Help me w/ my motor build.

[AWeb80]

Since my trans is going bad and I'm going to pull it and rebuild it, I figured, while I'm there I'll just pull the motor too.

It's going to be March 1st till I can get my GP into my parents shop to tear into it....

SO, in the meantime, I want to build a motor and go OBDII so I can tune.


What I want out of the motor is to be lightly modded, nothing crazy.....maybe around ~230-240 Crank HP.

what ways will I achieve this from a 3400 ro 3500?......a 3400 is MUCH easier for me to get....so what parts off a 3500 can/should I swap on?

I will obviously do

-P&P the U/L intakes.....heads only if i can get instructions on where to do it for the best airflow
-springs
-mild Cam (what should I use?)
-Headers
-Tune (isn't a big problem because a local gen2 GP guys has a cracked HP tuner that can do ALL 97-03 PCM's IIRC



btw, I'm just getting a whole different motor because my 94 3100 has NON roller rocker heads and 126k miles.....and well, I want roller rockers and a lower mile motor to build.


any educated input into this would be awesome. My dad said he would help me do this since he knows how to install cams, pistons.....all hardware etc. And I understand (for the most part) all the FI side of it. I DON'T know much about the hardware installation side. So, what he and I do/don't know will make a complete combo.....LOL


How do I convert to OBDII?

[Coogles]

If you're converting to OBDII I'd take plunge and make the change over to a 98+ PCM and 4t65e...way fewer issues, at least in my experience. My '97 GT was a pain in the arse when it came to tuning, but the '98 is WAY easier, and has more tables to play with.

Maybe pick up the harness, PCM, and transmission from a 98-00 3100 Grand Prix and swap all of those in with your new motor.

As far as mod level, a 3400 with the 3500 heads and intake manifolds, all ported, plus a mild cam, should definitely get you to your 240 hp goal. 200whp shouldn't be too difficult with that setup if you put some headers in at the same time. (Do S&S's fit the 94-96 w-bodies?) ::shrug::

Good luck!

[IsaacHayes]

S&S barely clear the fire wall and you have to notch the front motor mount. pcguy's thread shows it for W bodies.

Yeah 3400 with 3500 top end would be nice, or do what pcguy did and swap a whoel 3500 with cam in, but you cant get those that easy you say. Stage 2 cam is what a lot of people have.

my 3100 has ~215k on it with a new timing chain and just won't die!! I'm not sure if my trans is on it's way out (sure shifts and drives fine) but has a vibration/growl (might be wheel bearing) and sometimes makes some thudding noise like a plymouth work van we drove that did that in reverse (slipping), but I think that might be the torque strut mount bracket hitting the subframe as now the upper mount that holds the engine on that side is sagging and I see where the torque mount bracket has been hitting the subframe there. So it could be that. Car pulls hard and tach doesn't fly up at all. I need a second car for a winter beater so my car doesn't rust out anymore and so I can build up a trans and motor and swap at the same time with MS or turbo or whatever.... Argh.

Surprising yours is slipping, or maybe that mine is lasting??? LOL I drive mine HARD let's just say that. I take it the 3100 you have is doing just fine though?

Cammed 3400 with 3500 top end and headers will do you just fine. At very least go to the 3400 style rear manifold that has a bigger opening and short runners if you are pulling the engine. 05+ equinox with 3500 has the log style cross over manifolds with the 3400 style rear but the ports are huge, which would be good for a 3500 top end if you don't go with headers or the 3500 tubular dual shorties.