swapping to a 3.1 liter!

Hello. I own a 1991 chevy cavalier LS. I have recently come across a 3.1 liter v-6. the car that I am gonna pull it out of... well the tail lights say that it is an 88 but the owners manual and paper work say 90 Pontiac Grand Prix. I know that there will be quite alot of things to do to make sure that the engine will fit. but can somebody please give me a list of things that I will need to make the engine fit. also what will need to be changed? Thank you, I look forward to your replies.

Daniel

You'll want a can of gas and a lighter to burn the fuckin car and a gun to shoot yourself when you get too frustrated with the swap. Its not going to be easy, just know that. You're looking at probably a month of working at getting it in atleast, then you have to hope and pray that bitch fires up. You'll need everything you see in the engine bay and you'll probably have to replace some parts. I think you'll need the tranny and the rest of the drive train. Remember that shit wont just bolt up and you wont find a kit to make it just bolt up. Fabricating all those parts is going to get thick. If you dont have atleast one engine hoist, two engine stands, a welder, a well equipped garage (impact, jacks and jackstands), lots and lots of time, patience, and experience, I wouldnt even think of attempting that swap. I think its retarded to go through all the bullshit of an engine swap on a 91 car. Why dont you just drive the grand prix? Just my two cents... either way, good luck.

Or you can just find a different car, such as a cavalier with a 3.1 and swap out all the hardware. Much MUCH less of a headache. Don't do this if your goal is re-sell or anything, or if you don't have quite a few dollars to blow. But if you got some spare bucks and spare time, its relatively straightforward...just put it together the same way you take it out of the donor car. Rebuild the motor, too.

G'luck

Agreed. Your best bet would be to find a Z24 with the v6 in it, and then just rip everything out of there and put it in your car...

I didnt know there was an LS in 91! I thought it was just base, RS, Z24...I think LS is a 3rd generation designation....kinda like the RS of 3rd gens...

to get the motor and tranny out of the grand prix and whole front end youll need a hoist you need to unplug the main harness from the right hand side of the engine compartment unhook your brake lines and rad hoses and harness from only the fans and then lift the car up enough to get underneath and support the engine on four stands on the ffont engine carddle and take out the four engine carraige mounts and lift the car off the motor now get the computer and all wiring and rad and move onto pull the cavy apart

Ok, your wanting to do what most people want to do but lack the knowledge to follow through.

I myself live doing Custom cars here in Pittsburgh Pa. I have done many odd things to late 80-early 90's cavaliers.. I built one rear wheel drive with a 305 HO as the powerplant,200R4 and a rearend out of a S-10.

As for what your wanting to do,.. as a novice/beginner you would be wiser finding a cavalier that was a V6 to begin with.. Depending on your location you may find they have auto auctions you could pick one up with a bad transmission or commonly with the 3.1 a bad intake manifold gasket.

The 3100cc engines where produced the same between the years 1987-1994. they where then replaced mostly with their predecesser the 3800cc.

btw, its impossible for your car to be a VL, not a LS as this model was not produced for 4 more years.
In 1991 they came in these models.
VL Sedan 4D
VL Coupe 2D
VL Wagon 4D
RS Sedan 4D
RS Coupe 2D
RS Wagon 4D
RS Convertible 2D
Z24 Coupe 2D






1988 Porsche 924S Rally car. 2.5ltr w/2 garrett T25 turbos
Lets Get Dirty!
http://clanmage.net/~techyon/Techs_Garage/1988_Porsche_924S/IMG_3932.JPG

Ok, your wanting to do what most people want to do but lack the knowledge to follow through.

I myself live doing Custom cars here in Pittsburgh Pa. I have done many odd things to late 80-early 90's cavaliers.. I built one rear wheel drive with a 305 HO as the powerplant,200R4 and a rearend out of a S-10.

As for what your wanting to do,.. as a novice/beginner you would be wiser finding a cavalier that was a V6 to begin with.. Depending on your location you may find they have auto auctions you could pick one up with a bad transmission or commonly with the 3.1 a bad intake manifold gasket.

The 3100cc engines where produced the same between the years 1987-1994. they where then replaced mostly with their predecesser the 3800cc.

btw, its impossible for your car to be a VL, not a LS as this model was not produced for 4 more years.
In 1991 they came in these models.
VL Sedan 4D
VL Coupe 2D
VL Wagon 4D
RS Sedan 4D
RS Coupe 2D
RS Wagon 4D
RS Convertible 2D
Z24 Coupe 2D






1988 Porsche 924S Rally car. 2.5ltr w/2 garrett T25 turbos
Lets Get Dirty!
http://clanmage.net/~techyon/Techs_Garage/1988_Porsche_924S/IMG_3932.JPG
Just need to clarify a few things. Its not a 3100cc motor, its actually a bit off from that, but called a 3.1L for the sake of argument. They WERE NOT all produced the same from 87-94, and for the sake of this context, they only were used from 1990 and forward with the 2.8L being used before that. Additionally, very small tuning tweaks gained 5 lb/ft tq out of the 93-94 engines.

Basic english, it makes no sense to "replace with a predecessor." Beyond that, they were not replaced with the 3800, is some applications the 3.1 was replaced with the 3100. The 3400 is basically the same as the 3100 with different displacement. The 3800, however, is a 90 degree V6, not a 60 degree as the 2.8/3.1/3x00 motors were. In other applications, such as the Z24, the 3.1 was replaced with a Quad4 and then a Twin Cam.

Now, as for models of the car, you got it correct, but its largely irrelevant. VL Models didn't have the option of the V6, and he'd know if he had a Z24, so he has an RS.

Also, if you're going to cite problems common with the cavalier, don't forget the head gasket, because that sucker ALWAYS blows with high mileage, at least on the V6's.

not worth it

not worth it

I agree, unless you have more money than you know what to do with and nothing else to do with your time, and can afford to not drive the car for a few months, than have at it. It would definitly be cheaper, and needless to say, easier, to buy a second gen Z24.

swap in a 3800

swap in a 3800

U can swap a 3.8 from a bonneville/buick regal-lesabre and like 2-3 other cars..but i dunno what ppl have with this v6 swaping...guys!! u dont like ur 2.2 2.4 ecotecs get a new car that comes with a v6/v8...get a VW!! IF u have a good knowledge money and like the guy said at LEAST 1 month u can, yes, do it!! but its like a big pita, and theres many things ull need to make and change like custom mounts, tranny from an 00-05, custom flywheel, also comp needs to be reflashed and bla bla bla...all that?? for maybe...260-270hp!! if and only IF its a sc 3.8l....on a so small car its not very useful..go for the ecotec...add a sexy turbo and there u go...just swapin an ecotec in ull see a big diff!! with a turbo its even better..and the reg mods(exaust-header etc.) ull reach prety nice hp and ull challenge these ?&$#&# civics, the 3.8l sc...or even the 3.1...ull just leave em in the dust...but do u realy need to do it?? u wana reach the redlight faster?? i have a 2.2 97 and ill get a turbo thats it..if u realy want power and speed go for 3.8L sc...if u need good performance but not for racing, then go for an ecotec...every 95+cavalier dream

you're gonna need
a plasma cutting torch,
a welder,
a really big hammer,
the hand of God,
a really stiff drink

ok...i like the fact that u are making ur car custom...always refreshing. but what u are trying to do is extreamly hard...i have a friend who tried to do the exact opossite as u putting a 3.1 cav engine in an old grand prix. he as well is a beginner at those things...so far it has been 2 years since he has started...he has the engine in and everything...but it still wont run right...even with the help of a mechanic so i would think that u would have the same problem...if not more problems. my advice would be to find a more compatible engine like they've stated earlyer........still props on the idea:iceslolan