Seals fail due to mileage or age, gaskets are more based on age and heat cycles. It is about playing the odds. If I had a 08 motor with 10 or 20K I would just reseal the stuff that needs switch and look over everything real good and stick it in. I am not that familiar with the newer motors and I would think the chances of me having an oops are higher than the factory engine failing. I am not afraid to do it but I would just be reading out of a manual. These newer 3800 can hit 200K and 12 years and not have a bad leak. IMO It is all a roll of the dice either way. My O2 3800 now has 85K (installed at 38k) on it and it is the first GM car I have owned that has a rusty oil pan. (Stone chip on the pan plus no oil leaks= rusty pan on a year round commuter)

Please keep us updated, A build thread maybe? A basic used S3 3800 with Cam and headers install seem like a very economic friendly way to hit 260-270, Flywheel HP with some light Port an polishing.

 

quick question .. leave torgue converter attached to transmission when removing engine

 

yes leave torque converter connected to the trans. dont have to but its allot cleaner. i i havent,,, i would advise you take the motor out the bottom.

 

thanx on converter information .. will leave it in .. going to take engine from top due to time constraints and not trying to make drive way look too bad to neighbors .. figured that way I can just close the hood and it isnt to obvious as to what is happening .. will pick up new engine tommorrow and have to get it stripped and then some upgrades done before taking out old engine for the swap

 

it is easier and faster to get it out the bottom. just sayin. lift body roll motor and trans out, let body down on blocks. wheel motor and trans in garage.

 

Gorn can I use the 09 oil pressure sender ? Can the heater hoses be swappaed from the combiniation metal rubeer to all rubber ones ?

 

gorn craby and anyone else that has done this swap can I use any of the new engine parts instead of the old .. like oil filter adapter alternator bracket etc some of these look like they may work better then stuff from 1997

 

im thinking no but at the least you would want to wait till the motor is in the car to make sure it will work with all the other stuff that goes in that spot.

 

craby and gorn

Got old intake out and now time for head work
New Engine is out of a 2009 Lacrosse with 10 miles on it
Looking to get a good valve job and some port matching done

What about port matching the upper and lower intake manifolds ??

Also I know that the heads cant be milled much but I heard about a angle milling .. what is it ?

 

Ok started this project in April and after trying to pull the motor my self had to have a local garage finish.

My 'new' car is 97 Red 3.8 v6 with Headers and CAI and No cat
with touched up paint and added a set of painted 5 spoke Pontaic wheels

Next part of the transformation is complete header back exhaust and or getting the PCM tuned. Have a cpl of local speed shops that can dyno tune the PCM but am concerened about getting any real performance out of it since I am running a basically stock fuel system. Unfortuanately due to using a 2009 engine PCM for less was unable to provide much support.

So what have you guys seen work in the past ?