ok i have a 1983 2.8l camaro with a three speed auto. i just put in a new long block. the old motor was slow. and i thought the new one would do me some justice but it made a difference but its loud " fan " and doesnt really seem to go any where how can i get a little more umph?? Every thing is new and its all originoll i searched but all the mods are for the newert 2.8s and i know mine sucks but its show quality and want to keep it originall what are my options cheap and easy nothing to facy just a little more umph??

 

OK, first -

GET RID OF THAT 3 SPEED AUTO! It's TOTAL crap. If you want to stick with an auto, get a later (post '87) V6 700r4, and a 3.1 or a 3.4 to stick in with it. MUCH better. You have a really lousy 2.8 (carbd, small valve heads, wimpy cam, crap bottom end)

A 3.4 would do wonders for you, but that tranny would die a quick, mournful death. Get a 3.4 and a 700r4, and enjoy!

 

its true i know my motor is crap but she is all put togeather now and she is here to stay. i just want a little more umph not much buit if i cant get it oh well lol. like i said its all originall and im second owner bought it from close family friend and its got a brand new motor in it. Im working on my speed craving car i dont need 10s or never the less 16s out of this lol just a little umph. I have the pleasure of being able to drive my v8 berlinetta when need be and just got my 3.8 gn block back from the machine shop.... Hint the new project now that the 83 is done (*alot more money and time to go before i get to brag about that one thought) so for the 2.8 any hope at all or just drive it?? thanks again soerry for the long post

 

w/o changing the block since you just redid it. Seek some fuel injected heads from MPFI camaro, or TBI s10. Slap them on.

I belive eldabrock (sp?) makes a better intake for it. find a nice slightly higher flow carb.

Different air cleaner setup.

Ditch the manual fan, and go to an electric setup.

I also say ditch the 3sp auto, and find a 700r4, or t5 if you like manuals.

Other then that, just wires, tuneup, coil, cap/rotor. Custom made headers (CHA CHING), better exhuast.

 

The newer heads & a Fageol should fit the ticket swell.

K, just a little more umph, since motor is new, TomP tune up to go w/it. Better intake & exhaust. Shift kit (if available for the 3sp) & maybe a gear swap.

 

edelbrock sells a cam,lifter,two piece manifold kit that they claim made 160 hp(if i remember correctly) with a holley 390 4b carb.But if i remember correctly the total price was like $500.

 

Hey, I had an '83 Camaro with the exact same setup, 2.8 2BBL and TH200c tranny. Only thing you can do to the motor without changing blocks or heads is to do like br()bert said and go with a new highflow intake and carburetor with a new cam. Otherwise, that motor doesn't have any real potential. I tried in vain to help the one in my '83 out---tried ignition components and tuning the stock E2SE carb....but nothing I did made any real difference.

I agree with everyone here about the tranny! The TH200c is the biggest piece of CRAP that I have ever had the displeasure of having for a transmission. Mine constantly burned AND leaked fluid. I replaced the 1st tranny altogether to be rid of the trouble and had the same problems with #2, in addtion to having to have #2 fully rebuilt once and the front pump serviced a year later. I read a bulletin on the net that said that those tranny's leaked from the pan gasket from the factory. Both of mine leaked from the same stupid corner of the pan; I tried a new pan with a stamped bead in the lip, and that didn't help either. Also worthy of mentioning, that transmission isn't durable AT ALL for performance driving, and the gearing SUCKS. If you can scare up a 700R4 and slap it in (making sure that the lockup torque converter will work), then DO it if you plan to keep that car for a long time and do any real driving with it. From my experience, the TH200c is a LOT more trouble than it's worth.

 

Make it simple to us & your self
WHAT'S YOUR BUDGET
WHO DOES THE MECHANICAL WORK?

 

don't forget the rear either... a 3.73 gearswap would wake that motor up!

i agree 100% w/dumping the "metric 200"/th200c. a shift kit would kill that trans fast. 1987-up 700r4's had the most factory improvements for longevity so avoid 84-86 junkyard ones. Plus you'll get a granny lo (3.06) gear that would really launch you off the line- especially paired with a 3.73 rear.

visit https://www.thirdgen.org/tech and find the dual-snorkle ram air for carburetors article, all you need is a rivet gun (8 bux home depot) anp a junkyard air cleaner.

 

well i want to keep the car as originall as possible and i have a decent budget but i would rather save it to finish putting to geather the gn motor to put in my 89 ( blown motor) i was thinking of doing the fan and tom p tune up is done far and beyond . I was redoing this car and whaen i say i redid every thing im mean every thing except the tranny and it hasnt given me any problems so i dont wanna change the heads or cam exe exe being that its all new but i can do the fanand try the snorkel setup ( thanks tom) but i guess you guys are just tellling me that the 83 2.8 is a pos and will not get out of iots own way lol so finish my gn project and until then drive the berlinetta?? Anty more add ons that dont effect the originoll status ??

 

You could try looking around at the v8 pullys, and see if a smaller crank pully is made that will bolt up. That will reduce drag from the engine accessorys.

Honestly, if you can score some mpfi heads, they will help alot. No one will know they are the "wrong" heads. Do a mild port job on them also. Sounds as if you do your own work, its mainly labor, not cost of parts.

 

IF everything is "new" run it as is.
Best way to help your ride is to beef up ignition system.
Make sure your fuel pump is in primo shape & leak free.
Do the air cleaner trick.
Below is my 1985 Blazer I ran like what ya have for about 10 years.
I finally killed the 2.8 engine & the supplied pic is a 1995 3.4 under the 1985 49 state Federal engine version Blazer stuff.
All the work suggested about "tearing" into engine is pure labor that will bear results, but at what labor cost?
Best add on for "free" is ignition (rebuild distributor, new stuff & index new plugs, too), cooler outside air to carb. After that, your "Y" pipe is a horespower killer (look down the passenger side of the engine at exhaust).
Other big killer is shear weight of the car. F Body is a heavy ride.
Dumping the fan can be done BUT your alternator better be of more power than the 82 AMP job there.
The factory clutch fan set up, does NOT rob any "true" hosepower for the effort of swap. Just make damn sure the fan clutch is correct for your car & that detail is worry free.
TO ME, for the cost of head swap (I have a set of rebuilt MPFI heads & gaskets for sale), or pulley swap, ya can have a custom "Y" pipe made & gain an instant 5-7 horsepower over entire engine power band.
Your current engine hits the cam power "On" curve at 2800 - to - 4500 RMPS.
Other biggest plus really is swapping/upgrade the tranny to a modern 700R4. The gearing helps ya big time, too! Especially in engine fuel economy. Yes that is major cost. But a very true fact.
Power does cost ya money & seems it's best spent on a GN motor.

 

so the biggest with out to much is doing the heads?? but while im in there i might as well chage the cam and lifters u say edlebroch has a set for our setup?? Oh and yes i am doing all the labor.so thats not a problem. the more i thikn about the little gains i will get for 500 bucks the more i think about the alcy setup i can get for the gn motor ( 500 bucks) before it actually hits the market for a much higher price but the only way to get the power is heads intake and cam/lifters? whats do you mean about the altenator when i change the fan to an electric fan when i rev my car up it seems like the only thing i hear is that dangg fan thanks again guys!

 

Going to an electric fan vs a belt fan causes more strain on the alt. Although i have an electric fan and two amps in my car (900 watts rms total) and have no alt problems.btw i have a 89 amp alt.

$500 is still alot considering you could get a 3.4 for that price and drop that in there.

I've already found 3.4's with 44k and a 3 mo warr for $400 near me.

I guess the 3.4 will always be the cheapest performance upgrade for a v6 3rd gen.

$500 to get a 2.8 MAYBE to 160hp
~ or ~
$500 for a 160 (base) hp 3.4 with room to mod.


HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM....:lala:

 

The heads you could score at a local yard for prob less then 75 bux. Spend 20-30 to rebuild them yourself (w/o port/polish). Then another 40'ish on gaskets. You will be going from 1.60 to 1.72 intake valves, and 1.3 to 1.42 exhaust valves.

Electric fan, when the fan is on, yes its pulling more strain like an electrial object, but when its off, well, its off. But do make sure your alt is in good shape.

 

Just to be the voice of caution, I don't know how long a TH200c is going to last behind a 3.4.....they don't even last long behind the carb'd 2.8's.....

 

im glad i dont have a th200c then

 

What it comes down to is
at least to me,
spend teh money on the GN engine, as you'll get a far better return on investment for your dollar spent.
Best bet is to find a great low milage 3.4 (I did this twice) & slip it under the 83 stuff and have fun.
BUT for same money ya can insert a V8 powered ride.
I know ya keeping it looking original & that's great cause these are now collector items!
3.4's have all the best of the best of the 60* stuff up to 1995.
Best cam & heads package including a .5 increase in compression (9.0), too.
200 foot pounds & 165 HP to start is a giant leap forward under these 6 cylinder hoods.
And my gas milage is great (I get close to 20 or over in town if easy & good towards 30MPG on freeways)

 

well i almost did the v8 originally but got talked out of it with alkl the extras needed. then i got my block for the 3.8t gn motor i havge a v8 berlinetta already so i dont want good ole v8 power i want something economical and something fast and diofferent .....3.8t gn motor. I may consider doing the head swap on my 2.8 but other than that i dunno but if it does go again its getting a 3.4 but again like i say im the second owner on both my camaros my 2.8 with 41026 miles and my berlinetta with 64523 miles and they are originall (Give or take a couple things on v8 but i have the originalls!!) so thank you guys for the input ill keep ya p[osted on how it goes

 

As an FYI
Costs for used 3.4 for people who have purchased used 3.4s.
From $210 to $900 (I've paid most in the LA area, but no complaints by me on that problem).
For the labor of removing heads & such, just swap in the whole enchilada.
Your platform is very great for a V8 swap due to least amount of electronics or fuel delivery changes to engine power upgrade.
Original 3rd gen F Bodies will be commanding more dolars very soon, AS GM MAY NEVER go down that F BODY path again.
I said MAY NEVER not definetly never ever.
I've spoken to car magazine guys out here in LA at car shows & Bob's Big Boy & they hear from GM....we did get a GTO again ya know!
I've spoken the GM people at the Beverly Hills Car show & they say, "no, no more F body's, ever again".
We did get a GTO, again, after only 30 years!
IF ya study my 3.4 carb converted pic, ya notice no change at all.
I go for smog testing in LA & I don't say a thing except "I cleaned the engine for ya this time!"
My 3.4 powered car passes CA smog so easy out here, my number 1 reason for the 3.4 conversion, smog testing. Number 2 was "everything old (2.8) fits new (3.4)".
Do a "Y" pipe upgrade to get more power from your 2.8 ride with the ignition & tranny swap & ya good (better) to go! And all those upgrades on the 2.8 block will swap over when ya upgrade toa 3.4 mill. It is a win-win deal in end.
Enjoy the power from your GN mill, sounds like a winning project.