good engine for the 3.4 swap?

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Dryfter_09_19
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good engine for the 3.4 swap?

Post by Dryfter_09_19 »

I was walking around the local junk yard looking at various fiero's there. As I was leaving I noticed a 3.4 SFI with the wiring harness on it. It says "96 bad" on it. What that means I don't know. I'm planing on rebuilding what ever engine I get. My second question is this is sitting out in the open, and those wires have been exposed to rain, will that effect the wiring any? My last question is they cut it, I think, at a weird place, does it look like I have everything I need for the 3.4 swap? I didn't see any random unpluged wires hanging around so I assume it will be fine. But I didn't really see anything about 3.4 SFI engines in some of the 3.4 swap posts I've been reading for the last few days.

Here's some pics:
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=4431821
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=4431820
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=4431819
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=4431818
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=4431817

Thanks in advance!
1985 Fiero 2M4
I suck at cars...
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Mach10
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Post by Mach10 »

I wouldn't pay more than "Core" value for it:

1) That wiring harness is pretty bad--you don't really want to have a huge amount of splices in the engine compartment. That's asking for trouble.

2) "Bad" usually means the motor is boned. Rod knock, odd noises... Sometimes you're lucky and it just means that they couldn't test it (non runner).
3) The sensors etc shouldn't have been hurt by exposure since they are SUPPOSED to be weatherproof. But you never know. I wouldn't worry about the sensors, though.

4) Since the throttle-body is horizontal, it's not like the motors will usually fill with water like in a carb'd engine. If the motor turns over, you should be OK.


A couple of quick checks:
a) Run a finger inside that exhaust pipe; your finger should come out with dusty black residue. If it comes out sticky, the motor's burning oil.
b) Check the oil; if the oil is all creamy looking, the crank's been sitting in water for a few weeks. If it comes out dark chocolate milkshake colored, and leaves a red-streak on the rag, the crank's been sitting in water for months.
c) Drain the oil; look for sparklies and/or water. Especially look for big chunks.
d)Pour a couple of tablespoons of WD40 into the cylinders in the morning, a teaspoon of ATF at lunch, then try to turn the motor over with a breaker bar in the afternoon. If it rotates freely, you're good. If it feels like it's full of sand (or doesn't move) it's probably not worth the trouble unless it's cheaper than cheap (i.e., free). Rebuilding's all good until you find out that everything's rusted solid and there's no more room to rebore, or your crank is rust-pitted to hell and back...
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Aaron
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Post by Aaron »

From the looks of it, everything you need for the swap, enbgine related, including all of the wiring, is there, assuming it has (Or you can get), the ECU.

I don't know why it'd say bad, other than that it isn't good :scratch: At any rate, why do you want to rebuild any engine you get? Why not find a decetn motor with 20-80k miles, and use that? Mine 3.4 DOHC in my Fiero has 60k and runs great. Rebuilding is a waste of money, just find a decent junkyard motor and use that. $200 as opposed to $2000.

I think you'd be better off with a 3.4 DOHC or 3800SC. They weigh slightly more and can be more expensive, but make more power stock, are easier/more commonly swapped, and have much more potential.
Last edited by Aaron on Fri Jan 05, 2007 2:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
88GT 3.4 DOHC Turbo
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Post by Mach10 »

Aaron wrote: I think you'd be better off with a 3.4 DOHC
I don't think ANYONE expected him to say that. :scratch:

Cheap, reliable, reasonable fuel economy... What's not to love about the Al-head SFI? Not everyone wants a performance motor, and at least this one won't require much--if anything--in the way of modifications to the car itself. It'd be less work than either a 3800 or 3.4tdc.

But it'd also perform less.

The proper question should be "what are you after?"
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Aaron
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Post by Aaron »

It doesn't require cutting, but the cutting for the 3.4 DOHC is minimal, and I don't think there's any required for the 3800 (IIRC).

And don't quote me partially. I said or 3800SC as well.

Plus this motor would pretty much require him using SFI, which makes wiring much more difficult thant the 3.4 DOHC.
Mach10 wrote: The proper question should be "what are you after?"
I agree, but I think no matter WHAT it is that he's after, a 3.4 OHV, DOHC, or 3800 are all better options.
88GT 3.4 DOHC Turbo
Gooch wrote:Way to go douche. You are like a one-man, fiero-destroying machine.
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Post by slow'n'steady »

if you decide to go with a DOHC let me know, i got one im tryin to get rid of. :angel:
The Dark Side of Will
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Post by The Dark Side of Will »

Aaron wrote:Plus this motor would pretty much require him using SFI
Why?
TurboGT
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Post by TurboGT »

If you have a 6 cyl in your car you can use the stock Fiero wiring for the most part. You only need a few wires for the DIS (which can be used from just about any year FWD GM) and some othere misc things that are found in almost every scrap yard. You can get a 7730 ecu from a Cavalier or something like it and there are plenty of people who can burn you a chip. Check out my build thread which is in my sig and it shows some of the things I had to do. Also check out http://www.v6z24.com/ they have a lot of good info there also.
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