Has anybody attempted this before? An engine swap going from a 2.5 liter to a 3.1 liter in a 1990 Lumina (non-Euro)? I have a decent car which has a bad motor (besides just being a 2.5 liter) that the oil pump went out on. Pulled the oil pan and found lotsa broken metal parts. Not worth finishing the job. Will consider putting a 3.1 in if someone on here has done it and could give me a "good to go" for the project. Thanks!

For what the car is worth, and the extent and aggravation of the upgrade swap, and also bearing in mind that it will no longer be emissions compliant (which reduces resale, even if you don't have testing in your area), federal standards say you can only replace with what it came with, and the configuration has to match the emissions label under the hood.

I wouldn't try it.

You'd not only need a 3.1, but mounts, wiring harnesses, hoses, A/C lines, P/S lines, ECM, exhaust, etc, etc.

You could just go buy a nice low mile early 90's Lumina for about half of what it would cost you to do that. I see early 90's Luminas with low miles for around a grand pretty often.

I appreciate your response. I've seen your responses in MANY of the other threads on this forum... believe me, I looked through all of the 2000+ that were relevant to my situation. Some people have said, "all you need to do is switch over the wire harness and ECM from the donor engine, and that's it.

Has anyone else attempted just that with success? I am not too too concerned about emissions being up in the northwoods of Wisconsin. Will a 3.1 bolt up to the original 2.5 transmission? I've nearly got the 2.5 out of the car anyway after having dropped the oil pan.

Darn sentimental value of the car... any other car and it'd be at the junkyard by now. The thing's only got 108,000 for being a 15 year old car!

If this was me--and I understand that it isn't--I'd be looking to pull the entire cradle (engine and transaxle mounted on the sub-frame, with all the accessories), radiator, and the computer/harness from a 3.4 liter X-code car. (Olds Cutlass, Lumina, Pontac GP) If possible, buy the whole parts car, 'cause no doubt there's a million little things that would be nice to have. (Like the front springs/struts to hold the additional weight.) That'd be good advice even if you go with the 3.1.

As long as you're swapping engines, you might as well get one with enough snort to make it all worthwhile. (Yes, the 3.1 is gonna make even a pristine 2.5 look silly)

(Like the front springs/struts to hold the additional weight.) That'd be good advice even if you go with the 3.1.

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I almost said that too, but I bet the 2.5 is actually HEAVIER than the 3.1/3.4. The 2.5 is iron. The sixes are all alloy.

The engine will bolt up to the trans, but the torque converter is different on a 2.5 than a 3.1. You cannot use the existing wiring harness, because you only have 4 injector plugs, V-6's need 6. Bare minimum, you would need a compete wiring harness, ECM and the motor mounts from the donor car to do the swap. As others said, there is a myriad of little parts that will frustrate you until the conversion is done, which make it unworthy of doing in my opinion.

I was wrong....looks like the V6 has about 65 lbs over the 2.5.

Put a Honda 2.0 Vtec in it:rofl::evillol:

I think I hear the junkyard calling. I'll take the $50.

I think I hear the junkyard calling. I'll take the $50.

That, or put a $200 used 2.5 back in, and try to get $750 for it or something...

If your looking into an engine swap you should go L67. It's like a 200% improvement from the 2.5 :-D

A Northstar would stomp ass all over an L67 ;)

A Northstar would stomp ass all over an L67 ;)


Ohhhh fuck yea! Hit it with twin turbos (figure out a way to fit that shit in the engine bay) and you'd be all set!

A guy on cardomain has a northstar in his Z34 with the 5-speed... That must be FUN AS HELL... endless smokeshows :D