Master list of 3800 decisions and options (Page 2/3)
djlamp14 MAY 15, 05:14 PM
you can always top swap a NA3800 to make it supercharged. Heads, LIM, blower, coil pack bracket and pulleys will get you there.
lowtrickry MAY 15, 11:34 PM
I went back and forth on doing a 3800 swap for over a year.should I go bigger? Is it worth the time/money? Who's accessories\ conversion parts to buy ? Then I got lucky and found a swap on Craig's list that someone had given up on. After debateing On what mods to do and how fancy to go as far as dressing up and painting the engine, I made the very important decision to get it installed and running and put some miles on it, to make sure all was well and test the engine for problems and performance. I know its Ben said a thousand times before but for those newbies reading this that haven't heard it yet (WHEN BUYING YOUR DONER ENGINE BUY A RUNNING CAR ) You will save your self a ton of headaches later. And you can part off what's left on the car and sell what's left as scrap to a yard and make some much needed project funding $$$.

That's my 2 cents for now I'll post as topic progresses
lowtrickry MAY 15, 11:48 PM
P.s. I went with 3800 Series II SC in my testarosa rebody on 86 chassie

And while u could go NA and top swap later I wouldent recommend it. If your patient even only slightly patient you can find a SC over a NA for the same price if not very little more. And from what I've noticed install wise the price isn't very off as well.

Another advantage with buying a whole doner car is you have the wireing harness and pcm, with is great if your going to make your own harness and program you own PCM, or even to use as cores. Phonedawgs and fieroflyer both members on here do exalent work with harnesses/PCM and at extremely fair prices. I went with Dan aka fieroflyer because he didn't have a wait period at the time and I was extrea!nly pleased with the product and service I received from him. I even wrote a review on it. Also he has amazing build threads on here on building your own harness.
olejoedad MAY 16, 07:11 AM
In regards to Question #9, you should preface that with "Do I need a dogbone to secure the drivetrain?"
The answer is "No".
Proper mounting with no dogbone really cleans up the installation.
revin MAY 16, 09:55 AM
Well 1st you ask yourself...What do I want to do, go fast? nice whine of SC? Ease of maintance? turbo? trunk cut?
will it be mainly for street daily driver? Track racing on weekends? Autocross? Show car with nice pretty engine compartment?


So before ANY of your questions can be answered you will need to know where you want to go with the swap first. That will also help with the $$$
If you have time, and know which direction you want to go, there are several 3800 sites that have "de-mods" going on and great prices on the stuff you may want(fuel rails, TB's, etc.) So shopping around will lessen the $ blow.


AND Nosrac 's video is WRONG! and he knows it!

It is 10x that!!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKHAB2u42eA
Lou and Blue MAY 16, 04:42 PM
Do I have to move the battery and coil pack? I am going to drive tomorrow 800+ miles to go pick up a nice 3800sc for a good price. I have been inquiring with FIEROFLYER about a harness. Do I have to cut the trunk? I would think I'd have to remove those blower tubes from the trunk.
Thanks
I will keep on looking at this thread as I go along.

------------------
===Always trying to find time to work on cars===
Louis Duet
Baldwin, Long Island, NY
Where driving hard is SOP.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Blue" <= '85 Fiero GT
Stock V6---Stock everything. Trying to keep it 'mostly' that way. That is until I can find a 3800sc to swap into it!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Boo" <= '81 Delorean DMC-12
The "DuetLorean"
VIN #5835
Stock PRV engine
Robertson Equipped
Neiland/Delman Engineered
Carbed and loving it! (Peugot 604 manifold) ---"Sorry purists"

revin MAY 16, 07:32 PM

quote
Originally posted by Lou and Blue:

Do I have to move the battery and coil pack? I am going to drive tomorrow 800+ miles to go pick up a nice 3800sc for a good price. I have been inquiring with FIEROFLYER about a harness. Do I have to cut the trunk? I would think I'd have to remove those blower tubes from the trunk.
Thanks
I will keep on looking at this thread as I go along.




no move batt. but yes on the coil pack. no you do not HAVE TO remove trunk
lowtrickry MAY 17, 11:50 PM
relocateing the battery makes the engine bay much cleanner. I put mine in my trunk. There are maany options on where to relocate the coil packs. Where All depends on how u want it to look and what configureation the rest of the engine is in. If you do the low mount altinator the old spot is a great place for the coils. Icm harness and plugg wires both fit. If your willing to extend your icm harness (dan/fieroflyer will do this for u for a fair price) and make coustum langht plug wires tje posibiltys are endless. I put mine where my battery usta be.
Lou and Blue MAY 18, 12:07 AM
So , if I move the alternator I can put the coil packs there. But the packs definitely HAVE to be moved? How many people make the alternator relocation bracket? And I'll need a power steering delete pulley too. And a front engine mount. Again trying to go as inexpensive as possible.
Hopefully Dan (FIEROFLYER) is gonna make my harness, my mind is made up already. I just have to see of he wants to do it for me. Ill just have to tell him where the locations of everything are right?
Dan please chime in if you see this post.
I wish I had a full list of what NEEDS to be done and where to source the least expensive parts. I guess that's as close to a step by step guide as I can expect.

------------------
===Always trying to find time to work on cars===
Louis Duet
Baldwin, Long Island, NY
Where driving hard is SOP.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Blue" <= '85 Fiero GT
Stock V6---Stock everything. Trying to keep it 'mostly' that way. But I just got the 3800sc to swap into it!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Boo" <= '81 Delorean DMC-12
The "DuetLorean"
VIN #5835
Stock PRV engine
Robertson Equipped
Neiland/Delman Engineered
Carbed and loving it! (Peugot 604 manifold) ---"Sorry purists"

lowtrickry MAY 19, 03:15 AM
I kept my altinator bracket in stock location save good money right there, only had to put small notch in bottom of deck lid... Where I put my coil packs allowed me to use stock ICM harness and wires save good money there as well. Coil packs have to be moved because the sit right where the passenger deck lid hinge is an it sits quite close to firewall.

Another good way to save money on swap parts is search for DIY forms on whatever part your looking to get. Also look for a car with a 3800 swap dome already and got tottald that is bejmg parted out. This is how I got my passenger axle automatic shift cable bracket and a few other small parts.

Colemt hoses from other cars fit perfect do a search for proper part numbers. Same with braided fuel lines, ones from a few other vehical fit nicely and are quite cheep.

Don't be afraid to ask stupid questions, ppl tend not to judge on here and are quite helpful. If you p.m. me with email address I can send you pics of my swap an some shortcuts and tricks I discovers and invented along the way.