Not to be rude, but I agree with Maniac. If youre struggling to understand what a supercharger even is, you definitely don't have the knowledge needed to perform the swap.

A top swap to install a supercharger is about as complicated of a bolt on job as you can get. You tear the engine all the way down to the short block and then build everything back up with the donor car parts. There is also some minor wiring to do as well as a tune update required.


To try to answer these questions a bit - the block is not the supercharger, they're two different things. The supercharger sits on top of the engine and spins on its own belt via the balancer. In theory if your buddy only threw away the block, then you should still have everything you need for the swap.

However, I wouldnt waste your time buying his setup as its too risky. Even once you read up enough to understand how to do this, youre still not going to be familiar enough to know every single bracket and bolt you need to do this. Youre better off finding a complete car at a junkyard or something and taking off all of the parts yourself so youre sure you've got everything you need (and understand how it all goes together). Last thing you want to do is get this guys stuff, start putting it together, then realize partway through that youre stuck because youre missing pieces and now have to scramble to figure out what you're missing and where you can get it.

 

I understand the complete process!
This would not be my first tear down and rebuild!
But upon looking at the task ahead. I have decided to abandon the project and keep my car stock!
i just wish that Chevy would have at least put a turbo charger (on the exhaust) upon production to make the car more desirable!

 

Okaaay, your choice of verbiage must have been what was throwing us all off. Staying stock will be the proper move, it will live longer down there. Once started down the road of modding things start getting dicey and you may end up hating your Monte (yourself) for even thinking pumping endless amounts of money / labor into your Monte was a good idea. I speak from experience, and it never ends, ever. Always something else to tend to.

 

Yes after giving it some thought I totally agree!
it is what it is and I'm keeping it that way!
Thanks for the reply!
Thank to you all who gave good advice!!

 

I am curious, what makes you favor a factory turbo vs a factory supercharger? What is the pro/con you see between them or why you feel the turbo is more desirable than the supercharger.

GM has actually done a healthy amount with turbos in the 80's and 90's. Things from the legendary Grand National and it's turbo charger 3.8 (which is one of the predecessors to the current 3800) and even a turbo 3.1 v6, in early FWD Grand Prix and I believe the Chevy Beretta. ANd GM did offer a supercharged 3800 (the Monte and Impala I believe were the last to have that option starting in 2004, Grand Prixs, Regals and Bonnevilles had the supercharged 3800 earlier).

 

I don't favor one or the other!
I was staying that it seems less parts and easier if I went that way..
But like I said in last post.
I'm keeping car stock for now and maybe forever

 

Considering GM did offer a supercharger option for these cars, but you mentioned that you felt a turbo would make them more desirable, it sounds like you do favor one over the other. Nothing wrong with that.

As for less parts, eh, I am sure the list would still vary. With a turbo, you would be changing out all the exhaust manifolds, plus (just like the current Supercharged engine), a turbo'ed 3800 will probably require bigger injectors over the N/A version. With a project I have going on GM has two different NA fuel rails for two different style connectors (so that's "fun").

Both have pros and cons. The one "pro" I could see with a turbo is if you wanted to upgrade to a bigger turbo you might have a bit more ease of opportunity. Going to a bigger Supercharger on these, not so much opportunity. BUT, on the flip side of that, if you want more boost out of the supercharger, as long as you have modified the engine to support it, you could go to smaller pulley sizes. From my seat, it's more about what you are familiar with OR ultimately what you want to do.

If you did want to go for some boost, ZZPerformance does offer full turbo kits for these cars.

 

Lol Either way sounds to complex for me!
Great food for thought though 👍

 

Agreed. Actual part count is a toss up. I will say labor is a lot less work on the turbo. You're leaving the engine almost 100% untouched (besides injectors). Once you get the front bumper cover and exhaust manifolds popped off, youre pretty much ready to start adding the new stuff.

With the top swap, you dont touch the bumper, but you do tear the engine pretty much all the way down to the core and rebuild from there.

The other nice thing with a turbo is you're buying a kit of everything you need, so you 100% know you've got it all. With a top swap, depending what you bought to swap from (pieces, a partial engine, a wrecked car) you could run into missing small bolts and such that you'll need to track down at a junkyard.

 

Thanks for the great info!!