new/old member.Long story.
#1
03-23-2016, 01:27 PM
new/old member.Long story.
Hello, my name is Glen. I have been a partial member and a lurker on this site for years. I like to just read the forum for ideas and information and I have never posted anything beyond my personal profile. Although I do have a vast wealth of mechanical knowledge being a long time salvage yard dismantler and a welder/fabricator I likely have alot i could contribute to this community i just much prefer to read than discuss..Until recently I decided to speak up some So i will begin by telling the epic, but long story of my 99 Monte Carlo, As i am rebuilding my 5th gen LS for the 3rd time since 2009.
I love my 5th gen 99 Monte LS. I saved my Monte from the crusher in late 2009 with 117,000 miles on it, I was working in that particular salvage yard as a Dismantler at the time, then my future car came into the yard one day looking all pretty with its pewter metallic paint and black trim, it had a straight and clean body with a smooth running 3100. I was always a fan of Monte Carlos but mostly the 4th gens..But i needed a new daily driver and this car caught my Eye,so i just had to ask my boss to sell it to me, on payments because i was poor working for him lol. It ultimately cost me $1000 plus my old "mkII" 91 Jetta of the same color actually.The Jetta served me well may it rest in pieces..
All the "new to me" Monte Carlo needed was a new right front control arm (bent), Tires (Bald from the bent arm) and a gas tank (Rust Belt). I had my Best friend help me fix her up on a Saturday in my bosses shop there at the yard in the spring 2010, That friend has since passed away in 2012 which maybe explains my reluctance to part ways with the old car today (much to the protest of my wife), Well i have been running the Monte ever since
in 2012 I did a 3400 swap using this site as a partial guide, after the 3100 started knocking and developed the notorious lower intake gasket leak, so i opted to do a full 3400 swap from a 2003 Pontiac Grand am dubbing my car the "montiac"...At the time of the swap i did a few things to the engine including all new gaskets,I ported out the exhaust ports on the heads and ported the manifolds larger as well.I also added a high volume oil pump and a cold air intake..believe it or not but that 3400 runs like a raped ape on a stock 3100 PCM and stock 19# 3100 injectors..Its been fun to drive..
The following year i did a Rear disc brake conversion from a Z34, Custom dual exhaust borrowed from a Grand Prix and brand new new suspension all the way around making the montiac handle like it was on rails..
Then My brother borrowed my car one day and crashed it into a deep ditch pretty much totaling the car in the winter of 2013-2014.But I refused to let go of my old Monte, so with liability insurance only i went ahead and fixed the collision damage and painted the car myself that winter. All on my brothers dime of course. I ran My Monte for a little while longer after that,up until last year when i decided to build myself a 2000 GMC Sierra that i also rescued from the junk Yard, (sensing a theme here?)
So now that i had a truck that i feel in love with I partially retired the Monte into a role as my back up car/toy..Refusing to part ways with it even still. Then recently as i was in the process of fixing up the engine on my brothers Sonoma, I made the mistake of letting him barrow my Monte Carlo..in the Winter..Well as History always repeats itself he ditched my poor old Monte AGAIN on morning...This was just a few months ago and this time the damage was extensive even blowing the air bags.. I don't carry collision on any of my personal vehicles ever. They would just total out my 1000 dollar car anyways, so I had towed it back to my Driveway and started to say my goodbyes..or so i thought..
Well for all these years i have worked in the Automotive salvage industry,access to cheap affordable parts has never been an issue for me albeit for the last 5 years now I have worked for a bigger/better Salvage Yard then the one where i acquired my Monte. I am now a salvage yard production manager..that said..My Monte had faithfully transported me 75 miles a day back and forth to work for years and never left me stranded or let me down..So one day recently i decided I would repay that loyalty and started to rebuild my Monte, again saving it from certain doom for the 3rd time.Now with 207,000 on the clock just 10,000 shy of my personal 100,000 mile mark with the car..
Well recently i have had to replace the entire radiator core support and sectioned the front frame rails,i cut the front clip off of another car at my work and brought it home to start the process of rebuilding my Monte. It is coming along nicely I just finished the structural work/welding last weekend and now am onto reassembly..Next i will be freshening up the engine, I will Finally Have the PCM tuned to actually run A 3400 As well as with the tune i will be upgrading to 36# fuel injectors. I have been in contact with Milzy motorsports who assured me that was the right direction to go as I am looking to get faster Because, lately i have a younger coworker with a 7th gen Monte SS that likes to poke fun at my old slow 5th gen v6 Monte..so i did what anyone would do i challenged him...That said, This spring when My Monte Awakens from its 3rd Slumber/ reincarnation. I want my old V6 Monte to be breathing Fire and punishing pavement..
Don't get me wrong I realize I have zero chances of beating a 300hp LS4 Monte SS at the track with my 3400 V6, especially without boost. But i do wanna throw down some more respectable numbers..I have a goal of 225hp+ and around an 11 second run,either way its gonna be fun.. Wish me luck..
I love my 5th gen 99 Monte LS. I saved my Monte from the crusher in late 2009 with 117,000 miles on it, I was working in that particular salvage yard as a Dismantler at the time, then my future car came into the yard one day looking all pretty with its pewter metallic paint and black trim, it had a straight and clean body with a smooth running 3100. I was always a fan of Monte Carlos but mostly the 4th gens..But i needed a new daily driver and this car caught my Eye,so i just had to ask my boss to sell it to me, on payments because i was poor working for him lol. It ultimately cost me $1000 plus my old "mkII" 91 Jetta of the same color actually.The Jetta served me well may it rest in pieces..
All the "new to me" Monte Carlo needed was a new right front control arm (bent), Tires (Bald from the bent arm) and a gas tank (Rust Belt). I had my Best friend help me fix her up on a Saturday in my bosses shop there at the yard in the spring 2010, That friend has since passed away in 2012 which maybe explains my reluctance to part ways with the old car today (much to the protest of my wife), Well i have been running the Monte ever since
in 2012 I did a 3400 swap using this site as a partial guide, after the 3100 started knocking and developed the notorious lower intake gasket leak, so i opted to do a full 3400 swap from a 2003 Pontiac Grand am dubbing my car the "montiac"...At the time of the swap i did a few things to the engine including all new gaskets,I ported out the exhaust ports on the heads and ported the manifolds larger as well.I also added a high volume oil pump and a cold air intake..believe it or not but that 3400 runs like a raped ape on a stock 3100 PCM and stock 19# 3100 injectors..Its been fun to drive..
The following year i did a Rear disc brake conversion from a Z34, Custom dual exhaust borrowed from a Grand Prix and brand new new suspension all the way around making the montiac handle like it was on rails..
Then My brother borrowed my car one day and crashed it into a deep ditch pretty much totaling the car in the winter of 2013-2014.But I refused to let go of my old Monte, so with liability insurance only i went ahead and fixed the collision damage and painted the car myself that winter. All on my brothers dime of course. I ran My Monte for a little while longer after that,up until last year when i decided to build myself a 2000 GMC Sierra that i also rescued from the junk Yard, (sensing a theme here?)
So now that i had a truck that i feel in love with I partially retired the Monte into a role as my back up car/toy..Refusing to part ways with it even still. Then recently as i was in the process of fixing up the engine on my brothers Sonoma, I made the mistake of letting him barrow my Monte Carlo..in the Winter..Well as History always repeats itself he ditched my poor old Monte AGAIN on morning...This was just a few months ago and this time the damage was extensive even blowing the air bags.. I don't carry collision on any of my personal vehicles ever. They would just total out my 1000 dollar car anyways, so I had towed it back to my Driveway and started to say my goodbyes..or so i thought..
Well for all these years i have worked in the Automotive salvage industry,access to cheap affordable parts has never been an issue for me albeit for the last 5 years now I have worked for a bigger/better Salvage Yard then the one where i acquired my Monte. I am now a salvage yard production manager..that said..My Monte had faithfully transported me 75 miles a day back and forth to work for years and never left me stranded or let me down..So one day recently i decided I would repay that loyalty and started to rebuild my Monte, again saving it from certain doom for the 3rd time.Now with 207,000 on the clock just 10,000 shy of my personal 100,000 mile mark with the car..
Well recently i have had to replace the entire radiator core support and sectioned the front frame rails,i cut the front clip off of another car at my work and brought it home to start the process of rebuilding my Monte. It is coming along nicely I just finished the structural work/welding last weekend and now am onto reassembly..Next i will be freshening up the engine, I will Finally Have the PCM tuned to actually run A 3400 As well as with the tune i will be upgrading to 36# fuel injectors. I have been in contact with Milzy motorsports who assured me that was the right direction to go as I am looking to get faster Because, lately i have a younger coworker with a 7th gen Monte SS that likes to poke fun at my old slow 5th gen v6 Monte..so i did what anyone would do i challenged him...That said, This spring when My Monte Awakens from its 3rd Slumber/ reincarnation. I want my old V6 Monte to be breathing Fire and punishing pavement..
Don't get me wrong I realize I have zero chances of beating a 300hp LS4 Monte SS at the track with my 3400 V6, especially without boost. But i do wanna throw down some more respectable numbers..I have a goal of 225hp+ and around an 11 second run,either way its gonna be fun.. Wish me luck..
Last edited by honkbomb420; 03-23-2016 at 02:15 PM. Reason: typos
#3
03-23-2016, 10:38 PM
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Mentor, Ohio
Posts: 12,156
Welcome to the forum. Great history!!!
225HP on a 3400 without boost? You listed some mods already, what additional ones do you have planned?
225HP on a 3400 without boost? You listed some mods already, what additional ones do you have planned?
#4
03-24-2016, 11:10 AM
I am still doing my homework on valve train parts. But i wanna run a MMS stage 2 cam with my personally modified heads. So i am looking for the proper valve springs to use and i would like to run some 1.6 rockers that will work with the 3400, But without getting too technical here i will say i have ALOT i am considering and researching with a basic budget in mind..So basically i am looking at mods along these lines....new cam,valvetrain,36# injectors,63mm throttle body,bigger exhaust, PCM tune...all ending in a dyno run/track meet when things get real..
