3.1 v6 Head swap
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From: Los Angeles
Car: 92 Z28 Clone
Engine: Vortec 350
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Axle/Gears: 3.23 Torsen
3.1 v6 Head swap
Well I have several broken bolts from my ex manifold to my heads and just leaks bad and looking to do a head swap . My question is what to use. Do I use the new heads and its pushrods or use my stock pushrods with the new heads? Anything else i need to be concerned about? lifters?
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From: Waterford, MI
Car: 1998 Camaro Z28
Engine: 6.0L
Transmission: 4L60E
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Re: 3.1 v6 Head swap
The pushrods won't be any different if you're swapping another set of iron heads from anything 85-95 RWD. The 2.8, 3.1 and 3.4 iron heads are all the same, pushrod length are the same. You won't have to touch the lifters since they're in the block.
Have you looked into what a shop would charge you to drill out the broken bolts? The only issue with buying used heads that old is you have no idea what condition they're in. The valve guides may be shot, for example. You'd hate to swap them and find out that you're worse off than before.
Have you looked into what a shop would charge you to drill out the broken bolts? The only issue with buying used heads that old is you have no idea what condition they're in. The valve guides may be shot, for example. You'd hate to swap them and find out that you're worse off than before.
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Re: 3.1 v6 Head swap
If it is the passenger side rear bolts, good luck. I've considered unbolting the engine/trans and lifting/rotating to get access to them.
There is one thread on here where a mechanic used a right angle drill to get to them. But this is more of a specialty tool.
RBob.
There is one thread on here where a mechanic used a right angle drill to get to them. But this is more of a specialty tool.
RBob.
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From: Waterford, MI
Car: 1998 Camaro Z28
Engine: 6.0L
Transmission: 4L60E
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Re: 3.1 v6 Head swap
I meant pull the heads to have the broken bolts drilled out, since he mentioned they were leaking already. Yeah, that would be a truck load of no fun if he did them in the car.
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Joined: Sep 2014
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From: Los Angeles
Car: 92 Z28 Clone
Engine: Vortec 350
Transmission: T-56
Axle/Gears: 3.23 Torsen
Re: 3.1 v6 Head swap
I wont bother with the broken bolts in the head as the manifold is welded to the heads
Well I was thinking of getting the heads off a fourth gen 3.4.. So your saying i can use the new head's push rods right? All i would have to
do then is set the valvelash right? Then just bolt everything back up. Anything else i need to be concerned about? Does anybody know the best gasket for it not to leak again.? Upgrade bolts and studs??
Well I was thinking of getting the heads off a fourth gen 3.4.. So your saying i can use the new head's push rods right? All i would have to do then is set the valvelash right? Then just bolt everything back up. Anything else i need to be concerned about? Does anybody know the best gasket for it not to leak again.? Upgrade bolts and studs??
Last edited by maroe624; Aug 11, 2017 at 08:59 PM.
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Joined: Dec 2012
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From: northern VA
Car: 88 Sport Coupe Camaro
Engine: V6 2.8
Transmission: Borg-Warner T-5
Axle/Gears: RPO/GU6: 3.42
Re: 3.1 v6 Head swap
I'm in the same situation with my exhaust manifold bolts.
I'm looking very hard at the A.R.I. place in Missouri. They appear to specialize in 60* V6 Chevy motors.
http://www.engine-parts.com/GMV6/gmv6heads.html
From the looks of it, they are building a turnkey head replacement for our cars. Wish I could say I have first-hand experience with them. I do not.
Of course, you can spend a lot less on rebuilt heads if you get them from someplace like Autozone, but who knows really what you're going to get with that deal.
Or you can do all the machine work yourself in the garage.
By the time I've invested my time and labor into a project like this, I'd like to think I don't need to be real worried about the quality of the part I'm installing. Doing the job one time is sort of fun. Re-doing because I installed a questionable part on the first try in order to save a couple hundred bucks?... I don't even want to think about it.
I'm looking very hard at the A.R.I. place in Missouri. They appear to specialize in 60* V6 Chevy motors.
http://www.engine-parts.com/GMV6/gmv6heads.html
From the looks of it, they are building a turnkey head replacement for our cars. Wish I could say I have first-hand experience with them. I do not.
Of course, you can spend a lot less on rebuilt heads if you get them from someplace like Autozone, but who knows really what you're going to get with that deal.
Or you can do all the machine work yourself in the garage.
By the time I've invested my time and labor into a project like this, I'd like to think I don't need to be real worried about the quality of the part I'm installing. Doing the job one time is sort of fun. Re-doing because I installed a questionable part on the first try in order to save a couple hundred bucks?... I don't even want to think about it.
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Car: 1973 Datsun 240Z/ 1985 S-15 Jimmy
Engine: Turbo LX9/To be decided
Transmission: 5-speed/T-5
Axle/Gears: R200 3.90/7.5" 3.73
Re: 3.1 v6 Head swap
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,356
Likes: 15
From: northern VA
Car: 88 Sport Coupe Camaro
Engine: V6 2.8
Transmission: Borg-Warner T-5
Axle/Gears: RPO/GU6: 3.42
Re: 3.1 v6 Head swap
Links to A.R.I. Reports?
I've yet to find even one report on their products
I've yet to find even one report on their products
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,367
Likes: 15
Car: 1973 Datsun 240Z/ 1985 S-15 Jimmy
Engine: Turbo LX9/To be decided
Transmission: 5-speed/T-5
Axle/Gears: R200 3.90/7.5" 3.73
Re: 3.1 v6 Head swap
I don't save links to reviews of places I'll never buy from.
But look on V6Z24.com, S10forum.com, 60degreev6.com, other forums and even some old threads here have said usually from completely terrible, to it works, but not as well as it was supposed to.
But look on V6Z24.com, S10forum.com, 60degreev6.com, other forums and even some old threads here have said usually from completely terrible, to it works, but not as well as it was supposed to.




