When swapping a 3.4 in place of a 3.1 should I purchase a balancer for a 3.4 or a 3.1, or option 3 it doesn't matter? I don't trust my current one to live much longer.

I have a T5, and the 3.4 came out of a 4th gen with a T5 as well. Does it matter witch fly wheel I use. The one on the 3.4 looks like it is in better shape then my current one. the one on the 3.1 has gone through 2 exploding cltuch discs.

Are the timing chain covers the same? The one on 3.1 is cracked, and has been for some time. It jsut hasn't leaked so I haven't replaced it $80 a pop.

What cam options are available for the 3.4. I am tearing it down to be rebuilt and might as well put in the one I want.

thanks!

 

isnt the 3.4 Internally balanced?

 

don't you have to use the 3.4 flex plate?

 

reuse as much of the 3.4 as you can. Get the flywheel surfaced while it's out, and inspect teh balancer. IF bad, use Karl's suggestion and get the repair sleeve (probably wont need it though).

I want to say go ahead & use the 3.4 timing cover, but make sure the oil pan gasket is the same, as if the bolt number is different, the bottom lip of the cover will be the difference.

Pretty sure the waterpumps rotate the same dirrection, but I don't have all the resources available to me right now.

 

I will rebute nate(projects) comment on the timing cover. Use your 3.1 cover. You need it to set your timing.

I advise on the 3.1 oil pan too. While the 3.4 pan clears the x-member, I had it hitting the stock y-pipe tell I went to headers.

 

the 3.4 timing cover doesnt have the timing marks, you need to use one from the old engine, my 3.4 pan worked just fine, till i put headers on, then it hit the pan.

 

come to think of it, when I read over the swap tech article by a great member, I think if you use the 3.4 cover, you can't use the original serpentine belt set up as you have to drill an extra hole or something to get it to work. That and the timing marks are not present cause the 3.4 uses DIS ignition systems.

 

Cool. Thanks for the info.

Does anyone know what a good choice for a cam on the 3.4L

I know the performace cam for the 3.1 is the stock 3.4 cam, so I don't witch way to go with it, and don't **** the ECM off.

 

I transferred teh timing pointer over and it ran pretty damn good, if I do say so myself, until it cought fire that is


edit: and the water pump runs ccw on the 3.4 I have a great pick of it on my cardomain doing the 3.4~3800 swap (cheap plug)

 

Did you transfer the timing marks from the 2.8 to the 3.4 timing cover/balancer?

 

my cardomain is only showing little pics, but I think I did post a closeu of the timing pointer here at least once (regular pick you cain actually see)

If the 3.1 oil pan gasket is the same as teh 3.4, reuse the 3.1 cover, and check/replace teh timing chain while you're at it.

 

It's easy to tell that the 3.4 balancer is bad. It is severly rusty and the rubber inertia ring is toast. Mine is also suspect. When I go to buy a new one should it be the one for the 3.4 or the 3.1, or are they the same? My main concern is having the proper timing mark on the balancer.

I think I will either stick with my current front cover or buy a new one. There is a sensor that sticks out of the drivers side of the oil pan on the 3.4 I don't want to leave it in there or deal with trying to plug big hole it would leave. Mine is still in good shape. Hell it's only 2 years old thanks to a cunk of cement.

A couple of things I am going to do are, buy brand new injectors, New exhuast manifolds, and a new cat. I don't trust junkyard injectors, and you can get a new set of six from summit for $198 witch isn't that bad. Most part stores want $175 per injector and there tolerances are way loser. Some thing like 5 - 10% per injector. The ones on Summit are balanced with 2 - 3 % of each other.

 

Cruizen performance balances injectors for like, $80 if that much.

I'm pretty sure they're the same balancer, but might, might be an issue w/timing marks on the 3.1 balancer (if they even have them... the 3.4 won't)

The sensor on the 3.4 oil pan is a low oil level sensor. zI jsut left mine alone. It won't leak.

 

There is no Difference with the timing covers exept the mark. Just switch the markings over. The 3.4 is internally Balanced.
There where no issuse with the serp belt system. Just use all of the original Intake and fuel system The onlything I can think of off of the top of my head is I had to remove the knock sensor and plug the hole up and the cam sensor also. Use all of the 3.4 stuff that has to do with the balance. I know the 2.8 isn't internally balanced but the 3.4 is. I am not sure what the 3.1 is.

 

3.1 is internaly balanced, as well as later 2.8s ('87+).

 

When I did the swap I had an 87 Camaro with a 2.8 and it wasn't internally balanced

 

Some sources say it was 87.5+, but so far all I've seen personally is '87, I havne't come accross a non internally balanced '87.

 

Thanks 87CamaroMan exactly the info i was looking for. I will use the 3.4 front cover and a brand new 3.4 balancer.

I am researching cam options for the 3.4 and will post what I find when I find out.

 

unless you plan on going with DIS ignition, you are WAY better off using the 2.8 front cover.

On cams, again. Unless your going with DIS, any 2.8/3.1/3.4 cam will work, its just a mater of what you need your engine to do, and how much green backs you have to spend.

 

DIS is not effected by the Cam, but the SFI (Sequential Fuel Injection) can be.

 

I thought the trigger on the cam was for DIS?

But either way it goes, unless hes using the full dis/sfi setup, the cam can be for any rwd 6/60.

 

No, the cam sync trigger is for the fuel in the SFI system only, to tell the PCM where the engine is in the firing order, so the that proper firing sequence can be used.

The DIS runs off the crank sensor that is machined into the crank, it has it's own "home" signal.

Yes any cam for the GenI or II 660 can be used in the propsed set-up, even hybrid using the Aluminium top end, if an MPFI ECM is used.

 

Can't go highbred. I live in California. I would never get passed the smog test.

I will swap the timing pointer over to the 3.4 front cover. the front cover on my current 3.1 is cracked all over the place, and I am not sure how much longer it hold up before leaking. It looks like if I tried hard enough I could brake it apart with my hands.

Swapping the pointer over will be much cheaper than buying a new front cover. The cheapest I have found is $85 for a new one. I plan on seting this engine up for long term durability, so I don't want to pull a used one from the scrap yard. Plus the time spent pulling one could be better spent building the engine.

 

I have 1n 85 2.8 with a v belt setup... How would I go about using my accessories with a 3.4???

 

85 for a front cover I may have one I will sell you MUCH cheaper. I'll have to go look tonight or friday, and I'm leaving town for a week.

How big of a hurry are you in?

 

No hury. I decided to buy the engine before my engine dies. THis way I have time to have it rebuilt and make sure all of the details are in place.