Cadillac Catera 3.4 conversion

[Rockatin]

Well the thing is this, my 2001 Catera is dead, I was planning on buying a 1993-97 Camaro/ Firebird with a 3.4 engine in it, but a friend told me that the PCM’s are different between them.

These are my questions;

1.Can I use the transmission of the Catera? Will The 3.4 simply bolt on?

2.Do I need to modify the harness or use the Camaro’s harness?

3.The Catera’s gauge cluster will work with a different PCM?

If there is something I have forgotten about the swap please let me know, if this is possible I will buy a Camaro/Firebird with everything to do the conversion, I have a 1987 Fiero GT with the original engine and the 3.4 are similar.

Thank you people.

[Jimmyfloyd]

I would start with getting the factory service manuals for both vehicles. I would then cross reference the PCM numbers to see if they are compatable. You might have to stick with a 96/97 to maintain the OBD2.

For the harness, that would depend on how different the harnesses are. you need to check the firewall connectors and location of the sensor connections.

Simply bolt in on the swap is not likely. You'll probably have to modify something to make it work.

That being said, i was just reading up on catera swaps, and a L67 swap in particular, but that was a lot of fab work. I also read that the stock GTO rear shocks are an upgrade, the front calipers from a GTO are an upgrade, and with a little bit of work, the GTO 8.8in rear with 3.46:1 and LSD will work as well.

[Rockatin]

Thank you for the answer;

First of all, I’m not planning to do a drag race with the car, I just want something reliable, that doesn’t break down like the Catera’s engine (73K miles), and my Fiero GT has +170k and still running. I’m choosing the 3.4 for its clearance in the engine bay. I already changed the front clip of the car (Brazilian Chevrolet Omega), that’s why I want to keep the car.

I know that it will not simply bolt on (Catera is electronic throttle, Camaro’s are mechanical throttle). I was asking about the transmission bell housing; it will accept the 3.4?

I’m not a mechanic; I will pay for someone to do this, but I want to know what it takes, and if someone here sells the harness if it will be needed.

Thank you for the calipers upgrade advice, there are not a lot of GTO’s around here, but I can find them in a junkyard.

[IsaacHayes]

Paying someone to do it is going to be expensive as hell if not impossible as many won't know what to do and either refuse or give up with something like this...

4L30-E is the trans, assuming the bellhousing is the same as 60*V6's then it should bolt up to the camaro engine, which is only 160hp. No idea what sensors are on the 3.0 caddy engine, and the computer might be CAN so that's going to be an issue if you try to swap to an older OBDII system as your gauges, radio etc all won't work right or at all...

If the 3.0 uses similar sensors etc as the older cars, it could work.. But you will need something to tune the computer for the new engine. I'm not sure if that PCM is hacked...

The trans could possibly be controlled by a camaro PCM, but then again if the caddy is CAN interface then the gauges/etc are a problem.

[amc6476]

Well the thing is this, my 2001 Catera is dead, I was planning on buying a 1993-97 Camaro/ Firebird with a 3.4 engine in it, but a friend told me that the PCM’s are different between them.

These are my questions;

1.Can I use the transmission of the Catera? Will The 3.4 simply bolt on?

2.Do I need to modify the harness or use the Camaro’s harness?

3.The Catera’s gauge cluster will work with a different PCM?

If there is something I have forgotten about the swap please let me know, if this is possible I will buy a Camaro/Firebird with everything to do the conversion, I have a 1987 Fiero GT with the original engine and the 3.4 are similar.

Thank you people.

Hi, I been looking into the possibility of use the 4L30 in my project, but it looks like the only on using the 60V6 pattern is Izusu. http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums...Number=1755652 show the rear end of the Catera engine and I belive this pattern is close to Ecotec or identical some of the bolts migth line up with the 60V6 but not all. BMW using a third pattern.

I hope this give you some answers

[IsaacHayes]

Does the 4l30 have a removable bell-housing to swap?
You could get the camaro 4L60-E too possibly and swap that in...

Either way this is going to be a complex and hard swap. If the caddy was a 97 then it would be easier as for sure then you could use the camaro PCM just re-pin it to the right wires of the car. But 2001 I'm pretty sure that would be a CAN based PCM so your gauges/etc are going to be an issue.

[amc6476]

Does the 4l30 have a removable bell-housing to swap?
You could get the camaro 4L60-E too possibly and swap that in...

Either way this is going to be a complex and hard swap. If the caddy was a 97 then it would be easier as for sure then you could use the camaro PCM just re-pin it to the right wires of the car. But 2001 I'm pretty sure that would be a CAN based PCM so your gauges/etc are going to be an issue.

Yes the 4L30 has intercangeble bell housing but if I got this rigth the oilpump is attached to bell house too. This mean that the trans need to be open to change bell not like late 4L60-E with the bell bolted only to the case

[Superdave]

what's wrong with the current engine?


If it's not melted down or has a rod hanging out the side it could be rebuilt.. or search car-part.com and see if you can just find another stock engine.

[IsaacHayes]

IIRC those engines have the timing belts fail or something like that so it could have bent all the valves, ruined pistons, cams etc.

[MidnightriderZ24]

what's wrong with the current engine?


If it's not melted down or has a rod hanging out the side it could be rebuilt.. or search car-part.com and see if you can just find another stock engine.

engine oil coolers leak like a son of a bitch!! plus the timing chains wear out in 60k. junk engines from what ive encountered. 2003 04 05 is when gm went with CAN. plus have fun putting the engine IN lol. personally the iron head 3.4 will be a pooch in a catera. lsx swap it and be done!!

[carbon]

The Catera engine is only as junk as a 3.4 TDC... I have the later, lower output, version in my 03 Saturn L300 wagon and at 185HP/190TQ it can hang with the 3400. The Catera rated output was 208HP/199TQ... a 3.4 Camarobird motor is going to be a boat anchor in that car. The Catera has a Bosch ECU, a GM BCM and a GM TCM... Good luck getting that all to work with a different engine.


There are two problems with the 3.0:
A. The water pump can start to leak and when it does it drips on the timing belt and deteriorates it to the point of breaking. Then yes, the motor is hatched and needs new heads/valves and possibly pistons. The answer is to replace the timing belt and water pump at the same time. The pump is cheap and can be done with no additional dissassembly. Early models have a problem with belt tensioner bearing and were recalled by Caddy.

B. The oil cooler needs to be replaced with an upgraded unit made of brass, the original cooler was aluminum and can crack, letting oil enter the coolant, obviously not good. The other issue with the oil cooler is that when the engines were manufactured the RTV sealant used was applied too long before the cover was installed and formed a skin which did not allow the cover to seal properly. This can cause a slow coolant leak between the heads and gives the car a nice maple smell at shutdown... Eventually it leaks down the side.

By the way... I have had my timing belt and water pump replaced and the cover on the oil cooler was resealed... over 120,000 miles and doesn't leak a drop of oil or coolant. Oh yeah, and its full of Dexcool...

[IsaacHayes]

Full of dexcool, which turns to rock, so no wonder it's not leaking, it's sealed up! lol j/k

LS3 swap with 4l60-e or something.