Engine swap advice

The Nissan will not fit without major work and a lot of changes to the engine itself. The engine sets the wrong direction, entirely different fuel system, exhaust, cooling, you would need new wiring and custom programmed control systems as a start.

The Buick 3.8 will not work very well either because you would need to rewire the engine bay, change out the fuel system and custom make a new exhaust. The engine controller would need to be reprogrammed as well because of the changes. And it would need the older transmission because the current 3.8 you have is a different design than the earlier engine.

In reality the only thing shared between those engines is the 3.8 number. If you really are looking for more power you would be better off finding a bird with the V8 in it from the factory, those have a lot of performance parts available.

USER NOTES The info about the Nissan engine sitting a different direction is incorrect the GTR is AWD and the 380Z is RWD in which both cars have the VR38 3.8 Nissan engine

was wondering what engine i had. it has the v0207hv stamp on it but im not sure about the nnn nnn-nnnn. none of the numbers i found match up to 10 numbers long

i have a 98 firebird with the 3800 v6 in it
i got a v8 (described above) that i'd like to drop in it. possible? it came with a tranny or i have another tranny off of a ls1

You can't simply "drop" a V8 into a 6 cylinder car.
You have an operating system for one engine and one engine only. The suspension is different, the cooling system is different, the exhaust system is different, the brakes are different, etc, etc, etc

Not to mention that it's totally against federal law to do that punishable by up to $25,000 fine.

Engine Mechanical problem
1996 Pontiac Firebird 6 cyl Manual

I have a 1996 pontiac firebird with a 3.8 V6 engine that is smoking and knocking. I am wanting to replace the engine, but have not been able to find the exact same one. I have found a 305 chevy engine and a chevy 4.3 v6 engine. Will either one of these engines work?

Theyll work but you need to make sure you have all the engine components, motor mounts, ECM, and wiring harness. Its alot of work. I do this every other month with my husband at our shop. Its no walk in the park but it is possible and has been done many times by myself alone. If your not a patient person, use the car for racing, or have money to spend on the project......you might wanna stick with the 3.8. Eventually youll find one. You could even buy a 3.8 crate engine. The cost would be about the same and you have less problems to deal with.

After swapping engines, ('92 to '90) I didn't notice that the flywheel moved 1/2 inch toward the block and blinded. Obviously, when I tried to start it, it wouldn't. I haven't dropped the tranny yet to see if I can move the flywheel by hand yet. My question is, is this the correct thing to do? Will I be able to move the flywheel back to it's working location fairly easily? Is there anything else that I need to do?

check to see if it 's the correct flywheel there are a cople different ones. if it's an automatic the converter may have slipped forward and that is your problem. if it didi dont' be surprised if it broke your oil pump in transmission either.

Looks like the Flywheel/Flexplate's are different on the '92 and the '90. One has like 168 teeth and the other 148. The starters are different as well. Go figure. It is an automatic. Yes, the converter has slipped forward. What is the best way to correct this? I haven't figured out an easy way to loosen the bell housing from the engine block without removing the motor mount bolts and lifting the engine again. There is not a lot of room to get a wrench between the block and the firewall.

the best way is to do it like it's supposed to . you drop the engine and trans and cradle assy then take the trans off. if you r conveter has slipped your pump my have broken so you'll have to check that. the convertershold be sl;id back after trans is out or loose it has to go into pump otherwise it breaks it. It will slide forward a little whe it is bolted to the flywheel.

The converter is bolted to the flywheel/flexplate. The flywheel is what is bond against the engine block. Would that cause the pump to brake? I would think if it slipped toward the tranny then I'd be in trouble.

as long as the torque converter never came out then you are ok.

I unbolted the torque converter when I got the engine out so I could mount it to the engine stand. I bolted it back up before I put it back in the car. Why would that make a difference?

don't worry about it

So, after dropping the back of the tranny, unbolting the bell housing from the engine block, removing the starter and unbolting the torque converter from the flywheel, (I forgot to mark it the first time I took it off), I was able to move the torque converter onto the tranny as it should have been. I bolted everything back up, got the correct starter and was able to start the car. It sounds like crap. There's a loud squealing noise coming from the back lower half of the engine. Sounds like the flywheel may now be warped. Starter doesn't always catch and I have to turn the motor over by hand a few turns. Idles like crap...very rough. I guess I lost a lot more tranny fluid than I thought cuz I've put in a quart and it's barely registering on the dip stick. Needless to say, I'm frustrated...

not being able to see this i'd really suggest you have a local pro look at this for you. I don't know what to tell you.

I have a 1995 Pontiac Firebird convertible with a 3.4L v6 and automatic transmission. I am wanting to put in a v-8. How difficult will this be and will the same transmission fit? Probably would put in an LS 1 engine or maybe a 350.

We recommend direct replacement parts. This type of change can be done, but requires that everything be changed, such as motor mounts, trans, computer, vacuum hoses, wiring harness...

And, after everything is changed, there always seems to be additional problems. That us why we only recommend direct replacement parts.

i have a 1989 firebird that has about 280000 miles on the
305 in it. i was wondering if a newer 350 create engine would bolt up with out to much trouble

There will be a few things (flexplate,starter,harmonic balancer, possibly p/s exhaust manifold). Not really sure if it is worth all the extra stuff you have to buy to put the 350 in it, done it before, not a really huge performance increase. PCM calibration will also be off a little, injectors may be different, dont remember on that.

Engine Mechanical problem
1988 Pontiac Firebird V8 Two Wheel Drive Automatic

The car is a 305 tuned port. The original motor blew so I dropped another 305 into it. The car starts right up and runs, but it seems to be running rather rich and, up until I rigged the fans to a switch, the fans didnt kick on and it would start to over heat. The fuel and temp gauges worked before and now do not. Not sure where to start and don't have an engine diagnostic machine available to make it easier.

Ok so did you get a new engine or a used engine out of another car? If it was out of another car did you swap sensors or just use what was on the engine you put in? If you just droped in an engine from a wrecking yard or another car then I would pull the coolant temp sensor off the engine that came out of the car and put it on the replacement engine. This is what turns on the fans. It is on or near the thermostat housing. Let me know what you can and how it goes.

It is a used 305 truck block with around 40000 on it. All the original equipment in regards to sensors and fuel injectors and such were transferred to the replacement engine. It also seems to be running rich all the time.

Well you picked a truck engine and the truck engine was throttle body injection and the car is a 305 HO with tuned port injection the cams and compression are not the same. The cams are different and the heads are different. The TBI truck engine is cammed .234 and .257 with 1.84 and 1.50 valves and the 9.3:1 compression. The TPI car engine is cammed .269 and .276 with 1.94 and 1.60 valve and 9.5:1 compression. The Hp is different and torque. It will run rich and not have the power and such. As for the sensors you do have everything hooked up and pluged in? Double check everything and let me know what you find, do you have digital multi meter? We will need to test some sensors and maybe some wiring.

No I do not but I am purchasing one in the very very near future. Is there anything I can do until I get that?

Will a Chevy 327 fit in a 1979 Pontiac Firebird that had a Pontiac 301 in it originally?

the 301 is a smaller motor thtn the 327. you'll need to change the mounts on the crossmember for the 327. You'll have some wiring issues to deal with as well.

Thanks for the advice, yeah I'm trying to find mounts to fit right now and it looks like there are a second set of mounting holes for the chevy engines on the crossmember, thanks again!

if you go to a junk yard and get some mounts out of a camaro that had either a 305 or 350 in it they should work. then just get new motor mounts for the 327/350 small block as that is what you'll need anyhow. then check your trans to engine mount as you may need what they call a universal mount trans which wil mount to Pontiac or Chevrolet bolt patterns.

Ok so im swapping my v6 fir a 4.3l vortec engine i want to know what kind of computer and wiring harness will i need

this is more trouble than it's worth. Depending on the year 4.3L you want to put in means all different kind of wires,, computer etc. and if it's a motor after 1995 you can't anyhow because it's OBD2 as yours is OBD1