I went to the wreckers today, and found a lumina z34, with the 3.4L v6 in it and an auto tranny. The dipstick showed clean oil, full of it, and the engine / car only has 102000 Kilometers. That's right, 102k on the engine and trans, and rest of the car.
Now, I'm going back next weekend if it's still there to take the entire car. They said I could have the whole car for 700 which would give me 4 wheel disc brakes, and everything else I need.
What's left to do is to find some reading material and instructions on how to do this swap properly.
Will this 3400 bolt right into my 1990 cavalier wagon?
Actually, I looked at pics and it's not what they say a 3400 is...?
Would the 3.4L from the lumina z34 bolt into my 90 cav?
Im pretty sure all GM 3400s are the same engine, so it shouldnt be a problem...
I think he is talking about the DOHC 3.4L, don't do it, its too much of a hassle to fit and get working in the car.
| '89 Z24 Auto | '99 Prelude 5spd | '04 GS500F | '05 HD 883L |
girlRacer wrote:I think he is talking about the DOHC 3.4L, don't do it, its too much of a hassle to fit and get working in the car.
Is it really?
Okay, well my dad has a chevy Lumina 3.1L and I guess he's going to be taking the DOHC 3.4 and putting it into his lu mina, while I take his 3.1 and drop it into mine.
His Lumina is a 3100, so it will go into your car the same as a 3400, but I don't think that 3.4L is going to go easy into his car.
So far everyone that has posted has been completly wrong so i'll help out
the Z34 has the 3.4DOHC engine. It is a 60degree v6 like the 3.1/3400 but it has much larger heads and wont fit into the jbody engine bay basically. It is not a 3400. The auto trans in the lumina will not fit in the jbody either (it hits the subframe rails).
Luminas before 94 have the exact 3.1 as the cavs have. after 94 they have the 3100.
A 3.1 is not really a tight fit once you look at this
http://www.geocities.com/jeremygonyou/ (click on 3.4 swap, yes thats a 3.4 DOHC from a z34)
And arch, why did you make a custom mount? J bodies came with 3.1s stock remember?
arch wrote:well, when I say tight fit maybe I exaggerate slightly. I know larger motors have fit in tighter than the 3.1. mainly the snug part is the upper clearance with the hood. other than that there are ways to make more room as anyone can tell you. true, the extra mount wasn't 100% necessary, but I did it for extra support- it's going to be pushing a bit more than stock numbers. I also cut out most of my crossmember, again wasn't necessary but makes putting the engine in a breeze when dropping it from the "top". easier to clear the brake booster too without having to remove it completely (not that I'm that lazy, lol).
but either way, our buddy here should check out that pic. he'd be glad to see the 3.4 in a cavi. pezed, just for my own curiousity... would he have to make a custom mount for the 3.4 tho, however? I know the 3.1 is basically a direct swap, like you said it comes in the j-bods stock, and do you know of any 3.8 walk thru's off the top of your head?
Actually the problem with the 3.4 DOHC is the firewall. As you can see in that pic you have to move the radiator forward and remove all of the HVAC ducting just to fit the motor in., and once its in there is no room left at all. You'd have to make more than a custom mount for the 3.4, you'd have to cut all of the stock mount locations out just to fit the motor in, then make up new body motor mount locations. 3.8 V6 is similar as none of the stock locations will work. And some people have tried to reuse the W body mounting system in the J body (Motor mounts attached to the radiator support). This can work if you first rebuild the radiator support, you'll have to add a lot more metal to it than what it is stock or else the first time you get on the gas you'll rip your radiator support out of the car
Overall i'd say the 3.8 motor fits into the Jbody better than a 3.4 DOHC ever will. The DOHC being well DOHC, the top end of the motor is massive compared to the pushrod motors like the 3400 or 3.8. a 3.8 motor is pushing it in that the passenger side of the motor comes so close to the strut tower that you'd need to hire a midget to come change the belts for you. But several people have done 3.8 swaps successfully and drive them. No one has yet to get a 3.4DOHC in a 2nd gen yet and have it actually work. There just is not enough space. And when you consider the 3.4DOHC is an old engine and does not make anymore power than a 3400 it becomes kind of silly to even consider the swap.. (Imagine if your 3.4DOHC needed a timing belt while it was in the jbody!! You'd have to pull the entire motor out again!)
Also i'll do this again because most people seem to have trouble understanding these motors.
3.4DOHC = 3.4 L Dual Overhead Cam, 60 degree V6 used in Z34 luminas and Montecarlos in the early 90s. 200 HP / 210Ft lbs Tq
3400 = 3.4L pushrod valley cam, 60 degree V6 used in pretty much all the GM FWD cars. Updated design of the 2.8/3.1 engines that were used in Jbodies in the past. (Roller valve train, higher compression ratio, redesigned block and heads) Same size as the 2.8/3.1 except for a slightly lower oil pan. Not to be confused with the 3.4L used in camaros, although similar, the RWD version is different. 195HP / 220ft lbs Tq
3.8 = 3.8L pushrod valley cam, 90 degree V6 used in various FWD gm cars (impala etc) Comes Supercharged in some cars.. N/A in others.
N/A = 200 HP / 230 ft lbs tq
Supercharged = 260 hp / 280 ft lb tq
Have a look around this site for all of GM engine info:
http://www.gm.com/automotive/gmpowertrain/
and here
http://60degreev6.com/ for info on the 60degree V6's.
