Okay, I did KED's search. Answered a whole bunch. Now the questions i do have are:

Will the 2.8 headers that pacesetters makes fit? If its a long block isn't something a little different there

Also the egr and vac lines all go the same? Meaning the air pump bolts right in there like before and the Evap Canister?

Also he was saying something about that fan switch, what needs to be done there exactly? I was thinking of buying the block and slowing cleaning it and going from there.

I am an external motor person and can trouble shoot alot and can do about anything on the outside of the motor. However scared about the inside . Can someone like me do this swap?

I'm sure I will have a couple more questions and I hope this posts all helps other people out

Thanks

 

You should have no problem with the swap! That's why this board, and all of us members are here!!

Pacesetter's headers will bolt right up, and everything externally is the same!

 

So the ac mount, alt mount is all the same? nothing is different at all, didn't know that. How does the egr hook up? same as before? I mean. The biggest prob i think i will have is taking off the tranny Never did a clutch before either Do you have to even touch the interals of the motor besides the intake? Thanks again, any advice would be great. Thanks

 

HI Let me chime in to offer a hand, too!
BEST WAS SEEING MY TECH THREAD WAS OF ASSISTANCE TO YA!
FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD DISCUSSED, engine blocks later than my 1985 platform, the frnt timing chain mounts are SLIGHTLY different than my 1985.
Which is why I say, in my thread, I reused my original 1985 T chain cover & oil pan. I call it the "idiot system" and for my situation, it was right choice.
THAT SAID, you MAY discover that you can use the already on 1993-95 t-chain cover.
WHEN BOTH BLOCKS (your 88 block & the 3.4 ya score) OUTTA CAR, take a look see & check how all the front accessory mount holes line up FOR YOUR 1988 platform. THEN start attaching all the 1988 stuff onto the 3.4 mill. YOU MAY discover, no alteration is needed at all, OR YA MAY discover that ya need reuse the 1988 stuff (t-chain & oil pan).
That said...
You have the smog pump & such.
When I installed the 3.4 block into my 1985 Blazer, my 1985 Blazer has the smog pump. ALL the necessary bolt holes were on the 1995 3.4 mill, allowing me to attach the 1985 smog pump in it's original 1985 Blazer under hood location.
Next headers...
SAD TO SAY IS THAT THE headers MAYBE NOT WORK FOR THE STICK SHIFT CARS BECAUSE IT SEEMS THE PACESETTER PIPES "LACK" SOMETHING FOR CORRECTLY HOOKING UP YOUR EMISSION STUFF

TO CORRECT THAT PROBLEM CONTACT
fgerle@pacesetterexhaust.com
and ask him for help.

Currently PaceSetter Exhaust is seeking specific answers for modifying the current offered street legal pipes for all our V6 applications, carb, stick, & 3.1 engine AND keep the stuff smog legal.

Please contact Mr. Gerle and help him know you seek to buy their product, but cannot due to you have a car that is not covered under the CARB exempt number.

Rest..
Internals.....

When ever I pulled apart my 3.4s they were spotless inside. I also score very low milage 3.4 mills (40K on the Firebird engine, 50K on the Blazer engine).
WHAT I DO SUGGEST IS
GET
REAR CAM COVER GASKET AND REPLACE IT. Mine in the Firebird mill was SHOT & boy was I leaking oil!
REAR MAIN SEAL, I replaced mine on the Firebird mill & Blazer mill and both are still spotless in that area.
NEXT when ya change the oil filter housings from 2.8 to the newer 3.4 mill, MAKE SURE YOU do this job right, clean and also score a NEW oil filter housing bolt rubber gasket. It looks like the distributor O ring gasket. That tip will make that part of project a leak free deal!
Next the fan switch in the rear of passenger side cylinder head.
IF YA NEED TO (& ya may need to!), THIS IS JOB ONE OF THIS SWAP BOOGIE PROJECT! Do this while ya got lots of 3.4 stuff to hold onto to while ya heat up that recess block plug! Like I siad in my tech thread, I heated it to WHITE HOT and then got an extra persons hand to help back it out! First one (Firebird) took me an hour, next one (the 3.4 in Blazer), took me 1/2 hour. Again, in my application of vehicle usage, it was mandatory. I've heard/read of others who did not need to do that plug removal. WHY? Their vehicle platforms, the block recess plug removal wasn't necessary due to their newer engine bay wiring & such. FOR YOUR 1988 PLATFORM IT MAY BE MANDATORY. WHEN BOTH ENGINES OUTTA CAR, SITTING SIDE BY SIDE, ONLY THEN will ya know true answers for your situation.
Clutch...NOTICE I SAID SCORE ALL THE STUFF YA CAN FROM THE 3.4!
MAKE SURE YOU ALSO SCORE THE 3.4 MANUAL SHIFTED FLYWHEEL!
To keep the 3.4 a vibration free ride, REUSE THE 3.4 HARMONIC BALANCER (add new balancer repair sleeve too. $4 & available by asking for a "2.8/3.1" application Fel Pro is one brand & I got another part number for ya too of another brand name!) AND USE THE 3.4 FLYWHEEL. They are a matched, balanced set, intended to STAY THAT WAY when ya stick them onto the 3.4 going under your 1988 hood. When ya score the 3.4 get a starter, too! That way ya got a spare for "free!!"
Reuse the 3.4 injectors, they slip right onto the 2.8 fuel rail.

You're welcome.
Ask anytime if I can throw ya out more tips.

PS Yes, no matter how many words I typed, this is truly a bloody simple engine swap. Detailed SURE! but very very common sense simple. Keep the engine swap plan that way & get back on road, quicker, modify after ya got the swap project running strong. Use new clutch! Make sure you also do my distributor rebuild and use the new "O" Ring along wiht scoring a smallblock Chevy distributor gasket, too. That way, that are is leak free, too! FOR YEARS!
Longest part of project is careful disassembly of all 1988 vacuum plastic hoses & reattaching them using NEW windshield wiper washer hose for leak free, super tight fitting vacuum system. Vacuum leaks & curing all those, took me a whole day of the swap project. The hose at base of distb. is 1/2" super thick walled heater hose, of a short length. Most fun to get that attached right!!

This is NOT a weekend swap, take your time do it right ONCE for many smile & miles!

 

Wow Much help

So since I have a later block I won't have to change the 3.4 pan or timing chain cover? Why would I have to change it anyway? What would have happened if you had used the 3.4 timing chain cover? But what you are saying is the 3.4 block has all the same hookups and holes the 2.8 block has to mount everything? Everything is the same on the block?

Heating up that peice, I don't really understand what you mean by that. Is there something that will come out when I do that? Then what do I do? What goes there?

I will work on those headers, however you said the 2.8 manifolds would work? Or should I just leave the 3.4 ones on? If I do then will the Y pipe from the 2.8 work and will the cat be allright?

Thanks again man

 

To be on the safe side do this:
Strip the 3.4 down to heads and block with timing chain in place still. I mean everything but the valvetrain. The timing cover and all the brackets, stripped away.

Now, put your 2.8L inductionon the 3.4L longblock. Now insert the distributor and make sure it's where it's supposed to be. Now mark it and don't move the crank. Go ahead and put the 2.8L timing cover, water pump and everything else on the 3.4 block.
Put all the accessories back into place, put the belts on, and put the dist. back in. Put the motor into the car, bolt everything back up and smile, you now have 25 more hp and 40more ft/lbs than you used to.
That's pretty much the way to do it. Minor details aside.

 

T Chain cover & oil pan
ON MY 1985 engine it is a matched set.
They mate/bolt up together to form a leak free engine.
1985 has multiple belts up front.
Later engines use serpintine belt up front
The t chain cover allows engine accessories to mount to engine block
When both the 2.8/3.4 long blocks outta car, side by side, you'll see the "differences" or the "sameness" which will allow ya to continue doing engine swap for YOUR 1988 engine bay.

Next
Headers, Contact Mr. Fred Gerle fgerle@pacesetterexhaust.com and seek his advice before ya purchase the product.
This response is to your concern and the manufacture is most desirable to continue sales of their product. AND Pacesetter seeks to broaden sales by "modifying the current product" for all 60* V6 engines under the 3rd Gen hood. Be it carb'd or MPFI, too.

Next
I always leave the 3.4 EXHAUST manifolds on the engine. I never break the factory seal. The 3.4 exhaust manifolds bolt exactly just like the ones from the 2.8 ya removed, including to that "Y" pipe down there in your current car. Really, that detail is easy, no concern there.

Heating up that bolt hole.....
When the engine is offered to ya from the yard, ask them to show it to ya.
On the passenger side, rear head area, there is a recessed square block plug. Ask the yard to remove it for ya by using a welding torch, set on "flame". That block plug has to be WHITE HOT for ease of removal.

Again, in end, SO MANY questions will be answered when ya have the two mills side by side. Yes, It's hard to "picture" every answer of ours securly, but, realize that this swap has now been performend by close to atleast 75/maybe even 100 people now. All with same concerns as yourself.
Myself when I started the swap project, I had some guidence. But most answers came just by having the mills side by side, looking, checking, examining, and then going forward.
IN END all ya seek is to DUPLICATE & REBUILD THE 3.4 TO LOOK EXACTLY AS WHAT YA REMOVED FROM THE ENGINE BAY, that tired ol 2.8!
Send me an email so I can show ya lots of pics to help guide ya.
Again, this is a bloody simple YET DETAILED engine swap. My answers, tech thread, is a very good guide of how to do the 2.8->3.4 Long Block Swap Boogie, successfully. You'll have WOMEN SWOONING AT EVERY FANCY FOOTSTEP MOVE!
Send me an email to help ya

 

Thanks again man. Is there alot to be removed to get at that square plug? Then is there something that will fit right in there or do you have to thread it?

How do you know where it is suppose to be Thanks again guys, now just have to find a 3.4 block, that will most likely be hard to do also. I'll keep looking though