Looking for some more low end.

[Xkxbug04]

I have a 97 chevy malibu ls. It's got a 3.1l with 175k in it. No I'm not looking to swap the heads or motor at this point. It's got a perfectly good running motor, so maybe when this one goes ill do a 3400 or something.

Not looking for a serious tire shredding balls to the wall car. Just want some more oomph. The car has a k&n panel filter and a magnaflow muffler because the stock one had a nasty gash/tear. Anyway I was looking for some more low end, daily driving/highway power, between between 1800-2200rpm. Of course more power everywhere else is nice, but definitely need some more low end grunt. KEY WORDS HERE: cheap, effective & NOT A RACE CAR! Just want a bit more grunt.
Any advice? I emailed wot performance I think, about a PCM re flash. Possibly a bit more timing, maybe firmer shifting, and getting the e-fans on a bit sooner as the summer is coming with 100-120* temps. I know there's a 56mm tb from any 3400 series car right, bolt on and go? I can grab 1 from the junkyard for a few bucks. And port matching the intakes since I've got to do the gaskets this weekend. Thinking of pulling the exhaust manifolds and porting them..it's worth a but I'm sure and is free and would allow me to do the gaskets there well.
Anything else? I have to do plugs this weekend as well. Any recomendations & gap size?

[Xkxbug04]

I also keep reading about some bolt on 1.6 rockers from earlier model cars? Seething like a 94 or something and they are worth some power. Do they work on my 97?
Possibly 1" plenum spacer or taller if it will fit? This should help with some lower end grunt.

[Xkxbug04]

Last thing, does anybody can anything bad to say about sealingtek?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/95-99-GM-3100-3-1L-189-V6-M-2-Head-Gasket-Set-w-Bolts-engine-cylinder-parts-/150678190809

Seems cheap for what you get...the felpro kit is roughly 160. Looking at this vs just upper manifold set because I'd like to pull the exhaust manifolds & port ad paint them, and then at that point I may as well just drop the on and check everything out lol. So I may as well grab a complete gasket kit and do it all.

[Superdave]

all gen 3's have 1.6 rockers, yours are actually roller fulcrum so they're better than the old 94/95 style.


You are pretty limited with a small port 3100, but you can always swap on a large port lower intake.


I would:
1. Swap on a large port lower intake (any 3400 or 2000+ 3100)
2. Swap on a large port upper intake (3100/3400 will work well... 3500 would be even better)
3. 56mm TB at the least, 62 would be plenty though.
4. Disconnect the exhaust downpipe and have a look in it. I've seen lots of them with basically a restrictor in there. Get rid of that.
5. After all that, then get Ben to tune it.


Don't waste you time porting the small port lower intake, even untouched the large port is WAY better.

[robertisaar]

no suggestion of a cam, Dave?

if i were looking to shift the powerband lower, that would be the first place i would look at. not the cheapest or easiest route, but i think it would be the most effective single item to achieve it.

[Xkxbug04]

no suggestion of a cam, Dave?

if i were looking to shift the powerband lower, that would be the first place i would look at. not the cheapest or easiest route, but i think it would be the most effective single item to achieve it.

The cam isn't my cheapest or easiest option which is why I'm not looking to it. Again maybe when the motor is rebuild or swapped at some point.
The intakes are bolt on and go though? Egr and everything alike? I'm in Southern California s the smog nazis are a pain here!

[SappySE107]

http://wot-tech.com/shop/gm-60v6/art...rt/cat_63.html

http://wot-tech.com/shop/gm-60v6/art...ap/cat_73.html

http://wot-tech.com/shop/gm-60v6/art...ds/cat_64.html

[Xkxbug04]

Well it appears my head gaskets are blown on this 3100. Uless its the manifold gaskets? Tonight the coolant light popped up and she shut down. Got her started after 2 minutes or so of cranking and got it home, just drained the oil. Filled a 2.5 gallon bucket to the brim and another with quite a few quarts in another bucket. Little bit of oil in my coolant lmao (humor).

Anyway to for sure tell if its the head gaskets or could this be from the manifold gaskets?
How hard of a job are we looking at? Thing of just swapping over to 3400 series heads..but what all is involved in that? Everything must work as is and be correct since I'm in California.

It wasnt blowing anything out the exhaust although it did stink, kinda like a firework fuse burning type smell. If that's any help. Gonna yank the plugs and see what I can see.

[Xkxbug04]

New update we have oil & coolant all in the throttle body...pull the intake hose off and its all over... What would cause this?

[Guest]

a compression test will tell you if the head gaskets are bad. You could also do a coolant pressure test and see if you can see anything from that. if a compression test comes back good, then its probably the lower manifolds gaskets that are shot. since you have the whole intake off, I think the large port manifold swap would be an easy thing to do.

Not sure about egr manifold compatibility though between the two.

[SappySE107]

Get another engine. Im not optimistic about the cam bearings or lifters. You really need to gothrough that motor

[ericjon262]

Get another engine. Im not optimistic about the cam bearings or lifters. You really need to gothrough that motor

^what he said these engines are too cheap to try and cob something back together that's had that much coolant run through the oil.

[Xkxbug04]

^what he said these engines are too cheap to try and cob something back together that's had that much coolant run through the oil.

Gonna go ahead and do a compression test in the am. If its good then ill replace the manifold gaskets & run cheap oil thorough it for a few hundred miles and change it out. Do it again if nessasary.
If it wasnt smoking or anything I'm honestly guessing it was the manifold gaskets. We will see in the morning though.

[geoffinbc]

Its the intake gaskets just like the other million or so 3100 and 3400 engines that needed replacements. Finding a later 3400 in the junkyard to swap in is the cheapest way to go.

[Xkxbug04]

Its the intake gaskets just like the other million or so 3100 and 3400 engines that needed replacements. Finding a later 3400 in the junkyard to swap in is the cheapest way to go.

Work case I keep the bottoms end and do 3400 heads. I found a set on eBay for 300 shipped brand new ready to go.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-4-3400-CHEVROLET-170-487-CYLINDER-HEADS-MONTE-CARLO-10MM-ROCKER-BOLTS-/270963677805?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f16b19a6d&vxp=mtr

Assuming all I'd need is a egr adapter & 3400 manifolds for this? Becsides gaskets of course. I've got 500 dollars to play with, including gaskets and fluids! Myself doing the work.