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So I'm now a proud owner of a 88 3.4MPFI Camaro. Well as proud as a V6 owner can be. Other than a few broken and stripped bolts, a broken power steering pump bracket, and the wrong lower intake plenum I have to say everything went okay. I do have to say first before I get into details that I am absolutely amazed with the gains over the tired 2.8MPFI.
I figured as I just finished the swap and it's all fresh on the mind (and I know what mistakes we made), it could help someone out there who's thinking of the same swap.
I started with a 2.8MPFI in my 88 Camaro. The motor that went in is a 3.4SFI from a 95 Camaro. I think we got to the right combination with the 3.4 thanks to the help from the people on this site. This is what we did and here is a few points to avoid any hickups. This is using the 2.8 distributor and computer from the 88 not DIS. If using the 95SFI intake you will need to use the DIS.
1. If using the 2.8/3.1 intake you NEED ALL 3 plenums. The middle will bolt to the 3.4 lower plenum but it will not have the cold start injector in the back, and is missing a sensor hole in the front. I match-ported the 2.8 intake from the tb to the heads and it works great.
2. Use 3.4 injectors in the 2.8 fuelrail, they are a little shorter but seal fine in the intake. The 3.4 fuelrail does not have a cold start injector and the lines are the new style and bent different.
3. The 3.4 front cover/waterpump has a smaller intake hose and your stock Camaro lower rad hose will be about 1/4" too large, I unfortunately didn't notice untill the motor was in so I had to sleeve it. Don't leak and cools fine so gonna leave it. There's also a bolt hole for the powersteering bracket that takes a larger bolt and has to be drilled on the bracket. (this is if using the 3.4 front cover)
4. Knock sensor is NOT the same for the two motors. The 2.8 Comp will throw a code
5. 3.4 Oil pan will clear the 88 Camaro front crossmember, Even with headers. It is a bit bigger in the sump and may seem like it'll hit the exhaust but it'll be fine (unless you are running a 3" crossover pipe). It has a larger capacity (full 5L+), and I noticed the 3.4 Oil pump has more pressure than my 2.8 one did. I never even broke the seal on the oilpan, if it ain't broke don't fix it.
6. Passenger side motor mount or the side of the block has to be modified due to an extra wide oilpan mounting flange on the block. If not modified the motor mount won't sit flush to the block. I just cut the lower rear corner of the mount off, about the size of a quarter.
7. Set both your motors to TDC before you swap your distributor over, we did that and it only took about 2 cranks for the 3.4 to start and run fine. Also you have to remember that the 3.4 doesn't have a timing plate due to the DIS so it's a bit of a pain to time the motor if the ditributor is off mark.
8. You'll have to use the 2.8 valve covers to have the PCV's to match like stock but can be got around, and the valve covers have to be installed before the middle plenum.
Other than these few points the swap went pretty good. All of the bolt holes in the heads matched up perfectly and even the hole for the Knock sensor is on the passenger side head in the rear. The results are like night and day. Tons more torque and good power all the way to around 5200-5500rpm, V6 power that is, but I think the headers and porting the 2.8 intake made all the difference. The 95 never pulled like the 88 now does.
Good luck
Art
I figured as I just finished the swap and it's all fresh on the mind (and I know what mistakes we made), it could help someone out there who's thinking of the same swap.
I started with a 2.8MPFI in my 88 Camaro. The motor that went in is a 3.4SFI from a 95 Camaro. I think we got to the right combination with the 3.4 thanks to the help from the people on this site. This is what we did and here is a few points to avoid any hickups. This is using the 2.8 distributor and computer from the 88 not DIS. If using the 95SFI intake you will need to use the DIS.
1. If using the 2.8/3.1 intake you NEED ALL 3 plenums. The middle will bolt to the 3.4 lower plenum but it will not have the cold start injector in the back, and is missing a sensor hole in the front. I match-ported the 2.8 intake from the tb to the heads and it works great.
2. Use 3.4 injectors in the 2.8 fuelrail, they are a little shorter but seal fine in the intake. The 3.4 fuelrail does not have a cold start injector and the lines are the new style and bent different.
3. The 3.4 front cover/waterpump has a smaller intake hose and your stock Camaro lower rad hose will be about 1/4" too large, I unfortunately didn't notice untill the motor was in so I had to sleeve it. Don't leak and cools fine so gonna leave it. There's also a bolt hole for the powersteering bracket that takes a larger bolt and has to be drilled on the bracket. (this is if using the 3.4 front cover)
4. Knock sensor is NOT the same for the two motors. The 2.8 Comp will throw a code
5. 3.4 Oil pan will clear the 88 Camaro front crossmember, Even with headers. It is a bit bigger in the sump and may seem like it'll hit the exhaust but it'll be fine (unless you are running a 3" crossover pipe). It has a larger capacity (full 5L+), and I noticed the 3.4 Oil pump has more pressure than my 2.8 one did. I never even broke the seal on the oilpan, if it ain't broke don't fix it.
6. Passenger side motor mount or the side of the block has to be modified due to an extra wide oilpan mounting flange on the block. If not modified the motor mount won't sit flush to the block. I just cut the lower rear corner of the mount off, about the size of a quarter.
7. Set both your motors to TDC before you swap your distributor over, we did that and it only took about 2 cranks for the 3.4 to start and run fine. Also you have to remember that the 3.4 doesn't have a timing plate due to the DIS so it's a bit of a pain to time the motor if the ditributor is off mark.
8. You'll have to use the 2.8 valve covers to have the PCV's to match like stock but can be got around, and the valve covers have to be installed before the middle plenum.
Other than these few points the swap went pretty good. All of the bolt holes in the heads matched up perfectly and even the hole for the Knock sensor is on the passenger side head in the rear. The results are like night and day. Tons more torque and good power all the way to around 5200-5500rpm, V6 power that is, but I think the headers and porting the 2.8 intake made all the difference. The 95 never pulled like the 88 now does.
Good luck
Art
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