Ok fellas. I've posted the pics I have in my garage on this site, and now the questions.

1. I need to replace the engine with a stock 3.8 V6. Just looking for the most cost effective way to do this. I have found several engines, but the one I'm leaning toward is a 02 Camaro W/90K on it for $450.00, but it's 2 & a half hrs away. So, with that said....what do I need besides the new 02 headers, and to reseal the intake. I've read in posts I need to do that because of it being a notorious prob. What is the average price on labor to have the switch done?

I found a whole 96 base Camaro for $400.00 headed to the junk yard this Friday, but guys @ the salvage yards say the 96 3.8 won't work? Guess it's the intake that's been changed? So, would this 96 work an these guys not knowing it just killed the best deal I found? I can still get the 96 complete car till Friday though, so I hope someone looks @ this list of questions before then!

2. My fuel gauge is telling me there's no fuel in the car, but it said a full tank when I out the new battery in? I added three gallons of premium too an still nothing? All the gauges are working so what could this be caused from?

3. I have to take the door panel off to fix the drivers side window because the window is off track an kicks out when I rolled it up. I guess with it being a 99 should I get the new window motors? Have you replaced them...is it easy and are there any time saving tips that I could use? Also the pass side power lock switch has broken away from the door an is down in the door? Guess some Gorilla glue would work for that? PS. I have seen the sticky on window and an it is awesome.

4. Please take a look @ my pics and see if on the pic of my door tag tells if it is a RS?
I have the Y87 (3800 V6 Performance Package: Auburn or Zexel Torsen Limited Slip Differential (G80) 3.42 gears Auto/3.23 gears Standard
14.4:1 Sport Steering (same as Z28) P235/55R-16 tires (required with RPO Y87)
16" aluminum wheels that enhance appearance (required with RPO Y87)
dual muffler outlets. Y3F (which was the 'sports apearance package' and had all the stuff an RS would have had, only no badges) B84 (Ornimentation, Exterior molding) CC1 (T-tops)

 

yeah i do believe you have an RS, unless someone took the RS side skirts, bumper lips and spoiler off and put them on the car you bought, how many miles did you have on the engine before it went?

 

A 96 3.8 should work on a 99 i believe it was after 99 that they changed. Either way you can always swap everything over from your car. Even a 3.8 from a fwd buick or pontiac would work if you swapped some stuff over. 450 sounds good for 3.8 but in 2002 they did not have egr and a couple other stuff so if you live in cali you would need to swap that over for smog. Some of the newer 3.8s came with new exhaust manifolds so you might run into some issues there. I would just install headers while you have it apart. I LOVE MINE!!!1!. What is wrong with your engine? The most cost cautious way might be to just fix your engine.

 

The engine an car have 78K on it. Work done so far while waiting to find a engine is as follows.
1. Slave cyl.
2. Clutch kit from Autozone
3. Turned fly wheel because it was burnt up
4. Clutch master cyl.
5. Front rotors with ceramic pads in front and reg. in rear
6. D. side front caliper and hanger, was frozen
7. Inner and outer tie rod from 1st owners brush with a tree
8. Starter from Autozone
9. 3 exhaust welds
With the parts/labor/registration/taxes/tow/ and cost of the car I'm $2,000 in. So, I know there are guys out there in the same situation as me. The one where you can't do the engine install yourself, an have to sub it out. It sucks, and on top of it Christmas is in a few weeks. Knowlege from you is what I'm lookin for I guess. I don't want to just put this engine in bare ya know. Headers, and maybe a cam if the cost isn't that bad on labor?

 

The engine is knocking BAD, and smoking BAD!! I have drove the car about 30 miles and decided it be better to not be stranded an turned around parking it @ the garage again. I changed the sludge...I mean oil if you could call that prior to driving it, and adding the Lucuas oil treatment in. It was a good effort, but the 1st owner told me it was knocking when I bought it. Soooooo I don't know what to do?

 

I would swap

 

The upper intake manifold is different on '96-98 3.8s, as they are angled where they mount to the throttle body. Plus, the throttle linkage is entirely different from '99-up as it is a throttle-by-wire system. If I'm correct, you could have them swap out the intake and throttle body from your '99 on to the '96. That would be no big expense since you would have the intake off for new gaskets anyways. The exhaust manifolds are likely to be different, but that shouldn't be a problem, particularly since you might install headers.

 

OK the engine is the same from 96-2005, long block that is. The Camaro Firebird 3.8s have 3 different versions 95 is all alone, This Long block is different than the others, intake is the same as the 96-98, not much else is. 96-98 share the same long block assembly as the rest of the Series II and III engines, intake is the only difference, it is throttle by cable and the inlet is angled down. The last version of the engine is the TBW engine which has the same long block as the 96-98, upper intake is different it is not angled down and will not fit the cable throttle body. All the engines had EGR, only the LS1 engines lost the EGR. Camaro/Firebird had unique parts not found on the FWD L36 engines (vin K) but all L36 engines except the 95 are the same long block, timing cover, water pump, knock, ckp cmp sensors.

Yes the 96 would make a great parts car so long as its engine runs well. The 02 engine for $450 2 hours away is a deal too. But remember that you can always use a FWD engine and just swap some parts over.

If the car has been sitting for a while with old fuel in it the sensor in the tank could be tarnished and not able to read properly. This could go away as the car is used some but you may need to put a new fuel pump in the car and if you get the whole assembly you will replace the sensor.

The RS was dropped in 98. But you could still get all the options just not the badges. Not all RS's came with the body kit but it was a had to uncheck the box to remove option. Same with the Leather seats. The All RS package cars came with the handling package that was not removable. The handling package was available on any model at the same time tho. In 2000 SLP took back the RS option, and gave the car some much needed love. Again some options in the RS list were again optional except the handling package.

Hope this helps

Massey

 

Massey, you make my head hurt LOL Thanks for the insight on the 3.8!!! There is a LOT absorb there in that one post, and I think you covered it. I guess just finding out the steps to do the switch is the next step. I need to order the Chiltons book on the car and just read it. Would this FWD conversion be covered in it...or is that just old school know how? There are some amazing mechanical guys on here that pull out things I've never heard before in some of these posts.

Thanks about the fuel gauge info too. That could be it because it sat with a full tank for 3 yrs. I'm going to hold off till after X-mas to purchase the engine. If I don't I'll be the Grinch ya know. I should just wait till spring when the ice an snow is gone to do the swap, but it just itches me to death to move forward.

 

The chilton's book will not mention anything about the swap from a FWD engine to a RWD. Here is what you will need to swap over.

Upper and lower intake
oil pan
oil filter mount
oil pickup
harmonic ballancer
flywheel
exhaust manifolds
accessory brackets
Belt Tensioner/Heater hose manifold
Fuel rail
Injectors
Coil pack mountings (ICM and coil packs are the same on the FWD engine)


Parts that are the same (other than the long block)
Timing cover
water pump
CMS
CKS
Knock Sensors (there are 2)
water passage Elbows (but it is a good idea to replace these you can get them from the Help! section at your local part store)

I think that will about do it. Make sure you get gaskets for the Camaro since some of the FWD gaskets are different

Massey