Just wondering, but has anyone done a 3.8 swap into a 3rd gen? or even a SC 3.8 swap? just curious. If so how hard is it? as hard as a v8? or easier?

 

Search for it, there is at least 1 person that's doing/done it.

 

project85bird is in the process of doing it, has been for a couple years. its quite a process and still not running, last i heard. hes the only one i know of.

 

fuel enable signal. car will not run w/o the pcm reading this. THe car did run, be all efforts since October/november have faield to get it running on it's own again. Ther are HP Tuners (needs 97 pcm for 95-97 harness) and Digital Horse Power tuners to correct this, but I don't have the $$ for them. I'm selling the drivetrain & selling out for an initially less powerful 305 (upgrading in the wayy future) .

I'm also helping/IMing someone on this swap too, and they got everything from a 2000, IIRC 3.8 car, including 5spd & dash. THEY should have a fraction of the rewiring I had, and hopefully the car will run & keep running.

 

wow after all that work that you did too. thats too bad man, i was hoping to hear what kind of power youd get out of that. sorry to hear about that.

 

yeah really suks. Wife says I can get 1 more swap in before car goes. And I had to cash in major brownie points for that.

As far as power, the same engien in my GP w/approx 3.23/3.29 gears got my GP 1/4mile in 15.5 @88. I expected low 15's/high 14's in the bird w/less weight & better gears. Even had a transgo kit ready to put in..........sigh.

But I'll sil have the motor mounts & will see about having some less ghetto looking versions made up for those who want to do more sucessful swaps of this.

But remember, it ws running, & I did drive the car, at least enough to move in/out of driveway.

 

That's a shame to hear.
Want me, in Los Angeles, to ask around for "that part"?
You seem to have the problem zero'd in on, why not just throw the final cash for the mission accomplished?

 

for the pricew of teh software I'm getting a vee-ate swap w/everything needed., plus I'm getting the $$$ for that by selling the 3800 & tranny. Yeahit sucks that teh vee-ate is actually less powerful thant eh 3800, but fixing that down the road should be the 2.8~3.4 swap boogie + 2cyls.

 

why not 350 if you're going v8? 305's are good for boat anchors

 

because 350 isn't available, nor for that price. unless you have a free long block you're willing to donate for a good cause............

 

lol. I know someone with a 350 block but its a shortblock

 

it's a start

follow five7kid's progreess on his swap..........

(but now my little portion of this thread is crossing over to another forum...... gimme some Series II in 3rd gen questions)

 

anyone sucessfully done it? any pics?

 

I had it done & running. That's being sucessful.

Link to first person that probably did it, and used the 84 tranny, http://www.cardomain.com/ride/400337

 

Get a new wife....

My wife won't dare say a word on what I put into my car. She drops $500 bucks a month on a truck note.

Its a Ford at that

 

mmmmmmmmmmmmm. no. Eleven years too good, especially now a days. Besides, she's teh one who found me the bird inthe first place, otherwise I'd be pimpin around in a 351 powered T-Bird.

 

Trust me, its cheaper to keep her!!!

That said, maybe you should talk to some of the electronics guys on http://www.fieroforum.com. They (particularly Darth Fiero) could probably help you, since they swap that engine all the time into Fieros.

 

too late, 305 is getting pulled sunday, and all money that going into car has to from stuff sold off/for car. And friend has dibs on the engine to swap into his 95 bird.

I do get to totally rewire the dash & engien bay. gonna see about keeping it as clean as it is now (will be a challenge w/about 300% more wires to deal with) but I think it cain be done. I'm still gonna keep the H.O. V6 badge on the back, because the VIN says it's a v6

 

I've bought stuff for it.... but haven't started it yet. Gotta paint the GTA before I tear apart the 88 Camaro.

2002 3.8l 5 speed..wiring..computer...accessories...low miles. Cheap cheap on Ebay (400). Also got a 98 firebird dash for dirt cheap in a U-Pull-It yard. (30).. and a 99 cluster for dirt cheap on Ebay (10). I still gotta find a steering column and some electronic pedals. Didn't realize that 02 V6s had drive by wire until the engine got here. DOH. Probably make things easier anyway... once I find the pedals/wiring. LS1 seats for free for the car too... and I got some GTA wheels for dirt cheap that I polished up. Less than 1k in parts right now with all that. Should be a fun project. Hopefully I don't run into too many problems heh...

 

the pedalis gonna have a sensor onit for the throttle by wire. You have just about everythign needed, young padowan, for a most kicka$$ swap. I'll even donate my mounts if you want (reuses teh 2.8 frame mounts). I think I alredy told you about some clearance issues w/the tubular exhaust manifolds, but a higher mounted engine will take care of that.

 

now with the 3.8 sc swaps in the fiero they piggy back the 3.8's ecm with the 2.8 ecm. Don't know why they just said that's how they did it. Wouldn't it work in an F body too?

 

probably for the tranny maybe?

 

To get the 3800 Series II SC (L67) top end to work you'd also need a intake from a Holden car as well.

I'd be a can of worms getting a L36 in a thirdgen. another can to get a L67 top end on it as well. yeah, it'd be damn powerful, but not worth all the effort.

 

bah, just get an l36 in there (super easy) 97+ pcm for tuning, turbo kit (many for $2200). Make as much power as the L67 & not worry about cutting a firewall. I could've donethis, but each "new" motor I've gotten has been financed by the sale of the previous one.

 

might want a '98 PCM it's a bit smaller & processes faster.

BTW, them CSC's I've seen on Grand Prix GT's @ ZZPerformance in Grand Rapids are nuts!!

www.zzperformance.com

see the possibilities w/ a series II 3800

 

What manual tranny's bolt up to the 3800?

 

The factory issued ones for the F Body is the easiest to do, I'm sure.