Buick Blower swap

[racr4jc]

will the buick/pontiac 3800 blower and intake manifold and EFI work on a Chevy 4.3L V6?

 

[GTP-1]

uh.......not without a million dollar machine shop and basically scapping everyhting existing and starting over from scratch.
3800 being a Buick engine and 4.3 being a Chevy. Thats about all that needs to be said. I think the ONLY similar trait is they both a six cylinders.

 

[4CE FED]

no. you're better off going with a vortech centrifugal style. if you really wanna be blown.

V8 swaps are always nice.

 

[racr4jc]

Its going in a van...the V8 would be nice, but we kind of want a reliable, space saving setup that would fit in the confines of the van body. Dropping in a blown 3800 would be awesome, but would be cost prohibitive, since we're high school students. I saw a complete OEM blower and intake manifold for a 3800 on sale at the pomona auto swap meet, guy wanted a buck and a quarter ($125) for the setup. Wish it would fit, because this would be exactly the type of thing we're looking for.

 

[Mike Catchings]

3800 Series II into 89 Olds Cutlass Swap

Originally posted by GTP-1
uh.......not without a million dollar machine shop and basically scapping everyhting existing and starting over from scratch.
3800 being a Buick engine and 4.3 being a Chevy. Thats about all that needs to be said. I think the ONLY similar trait is they both a six cylinders.

I have an 89 Olds Cutlass Supreme that I am thinking of swapping a 3800 Series II SC into. I haven't been able to find much info on this possibility, but I'm open to suggestions.

 

[GTP-1]

Re: 3800 Series II into 89 Olds Cutlass Swap

Originally posted by Mike Catchings


I have an 89 Olds Cutlass Supreme that I am thinking of swapping a 3800 Series II SC into. I haven't been able to find much info on this possibility, but I'm open to suggestions.

This would be an easier swap than what was ask about above for sure. In fact GM put the 3800 natural into the Buick Regal in all years. The Buick Regal is the same platform as the Olds Cutlass Supreme and Pontiac Grand Prix. Just make sure you get a tranny capable of handling this output. The computer and wiring of course will have to go with the engine though too.

 

[Mike Catchings]

Re: Re: 3800 Series II into 89 Olds Cutlass Swap

Originally posted by GTP-1



This would be an easier swap than what was ask about above for sure. In fact GM put the 3800 natural into the Buick Regal in all years. The Buick Regal is the same platform as the Olds Cutlass Supreme and Pontiac Grand Prix. Just make sure you get a tranny capable of handling this output. The computer and wiring of course will have to go with the engine though too.

Thanks for the response. I had checked the Regal out and figured from that that the engine should go in with a cradle from the Regal. I was thinking about swapping the engine and transmission as a unit. My biggest questions would revolve around mating the computer and wiring harness from the engine to the chassis and any related issues with the electronics. This is foreign territory to me. Another possibility would be to use the normally aspirated 3800 engine , but I don't know that that would make the swap any simpler.

 

[GTP-1]

Re: Re: Re: 3800 Series II into 89 Olds Cutlass Swap

Originally posted by Mike Catchings



Thanks for the response. I had checked the Regal out and figured from that that the engine should go in with a cradle from the Regal. I was thinking about swapping the engine and transmission as a unit. My biggest questions would revolve around mating the computer and wiring harness from the engine to the chassis and any related issues with the electronics. This is foreign territory to me. Another possibility would be to use the normally aspirated 3800 engine , but I don't know that that would make the swap any simpler.

I agree on the 3800 natural versus the supercharged. They are pretty similar (if not idential) as to the electrical sensor side, the pcm would of course be different, but you know that. The cradle would be a maybe i am thinking. From what i have been told, but don't quote me on this, the new grand prix's come with the 3.1v6 as your cutlass does also, and also with the 3800 of course. And i have been told it's the same cradle, just different mounting points and torsion dampner. The other part would be in getting the correct half shafts. If you swap tranny with a beffier unit you would almost definately have to swap drive shafts. With the way these bolt into the steer knuckle you would most likely want to find a whole front regal clip and use all of it you can. Hope my 2 cents helps some.

 

[1badTTA]

I have an 89 regal with the 2.8 and know that there was not an option for the 3800 untill about 91, the 2.8 and 3.1 are the same externally but the 3800 is mounted in different locations. I dont know if they changed the subframe when they went with the 3800 and whether you would be able to peice together the correct mounts to mount a 3800 into the older subframe or have to make some custom mounts.