HP Engine rebuild 3.8L

[Matt W]

Hey; Im looking for a mechanic in my area that is willing to take on an engine rebuild for my 97 RS. Must be ASE certified, and have reasonable price. I want to fully restore this car inside and out; lots of sentimental value. Only the real deal need give any feedback. Please have a list of HP parts you would suggest as well; camshaft, pistons, etc.

[Jim Adams]

If your looking to put in high performance pistons and camshaft and looking to get a good performance car at the end of your project then the first thing you need to do is throw the 3.8 away,,,they are first known for spinning bearings and really arent a H.P. performer engine,,get a good 350 and a good 700r4 trans and then you can start to biuld a real performance Camaro. For the money you will put into the 3.8 to make it an engine that will eventually break during a run or a good endurance drive you can just as easy get a small block and biuld it up and be much happier and more proud of your machine.

[Savage Messiah]

I'd be happier and more proud of the 3.8 that I built into the 11's than just another v8 in the 11's myself. And I dont even know when the last time I heard of a 3800 spinning bearings, it's sure as hell not a problem. Since tuning software for the 3.8 was only released within the past few years, 3.8 performance was held back, but now thanks to HP Tuners, TSP, and others, things are picking up. the goal used to be break out of the 13's cuz a few people are in the 12's; not it's break out of the 12's cuz theres a couple in the 11s. Yes street cars.

This is just a brief overview, check out www.fullthrottlev6.com and (if you're willing to sort thru a lot of crap to find some really good info) www.camarov6.com for a WHOLE lot more than this, especially since theres a bunch of things im not too knowledgeable about

First off, intake/exhaust: Cold air intake, I like the SLP model more than say K&N or Lingenfelter, but they all offer similar gains. May wanna get your intake mani ported and polished too, matched to the heads.
Exhaust wise, a set of pacestter headers are decent quality without killing your wallet. A highflow cat (I use carsound (magnaflow), a lot of people use catco, pretty much same thing) that is 3" in/out if you wanna keep it legal, or a straight pipe if you so wish (very illegal but hey, so are a lot of things). Then a free-flowing 3" exhaust such as magnaflow, borla, slp loudmouth, tsp rumbler, etc.

Heads and cam: Check out Abbot heads www.abbottracingheads.com and see which package is right for you, they pretty much make the best heads for a 3.8. Their head and cam packages are good too, unless you really know what you're doing and want one ground custom, different from that, in which case contact comp cams an have them grind a custom cam for you. They do a lot of 3.8 stuff.

Also SLP makes 1.8 rockers that would definately help you out.


uhmmm... its way too early and my brain cant think. post up any more questions you got.

[wrightz28]

3.8s have alot of potential, and are basicly a SBC minus 2 cylinders.

Spin bearings? Maybe in the 1970's, not anymore. Heck I've had a rod bearing knock in my daily driver for over 2 years. and it just won't die.

[Link85x]

Quick question, would it be possible to swap a supercharged off of one of the 3.8 motors(grand am, monte carlos, not to sure) and put it on the camaro's 3.8?

[wrightz28]

why not?

Just be ready to to alot of tuning to the PCM.

[Savage Messiah]

Not unless you want to cut the cowl, windshield, and get a cowl or otherwise raised hood... not the mention those engines are dsigned for FWD.

[Link85x]

Thats what i figured. Would of been cool if it was a direct swap.

[Savage Messiah]

there are both supercharger and turbocharger kits tho

[Link85x]

Yeah, i saw some of the numbers that they put down and it's incredible. They only go for about 4 or 5 grand, right?

[Savage Messiah]

new the powerdyne kit is liek 3k from RKcrap.. i mean rksport, and fff turbo kits are... well check www.forcefedbarication.com (coudl be fabrications), but theyre always being sold on camarov6 and fullthrottlev6 for 2-3k

[Rod&Custom]

The GTP sc doesn't fit the camaro anyway, even if you were willing to do all those changes. I forget the difference but something about the intake doesn't allow it on the different motors. Also, a 4.3 is essentially a sbc-2 cylinders. Those things are screamers and would make a GREAT swap for one of you guys. (i.e. '97 Camaro RS)