I have a 2000 monte carlo ss and was thinking about doing a top swap for it. ive been told all kinds of things like "oh, it wont work out right" and "your motor cant handle that extra power", but I have also been told that my stock l36 will handle a m90 sc and shouldn't have to change anything as long as im not running over 15lbs of boost. what should i believe? anyone with experience with doing top swaps please help. i was looking at doing a top swap and dropping the pulley to around 3.2 is that possible without installing other supporting mods? if not what all would i have to build up...? any help is appreciated! also im looking at installing some hids, for my headlights and fog lights and i have no clue on what size bulbs or anything like that.

 

Hi Brandon,
I can't help with the top swap, But with the HIDs, allyou have to do is pull an existing bulb and take it with you when you go to get the new lights. You have 9005 and 9006 bulbs for low and Hi beams. IDK what H the fog lights are.
When you get them, don't just get the bulbs. The draw more current to operate, make more Heat. The will eventually burn out your wiring harness. Get the HID Kit. It has a starter and ballist for each light. The kit isolates the lights from the rest of your system preventing damage! Good Luck and Safe Driving!

 

It will work out right if you do it right. There are lots of 3800s out there that are top swaps that run fine.

If you put a 3.2 on a top swap engine you will likely blow it quickly. I had a 3.8 pulley with headers and rockers and still had KR. You'll need a good tuner after the swap as a mail order tune isn't going to be perfect.

 

^^ agree... also there is a sticky thread on the forum it is "general mod plans" there is a lot of very good I do there that will answer a lot of your questions. There is also many threads dealing with top swaps, use the search feature and I guarantee you will find info to read for hours. Good luck!!

 

I'm another guy that has done a "top swap". Done quite a few through the years. The NA (non supercharged) bottom end can handle boost without issue. BUT, with the NA engine's higher compression ratio, things can go bad quickly if supporting mods and tuning are not addressed.

 

I wouldn't put a 3.2 on any s/c 3800 that didn't have an intercooler and/or a vury lopey cam.

I'll just say this about 15 psi on an M90: no thanks. I'm happy with 11 on a cold *** day.

 

Not to mention it is a little difficult to top-swap a Monte that is 2000-2002. It's a lot of custom file making, so as long as you do your OWN tuning you shouldn't have an issue.

 

Pulley sizing has been generalized and broken down to what mods, fuel, ect. There are quite a few sites that you can read up on to find that out. BUT, I will tell you from "personal" experience, all of those charts/lists are a GENERAL guideline.
Every engine/setup is different in different ways so, the only way to find the most optimized pulley size for your application, is to go through the fun of testing n tuning.
In the adventure of finding the ideal pulley size for your setup...my advice is to hit up friends to barrow pulley(s), or buy them used from a vendor or the forum classifieds.
Hope that gives you a little bit of insight on the topic, and if u got more questions, I/we got answers.
***OH!! I strongly advise you NOT to START with a, 3.2" pulley. I know it sounds enticing as hell but, busting a piston, and having your ride sitting...broken is definitely not fun. I would suggest a 3.8" (biggest you can get, unless you buy the ZZP Top Swap Kit) Even the 3.8" would probably be dangerously too small without any mods.
If you car is currently running and drivable...I suggest starting with mods that will compliment the addition of the supercharger install.
Start with the two basics...a Cold Air/Fenderwell Intake/K&N cone filter Intake setup, and an exhaust system (get rid of the, "U-bend"). Also, decide if u want to have headers, that will determine what you will need to buy as far as the downpipe goes. I suggest a 2.5" system.
Then your foundation is set for the SC install.
Soon, after the supercharger install, you will be approaching the need for fuel injectors that flow more (either stock L67 (oem supercharged 3800) or 42.5# inj for a nice increase.
I highly recommend buying an Air to water Intercooler system. In my opinion, the intercooler is by far the best investment for making power with the heat maker that the Eaton supercharger is.
Then, you can start looking at cams...and it goes on n on.

 

Not to mention, a 4.2 pulley on a top-swap is equivalent to a 3.8 pulley on a regular L67.

 

with all that has been said, about pulley sizes and supporting mods. i currently have installed on my 2000 monte ss: a short ram intake, pacesetter headers, magnoflow catd 3' downpipe, 2.5' dynomax intermediate and y pipe, two flow master super 44s, finished off by 4' Borla stainless tips. i planed on upgrading my short ram (warm Air intake) to a zzp cold air intake or a wizard air intake. if i have my headers, high flow exhaust, and an actually cold air intake (ZZP), and take a sc with a stock 3.8 pulley, gtp fuel rails, injectors, and throttle body, would i be alright, and what i mean by alright, would i be more less likely to chip a piston.