Is the 2.8l really what I want?

[Ghosteh]

Hello,

Starting with a 2.8L and going to a stock 3400 I can say there is a huge difference. However for me driving the car is key to my motivation. I would get the 2.8L in there and put a couple miles on it this summer/fall. When winter rolls around you can plan the next stage of your project with fond memories. YMMV

Sam

Sam, I would, although the biggest problem I'm having with the current setup is hood clearance. Healey hoods are pretty expensive, and although I could have a bubble or scoop added, I'd prefer to keep the car looking stock (at least until the hood is raised).

With the 2.8 intake & a 4-brl carb on top (even without an air cleaner), my hood won't shut. It's close, but no go. Eliminating that tall Holley in favor of the fuel injection intake would make a huge difference.

It shouldn't be that difficult for me to do the swap once I'm set up in my new garage, and I hope by the end of summer it will be running. Of course, if there are any Chicago-area enthusiasts who want to help work on the Healey, I'll buy the pizza & beer!

[dskopek]

If you ever get up to upper Wis(Hayward area) I have both a 2.8 and a turbo 3.4 in Opel GTs you can take a ride in and see what you think.

[Guest]

I was just thinking that maybe a TBI set-up could be made to be lower than what you have. I'm not familiar with the heights of the aftermarket carbs (I'm an EFI guy), so it may not be shorter. But with the TBI, the potential is there to have it clear the hood, maybe. Obviously I haven't seen the car in person so I'm going off what has been said here and not what I can see.

I'm thinking if the TBI does in fact clear the hood, then a "snorkle" system that places the air filter to the side of the engine could possibly solve your hood clearance issues.

[neophile_17]

I think I've got Fiero intake manifolds that you can have for the cost to get them to you. They would need some clean-up and paint and they aren't performance pieces by any means but they should bolt up and tell you if you'll have the clearance you need. PM me if interested.

Sam

[Ghosteh]

Here's a few photos of what I currently have in the car. As you can see, I seem to have plenty of room. Height is the issue.

If I can use the headers & motor mounts I already have, and it will bolt to the trans, I'm going to do it. Will the waterpump I currently have work with the LX9? How about the billet pulleys on there?

Does anyone need a rebuilt 2.8? lol! It seems a shame to get rid of it, since the last owner spent some major $ having it all rebuilt. Someone out there has to at least want the Mallory distributor & carb.

I'll try to get some more photos when I'm able to clean up the garage & get things organized. As you know, moving is a pain!

[Guest]

Can you not fit a shorter carb spacer? Different carb that fits between the rocker covers?

I'd explore other intake options before pulling the engine out.

If it was me, I'd likely go EFI on that engine, even if it required a custom intake to clear the hood, just to get some use out of it, since it will be a hard sell of a gen1 660.

Yes, the (1986+) RWD front cover will work on the LX9, but requires one hole to be plugged/welded closed, in fact that's exactly what I'm doing with my LX9 in a longitudinal RWD swap. I have an S-10 front cover (I actually used it on my Franken60, years ago), that needs a few bolt holes drilled out larger and the hole plugged and can be used.

Mounts will not work, the blocks are very different in those areas.

It will bolt to the trans but the bellhousing will need to be modified for the different starter location, and MAY cause clutch lever issues, most people don't seem to have an issue here though.

Actually to be totally honest if it was me, I'd likely just go LX9 from the start, but that's only because I've been playing with the FWD engines and hybrids for so long I can't go back to a complete gen1 engine. lol

[Ghosteh]

Can you not fit a shorter carb spacer? Different carb that fits between the rocker covers?

I'd explore other intake options before pulling the engine out.

If it was me, I'd likely go EFI on that engine, even if it required a custom intake to clear the hood, just to get some use out of it, since it will be a hard sell of a gen1 660.

Yes, the (1986+) RWD front cover will work on the LX9, but requires one hole to be plugged/welded closed, in fact that's exactly what I'm doing with my LX9 in a longitudinal RWD swap. I have an S-10 front cover (I actually used it on my Franken60, years ago), that needs a few bolt holes drilled out larger and the hole plugged and can be used.

Mounts will not work, the blocks are very different in those areas.

It will bolt to the trans but the bellhousing will need to be modified for the different starter location, and MAY cause clutch lever issues, most people don't seem to have an issue here though.

Actually to be totally honest if it was me, I'd likely just go LX9 from the start, but that's only because I've been playing with the FWD engines and hybrids for so long I can't go back to a complete gen1 engine. lol

I probably could, but really don't want to mess with it.

I'm thinking that if I'm going to go with a different engine, now is the time to do it. Low-mileage LX9 long blocks seem cheap enough, and from what I've read, will be much better (power, reliability, cost) than the 2.8 I have in there now. I'd rather swap in a stock Gen 3 than mess around with what will probably be an underpowered and temperamental Gen 1. And it would probably end up being cheaper, especially if I ended up not being satisfied with the 2.8 and wanted to bump up hp later. Modifying them to make the equivalent amount of hp seems to be expensive.

I'm not really worried about selling the 2.8 if I don't use it. It will make a nice boat anchor.

[caffeine]

Is the 2.8l really what I want?

Do you have any pics of the drivers side of the bellhousing? You may already have a starter pocket there if your bellhousing came from an F-body.

Also it shouldn't be too hard to build mounts. There are 4 bolt holes typically used on the passengers side of the block and 3 on the drivers side (one of the drivers side bolt holes is on the oil pan).

[Guest]

I probably could, but really don't want to mess with it.

I'm thinking that if I'm going to go with a different engine, now is the time to do it. Low-mileage LX9 long blocks seem cheap enough, and from what I've read, will be much better (power, reliability, cost) than the 2.8 I have in there now. I'd rather swap in a stock Gen 3 than mess around with what will probably be an underpowered and temperamental Gen 1. And it would probably end up being cheaper, especially if I ended up not being satisfied with the 2.8 and wanted to bump up hp later. Modifying them to make the equivalent amount of hp seems to be expensive.

I'm not really worried about selling the 2.8 if I don't use it. It will make a nice boat anchor.

In that case, have-at-er, get that LX9 in there.

It just sounded earlier like you wanted to drive the car sooner than later, and have liked to use that engine, but if that's not the case, then swap away.

You can do the LX9 mounts differently than the typical one on each side layout. For my own swap I will be utilizing the bolt holes at the front of the oil pan and placing a mount there, similar to how the factory does it, and using stabilizing struts elsewhere on the driveline to keep the engine up right. I'm doing it that way mostly to leave as much open space for exhaust piping from the headers to in front of the engine and then back out under them to the rest of the exhaust. I suggest this because it might be easier to make new mounts this way than trying to utilize the frame mounts that are there, and at non-stock (for those mounts) angles.

There's another mount available that replaces the front cover and water pump, available from one of the MGB conversion places, but I can't seem to find it right now.

[Ghosteh]

In that case, have-at-er, get that LX9 in there.

There's another mount available that replaces the front cover and water pump, available from one of the MGB conversion places, but I can't seem to find it right now.

I saw that. Looks very clean & professional.

Although I didn't want to cut out & replace the old motor mount towers on the frame, I think it's going to come down to that.

[caffeine]

I don't see it being terribly hard to just make a new clamshell to bolt to the existing mounts

[Guest]

I don't see it being terribly hard to just make a new clamshell to bolt to the existing mounts

It shouldn't be. But those mounts are not oriented correctly and could prematurely fail, since the load is being placed on them in a way they were not intended to be used. If I really had to use those mounts, I would cut the towers off the frame and orient them on the angles they are supposed to be.

FWIW, I did make a jig from a gen1 660, that I had planned to use to make 3400/3500 mounts to fit my Jimmy. I never finished that swap, but I still have the jig.

[Zandoz]

I'm not really worried about selling the 2.8 if I don't use it. It will make a nice boat anchor.

I REALLY wish I could afford to buy that anchor from you...I have an uncertain EFI 2.8 that I'm planning my T-modified build around, and wish I had the "old school" carb setup for it

[Ghosteh]

I REALLY wish I could afford to buy that anchor from you...I have an uncertain EFI 2.8 that I'm planning my T-modified build around, and wish I had the "old school" carb setup for it

well if you could make it up to Chicago with a truck, I'm sure we could work something out! lol!

[Zandoz]

well if you could make it up to Chicago with a truck, I'm sure we could work something out! lol!

Unfortunately my Cougar wouldn't make a very good truck...LOL