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View Full Version : Been working on the wifes old car



barmanjay
01-28-2009, 12:13 AM
Yes, started on Saturday morning

Don't know how many people on here are interested in older GM stuff but here it is:


notes:

wifes car she won't get rid of: Black 1993 Cavalier Convertible

Donor motor: 2002 Grand Am GT 3400

The product:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/barmanjay/steph34002.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/barmanjay/steph34001.jpg

Tonight it's running!

running very rich though, I need to get a custom chip for it to run the larger injectors, exhaust is sooo rich and it likes to stall.

(small leak at the downpipe too)

also need to fab up a front motor mount.


In theory with the right tune on the chip, this car should have about 205hp,.. not bad for the wifey, she should be happy :D


reason for the swap: quite embarassing when our family van is faster than the convertible,.. she said that she want s boost too,.. but that will have to wait till next winter :D

her car is ready to go out of the garage so I can bring the car in my sig in to get stripped (underlying rust issues deem it not safe to drive anymore), then I can bring my old beast back in for a new bottom end!

The Cosworth
01-28-2009, 12:16 AM
cool man!

toastgremlin
01-28-2009, 12:23 AM
It would be fun to do this to my J-body, but I'm not sure the investment is really going to pay off considering the rest of the car is not exactly a corner carver.

Nice swap, though! How many hours did it take you? What resources did you use to figure out the fasteners, mounts, procedure, etc? Did you have to remove the AC or anything to make the block fit?

barmanjay
01-28-2009, 12:34 AM
All the info I found can be searched here www.v6z24.com

they also have other links to sites with info

I would say it has taken me about 30 hours

could've been quicker, but I lost time making parts runs and etc.

the block is basically the same as the old 3.1, but ofcourse newer, more refined and more powerful.

most of the same bolt holes are still there,.. except the front mount holes. (tranny bolted right on)

definitely no a/c,.. no room,.. on this motor, the exhaust manifolds are bigger, so I lost room at the rad, had to tilt the rad forward for working room and place the GA rad fan infront as a 'pusher'

Had to move the 02 sensor away from the steering rack (again bigger exhaust mani's)

I do need to finish the exhaust,.. I built it 2.5" right at the mani and downpipe, but where I joined under the car,.. the old exhaust is only 2" (leaks there).

One of these days I'll finish it off right, but main priority is front mount and getting a proper chip burnt


here is resource for the newer cavaliers

http://www.j-body.org/forums/read.php?f=30&i=40670&t=40670

GQBalla
01-28-2009, 08:25 AM
lookin good!

Tik-Tok
01-28-2009, 10:10 AM
Geez, I would've thought you would have your garage drywalled at least.

Nice swap though :thumbsup: Almost 50% more HP

spikerS
01-28-2009, 11:51 AM
i am just glad it runs. :thumbsup:

all those wires made my eyes go buggy.

jwslam
01-28-2009, 12:20 PM
nice project. very nice.

barmanjay
01-28-2009, 10:28 PM
Originally posted by Tik-Tok
Geez, I would've thought you would have your garage drywalled at least.

Nice swap though :thumbsup: Almost 50% more HP


hahaha

"a carpenters house is always the last worked on"

We hit Van next week, but when we return,.. the front end of the 87 cavalier in my sig gets swapped onto the convertible,.. should be a good lookin car after its all done.

And the Brother-in-law has offered to paint

(wife wants a bit of metallic orange/red flake in with the black? might look nice?)

Thx for the injector harness spikers,.. i don't think I would've had the patience to splice the 2 harnesses together that quickly and clean :D

I probably would've just twist-tied them and wrapped them in duct tape,.. LOL

sr20s14zenki
01-28-2009, 10:31 PM
I wonder how hard it wold be to swap in the supercharged v6 from the ssei or GTP. Nice swap tho, i bet the supercharger would make that car move.

CelicaST-162
01-28-2009, 11:58 PM
Cool Swap Jay! Should definately light up those front tires!

Justin_Inc
01-29-2009, 12:16 AM
looks good! should be a blast to drive haha...

but clean that dirty girl up haha:D

barmanjay
01-29-2009, 11:57 AM
Originally posted by sr20s14zenki
I wonder how hard it wold be to swap in the supercharged v6 from the ssei or GTP. Nice swap tho, i bet the supercharger would make that car move.

Ya know,.. I've seen pics and video of a s/c'd 3800 dropped into a newer cavalier from out east

the swap made it do 12's :eek:

Thaco
01-29-2009, 12:27 PM
hope you changed the LIM gasket when you had it out, those 3400 engines are famous for the LIM gasket going out.

gretz
01-29-2009, 12:33 PM
Originally posted by barmanjay


Ya know,.. I've seen pics and video of a s/c'd 3800 dropped into a newer cavalier from out east

the swap made it do 12's :eek:

those 3400's have lots torque - once running properly it should be a certainly unique car.

good stuff

GQBalla
01-29-2009, 01:16 PM
^^^ werd.

my gfs alero has a 3400 in it -

definitely a powerhouse

THE GOVERNATOR
02-07-2009, 08:20 AM
jay, when you bringing your turbo cavalier back to life?