3100/3400 engine and 5-speed trannie...

[z28quetzal]

Hi guys,

I am doing some research into a possible engine swap. I am very familiar with the 3.4 V6 that came in the F-bodies and from all the reading I've done, the 3100/3400 engines have superior heads and intakes. This is why I would like to ask the following:

1. Is it possible to take a 3100/3400 engine and bolt on the T5 gearbox found in the F-bodies with the 3.4 engine? Is this possible as a bolt on, or is there fabrication involved? In other words, I'm trying to make a FWD engine RWD.

2. Let's suppose the answer to the above question is affirmative; how do you make the intake face the 'front' of the engine? Is the intake on the 3100/3400 engines symmetrical so that it can be just flipped around?

Thanks in advance for any help you might be able to give me...

joe

[El_Diablo]

i dont have nearly all the info but i believe that custom mounts would need to be made to swap the fwd engine in and at that point why not go all out with a 3500?

side note, i may have a 3.1 small port top end availible which would be a fairly easy swap from what i understand

[z28quetzal]

Thank you much for the reply.

By 'custom mounts' you refer to engine mounts, right? If so, that would be no problem. Would a special bellhousing be needed to make the 3100/3400 engine work with the 5-speed or will it bolt on without much modification?

You mention the 3500 engine. You mean the LX9, right? On that engine, is it possible to turn the intake around so the thing faces the correct direction for FWD?

joe

[korbendallas68]

There will be a some modifying of the starter location.

[sharkey]

you can get a dual starter pocket bellhousing from an early 80s 2.8l camaro, it will bolt onto the motor and clear the starter without issues. you will need to use a gm pattern t5 tranny though, the 3.4l uses a ford t5 pattern and it wont bolt to the dual pocket bellhousing.

aside from that, you could use a 3.4l bellhousing and cut the starter pocket out and have a pocket fabricated and welded in. shouldnt be too hard for a welder/fabricator.

[bszopi]

And to answer your intake question... Yes, the 3100/3400/3500 plenums are symmetrical and can be rotated 180º to face the proper direction in a RWD setup.

[z28quetzal]

Thank you all for the great information. This is great stuff.

I'm cool with the bellhousing issue, about fabricating the starter pocket. I know a machinist and fabricator would be able to fix that issue. Thanks for letting me know about that.

Sharkey, in regards to your comment:

you will need to use a gm pattern t5 tranny though, the 3.4l uses a ford t5 pattern and it wont bolt to the dual pocket bellhousing.

Would you elaborate a little on the difference between the gm/ford patterned T5? What would be a suitable donor vehicle for the "GM" patterned T5?

thanks,
joe

[bszopi]

Here is a good thread with some information which might be useful : http://www.60degreev6.com/showthread.php?t=38020