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Swapping a completely different drivetrain?

2

2005PontiacGP

New member
Hey guys, I don't really post much on here, I don't have a lot of input for people with questions, I just like to read. I am going to start saving up to do a lot of modifications (visually), and audio. Then once I have my car looking the way I want it to, I was hoping to start working on performance.

From everything I have looked at with the 3800 V6 it seems that they aren't very user friendly engines to work on and the transmission for these engines are pretty much useless, and by that I mean I don't feel like rebuilding a trans all that often.

My question is this, has anybody used a completely different drive-train? Like maybe a 4-cylinder/trans from a Dodge SRT-4? Or a Honda setup? (I know, I know, a Honda setup in a Pontiac... insanity) But you all should get my point though right? I want to look into doing something more performance based, easily accessible to parts, a more reliable transmission under much higher HP like in a turbo setup. I understand that custom mounts would be needed, but would there be any major drawbacks to doing this? Something that would just make this completely impossible? I would appreciate the comments very much, please and thank you.
 


the motor is bullet proof. it's been proven over and over again if they are taken care of that they last literally forever.

the transmission are also fine until you start putting a good amount of power behind them. the problem with doing a 'custom' trans swap it is going to be a custom adapter to hook it up to the motor, custom mounts, custom axles, custom hubs....in other words: tons and tons of work/money.
 
i personally wouldnt trade my 3800 for anyother motor in another car. love it, hasnt given me any problems and has 192K on the clock. the trans has a few hiccups from time to time but still works just fine. like bio said its when you start throwing power to the trans is when it blows. if your iffy on the trans get a built one (tripleedgeperformance.com) and your good to go. the get decent mileage and despite what you think (or have read) they are as easy to work on as a small block chevy. no timing belt, cam in block. just a good ole pushrod engine. not to mention theyve been around since like wat the 80s
 
sportred04 said:
i personally wouldnt trade my 3800 for anyother motor in another car. love it, hasnt given me any problems and has 192K on the clock. the trans has a few hiccups from time to time but still works just fine. like bio said its when you start throwing power to the trans is when it blows. if your iffy on the trans get a built one (tripleedgeperformance.com) and your good to go. the get decent mileage and despite what you think (or have read) they are as easy to work on as a small block chevy. no timing belt, cam in block. just a good ole pushrod engine. not to mention theyve been around since like wat the 80s
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1960s :th_jester:
 
do not swap a 4 cylinder into a grand prix, unless you want to make baby jesus cry. if you want, you could try a 5 speed transmission swap, its been done before.
 


Ok, ok, ok... I may have been misleading with my words... I have read that the 3800 Engine is bullet proof. I agree, I have read that a lot. My main gripe is the transmission, I feel like if I really wanted to go for it all and do a crazy turbo driven, nitrous injected engine, that there isn't a trans to hold it all together, or at least for a long time. Maybe I'm just hoping for too much on all of this? IDK

Bio - What about a complete FWD swap from a different car, like I said before, I meant swapping everything, the engine, the trans to the engine, the axles, the hubs, everything you mentioned. Basically for example, a Dodge SRT-4 that was totaled from the rear end and just take everything under the hood and then some. I know the mounts are all wrong, but could it even be remotely possible? Is the size of our cars just so uncommon that no car would match up size wise and things would just be stupid to line up correctly?

I'm asking this question because my visual mods are going to be very custom once I have the proper funds and when the time comes I want my performance mods to be one of a kind. Something that nobody else has, just different. I don't view paint and a body kit with an exhaust system to be enough, I gotta go the extra mile when I do things. I have to make it my own and I would love to see a grand prix with something completely original under the hood. I don't mind the money aspect, if I have to save up for it then so be it, and I don't mind doing the work. I just want to know if its possible, that's all.
 
making all the electronics work is going to be the 40000000% hardest part. think custom gauges and wire harnesses.
 
JoRoW99 said:
do not swap a 4 cylinder into a grand prix, unless you want to make baby jesus cry. if you want, you could try a 5 speed transmission swap, its been done before.
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LMAO, very well said, I understand that a 4 cylinder would make people upset, I was just throwing out examples.

You said a 5 speed? Are you saying a manual 5 speed? And if so, do you have a link to someone's page showing this? I would love to see it.
 
i know exactly what your taking about, i wouldnt mind doing a swap, ive been thinking of doing a swap with a nissan, like a 3.5 or a 3.8 then turboing it
 
search for a getrag 284. it bolts up, but the tune and all the other custom work that goes along with it isnt exactly a beginners task.
 


now sure a turbo 4 under the hood would be "cool" but its not worth the time and money in my mind. swap in a getrag 284 or watever kuntzie is runnin and youll be set. a built 4t65e is pretty good and can hold up to a turbo build. couple cars on here that are turbod with a built trans
 
Bio248 said:
making all the electronics work is going to be the 40000000% hardest part. think custom gauges and wire harnesses.
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Uhhhhh oohhh.... You have a very good point. I forgot about the electrical part. That would be insanity. Damn. That might put the nail in the coffin.
 
dpzelenak said:
i know exactly what your taking about, i wouldnt mind doing a swap, ive been thinking of doing a swap with a nissan, like a 3.5 or a 3.8 then turboing it
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exactly, thanks for understanding, I just wanna know if its possible, it may take a tons of work, and money, but could it be done with another car, that's all
 
yea you could do anything to it and make it work, it'll just be very hard, and time consuming to get everything right
 
dpzelenak said:
yea you could do anything to it and make it work, it'll just be very hard, and time consuming to get everything right
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very true, but if it worked just how I wanted it to, I would love to see the looks on peoples faces when I pop the hood and I got something nobody has ever seen before. basically I want daily driver reliability with some serious power behind it. I know I could get the power out of the 3800, but would the trans hold up for a long time?

and will this getrag 284 stand the test of time with a lot of power pushing it?
 


dpzelenak said:
i know exactly what your taking about, i wouldnt mind doing a swap, ive been thinking of doing a swap with a nissan, like a 3.5 or a 3.8 then turboing it
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That would be sick. there pretty good motors too. not to mention they sound awesome lol. and u could get 5 speed.
 
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