can i swap a mpfi 2.8 into a 1982 firebird

 

Yes you can, but here are some option to consider:

1. Edlebrock Intake, Port and smooth it out some for more HP
2. Holley 500CFM 2 barrel, Nice Gain
3. Dynomax cat back 3-5HP
4. Eletric Fan, Save HP up 10HP
5. Nitrous, Cheaper Kits
6. Super Charger (older Unit for the carbs/TBI)
7. Wolverine Cam for NON FI, boy is it drastic
8. 1.52 Rollers
9. Port the heads extreme

 

If your ambitious enough you can do what i'm doing. Get a donor car and a good camera or have access to an mpfi f-body to stare at every so often. For my project i came across the 87 Firebird donor at the insurance salvage yard for $300(CAN)and I was able to drive it home. I got a saveable 83 Firebird (straight body, nearly rust free underbody) for about a $150 opportunity cost.

From the donor you will need:
Fuel tank
Fuel lines with fuel filter (or get new ones)
Transmission (I had to convert to auto to make it easier to get going)
Drive shaft
Engine
Radiator and electric fan
Tailights (to save a wiring hassel) I like the old lights better so I'm going to deal with it later
The connector behind the the backseats, under the carpet thats rivited in for the fuel pump
Guages (fits nicely in to the old dash, the cover won't)
shifter, brake pedal (i had to)
Cruise contol ( I xnayed, you may want to keep it)
Steering column (will be okay for you, but mine was busted)
Radio Pod
Console (fits almost niclely, I had to move the carpet a bit)
wiper motor

Engine, TB to pan starter to power steering(new one is different, has a cooling line)
For kicks: grab the stabilizer bar and Lower control arms. My 83 firebird doesn't have this, but has the holes drilled, they need to be tapped. The 87 parts car had it but the LCA's were broken. It might not work because the rears were made by a different manufacturer in 85? it went to Borge Warner?
so I'm not sure if the stabalizer bar will wrap around the axel housing and bolt up right. But knowing GM and mass production, it probably does work.

Wiring harness and all that neat suff inside the passenger dash. Really think about whats different in terms of options on the cars. The harness will fit, the holes are all there event holes to mount the computer. I have to custom wire a switch for the hatch wiper. I also decided to change over to the power hatch. I'm using the driver door from the 87 with Power windows/locks. The 87 has different interior panels as well so i have to change both. The problem: the 87 passenger door is rusted beyond repair so i have to put the pw/pdl in the old pass door.

I'm really loking forward to that

144+ beers and whatever other poison your circle needs are required to entice people to come and help.

right now I'm in the process of preping the engine/tranny for install the weekend. I came into some cash so I'm seriously considering getting the block machined and putting in a 3.4L cam. I don't need to but i has getting the heads done anyhow...

Curently the project has made money. The cost of the donor, the project car and beer have been more than offset by selling the wheels, hatch, door glass, rear seats, master cylinder and rear bumper cover.

Normal people wouldn't do this, but I have the resources needed as well as some talent and I have no trouble getting motivated to work on F-bodys.

I never got a definite answer on if the intake and carb would just drop onto an mpfi engine and work. Some people said the heads are designed differently and the car would never run right. Some said it would work no problem. But when it came down to it a newer good 2.8l is easily worth a $1000 here, an 82,83,84 2.8 is just not possible to find, it's harder than finding a dodge mini-van motor that doesn't blow blue. I really didn't want to get suck with an expensive motor that wouldn't run. Then i'd have to hunt down a wiring harness, fuel tank, guages and anything else big $$$ if bought seperatly.

If you talk to someone that accually did this and it worked for them go for the intake/carb. I would've, i could've keeped my car a 5 spd, But could not get info needed within a week. The donor came along and I grabbed it.

One problem I can see is not having holes drilled on the block for your mechanical fuel pump.

For the record the new parts i've needed so far:

shocks
Fuel filter
Fuel line rubber hose, two sizes, fuel filer might come with them except one, replace the one that goes to the canister.

Trans to torque arm mount


1/2" / 9/16" and 13mm/14mm flare wrench
it ticks me off that this car is metric and SAE, get with the program Americans!, your costing me money! Just cause you can kick everyones *** if needed. Geo-trig class must really suck for you guys Metric is sooooo much easier on the brain. Could be worse, there could be British threads mixed with Russian ingenuity.

Two metric transmission to rad lines (for lack of the above tools)

Gloss black paint, rust detroyer primer, brake cleaner, simple green, varsol, paint thinner, release all, WD40, hand cleaner, shop towels.

a very patient girlfriend
(and/or busy, univercity girl that attends during summer and has a job)

another car

may need an AC delete pully or different belt, trying sort that out

complete gasket set

timing chain, gears, water pump.

crome rear end cover, valve covers, timing cover, thermostat housing.

rear end oil, axl seals, tranny fluid/filter, engine oil/filer and i use stp oil treatment (looks suspiciously like the rear end oil) on internal metal for initial start up lubrication.

There you go, the sum of my newer mpfi engine into older car knowlege. Hope it helps, the Government of Canada paid me good money to write this for you.

 

May God have Mercy on your Souls.
Preceede to the Wrecking yards, now!
You sure you still have a Girlfriend, since you have not seen her lately?

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Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA