And so it begins! 3.4 Build n' Swap

[Helgaiden]

So I picked up a 3.4 out of a 95 camaro the other day to start getting ready to swap into my brother's 84 S10. The story behind it is it came out of a camaro that was totaled from damage to the rear, thus the engine was pulled as a 100% working engine. Then it sat for 3 years. Should i be worried about how long it sat? The 2.8 in the s10 actually sat for 7 years and after some initial things to get it going, the engine ran fine and didnt have any issues so i figure 3 years shouldnt be too bad. Anyways, here are the pics.





Heres a list of the things my brother was interested in adding. Port and Polish and other headwork is out of my brother's budget but i did recommend it (the k-kit for the cams will pretty much take care of that mostly anyways)



-RP1413-12 1.52 Magnum rockers and High Energy pushrods (or the 1.60s we'll see)

-CompCams K16-232-4 Chevy 173-207 60° High Energy 252H Cam & Kit

-OBX Headers

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390107013698&_trksid=p2759.l1259

-Chrome edlebrock valve covers http://www.autozone.com/autozone/cat...&parentId=53-0



And a few questions regarding the swap itself:

-Current setup is V-belts on the 2.8. This should transfer over just fine right?

-What kind of tuning will the carb need when the intake manifold and carb are swapped over to the 3.4? (making it richer i assume)

-Mechanical fuel pump wont be compatible, wondering if it would be easier/cost effective to install an inline/remote fuel pump and how I would go about wiring that up?

-Would it be easier/cost effective to find a guage cluster out of a newer s10 (like a 92 or 93) and install that? Im sure the mechanic who helps get this done will know how to wire it and make the guages work, any input though?

-Ignition: I notice this engine appears to have coil packs (or might I be wrong?). Im not sure if the 2.8 is coilpacks or distributor, how would that transfer over?

-Flywheel: The 84 s10 receiving the swap is an Automatic. As you can see, the 3.4 comes with its flywheel. Which one do i use? Also, the 2.8 Oil pan is to be used on the 3.4 for this correct?





Ughh...thats all i have for now. Ill add/ask more when it comes to mind. I appreciate your guys's input and will definately post updates as it goes. Gotta get the engined cleaned, prepped, and painted and all the parts ordered up that my brother will be using. I estimate this whole process will take about 3 months to complete.



note: unlike alot of the engine swaps ive been seeing, this wont be done by myself or my brother. The prep work and stuff will be done by my brother most likely though. My main aim is to gather as much info as I can to pass onto our mechanic to do the install.

[Helgaiden]

A lot of the questions have been answered over on s10 planet and s10forum so now im gonna go over betterthanyou's writeup for the swap. My brother is on his way to borrow an engine hoist right now so he can start tearing it down

[geoffinbc]

All those answers are in the swap guide on my site. Read that one first and then if everything is not clear ask away.

[Helgaiden]

"If you have a truck (4X4 or 4X2) with vee belts and you are doing the Camaro swap it is suggested that you buy a new style oil pan that came on the serpentine belt equipped trucks and the crate motor's front cover. This new style pan will mate with the crate motor's front cover and you will NOT have to use the old style cover."

Is that saying for the 3.4 camaro engine swap that it is recommended for me to use a front cover AND oil pan out of lets say...a 92 2.8 s10 and that my brother's current V-belt setup will then bolt right on?

Ideally, id like for my brother to switch to serpentine belts so if that suggestion allows for serpentine belt setup, what else is needed to make his current accessories switch over to that setup? I say "ideally" because it will likely be out of his budget but anything to help seal better and prevent leaks is probably something worth saving for.

"The Knock Sensor screws into the water jacket on the starter side. On Camaro engines it is close to the motor mount and clears the starter. "
Since im doing a camaro swap, does the rest of that statement apply or do the knock sensor hook up issues only apply to the crate engine?

"Camaro flywheel in the 2.8L bell housing because there is no room for the fork. 82 thru 87 truck owners with manual transmissions need to obtain a neutral balance flywheel from an 88-93 2.8L S-10. Or have a machine shop remove the weights and neutral balance the flywheel with a flywheel resurface, this would be as good as buying a new flywheel. "
Alright so my brother's 84 is an automatic. Elsewhere i have been reading that a flywheel from 88-93 2.8L s10 would work for this application as well (not just with a manual tranny as your writeup tells). Did I miss something or is that right? There was also mention of using different flexplates. If i use the proper flywheel (whichever it is), should that be a worry?

[geoffinbc]

It says use the CRATE MOTOR front cover. This will allow for the use of your standard rotation water pump and V belts but will enable the use of the 1 piece oil pan seal which pretty much never leaks compared to the old seal. If you want to use a serpentine belt then you need a 88 or later front cover that will all the use of a reverse rotation pump which you need for the serpentine belt. You will also need the brackets and pulleys from a serpentine belt truck.

Knock sensor does not apply to you. Just remove it and plug the hole with a NPT plug.

You CANNOT use any flywheel if you have an automatic. Whoever told you you could use a flywheel for and automatic trans is completely wrong. You must use a flexplate from and 88 or later truck.

[neo71665]

It says use the CRATE MOTOR front cover. This will allow for the use of your standard rotation water pump and V belts but will enable the use of the 1 piece oil pan seal which pretty much never leaks compared to the old seal. If you want to use a serpentine belt then you need a 87 or later front cover that will all the use of a reverse rotation pump which you need for the serpentine belt. You will also need the brackets and pulleys from a serpentine belt truck.

Knock sensor does not apply to you. Just remove it and plug the hole with a NPT plug.

You CANNOT use any flywheel if you have an automatic. Whoever told you you could use a flywheel for and automatic trans is completely wrong. You must use a flexplate from and 88 or later truck.

fixed

[Helgaiden]

How would I obtain the crate engine front cover? With that, THEN I would be able to use an oil pan lets say...a 92 2.8 s10 then correct?

You CANNOT use any flywheel if you have an automatic. Whoever told you you could use a flywheel for and automatic trans is completely wrong. You must use a flexplate from and 88 or later truck.

Thanks. But which flywheel do I use? 88 or newer flywheel as well?

[geoffinbc]

A crate engine cover is actually an 86 front cover form an S-10. New style seal but standard rotation pump.

Well if you are using a manual transmission and need a flywheel then you need a neutral balance one that came on 88 and later S-10s.

[Helgaiden]

......am not using a manual transmission. Mentioned its on an automatic tranny, thus the question. So...

I understand which flexplate to use. A flexplate from an 88 (or 87, thanks neo) or later auto 2.8. But im still lost on which flywheel. If the 3.4 is internally balanced which i think it was and the flywheel from the 84 2.8 is externally balanced...wouldnt i need a different flywheel? Your writeup mentions that Camaro's flywheel which is attached to the engine wont work, thus my question (which is still unanaswered). Thanks again.

[bszopi]

Flywheel for a manual = flexplate for an auto, therefore you don't need a flywheel, but only a flexplate.

[60dgrzbelow0]

This information should prove helpful and save you some time and aggravation on many issues relating to the Donor Engine side of the job:

http://www.godwinsinger.com/

Give Godwin-Singer a call and ask for "James" about his full conversion and install of the GM L-32 3.4L V6 SFI engine working as is it did in the Camaro (including A/T) and computer re-harnessing in his 1980s Chev S-10. If he has the time and inclination... he can alert you to the troubles he encountered and overcame during the course of his successful swap...unfortunately...somebody ran a red light and put the kibosh on his truck so it sits in his commercial car repair shop as of this writing...

http://s557.photobucket.com/home/60dgrzbelow0/allalbums

Visit my Photo-bucket at this link for many albums on the complete engine tear down and re-build of this engine, including new parts, part and gasket numbers, install information and other tech stuff. On the question of being "worried" about an engine sitting for an extended period... my 100k Miles Project Motor came out of a "Running" 1995 Pontiac Firebird... and the tear down images will clearly show the areas to worry about... in particular ...the breakdown of old, galvanized steel freeze plugs and the need to use the Dorman Brass replacements instead...and so forth. Good Luck with everything on this... it always takes longer than we think to do this stuff right. You already know that the last word in anything relating to the S-XX truck series is Geoff Moore (betterthanyou)... 'Nuff Said...

Almost.... It would be appreciated by all if you set up a free Photobucket account at www.photobucket.com and posted your images and video library of all phases of the tear down and re-build there as your project moves ahead. Now this might seem like a great deal to ask... but trust me... in six months when you are so tired and dog-eared from working your regular job and then trying to burn the midnight oil while working on the truck and new motor... having the means to go back and see each "step-by-step" of what you did and how to do it in reverse with ease will pay you back huge dividends. Besides that... it will make life easier on you here because all you will need to do is drop the photo bucket link in your consecutive postings and questions, rather than have to re-load each and every image on this forum/site... Yes?

[geoffinbc]

......am not using a manual transmission. Mentioned its on an automatic tranny, thus the question. So...

I understand which flexplate to use. A flexplate from an 88 (or 87, thanks neo) or later auto 2.8. But im still lost on which flywheel. If the 3.4 is internally balanced which i think it was and the flywheel from the 84 2.8 is externally balanced...wouldnt i need a different flywheel? Your writeup mentions that Camaro's flywheel which is attached to the engine wont work, thus my question (which is still unanaswered). Thanks again.

I did answer your question. I said you CANNOT use a flywheel with an automatic transmission. You don't use a flywheel and flexplate in combination. A flywheel is a cast iron disc with a machined surface like a brake rotor which provides a friction surface for a clutch. A flexplate provides a means to connect the torque converter to the back of the crankshaft and also has a ring gear around the outside for the starter. You use one or the other depending on the type of transmission you have and thats it.

[Helgaiden]

Ah thanks for that. I didnt know it was one or the other.

Ill see what i can do about setting up a new album in my photobucket for the swap, thanks for the tips!

anyways, i called autozone and asked for the partnumber for a 92 S10 2.8 4x2 and got this...

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/catalog/parts/partsProduct.jsp?itemIdentifier=42181_0_0_&skuDescription=Pioneer+/+Flywheel+-+Automatic+Transmission&brandName=Pioneer&displayName=Flywheel+-+Automatic+Transmission&categoryNValue=11299999&sortType=&store=5562&isSearchByPartNumber=true&fromWhere=&fromString=search&counter=0&itemId=119-0&navValue=11200119&filterByKeyWord=FRA165&productId=42181&searchText=FRA165&categoryDisplayName=Drivetrain&parentId=12-0

I suppose "flywheel for automatic transmission" translates to "flexplate" in this case or is it just the wrong item?

[geoffinbc]

Yup thats right

[Helgaiden]

So since my brother wants to stay Carb'd for now, his intake manifold from the 2.8 will be bolted onto the 3.4. No biggy there.

Just curious though...i understand the 3.4 is EFI and probably makes more power because of that but does the 3.4's intake manifold simply flow better than the 2.8's as well? Or are they too different in design to really be able to measure/answer that?

Ultimately im wondering how much power loss to anticipate staying with the carb vs. the EFI, not that it'll much cuz the cams and rockers will probably make up for that.