92 PA engine upgrade

[mounddog]

Hi All - i have a great junkyard near me that has tons of lesabres and PAs - i basically can keep this car going forever i think Two quick questions - sometimes i come across a 3800 Series II engine, and other times a 3800 with a supercharger on it. I can get the supercharger for $75 at this yard, and the engine for $150. Is it pretty straightfoward to put a supercharger on my normal '92 3800? And/or could i just swap a Series II in place of my engine, or would it need alot of other changes, like tranny, suspension etc. I like my 92, so i dont really want to upgrade the car yet. Im pretty good at pulling/installing components (i replaced head gasket and struts on this PA), and i have access to a full shop with lift etc (lucky me). So basically two questions - whats involved with upgrading to supercharger on a normal 3800 and what about swapping with Series II. Thanks!

[tman]

You'll be better off swapping engines. The SC install would involve a computer swap, pulleys, relocation of the alternator, the SC itself, and the internals of the engire comprise a higher compression ratio in the SC engine.

[Loekee75]

Either way you go there's going to be a lot of electrical work to do, but I'd go with the series II, you'll get the same HP ratings as a series I with a supercharger, and plus like tman said, the basic engine needs more mods other than the supercharger, so a complete swap would be easier.

[HotZ28]

The 205-horsepower supercharged V6 powers 1992-93 Ultras. It got a boost to 225 horsepower for 1994-95, then 240 horses for '96. Meanwhile, the base engine gained a bit of torque for 1993, but kept the same 170-horsepower rating. A 205 horsepower Series II 3.8-liter V6 became standard for '95.

So, with alll that said, I would be looking for a 1996 SC Series II turn-key engine, trans, wiring and PCM combo package, then it would be worth the cost & effort. If you can find two complete packages, let me know, and I might do the same thing!

[rdonohoe1]

Careful with getting big power increases on those supercharged 3800's. I was discussing something similar with some friends that work in engineering at GM Powertrain in Warren, Mich. They were telling me that 3800 is capable of much more than they get out of it, but the weak link is the transmission. Hitting 300 HP with a SC3800 isn't too tough, but GM would lose their shirt on Trans warranty claims. The extra power would be fun, but don't flog it too often or take it to the track - you'll be walking home!