Price and Compare Vehicles: The Chevy 3.4L 60° V6 originally comes from the 1993 Camaro. (GM sent me a fax that indicated for repair reference to see the 1993 Camaro shop manual.) In this vehicle it is combined with Multi port Fuel Injection. What's convenient about this engine is that it is externally bolt-for-bolt the same as the 2.8L. That makes engine swapping a simple matter. I decided to do the engine swap because my 2.8L was beginning to show signs of needing rebuilding. The main crank (surprise) was producing sounds of bad rod bearings, etc. The idea of putting out all the money just to get another lousy engine didn't excite me. The $1700 cost for a new engine seemed to be worth the projected increase in power. The 3.4L is an internally balanced engine and comes with a standard 3-hole flexplate. The problem for me arose when I realized my 904 transmission required a 4-hole flexplate, but the 3.4L required a balanced flexplate. Some points:
Because of all of this, I was forced to use my original flexplate from the 2.8L and have it balanced. A local machine shop that also balances warehouse ventilation fans was able to do the job for about $85. (They had to machine a special tool to make the flexplate fit their balancing equipment.) They claimed to balance the flexplate to within .5 gram. Most specs call for engines to be balanced to within 10 grams. I felt confident that this would work. A side note: A representative from Autocraft in Miami, Fla, a company that makes flexplates, explained that weights should not be welded to the flexplate to balance it. It is better to remove the current weights by drilling out the welds. Fine tuning the balancing can be done by drilling additional holes in the plate, preferably, near the external rim rather than near the center. The main stress on a flexplate is between the center crank area and the torque mounting holes, so put the holes outside the area that has the most stress. I was able to easily remove the engine by removing the accessories; steering pump, alternator, a/c, air pump, etc. Next, I removed the distributor. This gives room to the bell housing bolts. Next, remove the exhaust y-pipe. (Leave the exhaust manifolds on to have something to hook the chain to if you don't have lift attachments bolted on elswhere.) Remove the starter and support the transmission. Remove the bell housing bolts. Make sure all the wiring, vacuum, and fuel line are removed adn labeled. Loosen the engine mounting nuts. The bolts can be pulled as the engine is being lifted out. Hook up the engine chain and pull the engine. This part of the job could be done in about 1.5 hours. After the engine is out, you'll need to transfer the intake manifold and exhaust manifolds as well as the other engine sensors. If your 2.8L has a manual fuel pump you will need to get an oil pressure switch and an electric fuel pump. The 3.4L doesn't have the setup for a manual pump. (The oil pressure switch will turn off the fuel pump if the engine dies. It's a safety thing.) If you have a 4-hole torque converter, prepare ahead of time a properly balanced flexplate. This will save you time and frustration. If your torque converter is a 3-hole you'll probably be able to use the new one that comes with the new engine. Also remember to remove the brass pilot bearing if you have an automatic transmission. After transferring all the pieces, you're ready to install. Generally, this process takes a bit longer. I did it this part of the job in about 2.5 hours. Point to consider: If you have a carburetor induction system and want to change it to a Fuel Injector system, this is a good time to do it. I haven't done this yet, but am doing the research to eventually change over. I've been told the parts needed are: Edelbrock intake base #3785, 4V Top #3789, and the Holley Pro-Jection TBI kit #501-2. The Holley kit comes with everything; computer, fuel pump, wiring harness, etc. It is considered a stand-alone system - not needing anything from the vehicle's wiring harness. I'm concerned that the intake manifold top (#3789) doesn't have a place for the EGR Valve. This could cause a problem if the Holley kit requires access to and EGR valve. I have cheched this out yet, but will be calling next week for a full description from Holley. My concern is: Many states don't have a very serious emissions test, but they are getting tougher. Without a port for an EGR Valve, many induction systems can't provide the proper emissions to meet the states' standards. I'll admit not knowing too much about Fuel Injection. Maybe FI doesn't require an EGR, or maybe some systems don't and others do. That could explain why I was told to use the non-EGR intake with the Fuel Injection TBI!? As a note: The Holley intake manifold is a two piece setup. One piece fits onto the heads the other piece fits on top and holds the carb/injection unit. This allows for changing the port setup (2 barrel or 4 barrel) without having to pull the entire intake off.. Check with your GM dealer when you buy the engine, they can get a fax set that describes specifically what you'll need to do and what parts you need to buy ahead of time. The fax is labeled: "3.4L Engine Conversion."
Another way to go with Fuel Injection is via:
Reinstall the engine according to
normal practices. Take your time... and remember... Seriously, I also took the opportunity to replace the bell housing bolts and other accessory nuts/bolts that I could easily get at the local parts store.
Some things
to check for BEFORE starting the engine up:
I was able to start my engine on the first try, although everyone left the garage when I did it! The first 2k-4k miles on a vehicle are very important, the first 1000 being the most important. My advice is to run the engine VERY conservatively; long warm-ups, slow accelerations, easy revs (if necessary), etc. I changed the oil at 300 miles and will change it again when it reaches 1000 miles, then again at 2500 miles and according to regular intervals after that. For the first week I checked all the fluids twice a day and closely inspected the engine for leaks. I now have about 550 miles on it and the engine has already proven the money was well spent. I've had many people E-mail me about the swap. Many were not sure whether it would be worth it. Considering the amount of money involved, I don't blame the hesitation. I was pushed into it a little bit because my 2.8L was getting ready to quit and I had to put the money out anyway. If you're not sure about pulling an engine, have an experienced friend help. This is not a difficult job, but it does need an experienced hand to do it without incident. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again if I had the choice.
The cost for the project is about
$1900. This is less than what I spent. I felt since I was at it I
would replace other things, exhaust, engine mounts, etc. The total
cost really depends on the individual needs... then again you and I
both know the MANY things that are discovered to need replacing
DURING the project! The engine is the major cost and is generally
available for a negotiated price of about $1700, an additional few
other neccessary items (oil press sw., elec fuel pump, wire, fuel
line, etc.) will add about another $200 or so.
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Posted Mar 01 2008 08:45PM
