3.4 to 3.8 Upgrade

[SolidSnake]

I have a 3.4 and was thinking of an engine swap to a 3.8 because they dont build a supercharger fo the 3.4. But first i ad some questions:

1) will i need to change anything besides the engine? (transmission, radiator, etc.)

2) would it be better for me to try and find a 3.8 with the supercharger already on it or to buy one seperate? Which of these options would be cheaper?

3) If you can a supercharger to fit the 3.4 let me know.

Thanks

[Forced_Firebird]

Re: 3.4 to 3.8 Upgrade

You can use a centrifical S/C on a 3.4. The S/C'd 3800 is not an easy swap into an fbody, but they all use the small corperate pattern on the bellhousing.

Your least expensive and easiest alternative is to use 3500 heads and LIM, and a 2000+ 3400 UIM. This will get you up to about 200hp N/A.

[SolidSnake]

Re: 3.4 to 3.8 Upgrade

The results shocked me. The stock heads from a 1996 FWD 3.1L engine flowed as good as the heads that were bolted to Tiago’s car (many of you know him as the one who developed a turbocharger for the 3.4L and pushed it to the edge).--black34v6 said this. Does anyone know where i can find this turbo? Thaks

[SolidSnake]

Re: 3.4 to 3.8 Upgrade

one more question...whats LIM and UIM? sorry, im a lil new at this so i just want to make sure im pricing the right thing.

[crushedout]

Re: 3.4 to 3.8 Upgrade

lower intake manifold and upper intake manifold

[elkindw]

Re: 3.4 to 3.8 Upgrade

You can use a centrifical S/C on a 3.4. The S/C'd 3800 is not an easy swap into an fbody, but they all use the small corperate pattern on the bellhousing.

Your least expensive and easiest alternative is to use 3500 heads and LIM, and a 2000+ 3400 UIM. This will get you up to about 200hp N/A.

So the stock heads, LIM and UIM off of a 2006 3.5L Malibu will bolt right up to our 3.4L?

[mwood88]

Re: 3.4 to 3.8 Upgrade

So the stock heads, LIM and UIM off of a 2006 3.5L Malibu will bolt right up to our 3.4L?

I think you need the LIM and UIM out of a 3.4... like a Pontiac Grand Am. I think.

[Forced_Firebird]

Re: 3.4 to 3.8 Upgrade

So the stock heads, LIM and UIM off of a 2006 3.5L Malibu will bolt right up to our 3.4L?

Yes with a little fabrication. The accy bracket holes need to be enlongated/moved. An adapter made, or UIM modified for the TB depending on what one you are going to use, the 3500 uses drive-by-wire and doesn't have a throttle cable per say. The throttle cable is another issue that I haven't addressed yet, but look for Russel's posts here. He did a 3400 head and piston swap, the 3500 top end is very similar.

Don't forget in a 4th gen, a 3500 UIM won't fit without closing up the brake booster port, so a post 2000 3400 UIM would be a better choice because of cowl clearance.

The Malibu 3500 debut was in 2004.

[SolidSnake]

Re: 3.4 to 3.8 Upgrade

Well so far to my car i have got a cold air intake, and a 3in exhaust from headers to exhuast with no catylitic converter. From what i hear, the best way to get the most power out of the 3.4 is to make it breathe better. What would you consider to can do to add a noticable diffrence in horsepower. I know that i can do the upper and lower intake manifold swap and get headers, but what else could i do without having nitrous or forced induction?

[Forced_Firebird]

Re: 3.4 to 3.8 Upgrade

http://forum.camarov6.com/showthread.php?t=64963

It's a stickey ;).

If you want to keep iron heads and aren't good at fabrication, I have a set of iron heads here and will port/polish them for you, email me if you are interested.

Sounds like you may have too much exhaust for an engine that doesn't flow real well on the top end. If you are ready to do some porting and a cam swap, you might see 180hp.

[3.4 slow to go]

Re: 3.4 to 3.8 Upgrade

also, If you do a search on Russel ( not sure if it's in teh sticky, kinda big) I think he was the first to do the 3X00 swap.