I have a 96 Camaro that slung a rod. It has the 3800 Series II engine and was wondering with all the GM interchangeability if I could put in a 3800 Series II from aBuick from the local U-Pull-It junkyard. I know that I would be swapping oil pans, valve covers, manifolds, etc, but that is no big deal. If the block and heads are the same, couldn't this work? I am also concerned about the transmission bolting up.
Has anyone done this?
Thanks in advance

 

dont think so, arent buicks FWD?, same with Grand prixs, same engine , but front wheel drive, it wouldnt fit in our cars

 

nope...camaro was the only GM model to have the RWD 3800 II...the RWD and FWD engines are different

 

As far as I know all second genration 3800's series are compatible. I just bought a buick reman. from Promar Precision motors and they mistakenly sent me a motor for a FWD car. It bolted up to my Automatic transmission perfectly. The only thing I had to do was switch my oil pan. and buy upper plenum gaskets to replace the ones they sent me.

 

Im gonna have to say, getting a 3.8 from a camaro would be ur best and safest bet. Just because the platforms that the engines are coming out of are qhite different.

 

Cool, I was hoping someone had already done this. I just wanted to hear if anyone was able to bolt up a RWD transmission to the motor. Those who say it won't work, can I ask why not? I was considering just biting the bullet and paying $600 for a used engine but found 2 good 3800 Series II motors at the junkyard in wrecked Buicks for $100 each. I don't mind spending a couple extra hours swapping over the Camaro manifolds, oil pan, brackets and mounts, valve covers and whatever else to save a chunk of money.

 

coil pack setup is different too

 

Maybe not applicable, but something to think about -- the Fiero guys like the use the 3.4s out of Camaros as an easy (as in drop it in easy) upgrade to the 2.8 in the back. They also like to use the 3800's out of the FWD W-Bodies, since the 2.8, 3.4 (RWD) and the 3.8 (FWD anyway) all have the same bellhousing bolt pattern.

So, the only real question is, is the bellhousing bolt pattern right on the FWD 3800's? If so, then you should be able to use at least the shortblock (probably even the longblock) from a FWD 3800, and switch out the exhaust manifolds and all the accessories (including the coilpacks, throttle body, etc) and I can't think of any reason why it wouldn't work.