well i have a 95 3.4 and im not gonna do this right now but if later on i wanted to swap it out for a 3.8 is this posible? well not so much possible, cause almost anything is, but is this a problematic swap? cause i know its alot more problems and all to put a lt1 or something in my car. and even a 3.8 is 40 horses stock more then my 3.4 so thats a decent amount more. any thoughts or ideas?

 

Shuoldn't be too hard, but you will need a complete engine with accessory drives, plumbing, wiring harnesses, etc.. The 3.4 is a 60 degree V while the 3.8 is a 90 degree thus making it wider than a 3.4. The 3.8 is about as wide as a 5.7 V8. Make sure you get a 3.8 that is from a car that has the engine mounted longitudinally, as the ones made for sidewinder front drives have different mounting points on the engine block. You will also have to recalibrate your compter, and get a good set of wiring schematics for both the old and new setup so that you can hook all the electrical stuff properly. You also may need motor mounts, and you need to check if the 3.8 will bolt on to your transmission.

 

Im geting ready to do the same thing to mine but im geting everything he droped the k frame and im just putting the hole assembly inthe k frame.it should bolt up shouldnt it and about the pcm could i swap it or will i need the wiring harnesses. thanks for your help.

 

I would get a new pcm and wiring harness. Both engines have different sensors. For example. 3.8 has a MAF, but the 3.4 does not... Do you even know if the tranny is going to bolt up? Or did your 3.8 come with a tranny?

 

Wow, back from the crypt after 3-1/2years. lol

 

i looked up the trans for a 1995 auto and it was a 4l60e and for the 2001 it said it was the same 4l60e so im hopein its the same

 

The internal parts of the trannys are the same. The bolt pattern to the engine are differnt. The 3.8 uses the old Buick (V6 & V8) pattern and the 3.4 uses the old 2.8 V-6 patterns. Sorry Also most 3.4 are OBD1 computers and the 3.8's are all OBD2 very little will interchange. If I was to do this swap I would want the doner car sitting out behind the shop. I assume the 3.8 uses a larger radiator it could have larger fuel lines. your going to even need the computer interface plug from the doner car.

This could end up being a huge project. I think itcould be easier to put in a V-8 from the same year as your car then to convert it to a newer V-6. Atlease there is plenty of "How to's" on the internet for that upgrade.

 

i guess gona have to swap everything over the car is avalible its just gona be 50 miles away the engine is paid for and the guy has the tranny for the 3.8 but i wanted to keep it a 5 speed but i could get a diffrent bell housing couldnt i

 

Thank you Gorn. You put that alot nicer than I could find words for. People don't realize that it would take as much (if not, pretty damn close)to swap 3.4 to 3.8 as it would be to go ahead and swap out to the 5.7. You will need new PCM and wiring harness, new tranny (possibly just swap bellhousing to get it to fit), new exhaust manifolds and y-pipe, radiator fans (3.4 has 1, 3.8 has 2; possibly a new radiator), engine mounts, lots of beer, and various other little things along the way.

 

If you are going to do this then do a lot of people a big favor. Take lots of picture and start a build thread. Just post what you got done in the last day or two when you get time.That way we can follow along with your build and give advise as needed. It could help out a lot of guys in the future.

To use your manual transyou would need the bell housing and most likely will need a fly wheel for a 3.8if that fly wheel is a different diameter you will need the cluchand if its a differnt thickness you may need a slave cyclinder. I think the transmission are the same but I am not sure.
https://camaroforums.com/m_176257/tm.htm
You will want to go here and get this parts manual. You can use it like a cross referance. Just compair parts numbers. There is a lot of miss inforamtion out there. If someone say that wont fit and you check the parts manual and it the same GMparts number then you know your good.

I am going thru this with my current project. I am putting a 2002 3.8 in a 96. Build thread link in in my sig.