I know I posted on this last February, but I can't remember what the hell Tom and everyone wrote back. Here goes anyways...

If it was possible to fabricate an air intake, is there any possible way to shove a '94-up 3100 SFI V6 into a third gen?? I was driving the Grand Am last night, and it has notably more kick, and better MPG to boot. I know a lot of you have been doing junkyard 3.4 swaps...but 3100 SFI motors are way more common, and should be cheaper too!! Whereas the 3.4 makes 160hp, in the GA they make 155 and the GP they make 160hp...I know the torque is a little less, but not by much. Even if you didn't wanna do the whole motor, could the heads and SFI setup be adapated to a RWD 2.8/3.1 short block?? If not, what makes them incompatible?

Also, the GA is making a sort of metal-on-metal noise when you turn the defroster on for a few, then turn it back off. If you let the car sit, it goes away again until you turn the defroster back on. It sounds like its coming from the water pump...can this make sense?

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Jason E

'97 Z28
-30th Anniversary package (white with orange stripes)
-LT1, M6, 46k, t-tops, every option and a killer stereo

'95 Grand Am SE 2 door
-Red, 3100 V6, AT, 112k, kept up with a '95 Stang GT auto once

FOR SALE: '89 RS 2.8 w/ t-tops
Third-gen-less for now...but not forever
Long Live #3...

[This message has been edited by Jason E (edited November 28, 2001).]

 

you must fabricate motor mounts. the heads are aluminum. the hed cc is like 28. on the reg f-body/s10 engine, the iron heads are aout 50cc. if you swap, there will be clearance/detonation problems unless you do custon pistons to clear/reduce compresion.

If you doo have time/money/knowhow, do the motormounts & slap in that DOHC 3.4 & let us know the results.

 

just remember too our cars probably way more than the GA or GP....the little loss of tourque may hurt more than you think....just two pennies to think about

 

It may feel like more scoot, but our 98 3100 Grand Am is at least half a second behind our 91 3.1 bird. Not a very worthwhile swap.

 

so I was wondering, will the transmission bolt up to the engine...? It just doesn't seem like itwould work.

 

Only the 3.4 from a Camaro Firebird is worth your effort.
If ya wanna be the first to do an east west engine swap, let us know how you're doing.

Go read my thread on the 2.8-3.4 swap boogie look in search, use KED85.

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

 

Drew,

I'm surprised to hear you say that...there is no doubt the GA is notably quicker than the RS. Road tests back it up too...I've got 3100 N bodies running 0-60 between 8.1-9.0, and a 2.8/5 speed F body running it in 10.5...quite a difference. I do realize your 3.1 has a bit more torque than the 2.8, but still, every 3100 I have driven on the lot at work always seemed quicker.

I didn't realize the heads were that far off from working...oh well, just a thought

 

No, it's a good thought; just a lot of work that might not be worth it. The Gen II (aluminum headed FWD V6's) used a splayed valve design in the heads... it's better for combustion, but this means the valves are angled at the pistons, instead of aimed straight down. So the pistons need to have reliefs cut in for clearance. Along with the splayed valve design is a heart-shaped combustion chamber which also helped HP.

It'd probably be a great mod if someone was going to rebuild their V6. Hm. I'm planning on doing that. Too bad I have two sets of iron heads in the basement..

I wonder... how close are the internals of the FWD Gen II's to the 87-up 2.8's? Same main sizes? Rod lengths? Crank throw should be the same, as would bore. Maybe I should hunt up a set of aluminum heads.


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l)

 

We ran the GA and the Firebird on the Gtech and the GA was almost a full second behind. After playing with the GA and doing about 3 runs it got down to 17.6. The Firebird had a single run in 3rd gear with no shifting and pulled 17 flat. I think the mph were 80mph vs 88mph... Not enough difference to make it worthwhile. Also as far as dependability, the Firebird is pulling at least 130,000 miles of HARD use, the Grand Am GT was just outside of factory warranty when we bought it, and sits in 100% factory trim. I have tweaked the bird a little, and I refuse to touch the GA, but I didn't spend any money on performance parts, etc.

 

why not just throw a 3.8 turbo grand national motor in there. its possible cause the TTA had them.

 

you cnat because the trannys wont bolt up. one is a *60 V6 and the other is *90 V6. it would be just as easy to put in a V8 as a 3.8

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1994 Camaro Z28
350 with a T-56
Flowmaster, K&N FIPK

Former rides: 1989 Chevy Beretta 2.8 with NOS(Nitrous kills), 1977 Datsun 280Z, 1988 Chevey Camaro SC 2.8 M5, 1994 Chevy Camaro 3.4 A4
Long live the 6 cylinder!!!
http://www.nothingssafe.com

 

Two more reasons:

1. Good luck finding one in a junkyard

2. If you put a regular 3.8 in, you'll need to hunt down the appropriate heads, because a regular-headed 3.8 won't fit between the strut towers.

nothingsafe's reason is the best, IMO.

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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l)