Update on the project

[3.4 slow to go]

Finished the rear shocks, very easy. Attempted to put the dynomax I-pipe in. no go. even with the shocks disconnected, & the car up w/the axle down, it wouldn't work. Tried to remove the panhard bar & snapped the back of the bolt off :eek: . I might have to remove the brake hose going to the ale, but there is a sheesh load of rust where it connects to the line. might just have a shop install it after the engine is in & have the cat hooked up.

I forgot who had the interior w/the zebra colors, but it inspired me to redo my interior w/a blue theme. I am going to have my wife to do some sewing some rear seat covers & what not. Her feelings on the car are :rolleyes: , but I'll make her accept it.

[91Firebird]

Good luck with the rest of your project. Looks like you're making some progress. I saw your pictures of the engine in the other post too, looks nice. [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

Are you talking about Craft-Matic-Man

Show us some pictures of the interior when you get that done.

[3.4 slow to go]

yaeh, that's the one. I just finished the speaker panels in a mettalic blue/sheer cloth. really easy w/spray adheasive. Will actually be doing a blue/silver deal. Pics when done.

[3.4 slow to go]

finished the dash, or at least 97%. Did it in tthe same blue as the rear speaker panels. Left the front speaker grills black & will paint the side vents a metallic silver. I should be starting on swapping engine components in about 1 month, got some studying to do for work. Rear seat covers will be a pain, and havn't decided on whether to paint/dye the interior carpet blue or break down & buy a new set. The current carpet has some stains, but otherwises is in good condition. Also got some silver clothw/the same finish as the blue so it will match for trim.

[Craft-Matic-Man]

That would be me with the stripes on the bird. It's pimptasktic! :cool:
Good luck with the rest of the restore. Will you be putting a system in?

[ May 06, 2002: Message edited by: Craft-Matic-Man ]</p>

[3.4 slow to go]

I have a delima: I have a 10 disc changer w/fm modulator, new jensen 6X9s, & a soon to be out of lay-a-way 300watt jensen amp. I had the changer & a 100wt amp in the bonnie before & it cranked. Currently I have the bird w/80wt amp to front & 100wt to rear.all stock speakers for now (soon to be replaced). do I put the good stuff in the bird (meaning rewiring the amp allready hidden & what not) or put it in the bonnie & achieve "hoopty" status?

[ May 06, 2002: Message edited by: 2.8 slow to go ]</p>

[91Firebird]

I'd say use the new equipment for the Firebird. Since your amps are already wired for the speakers, how about using your 300wt jenson amp for 2 10's or 12's in the trunk?

[3.4 slow to go]

The amp/speakers going the bonnie. I plan to use what little space I have in the bird. On the bright side, Igot new 4X6's for the front speakers, & the 6X9's currently in the bonnie will go into the bird. This change will let all the speakers in both crs mathc up w/ the nominal power rating of the amps they're hooked up to.

As far as the engine goes:
Yeah, this is my version, based on Karls, who also has an 85 Firebird, also the same color. Kinda freaky huh?

We join the story in the middle, or late beginning. The 2.8 already has the wiring harness off & marked. The heads were ttaken off in an attempt just to swap out a blown head gasket. Later it would be learned that the block is cracked. The water pump was removed justs because. Engine mount bolts loosened, but still in. Still haven't removevd bellhousing bolts (gee, what fun), or flywheel/flexplate bolts. The exhaust has ben totally removed & thrown out. Except the stock T-pipe in case the 3.4 pipe doesn't fit. Dynomax cat-back awaits, & a Catco convertor came w/the 3.4 . The intake manifolds came off a whole lot easier than the 2.8s. The valve covers were a pain, but slow & steady so not to warp them. I will be using the 2.8 vavle covers, as they look better to me (silver vs. black & grimy). I might have to clean up the drivers side though, as I like the oil fill extension from the 3.4 . Those newer injectors look funky compaired to the 2.8, but oh well . There are a lot more engine sensors on the 3.4 vs 2.8 , and some of the same sensors are in different places. The 1-wire fan switch that Karl had to have the plug torched to be removed is located on the pass side, by the starter. I will use this, & not worry about the plug in the head. The coolant fan temp switch, the 2 wire hook up in the front of the manifold on the 2.8 is in the front of the driver head on the 3.4, opposite of the plug. unforntunately this cannot be russed, as the 3.4 uses 1 wire to thi, & the connectors are different than ours.I removed the 3.4 motor mount supports. Pretty easy. Then removed the A/C compressor, & realligned the belt for non-A/C routing. The bracket where the compressor used to be just begs for a suppercharger. But the sc will cost a lot more than my
free turbo. I will take some pics of the engine tomarrow. The 2.8 intake is being test fitted w/out the fuel rail, w/the 2.8 v covers. The serp belt setup will be very prominant, also lending a nod to underdrive pullies in the future (no comments from th peanut gallery please :razz: ).

That's it for now, will be installing amp & speakers in the bonnie tomarrow, & finding a place to hot tank the intake plenums so I can paint'em.

edit: the 3.4 oil filter housing is Wack!!! I will deffinately be reusing the 2.8 one.


here is the link
to where I am posting ths info & pasting here. This site also has links to others that have/are doing the 2.8/3.1 -3.4 swap.

[Dan M]

Awesome... sounds like a lot of work but at least you know what you need to do, right?! :D

[3.4 slow to go]

Pulled the 2.8 out, test fit the 3.4. Removed all the bel housing bolts. Not hard, just time consuming. Removed the 3 bolts from torque convertor. There will be some mods to be made to make this work:

1. In order to keep the fan switch on the pass side block & not the head, I will have to mod the engine mount bracket. The 3.4 are considerably longer than ours.

2. Make sure everything on the oilpan that doesn't need to be there is off, it will interfere.

3. When working by oneself @3 in the morning, make sure the tranny cooling lines are not connected to the block before raising said block .

I removed the hood Karl style (take bolts out of feder so hood stays aligned w/supports), quit easy in fact.The old oil filter bracket was swaperd to the 3.4. It's going to suck trying to get the tranny the align w/the new engine. 2.8 alt will have to be used, don't feel like messing w/the different connectors between the two. Power steering pump should be fine, just transfer hose(s).

More later when comes back to me.

[3.4 slow to go]

found out good news about the alternator hookups. I WILL be able to use the 94 alt & serp belt setup as I hoped for. full details in the general tec forum, probobly the only one with myself as topic starter. Fan switch will be harder to fix up, just need 5/16" square bit to remove plug in 3.4 head.

[wolf]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by 3.4 slow to go:
I WILL be able to use the 94 alt & serp belt setup as I hoped for. <hr></blockquote>

are you going to use some 3.4 under drive pullys? :D

[3.4 slow to go]

I JUST MIGHT, WILL PROBLY WAIT TILL i GET THE TURBO ON TO TAKE FULL EFFECT. (*&(*&YY7^%$ CAP LOCKS :mad:

[3.4 slow to go]

Well, the ground down extension didn't work (amusing, but [img]graemlins/bs.gif[/img] ) , bolt extractor didn't work either so I'm going to jb weld the hole shut & use aftermarket fan switch, problem solved. Am also suffering the "Drop engine in car all by my lonesome @ 2 in the morning" blues. Remember many moons ago I wanted to re-route the tranny lines to clear the planned turbo exhaust routing? Well, I'll be doing that a lot sooner

:( :mad:

[ June 12, 2002: Message edited by: 2.8 slow to go ]</p>

[Nachius]

You think your gonna even be close to ready for SLP Day? Or bringing the Big Ol car?