I was wondering how hard it would be to swap the SFI engine and wiring harness out of my '96 Grand AM into my '86 Trans AM? The Grand AM run perfectly until I burned the trans up trying to out run a '00 Vette...

 

lol trying to out run an LS1 with a stock 2.8L never heard that before . My healthly 3.1L had a hard time out running a 2JZ-GE. Back to topic, depends on your skills and wallet size. Since the engine is FWD it wasn't design to go into a RWD. I have compared a FWD 90* to RWD 60* they are completely different. about a few months ago I was thinkin about attempting to stick a brand new FWD 3.8L into my camaro and turbo like the trans am turbo turns out the way the engine bolts to the mounts are completely different compared to a RWD and the back where the tranny bolts onto are different. Dont get me wrong it can be done.

 

Well, what size is the engine. Both 60* and 90* FWD motors take work/fab skills to get them to work...I think the 90* will be tougher though.

 

Well according to my buddy at Oreilly's, the 3100 is a 60*, and is a version of the 3.1 that is in later thirdgens. I plan to use the heads, intake, plenum, throttle body, wiring harness, fuel pump, cat, ecm, and sensors off the 3100 with a 3.1 thirdgen cam on of my .040 over 2.8 block. the inkate gasket set I bought shows a that it will fit 2.8, 3.1, 3.4. The 3100 is classified as a 3.1 at both Autozone and Oreilly's. My freind done it on her '90 RS before she moved, I haven't talk to her much since, but I know she drove it to Cali after she finished.

 

I just read that the title said 3100
So you want to do the 3x00 swap on your 2.8, correct? Just want to make sure I am reading that right.
Yes you can put the 3100 heads/intake on your 2.8, but you dont need to use the 3100 wiring harness, fuel pump, cat, or ecm. But you will have to change your pistons...You can just swap in the 3100 pistons from your FWD motor. If you use the stock pistons the CR will be really high (I forget the exact number)
Also the 96 3100 has the small port design. You would be much better off with the 3400 or the 3100 from 2000+. The ports are much bigger.

 

These ain't stock 3100 heads, they're off a fuel injected mini-sprint...I never figured out what size they were, but they were waaay different than the stock ones that cam off the engine, and it really helped the horse power...I had 150 something when I started, but after the head swap, intake port and polish and the Crane PowerMAXXX cam, and ECM retune and Accel injectors and some other small upgrades, that 3100 kicked out almost 290HP...but it wouldn't run worth sh*t on pump gas...108 octane racing gas, now that was another story...1st place in a FWD burnout contest at Jones Used Tire car show and burnout contest...They should be do pretty well on this engine, I have some DOHC 3400 heads, but I haven't got any idea how to make them work on a OHV block...

My real question was if I had to change the wiring harness for sure, I know SFI has some diffent sensors like the cam and crank position sensors...

 

Oh and I used KB pistons on the 3100 SFI engine, I've also got .040 KB flattop 2vr pistons (3.544") in the 2.8 and a GMPP 4.1:1 high torque mini-starter

 

Well, where do we begin?

This has been covered a lot of times, but I'll give you a couple things off the top of my head if you want to put a FWD motor in an fbody.

The starter is on the wrong side, and unless you can find an elite "dual starter pocket" bellhousing, then you have to fabricate something to move the starter over.

One motor mount boss is the same, the other has to be custom.

The oil pan on the 3x00 engines is much larger than the RWD counterparts, and either the pan has to be hacked/welded, or the frame has to be boxed/notched, or a tubular k member needs to be implimented.

Now that you moved the starter over, the next issue is the oil filter adapter location is now resided by the starter.

Then you can't forget the little items like one FWD bell housing to block bolt is reversed, and you have to change your ECM or make modifications to make it work with DIS.

Then what about exhaust? Custom headers or modified RWD headers will be needed.

Not to discourage you, but it's not a bolt-in. i will have a full 3x00 swap in my car eventually, but fo now I'm settling for a hybrid.

 

[quote=firstfirebird;3771712]Well, where do we begin?

The starter is on the wrong side, and unless you can find an elite "dual starter pocket" bellhousing, then you have to fabricate something to move the starter over.
my T5 has a bellhousing that looks like it could put the starter on either side. it looks like you could just flip the bellhousing cover over and put the starter on the other side of the engine. so maybe thats not a problem for everyone.

 

[quote=chevyracingrox;3771767]How can you flip the housing over if the mounting holes are not symmetrical?

 

Okay, someone made an offer I couldn't refuse on that 3100 SFI V6 for their *****...$4000 for the complete engine (thats 4 times more than what I paid for the car...)...so never mind, I'm just gonna have to stick with my 2.8 for now...I can do a ton of work with 4k...

 

I can sell complete 3400's for less than $1k and 3500's for slightly less, with a warranty.

 

Firstfirebird do you sell FWD top ends?

 

[quote=firstfirebird;3771856]not the bell housing, I'm talking about the dust shield that goes in front of the flywheel. sorry for the confusion.