3500 swap questions

[bszopi]

http://thunkgeek.com/?p=96

Might be of some help...

[PCGUY112887]

Ahh I didn't know they could shoot!

Can anyone else give me an explanation or link me to a page about it? I thought for sure I would find something on Google, but I had no luck

[Superdave]

I'm using the stock 3500 plugs, they're holding up quite well...


Since i have a bad reputation for shooting valve springs i'll leave the process explination to someone else.

[PCGUY112887]

What plugs are you using Superdave? Should I go with some colder ones, or use the stock ones?

The stock iridium ones are in there right now, haven't pulled them yet but I bet they are fine.

EDIT - May sound stupid, but how do you do the valvesprings? I know you use the spring compressor and it will compress them down, but then how do they come off?

[Superdave]

So I'll be fine with ones from a 3400?

That's what i'm using...


the 3400/3500 ones were the same as the ones i pulled from my old 2.8 (just cleaner). I have a bucket full of used headbolts from these engines.

[PCGUY112887]

So I'll be fine with ones from a 3400?

[SappySE107]

They are not all the same length on the 3100. They are the same heads so they are also the same head bolts.

[PCGUY112887]

The ones for my 3100 are different than the ones for the 3400 (different part #'s) and they don't have any listed for the 3500.

The picture shows half of the bolts being longer than the other half for the 3400, and they are all the same for the 3100.

[Superdave]

Yep, new headbolts are cheap.

all the aluminium head OHV '660's use the same ones so if they say they don't have them for your engine then ask for a set for a '99 GAGT-3400.

[PCGUY112887]

Thanks, I got the specs printed off.

If I pull the heads off, am I going to need new head bolts? Since I have new headgaskets with this GM kit, it almost seems easier to just pull the heads off to change the springs vs trying to feed a rope into each cylinder or something to keep the valves from falling out.

[Superdave]

^ they shouldn't be but the 3500 torque specs are on this site


the bolts i used on my iron heads in the Trans Am did back out, i just got the engine warm and tightened them down once or twice.. they've never come loose since.

Iron heads suck

[PCGUY112887]

A few of my exhaust studs came out... just stick em back in and torque em tight? I've never used studs before... didn't know if there was anything "special" to them or not.

Does anyone know if the 3500 torque specs are any different than the ones printed in my GM book for my 3100?

So should I use my 3500 exhaust gaskets, or ones from a 3400, or does it really matter with these headers?

My friend has a camaro and he was reading into headers. He has to get special grade 8 bolts, lock washers, loctite, etc etc etc to keep the bolts for his headers in. Everyone seems to have problems with the bolts backing out and the headers leaking like mad. Am I going to have issues like this, or will just using the stock bolts/studs be just fine?

I believe it's just a camaro thing, the headers on mine were a problem also. The significant difference here is that the rear wheel drive engines don't typically use studs and nuts as stock equipment and those found on the fwd cars use lock nuts so it's unlikely that you'll have a problem.

[Superdave]

i'm using the stock studs (the 8 that stayed in) with the original nuts.. the rest are held in by 3400 oil pan bolts. No loctite and they're staying tight.


you'd use the 3400 gaskets with those headers.

[PCGUY112887]

So should I use my 3500 exhaust gaskets, or ones from a 3400, or does it really matter with these headers?

My friend has a camaro and he was reading into headers. He has to get special grade 8 bolts, lock washers, loctite, etc etc etc to keep the bolts for his headers in. Everyone seems to have problems with the bolts backing out and the headers leaking like mad. Am I going to have issues like this, or will just using the stock bolts/studs be just fine?