pretty much the same.

 

ive been reading about it for about a hour now and its hard to decide if i wanna do it or not. Can i use a 3.4 tranny? mines got 155K+ miles on it and wont handle the 3.4 long. The 90 camaro parts car ill get has a 5 speed in it? is it worth it to swap everything over to my auto car? Why cant i use 3.4 manifolds? will it all just plug in if i use a 3.1 intake and accessorys?

 

you can use the 3.4 exhaust manifolds, not the intake manifold. the 3.4 doesnt allow for enough clearance for the 3.1 distributor. if you use the 3.4 intake, you have to run DIS that the 3.4 has.

if the trans out of the 3.1 is a manual, you should be ok, just get a new clutch and pressure plate. you have to use the 3.4 manual trans flywheel anyway, so might as well get a new clutch. i didnt get a new clutch, but mine only had about 30k on it, if that. the trannys that dont hold up to it well are the automatics. as far as is known, i am currently the only one to do the manual swap. there was one other person, but noone knows who he is anymore. and if i remember right, Dale did the manual swap, but his was in an S-10. not too much difference though.

oh if you have a smog pump on your 3.1, you may not be able to use it on the 3.4. my 3.4 exhaust manifolds did not have the ports for it, so i just deleted it completely. hope this clears up some stuff for you.

oh dont forget about the pilot bushing in the back of the crankshaft if you use the manual trans!!!!

 

well my driver the 91 is a auto, the 90 parts car is a manual. Im using the 91 body. Im really only getting the 90 because, 1) its a good deal, 2) i want the interior, 3) to use the motor parts for the 3.1 i need to so i can pull mine and put the new on in hopefully in one day

 

any reason i cant use the auto tranny that is in the 94?

 

94 tranny is a 4l60e, electronically ran. Your 90-91 is a 700r4 that is cable controlled.

dave88, he said he wanted the swap to look orginal as possible. Thus the reason I said to swap manifolds.

Also, my truck was already a manual, however, I put the camaro t5 in it to make my speedo work. Plus I have short arms, and it put the shifter futher back.

 

ok that clears it up. i think that im gonna keep my 91 the way it is, and put the 3.4 in the 90. I havent seen the 90 yet, probably tomorrow. I saw the 94 tonight, and boy is it messed up, he has a mid 80's camaro front clip screwed on there. but its got a pretty nice interior and a running motor.

 

 

scary aint it? Well the guy still hasnt returned my call yet. So i might not end up getting them.

 

In the end, the final answer that says what parts ya can/should/should not swap...
When both engines side by side, you'll notice all the true differences.
When doing any swap, keep the project simple & effective.
Get vehicle running then keep tweeking away.
Another main goal is a very detailed and sanitary smog legal swap. That works in your best interest.
It really is a very bloody simple swap. Yet detailed.