Engine selection advice

[4wheelfurry]

First time to post here guys, I've wrenched on pretty much everything out there for 20 years and I absolutely love the GM 60* engines. I plan to do 60* swap into my Jeep TJ to replace my absolute turd of a 4cyl. AMC cast the 30RH bell housing from a 2.8 to bolt up to the 2.5L way back so bolting it to my 30RH Auto is what made me decide to go this route. I've just built my 30RH(904) and its ready to go but I need a few more ponys!!
I've done a good bit of reading, not much really out there for what I want to do exactly I found only one posting of a 2.5 to 3.4L swap using a 95 Camaro. My main question to you guys is what doner car should I look for? Originally I had planned for a 93-95 Camaro because of the RWD configuration but they are getting harder to find pluss I'd rather Almn heads to keep weight down to that of the stock 2.5 4banger. So I'd more rather pull a later model 3400 from a mid 2000s Impala and go with that but I need to know some things;
(1) Do the FWD blocks have boss casting to bolt up motor mounts for a RWD configuration?
(2) can the LIM/Upper be turned around to face forward?
(3) can I fit RWD type headers to a 3400 head?
(4) can I run two front manifolds on both left/right head instead of headers?
Any help is greatly appreciated!

[Purple pit]

Let me take a stab at this, I could be wrong.
2. no you turn it around
3. they should be the same
4. why would you want to? Headers are about 1000 times better. The fronts are the worst mainfolds made. Logs are just about worthless.

[Guest]

(1) Do the FWD blocks have boss casting to bolt up motor mounts for a RWD configuration?

No, you will need custom mounts. In SOME cases the passenger side RWD mount can be used, but it will only bolt onto two bolt bosses, since the pattern on the passenger side looks the same, but is shifted forward by the amount of bolt boss spacing.

(2) can the LIM/Upper be turned around to face forward?

Yes, but if you turn only the upper around you will have the thermostat neck at the back of the engine, which could make servicing the thermostat interesting, depending on how much space you have in that area. It is recomended that when swapping a FWD engine into a RWD (longitudinal) configuration, to use a RWD front cover, balancer, pulleys and accessories, with a few small modifications. The FWD power steering pump is right where the throttle body will be when the upper is turned around, and will be completely in the way of the thermostat housing when the lower is turned around. Any 2.8L from an S10, 1986 and newer will work. Going newer IIRC 1987 and up (which will be easier to find anyway) will give you full serpentine belt system.

(3) can I fit RWD type headers to a 3400 head?

Yes, but requires a couple modifications, those being slotting the bolt holes (the bolt holes are wider spaced on the aluminum heads) and change the port shape to match the D-shape of the genIII heads.

(4) can I run two front manifolds on both left/right head instead of headers?

Not really. I mean they will bot up to either head, but the driver side outlet will be pointed at the firewall, and the outlet on the passenger side will be pointed towards the front of the engine bay. You're best off to use RWD manifolds/headers and modify them to fit.

[caffeine]

Unless you have room for two 3500 front manifolds, which are probably the best manifolds available.

[Guest]

Unless you have room for two 3500 front manifolds, which are probably the best manifolds available.

The problem with the 3500 front manifolds is that in most longitudinal applications the cross member and mounts would interfere.

[geoffinbc]

Since you have a solid axle you may just get away with the stock oil pan provided the Jeep does not have a cross member in the way. I cannot remember though it has been a long time since I was under a TJ. I have done a 4" lift on one a while back.

[4wheelfurry]

i've done a ton of reading and i'm still going back to the FWD motor due to all of the improvements and such.
there is no cross member to bother me so oil pan selection is no issue, pluss I'm running a 5" sus lift so my axle is miles from any engine part. I can notch the bell housing to accept the Dr side starter. the front brackets will need to be custom built anyway so the offset water pump won't bother me much I don't think. basically the mounts are my only real issue, as long as I can bolt to something on the left/right sides of the block or front plate area I can build mounts. So I'll end up with straight down style headers, hopefully they will clear the oil filter and mounts ect. sound doable?

[geoffinbc]

Yes it sounds doable. There are still bosses on the left and right of the engine to attach mounts to. They are just not the same on FWD vs RWD. But for your swap it makes no difference. If your transmission has a drivers side starter pocket then your in luck because all of the FWD motors have a drivers side starter when oriented in a RWD vehicle.

[Superdave]

i've done a ton of reading and i'm still going back to the FWD motor due to all of the improvements and such.
there is no cross member to bother me so oil pan selection is no issue, pluss I'm running a 5" sus lift so my axle is miles from any engine part. I can notch the bell housing to accept the Dr side starter. the front brackets will need to be custom built anyway so the offset water pump won't bother me much I don't think. basically the mounts are my only real issue, as long as I can bolt to something on the left/right sides of the block or front plate area I can build mounts. So I'll end up with straight down style headers, hopefully they will clear the oil filter and mounts ect. sound doable?

Sounds good, you can do it!.. lol

FWD 3500 block in an '89 Camaro... Plates on both sides of the block bolted to the bosses... then some 2" square stock to plates on the SBC mount pads.




You'll want to use a RWD timing cover, and accessory brackets. I'd suggest using everything from a 93-95 3.4 Camaro/Firebird. You can flip the FWD lower and upper intakes around no problem with them, there is 1 tab to grind off the RWD timing cover and 1 hole to plug.

Here is how that will end up (no brackets installed here) http://www.sdsgarage.com/Misc/Camaro/100_7956.JPG

The 3.4 alternator/AC bracket needs 1 hole drilled out, the boss is already there. Then it mounts right up to a Gen 3 engine using a hole on the bottom front of the block and 1 on the head (Maybe 2, it's been a while now). The power steering bracket needs 1 hole drilled after you line it up on the water pump stud to bolt it to the head.


good luck with the swap!