Re: DOHC died, 3800 swap in progress. !! PICS ADDED!!
Ok so i figured i would post an update. 5/16/12
The topswap is going to be pushed back a while as i want to finish paying off the credit card from the engine swap first. so should be paid by the end of the year. I have been ironing out all the little bugs that pop up. had to replace the trany shift cable as it wasnt properly removed by the shop when the swap was done and it would come loose and not go into park! found a sharp wire that caused a short in the o2 extension i made. had a stripped bold on my alternator. replaced plugs and wires. I found a different STB bar at the junk yard off a 3800 impala. it has a bent shape to allow easier access to the trany dip stick and the brake booster. i swapped that in also i put in different upper engine mounts. these allowed me to rock the engine back a little more to give some clearance for the headers.
Right now here is how the car stands as for current mods:
-FWI and my LQ1 MAF
-HV3 (thanks christophero1973)
-light ported TB (gasket matched, screen removed, MAF thing inside ported a little)
-l67 injectors
-sd headers
-tuning, tuning, and more tuning
I am tempted to install my 1.8 SLP rockers before i do my topswap....
Here is the current plan for the car once it goes topswap:
-Ported Heads (still in progress. similar to stage 3/4 heads except for they will have stock valve sizes)
-Ported LIM on the blower side and ported to match heads
-Ported Blower i will be using a new outlet design for the M90 that i have been working on. Also the inlet will be getting a lot of work as well.
-Ported TB or a different TB altogether. I will not be using the normal North Star as the opening does not funnel air smoothly enough...
-i will stay with the 3.8" pulley until tuned and see where it gets me.
-Si light weight valves
-1.8 SLP roller rockers. i have done more research and these were actually made by Yella terra and i could not find a single complaint about them.
-L76 springs. these springs are about 90# but have a less aggressive ramp rate vs the #90 yellow springs.
Wish list/ follow up mods:
-I would like to have a custom cam cut to allow the use of the 1.8's but ZZP said they will not do it. maybe comp or crow (crow cams has a location in my town)
-race built trany
-light weight pulleys
Lastly i reread the thread and notice some items i didnt completely answer:
Throttle Cable.
I do not know about the 3100 cable but the DOHC's cable did not work/ fit into the 3800 TB nor did its range of pull work either. i had to get a 3800 throttle cable
the DOHC trany cable did work, however the shop broke the clip that holds it to the trany range lever. this allowed it to pop off while driving and not allow me to put in park or reverse. I ended up getting another cable off a 97 Z34 that was at the junk yard as i wanted a 4t65e cable with the adjuster
I did need an O2 extension. i got both ends and a length of wire from the junk yard and made my own. parts were like $3.00 and took less then an hour. later i discovered that a few sharp wires pushed thru the tape and made contact to another wire causing the o2 to read 0mv. it was an intermittent short as the first time i checked the extension it checked fine causing me to check the entire harness from the o2 sensor to the pcm. after it all checked fine i rechecked the extension and discovered the problem.
with the recent tuning and the HV3 i feel the car is gaining more power. either that or im getting used to it. i am tempted to install the rockers as mentioned above. as with everything else i feel the more mods i get on this engine the less difference the blower and ported heads are going to make and the easier it will be to dial everything in. not to mention im just sitting on mods i can be enjoying right now!
here is a pic of how the engine looks right now. i rerouted some of the wires on the front of the engine for a cleaner look.
here is a short video of it:
