3.1L Aluminum Heads?
#1
3.1L Aluminum Heads?
My 94 3.4L Camaro has 234,000 miles on it. I did a short block rebuild a few years ago before I deployed to Afghanistan. The short block has 16,000 miles on it officially. I waited on the heads because I didn't know which way to go on them. I've heard many wives tales about the 3.4L (3.35 actually) and I heard that the 3.1L aluminum heads are direct bolt-on flow increase that are as dramatic as a full port job on the iron heads. ????
Well.......it just so happens that my dad has a 1992 Buick Regal FWD with a 3.1L in it that he's trying to get rid of for junk. The engine runs like a top, but the body's worthless. Did I just score???
Well.......it just so happens that my dad has a 1992 Buick Regal FWD with a 3.1L in it that he's trying to get rid of for junk. The engine runs like a top, but the body's worthless. Did I just score???
#3
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Eastern PA,
Posts: 10,462
After 87 all Regal are W bodies (FWD) I did not think the 3.1 heads where much of a upgrade because in the FWD world the 3.1 to 3.4 head upgrade is pretty common.
ALso I do not think it is a driect bolt in becasue the intake would be backwards. Do a search there is a lot of detailed info on this site about the head swap but no one has done it yet because it is not a direct bolt in.
ALso I do not think it is a driect bolt in becasue the intake would be backwards. Do a search there is a lot of detailed info on this site about the head swap but no one has done it yet because it is not a direct bolt in.
Last edited by Gorn; 12-30-2011 at 09:46 AM.
#4
I've got a guy who claims that the aluminum heads off a 1999 Pontiac Grad Am GT bolt right onto the 94 3.4L. I've contacted Chevrolet and am waiting on a response from one of the master mechanics. This ought to be interesting. The dude claims he's done it and the only things he's had to change are the fuel rail and the intake plenum from the 3.8 (to promote better airflow). He claims that the dyno chart shows that the flow characteristics on the stock 3.4 aluminum heads on the grand am gt are slightly better than a fully ported set of iron heads for the 94. He says he's working the dyno chart on the specs with a fully ported set of 99 grand am aluminum heads, and as soon as he has it he will post it. He also says it produces 200hp at the crank with the mods he's suggesting. I'll let you know more when I have more info.
#6
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Eastern PA,
Posts: 10,462
Something sounds way wrong. The 3800 is a completly different motor design with 90 degrees between the cylinder while the 3.1/3.4 has 60 degrees the 3800 is a much larger intake.
I have heard about the head swap many times. You end up with a 13:1 compression or something like that. You need to replace the pistons or something to get the compression low enough to run on pump gas. You also need custom length push rods. This is all going off of other posts I have read over the years. I never had a 3.4. Hopfully one of the guys that have researched will chime in.
I have heard about the head swap many times. You end up with a 13:1 compression or something like that. You need to replace the pistons or something to get the compression low enough to run on pump gas. You also need custom length push rods. This is all going off of other posts I have read over the years. I never had a 3.4. Hopfully one of the guys that have researched will chime in.
#7
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Eastern PA,
Posts: 10,462
#9
Something sounds way wrong. The 3800 is a completly different motor design with 90 degrees between the cylinder while the 3.1/3.4 has 60 degrees the 3800 is a much larger intake.
I have heard about the head swap many times. You end up with a 13:1 compression or something like that. You need to replace the pistons or something to get the compression low enough to run on pump gas. You also need custom length push rods. This is all going off of other posts I have read over the years. I never had a 3.4. Hopfully one of the guys that have researched will chime in.
I have heard about the head swap many times. You end up with a 13:1 compression or something like that. You need to replace the pistons or something to get the compression low enough to run on pump gas. You also need custom length push rods. This is all going off of other posts I have read over the years. I never had a 3.4. Hopfully one of the guys that have researched will chime in.
#10
with the high compression from swapping heads with stock pistons you have two choices. swap pistons from the grandam or malibu your taking the heads off of, or a custom cam. do both with the head swap and headers and you call get to 200hp. tuning is a must and premium gas.