Price wise what should I look for theoretically it'd be much easier than a 3800 swap for wiring computer cooling system. In my head a it should be cheaper as the lx9 (3500) is much less desirable. The idea would be to have Paul do a light build (mainly get it up to snuff) on it so that when the 3100 starts losing oil like no body's business is have an easy engine swap ready and waiting it'd be an easy 40hp 50 ft-lb gain. I need to check weight versus the 3800. But I will be in search in the junkyards this spring so he can take his time with it and now coat me tons. Back struts getting done this spring but I think the springs might be shot hard to tell.

 

Whats wrong with your current engine that you would want to do a swap?

 

Come on youve driven a 3.1 monte .
To the op: even tho its a 60* v6, your just asking for headache witha 3.9. Vvt, dif sensors etc. A 3800 is very simple and when your done you can get parts at a parts house without confusing the teller. Being that you have a 97 makes the swap that much easier as a 97 ls and a 98 z34 have the exact same c100 pinouts. Youd need a 98-02 38 and trans dp heater hoses tranny lines harness and pcm.

 

I don't see how you would get any easier engine swap in a 5th gen than a 3800. It is almost completely plug and play. The labor involved with doing an engine swap in general is way way more than the little bit of work you need to do to run a 3800.

As far as being cheaper- I get what you mean by being less desirable, but you also have to think about quantity produced too. Looking at just L36's- the production numbers are enormous across the different vehicles it was used in.

 

On a 97, other than the fuel lines, an l36 is completely plug nplay. On the lx9 being cheaper, think of the fab work, parts swapping, programming, and wiring involved. I personally put value on my time. Total cost for my l36 swap is under $500, and thats for everything. Plus in if it pops, to quote bumpins l67 swap thread, "pretty much any jy will have something 3800 powered in it".

 

the only engine i would even consider swapping for would be the 3800

 

i thought the 3500 would be more plug and play as its just a bored and stroked 3400 but if you guys think the 3800 switch would require less then ill go for that. remember i have a rear main seal leak and its living on borrowed time with that leak as when it gets too bad the engine has to come out to fix it. i was thinking to get an engine have it prepped to keep the down time on Lola as little as possible.

 

You want plug and play? Get a 3400. You can use the same harness, tranny, axles.

With a 3800, you'll need the tranny, wiring harness, new axles, PCM.

Fun times.

 

I think it all comes down to money. If you want cheap and easy, a 3400 as mentioned is bang for the buck. It's as close as a direct swap as you can get without any big issues.

If you have a little more funds to play with and the ability to mess with it, a 3800 is your next best bet. As mentioned, requires more parts to swap.

 

On the spring and strut issue, b a good time to uprade. Z34 front springs and gen 2 w rear spring/strut assys=bolt in upgrade. If funds allow id also swap to gen 2 rear disc brakes and 95-99 z34 sway bars, bars are direct swap and all you have to do for the rear discs is use 1990 lumina euro rubber lines