Hey I was just given an 84 camaro with a 2.8l and 700r tranny. The car has new frt fenders, hood , and nose.
The only problem is the engine has a bad knock.

My question is can I use any long block from a 2.8/3.1/3.4 and bolt up the intake from the 2.8 carb system? Also does it matter if the engine is from a RWD or FWD vehicle?

Any help would be appreciated. I just want to get something that runs then sell the car.

 

any 2.8, 3.1, or 3.4 from a RWD vehicle will work fine. and, yes, you can bolt the 2.8 intake stuff back on it.

 

So I'm not restricted to any particular years?

Don't I have to be concerned with Internal/External balance on the 2.8?

 

Not if you use the flexplate from the V6 you're getting - and you can't use a FWD, btw.

 

So I'm looking for another 2.8 or a 3.4. Since the RWD 3.1 was only avail for a few years.

 

rwd 3.4 is just as rare... 3.1 == 90-92, 3.4 == 93-95 1/2... and both are F-body only.

 

What about the s-10's before they went to the 4.3?

 

the only other 6 cylinder (other than 4.3) available in the s-10s was the 2.8

 

2.8

 

Btw... 82-86 2.8s are rod chunkers... find an 87+ internally balanced large journal motor

The S-10 2.8 will work, however, it is a low output version. Try to stick to the F-body motors if at all possible.

 

Otherwise known as 2.crap

 

3.4L should be pretty easy to find, while they're equally as rare, a 93-95 f-body isn't exactly a rare car to find...especially w/ a v6...get urself a 3.4L and buy the 4bbl intake, that lil thing will scream

 

Actually (uh oh) only the 82-84's were small journal'd. 85 started the large-journal years, along with a one piece rear seal. But yes, 87-up is the most desirable because of the internal balancing- if you ever had to change the flywheel on an 82-86 with manual trans, you'd have to get the flywheel balanced to the crankshaft.

With 87-up, all you'd have to do is get the flywheel balanced by itself; much easier! That's the motor I'm going to try to rebuild for my car, an 87-89 2.8.

TS, if he put a MPFI f-body camshaft into an S10's 2.8, would it pick the power up? Or did the s10's get different heads?

Oh and mykxt202, the '84 700r4's also had problems. If you're going junkyard diving, if you go after an 87-up 2.8/3.1, see if you can get the guy to "throw in" the 700r4 for cheap. '87-up 700r4's are stronger than the 83-84 and 85-86 "series".

1983-1984 700r4's problems (off the top of my head, I think there's a few more)
- weaker input shaft
- porous accumulator pistons
- poor fluid pump design

1985-1986
+ stronger input shaft added
+ newer design accumulator pistons
- still a poor fluid pump design

1987
+ improved fluid pump design, 9 irregular vanes instead of 7 evenly spaced, prevents cavitation, prolongs trans life
+ addition of auxiliary valve body to cushion forward/reverse/forward rocking (car stuck in snow)
+ some other stuff

Not sure of what happened after '87, but generally, the newer the 700r4, the better GM made it.

Oh if you do get a 3.4, you can't use the 4L60E automatic trans that would be behind it.

 

Thanks you guys have given me lots of information

I don't think I'll be going the 3.4L way or changing the trans. I plan on putting an engine in it if its cost effective and selling the car. If it cost too much I'll just part out the entire car. I need the $$$ to update the suspension and brakes on my 82 z28