Any difference between the 2004 Buick 3.8 lesabre engine and the 2005 BUICK LACROSSE 3.8 ENGINE that would make a engine swap using the lacross rather than the lesabre engine harder, seems the lacrosse engines are usually cheaper.

I'll be interested so see any solid answers. To me, I'd call them "same enough", and around here they are priced the same.
I'd want the lower mileage engine, if it included all the electronics.

You will probably want to track down a throttle cable style throttle body and a few other parts if you went with a series3 motor, but there should be no major issue behind it, it is 99% the same as any other series2.

If they are both series 3 then I doubt there is a difference. There is some speculation that the 04 doesn't have powder metal rods, but hasn't been proven... If its series 3 vs 2 then I would go with the Series 3.

The series III has an aluminum oil pan and doesn't use the U shape 3800 bracket. That bracket can be modified to fit with some grinding. Its a non issue if you are making your own mounts. The aluminum oil pan has added benefits in that it wont leak and you wont lose oil pressure around tight turns.

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Turbo 3800 E85 5spd spec5
11.53@126.7

The powdered metal rods didn't make it to the NA engines until 2005, so if you're talking about an NA engine, the 2005 model year would be a better buy, all other factors being even. Externally the oil filter adapter might be different between the two vehicles, but everything else is the same. Both years are Series III.

http://archives.media.gm.co...vents/pig_index.html

GM says the 2004 LeSabre got the L36 (3800 Series 2) while the 2005 Buick LaCrosse got the L26 (3800 Series 3).

If it were me, I would get the Series 3 engine and put an adapter plate on it so I could use a cable-operated throttle body (and keep the upper aluminum intake) which will allow you to get rid of all the fly-by-wire stuff and that PCM; and instead run a Series 2 PCM which has much less issues when it comes to tuning it for a swap.

-ryan

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OVERKILL IS UNDERRATED

Custom GM OBD1 & OBD2 Tuning | Engine Conversions & more | www.gmtuners.com

quote Originally posted by Darth Fiero: http://archives.media.gm.co...vents/pig_index.html GM says the 2004 LeSabre got the L36 (3800 Series 2) while the 2005 Buick LaCrosse got the L26 (3800 Series 3). If it were me, I would get the Series 3 engine and put an adapter plate on it so I could use a cable-operated throttle body (and keep the upper aluminum intake) which will allow you to get rid of all the fly-by-wire stuff and that PCM; and instead run a Series 2 PCM which has much less issues when it comes to tuning it for a swap. -ryan

That's what I did.