95' 3.4L... a few questions

[Big_Jeff]

Hey guys, i stumbled upon this site today and found it to be populated by knowldgeable people so i figured i'd ask a couple questions... i've got a 95 camaro 3.4l thats pushing going to be pushing 200k pretty soon. I've already replaced and upgraded the front and read brakes. Lowered and stiffened the ride with eibach springs and bilstine struts. last year I had the 4l60E trans rebuilt... i was basicaly wondering when the time comes for an engine rebuild, should i try and get a used 3.8 rebuild and beef it up, or keep the 3.4 if the block is still sound and work with that. I know that i cannot expect alot of power from the 3.4, but i'm also not sure if the 3.8 will work with the 4l60E trans.

If i switched over to the 3.8L what problems might i incounter with weight, ecu, ect...
I also plan on upgrading the rear end, and replacing that aweful two piece driveshaft...
I plan on making this car my project. I am on a budget but plan on spending enough to make me happy with the result. I'm shooting for 300rwhp and i'm gonna need some help getting there. I would like to do most of the work myself, although i wouldn't mind a shop or person doing any wiring/ecu stuff.

Any help is much appreciated!
Thanks again, Jeff

[bob442]

Do you want to leave it N/A or FI? either way you can hit your goal.

What you want to swap in is entirly up to you. With a 3800 swap you would just be swapping the harness and possibly the tourqe converter, and some misc. brackets and accessories.

I ahh, never heard of a 2 piece drive shaft on a F body....

Bob

[tkoforpresident]

all 3.4 F-bodies came with a steel 2 piece driveshaft. They are heavy, rusty, and pieces of junk.

[bob442]

no shit eh? its just a slip joke design?

[tkoforpresident]

yeah there is a pinion carrier bearing or something to that effect joining the two pieces.

[Big_Jeff]

Ya weird design... I think i'm going to start at the back and work towards the engine replacing and upgrading, that way whatever i finaly decide will be able to put the power to the ground.
I'd like to stay with natural asperiation, but i know what happens when you start modding stuff...
If i were to find someone to bore out my 3.4l block then start rebuilding it with higher compression pistions, bigger cam, headers, ect... do you think it would be a good idea? or just a waste of money.

[60dgrzbelow0]

Big... If you have the jingle...hunt down an aluminium drive shaft... check with Max (tkoforpresident) I think he has one in his Firebird and can give you the dope on what variations on splined yokes will work... AFAIK... from back take off shaft to the differential mate up to the U--Joints...they all should work... whether from a Z-28 350 CID or from another V6 F-Body... I think they fit nicely. Here are some being offered as very affordable on eBay:

http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=gm+aluminum+driveshaft&_sacat=See-All-Categories

[tkoforpresident]

As far as I know, any single piece aluminum Driveshaft off any f-body from 1982-2002 will fit perfectly.

I would be hesitant about getting one from a corvette but that's simply because I simply do not KNOW that the distance is PRECISELY the same as far as the driveshaft is concerned. With your two piece, you will have to wrestle with the center bearing to get it out (the top bolt is NOT easy to get to, I ended up prying it off since it's not used with the one piece anyways) but the installation of the one piece is a slice of cake. You will probably feel your al d.s. is TOO short when you compare it to the stocker but it works out in the end.

It's a good mod for about ~100$ if you can swing it.