6th Gen ('00-'05): Best way to add HP to my 03 LS
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 6,453
On milzy motor sports I can get a 80k mile L67 for 2k
I'm still not sure which is the best option I've heard turbos are hard to install
If level of difficulty is a big factor, just spray your current engine.
Last edited by bumpin96monte; Aug 6, 2018 at 05:32 PM.
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 30
That's going to be any engine you buy like that really. Best you can do is your due diligence - check the mileage on the odo if possible, check the oil, check compression if possible, see how the car was treated in general. You certainly run the risk that it was beat on its whole life and won't last a year, but luckily they're a dime a dozen (at least the L36) so you can just swap it again if it does blow up.
Please don't spend $2k on a 3800, that's absurd. Maybe that price made a little sense 10 years ago, but $2k or so nowadays will buy you just about every L36 grand prix or monte carlo on Craigslist, and most of the L67 grand prix. You could buy the whole car and just mod that, or part it out and just keep what you need.
To put this in perspective, you're talking about doing a complete powertrain swap here. Installing a turbo kit is a cakewalk in comparison.
If level of difficulty is a big factor, just spray your current engine.
Please don't spend $2k on a 3800, that's absurd. Maybe that price made a little sense 10 years ago, but $2k or so nowadays will buy you just about every L36 grand prix or monte carlo on Craigslist, and most of the L67 grand prix. You could buy the whole car and just mod that, or part it out and just keep what you need.
To put this in perspective, you're talking about doing a complete powertrain swap here. Installing a turbo kit is a cakewalk in comparison.
If level of difficulty is a big factor, just spray your current engine.
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 6,453
If that's the case, I'd start shopping around for labor estimates on it. Custom labor rates vary quite a bit, but it could certainly be substantial on a project like this. Just need to make sure the total project cost will fit in your mod budget for this car.
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 30
Will do I'll be sure to give updates on it thank you very much
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 30
That's going to be any engine you buy like that really. Best you can do is your due diligence - check the mileage on the odo if possible, check the oil, check compression if possible, see how the car was treated in general. You certainly run the risk that it was beat on its whole life and won't last a year, but luckily they're a dime a dozen (at least the L36) so you can just swap it again if it does blow up.
Please don't spend $2k on a 3800, that's absurd. Maybe that price made a little sense 10 years ago, but $2k or so nowadays will buy you just about every L36 grand prix or monte carlo on Craigslist, and most of the L67 grand prix. You could buy the whole car and just mod that, or part it out and just keep what you need.
To put this in perspective, you're talking about doing a complete powertrain swap here. Installing a turbo kit is a cakewalk in comparison.
If level of difficulty is a big factor, just spray your current engine.
Please don't spend $2k on a 3800, that's absurd. Maybe that price made a little sense 10 years ago, but $2k or so nowadays will buy you just about every L36 grand prix or monte carlo on Craigslist, and most of the L67 grand prix. You could buy the whole car and just mod that, or part it out and just keep what you need.
To put this in perspective, you're talking about doing a complete powertrain swap here. Installing a turbo kit is a cakewalk in comparison.
If level of difficulty is a big factor, just spray your current engine.
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 30
That's going to be any engine you buy like that really. Best you can do is your due diligence - check the mileage on the odo if possible, check the oil, check compression if possible, see how the car was treated in general. You certainly run the risk that it was beat on its whole life and won't last a year, but luckily they're a dime a dozen (at least the L36) so you can just swap it again if it does blow up.
Please don't spend $2k on a 3800, that's absurd. Maybe that price made a little sense 10 years ago, but $2k or so nowadays will buy you just about every L36 grand prix or monte carlo on Craigslist, and most of the L67 grand prix. You could buy the whole car and just mod that, or part it out and just keep what you need.
To put this in perspective, you're talking about doing a complete powertrain swap here. Installing a turbo kit is a cakewalk in comparison.
If level of difficulty is a big factor, just spray your current engine.
Please don't spend $2k on a 3800, that's absurd. Maybe that price made a little sense 10 years ago, but $2k or so nowadays will buy you just about every L36 grand prix or monte carlo on Craigslist, and most of the L67 grand prix. You could buy the whole car and just mod that, or part it out and just keep what you need.
To put this in perspective, you're talking about doing a complete powertrain swap here. Installing a turbo kit is a cakewalk in comparison.
If level of difficulty is a big factor, just spray your current engine.
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 6,453
-L32 had returnless fuel lines, so the rail only has 1 port whereas your car has 2 - a feed and a return with a regulator on the rail.
-the L32 is drive by wire (no cable going to the throttle body)
Depending what harness you plan to run, you could have connector differences, the fuel injectors being one I can think of. As L67s were always plentiful around here, I've never done an L32 swap so there may be other pitfalls I'm not thinking of.
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 30
As far as fitment goes, it's the same size as any other 3800. The upsides are that its 20 more HP stock than an L67 and has the better gen 5 blower. The downside is that it'll take more work to swap. a few big ones I can think of:
-L32 had returnless fuel lines, so the rail only has 1 port whereas your car has 2 - a feed and a return with a regulator on the rail.
-the L32 is drive by wire (no cable going to the throttle body)
Depending what harness you plan to run, you could have connector differences, the fuel injectors being one I can think of. As L67s were always plentiful around here, I've never done an L32 swap so there may be other pitfalls I'm not thinking of.
-L32 had returnless fuel lines, so the rail only has 1 port whereas your car has 2 - a feed and a return with a regulator on the rail.
-the L32 is drive by wire (no cable going to the throttle body)
Depending what harness you plan to run, you could have connector differences, the fuel injectors being one I can think of. As L67s were always plentiful around here, I've never done an L32 swap so there may be other pitfalls I'm not thinking of.
Monte Of The Month -- August 2014
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 25,145
From: Southeast PA
I wouldn't bother with a series 3, I would continue to look for a series 2. Like Bumpin' mentioned, it will require more for the swap, and there could be some random unknowns. I like to work with combinations that were offered from the factory, especially when getting into tuning your new set up.
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 30
I wouldn't bother with a series 3, I would continue to look for a series 2. Like Bumpin' mentioned, it will require more for the swap, and there could be some random unknowns. I like to work with combinations that were offered from the factory, especially when getting into tuning your new set up.