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3400 in a 1988 Cutlass Supreme


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Posted

hello. alot of guys aree putting 3400 engines into 2nd gen cavaliers, and since my 88 cutlass has the 2.8 i figure i might as well try it sometime in the future. now i don't know if this is the right forum or not but you can move it to whereever. but i was talking to one guy and he said that the 3400 will drop in my 88 cutlass without modifying any engine brackets. has anyone done this on their cutlass before? i know the guys with the cavaliers have to modify some hoses and things like throttle cables and that, but i don't know what i would have to change for my cutlass. oh and i have the 4 speed automatic. i've been thinking of trying to put a 5 speed in it but i dunno lol, first thing is the 3400 lol. so if anyone has any information for me and can point me in the right direction that would be awsome. thanks guys!

Posted

It's not going to be as easy for you as it would normally. Why, you have an 88. I believe the mounts are different, wiring is different, uses different sensors. Now, you can redo everything to make it work, but it will be more difficult.

Posted

i can't see it being too much different than the guys with the old cavaliers. i know a site with a list of all the stuff that has to be changed and it isn't anything too hard, the biggest part of the swap for them is getting the right motor mount. the one guy that builds the motor mounts for them told me the engine should just drop right in. but i'm not 100% sure on everything. as of right now i'm just gathering information first

Posted

The j-body's use different mounts than the w-body's.

 

But yes, you can do it. In fact, I hope you do it.

Posted

Your cradle will need to be changed to the 90+ style.

Posted

the 3x00 drops right in place of a 2.8/3.1 MPFI

 

you will definitely need a custom tune though.

 

p/s hoses can come from a 3x00 gen1 car(93-97 cutlass, 94-96 GP) as can radiator hoses. wiring is damn near the same except since you've got an 88 with MAF i'd convert it over to the MAP system. ben may or may not have a 3400 swap chip available yet. i'd lean to the may not side of that.

Posted

the 3x00 drops right in place of a 2.8/3.1 MPFI

 

you will definitely need a custom tune though.

 

p/s hoses can come from a 3x00 gen1 car(93-97 cutlass, 94-96 GP) as can radiator hoses. wiring is damn near the same except since you've got an 88 with MAF i'd convert it over to the MAP system. ben may or may not have a 3400 swap chip available yet. i'd lean to the may not side of that.

 

I thought that since he had an 88 that it would be a bit more different?

Posted

90+ cradle? I just put a 3400 in my 89 GP and it went in as if God intended it there. In fact, the front engine mount off the 2001 Impala drops right into the holes in the 89 cradle. I grabbed a 94-96 3100 GP/Cutlass radiator and radiator hoses, tweaked my existing PS hoses, and got a 94-96 throttle cable. You will have to tweak your coolant lines to the heater core too, but if you look at a 94+ car with a 3x00, what you have to do becomes pretty apparent and its actually easier.

 

Kurt

Posted

90+ cradle? I just put a 3400 in my 89 GP and it went in as if God intended it there. In fact, the front engine mount off the 2001 Impala drops right into the holes in the 89 cradle. I grabbed a 94-96 3100 GP/Cutlass radiator and radiator hoses, tweaked my existing PS hoses, and got a 94-96 throttle cable. You will have to tweak your coolant lines to the heater core too, but if you look at a 94+ car with a 3x00, what you have to do becomes pretty apparent and its actually easier.

 

Kurt

 

Yeah the cradle thing is not true, only needed if going to a 3.4 Dohc or a 3.8. I know someone who put a '00 3100 into a '88 Cutlass Supreme, so he essentially did just that exact swap.

Posted

Yeah, it will drop right on the cradle. The old cradle even works for a 3800 Series II. It's 3.4 DOHC and 3800 Series I that needs a 90+ cradle.

The rubber mount on the oil pan is different, but all you have to do is get the correct one and it will drop right in. If the engine came from a gen 2 W-body and still has the rubber mount on it, then that mount will work. I think it only needs changed if it came from a minivan or N-body, but I'm not sure on that.

 

I'm not positive, but I think even the existing dogbone mounts will work. I don't believe it's necessary to switch to the pitchfork style.

 

  • 3 weeks later...
Posted

so is there anyone on here that has done this exact engine swap? i wanna do it, but i'm still kinda unclear on exactly what i need to modify/change... :confused:

Posted

so is there anyone on here that has done this exact engine swap? i wanna do it, but i'm still kinda unclear on exactly what i need to modify/change... :confused:

covered many times, with many sites that can show you. SEARCH!!!!!!!!

Posted

I know you are doing a 3.4L swap, but l67swap.com has a LOT of info. I hope it helps...

Posted

well i searched before and coudln't really seem to find what i was looking for. i was hoping someone would have a screen name for someone thats actually done the swap. i will do some more searching and see what i can find

Posted

Hoses, and most importantly the computer, cause the one you have in your cutlass for the 2.8 will NOT control the 3400 timing and injection.

Posted

Hoses, and most importantly the computer, cause the one you have in your cutlass for the 2.8 will NOT control the 3400 timing and injection.

well from what i understand the guys with the cavaliers that do the 3400 swaps don't need to change the computer and they have the 2.8's or 3.1's, but i'm not 100% on that

Posted

look at the post right above yours.

 

http://www.3100mpfi.com/3100.html

 

Same motor, just a bigger displacement

 

:wink:

 

 

Well sssuuuurrreeeee , But I provided a link! :nana:

 

Hah I wasn't tslking to you, but the thread starter ;) lol

 

The 2.8 computer will run the engine enough to idle it and drive it around some, but will be far from correctly tuned.

Posted

well i searched before and coudln't really seem to find what i was looking for. i was hoping someone would have a screen name for someone thats actually done the swap. i will do some more searching and see what i can find

 

Me...... I have.... I have a cardomain that I will fill in more thoroughly if I get the chance too.

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