gmpartsdirect strut bar

[1cleanZ]

mine just came in today and i havent installed it yet, but i did place it under the hood where it is suppossed to go, and there is a small problem. tha bar doent sit flush on the towers, due to some interfernce, with a part that is right behind the throttle body, (i dont know what it is called) but the bar hits it. I was wondering if, after i was to tighten the bar down, would it be an issue? like would i damage that part or the bar itself. any help is good. thanks guys

 

BTW: i have a 1994 Lumina Z34, and i was would that the bar should fit the same.

[GnatGoSplat]

I don't really think any 3.4 will give enough clearance to use the GM bar.

I've heard the RSM bar fits, but the only bar that fits really well and guaranteed not to interfere is the one used on convertibles with the 3.4.

[Redfox340]

mine just came in today and i havent installed it yet, but i did place it under the hood where it is suppossed to go, and there is a small problem. tha bar doent sit flush on the towers, due to some interfernce, with a part that is right behind the throttle body, (i dont know what it is called) but the bar hits it. I was wondering if, after i was to tighten the bar down, would it be an issue? like would i damage that part or the bar itself. any help is good. thanks guys

 

BTW: i have a 1994 Lumina Z34, and i was would that the bar should fit the same.

 

It's the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve.

I, too, had problems with clearance on the Cutlass; and yet everyone else is using it with no problems.

You don't want it to touch at all since the engine does have some play / roll while running.

Patgizz said his fits with a swaped DOHC into his Lumina. Go figure.

I'm still waiting for a cheap, working STB for a stock DOHC; but no one has come to the rescue yet...

 

- Erik

[1cleanZ]

gnatgosplat, what bar is this that u speak of? and where can i get it and how much does it go for?

 

also i think i am going to return the one from gm.

thanks for the help guys

[GnatGoSplat]

It's the stock bar that they used on 92-94 Cutlass convertibles that had the 3.4 DOHC. It's 100% bolt on, but unfortunately, discontinued and no longer available from GM. Junkyards and Ebay are the only place I have seen them. There was one that went for around $25-ish on Ebay.

[kiwi133]

I got mine to fit but I cut a hole in the bar for the EGR and then reinforced it behind the hole with some strip steel.

 

When fitting the bar, rock your car back and forth so that the engine moves, this way you will see what space the engine needs.

[Lee]

This whole GM stb bar thing starting up again caused me to order one. Now it's painted yellow and installed. I hadn't been expecting the 1/8 inch or so rise from the bolt heads below the plates. I got worried about hood clearance but it seems to be okay. It might be touching but it hasn't raised the hood at all. I'll have to watch for paint wearing off after awhile.

 

I didn't like how the plates were bending up when I tightened the nuts down so I put washers under the plate on the two closest cover bolts (each side x 2).

 

It cleared alt. and EGR fine. The tranny fluid dipstick comes out behind the bar...barely. And the abs mastercylinder cover has about 1.5 inches clearance.

 

I haven't driven it enough to judge ride difference but it seems like my front end is clunking less on bumps (like NOT). Old struts, wearing outer tie rods, one wearing ball joint.

[patgizz]

 

have a little evidence on my bar of rubbing on the egr, which will be taken care of when my bad worn out dogbone gets replaced with a poly one(as soon as i get around to making it).

 

if you have an issue, ding the bar with a ball peen hammer to clear the egr, or cut a notch or something in it. keep in mind the bar mount points will be raised about 1/4" from where you set now because of the hardware holding the plate up a little.