What do you think about buying a Camaro with high milage and doing an engine swap?

[Deoxyribonucleicvitriol]

I'm trying to think of all of the ways to skin this cat... I'm having trouble finding a Camaro with everything I want and I'm running short on time.

If I could find one with like 160,000 miles on it for cheap cheap I could just drive it until the engine craps out then buy a crate engine and do an engine swap.

Questions:

1) Is my idea stupid or good? Why?

2) Can you guesstimate on how much buying an engine and getting it swapped would cost?

3) Where can I buy a 3800 II crate engine?

[bah]

Re: What do you think about buying a Camaro with high milage and doing an engine swap?

thats what i did, now i'm waiting to get a motor, i have a 98 with 139k, i'm gonna get a motor out of an 02 with 56k and build that up and drop her in when i am ready :).

i would just get a motor from salvage and rebuild it with performance parts,

The motor i am going to get from a friend will be $500

[shock_core]

Re: What do you think about buying a Camaro with high milage and doing an engine swap?

I'm doing the same thing, but with a 5.7L

[Earnhardt132000]

Re: What do you think about buying a Camaro with high milage and doing an engine swap?

I was thinking about doing the same thing when I bought my car with 175K on it. Now it just passed 183K, and it still ain't dieing. Althought I do have another 3800 waiting for me out of a wrecked Camaro, it may never be put in my car...

[vanbibber]

Re: What do you think about buying a Camaro with high milage and doing an engine swap?

I'm doing the same thing, but with a 5.7L

a hemi?!! ;)

[R1up0n1]

Re: What do you think about buying a Camaro with high milage and doing an engine swap?

I was thinking about doing the same thing when I bought my car with 175K on it. Now it just passed 183K, and it still ain't dieing. Althought I do have another 3800 waiting for me out of a wrecked Camaro, it may never be put in my car...

I'm with ya on that....I've got 244k on mine and it's not dieing...so when it does I'll put another engine in it...but right now it's running like new.

[4thgenowner]

Re: What do you think about buying a Camaro with high milage and doing an engine swap?

LT1 hemi!

[vanbibber]

Re: What do you think about buying a Camaro with high milage and doing an engine swap?

with vtec to help that top end powa!

[Camaro Dom]

Re: What do you think about buying a Camaro with high milage and doing an engine swap?

I'm doing the same thing, but with a 5.7L

err... you cant just "drop in" a v-8 from a v-6. its a PITA from what i've heard.

[98 3.8]

Re: What do you think about buying a Camaro with high milage and doing an engine swap?

Yeah, these engines are freaking tanks. You can add me to the list of high mileage engines that keep on chugging...186,000 miles. :D

[shock_core]

Re: What do you think about buying a Camaro with high milage and doing an engine swap?

err... you cant just "drop in" a v-8 from a v-6. its a PITA from what i've heard.

Not that hard. Off of the top of my head you'd need a pcm, wire harness, heater hoses, motor mounts, sensors crossbrace, speedo, interior parts to go from a4 to m6, shocks, springs, sway bars, pedals, fuel rails, fuel pump. Not that much work. Imho at least.

[camaroman1181]

Re: What do you think about buying a Camaro with high milage and doing an engine swap?

Decent idea.. a lot of people do that.. but high mileage on a vehicle affects not just the engine. All the suspension has seen that mileage too. After a while, mounts get week, bushings crack, mechanical joints wear out (tie rods, ball joints).. it is a cheaper way to get a v8? yes.. but just keep in mind that almost every part of the car is affected by the mileage, not just the engine and tranny... with that said, if you like working on cars and want to get to know your car a lot more (by means of fixing everything) then go for it. that would be a great idea...

and if nothing else, it keeps you from buying a 3000gt.. lol

[JusFlyinBy]

Re: What do you think about buying a Camaro with high milage and doing an engine swap?

What this guy said ^. I sold my car at 150 kmi for everything else falling apart on it, not because of the engine.