3400 in offroad application

[Badlands44]

I've been checking out this site for a little while trying to get some info. I work at an offroad fab shop that builds rockcrawling buggies for competitions. Last year I built a buggy for a guy that used a '93 Camaro 3.4L because of its small size. The stock harness and computer were used and the harness was cut down because the wirng on these buggies is very simple.

I would like to use a 3400 series engine because they offer much better power than the OBD I engines, but I'm not sure how I would do the wiring and computer. On other engines that we use (3.5L shortstars) we normally buy a $1300 computer and harness that only requires a few power wires to be hooked up. If there is a way that I can get something like this for a 3400 engine I would be willing to spend about $1300 to get it.

Is anyone running aftermarket fuel injection systems? I searched, but didn't find anything. Who could make one? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Heres a picture of the buggy I built for a customer that is running the Camaro 3.4L -

[bszopi]

Sweet! Virtually any aftermarket ECM could work, but I think you'd probably be better off just grabbing the wiring harness and PCM out of the donor vehicle (if available). Then you could always get a DHP PowrTuner to tune it as required. Rereading your post, it sounds like you are looking for simplicity, which the stock harness may not be. You might be able to contact the same supplier and see if they could do a harness for the 3400 as well.

[Badlands44]

I think I will definitely try to call the sources we use for other engines and see if they can make a harness and computer for me. I looked at some info on the DHP powr tuner and it looks like it could be helpful, but maybe not for what I need to do.

The problems I have to get around are -

- I won't have a computer controlled transmission, and don't want the computer to be looking for info from the transmission.
- Does a car with the 3400 series engine use a PassKey security system? I know others who tried to use a stock harness and computer from a newer car with this security system and they could not get the motor to run because of it.
- I'm not going to be running any type of emmissions like EVAP, EGR, post cat 02's, ect...
- I would really like to eliminate the MAF sensor.

If there is a company I can call that might be able to answer some of these questions let me know. I will be making some phone calls on Monday to see if I can find anything out.

[bszopi]

I would say your best bet would be just to do a stand-alone EMS. Companies like F.A.S.T., Haltech, Electromotive and Perfect Power have units that would be perfect for this setup. And in the end, it would probably end up being about the same cost, if not slightly cheaper. You can find low mileage 3400s for $500 or less. Standalones run $1000-$2000 depending on what you get. And then you could get by without having to worry about any of the issues you listed, like the emissions and the tranny.

Where are you located anyway? I doubt you're anywhere near me, but I'd love to see one of these rock crawlers up close.

EDIT: Not sure why I didn't think of this, but you could use the exact same setup you were using with the Camaro engine, would just have to tune it differently. As I like to say, and engine is just an engine and can be made to run in just about any configuration. Its the computer that has certain things required to work properly. There are a few 3400s around here running on OBD1 setups, so it can be done.

[Badlands44]

I was just checking out 3400swap.com and started thinking about getting a harness/computer from a '94-'95 3100. Those harnesses should be simple enough to work with. Then I could tune it with a power tuner or similar software. Any reason why I wouldn't still be able to achieve 200hp + with this type of setup?

I will be in Phoenix Dec 1-3 for the UROC world championships. The buggy I pictured above would also be there.

[bszopi]

In order to tune with the DHP, you'd have to have a 96+ PCM and harness. The 94-95 PCMs are bastard PCMs with no tunability. Either go with a pre-94 with a removable EEPROM or 96+ for in-car adjustability.

[Badlands44]

...but would things like the tps, map, cam sensor, crank sensor, ect... still be adaptable to the the 3400? On 3400swap.com he just put the older sensors on the newer motor. You think this would still work with a 3.1 out of a '93?

Oh, and when I looked at your location I was thinking you were in Arizona. The closest I will be competing to you this season would probably be TX, or MO.

[bszopi]

Get the sensors that match the ECM and it will all be fine. Like I said above, the engine doesn't really care, its the ECM that needs everything to work correctly. The 3400 doesn't need the cam sensor. That is just for SFI. It also doesn't need the 24x crank trigger, etc... If you could build a custom manifold, you could run a 3400 with a carb and distributor and no computer.

I was kind of wondering where the Phoenix thing came up...

[Green1995Camarov6]

Use megasquirt!. So much cheaper than FAST,HALTECH..etc etc, lots of info on tuning, and help on there Website.

[Badlands44]

I have heard about systems like Megasquirt before, but I didn't really realize what all was involved. I guess I could do that, but damn it seems like a lot of work. If I had to I could probably do it but I'm checking out other options first.

[TurboGt]

My 3400 runs on Mega Squirt. All you need is a bunch of GM sensors: coolent temp, intake temp, GM DIS, ect... I used all the sensors that come with the 3400, I just asked the JY if I could go out to a car that still had the engine in it and cut all the pigtails so I had plugs for all of them. I then ran my own wires and was up and running in no time.

http://60degreev6.com/showthread.php?t=34003

[Badlands44]

I got my 3400 donor vehicle last week, a '96 Lumina APV. I spent about 15 hours pulling the motor and wiring harness. I simplified the wiring harness by cutting out any circuit that I wouldn't need. At this point I only have 4 factory fuses and 2 relays left. After I cut hundreds of wires from the harness it still ran fine. I didn't realize that the Passkey anti-theft system was only an option. Luckily this van wasn't equipped with it.