Swapping 99 Alero 3400 with 99 LSS 3800 s/c

[03glgold]

To nas why would you not turbo a l61...that is how gm pushed around 900hp on the factory block

[[ion] C2]

Originally Posted by 03glgold

To nas why would you not turbo a l61...

where'd he say that?

[sleepyalero]

He said he would supercharge a l61

[aleros_eat_rice]

Seems like swapping for the LD9 is the best bet to go s/c. The superchargers are readily available, and since the Alero used it as well, shouldn't be too difficult to do. The problem being, I need to get an LD9. I can get all of the other stuff (exhaust, belt drive accessories, etc) as I'm building up to get the motor.

[03glgold]

I would go l61 before ld9...the ecotec is a motor known to be very reliable with a very strong aftermarket...find a wrecked cobalt ss and steal the supercharger setup off of it

[aleros_eat_rice]

Might just do that. Or if the engine as a whole isn't too bad, I can take the engine and charger together.

[03glgold]

I know you will have to get the throttle body to work with the alero...maybe power steering as well...cant remember if they had the electric pump or not

[aleros_eat_rice]

Worst case, I can get the engine online. A reman 2.2 for the Alero on rockauto is like $2800 or so.
Though I would probably pull one from a junkyard car first.

[guiguilandry]

why absolutely a reman engine ?? the car is still 15 years old and a good mileage engine would let you more money for the s/c kit...

and you can't swap a cobalt ss engine in there, the power steering pump will not work, the cylinder head, camshaft and valve cover doesn'work with a normal ecotec p/s pump because they comes from a electric p/s car ... plus like it was said before the throttle body is electric and there is no way to even get the cobalt ss pcm to communicate with your cluster or your bcm...

you better get a ''normal'' ecotec 2,2l and swap it, then just the kit for the supercharger from a cobalt.. if you got any question, ask me, I have a 96 sunfire swapped ecotec with a cobalt supercharger...

but all in all you'll need also a different subframe and motor mounts and complete car harness with the matching bcm if you do want to swap it... and even if you do this the l61 swap, it's wayyyy easier to do than the 3800 swap...

I suggest that you sell this one and find a clean 5 speed ecotec one... it'll save you hundreds of dollars and hours to make it work properly...

you can also get a turbo kit from a cobalt ss 2010+ and slap it on a ''normal'' ecotec, that's what we're doing on my cousin's car ( 2002 cavalier swapped ecotec + cobalt ss 2011 turbo)

trust me on that one.... I know my shit lol...

or you can supercharge or turbo the 3400 if you can find a good quality used kit, they are pretty rare, but some pops out sometimes...

[aleros_eat_rice]

At this point, I'm saying worst case. The worst way costs the most, but if it is reman, the engine internals are all fresh.

What kind of reliability does the LD9 have?

[Redog]

From what I've heard the LD9 is a pretty decent engine. It's also an Oldsmobile based enigne which is important to us older Oldsmobile guys. For a 4 banger you are not going to beat an Eco thou. Bottom end is known to stand upto 1000HP, in stock forum, just based on the way the bottom end is put together.

As for swapping in a 3800: Sure you could do it, but it's going to cost. Guiguilandry is the only guy I know that has done this. There was a guy over in NJ that was going to swap in a totally stock 3800 S/C motor, just so he could race me and win. The sad thing is, with the horsepower increase, plus the added weight, the car was going to be a little bit faster than stock, but not faster than my car.

With that said, if you do it, and do it right, it's going to cost some bucks. It requires some custom work and it's not a common swap, so kits are not ava. It's not like an LS swap into a S-10.

[guiguilandry]

based on my experience the l61 is wayyyy better than the ld9...
i had both stock and also both supercharged and I can tell you that the ecotec is by far a stronger and more boost happy engine than the ld9
you can safely go up to 325-350hp on a stock ecotec with no modification at all... the ld9... it's gonna blow really soon if you want to push it that hard without forging it..

[aleros_eat_rice]

Given all of this info, I think I'll keep the GLS simple. Ported, cold air, etc., and try to find another with the ecotec and supercharge it.
I could pluck the charger from a wrecked cobalt, or again with the worst case, a brand new supercharger kit for the ecotec is about $2600.

[guiguilandry]

yeah but a used, complete kit up here cost around 850-1000$ and a tune is about 500$

AND FYI probably this summer I will have a kit for sale with an alerady tuned pcm...

[Nas Escobar]

Originally Posted by 03glgold

To nas why would you not turbo a l61...that is how gm pushed around 900hp on the factory block

Originally Posted by sleepyalero

He said he would supercharge a l61

No particular reason, I was going by ease of parts availability. The L61 had the M62 option which was a supercharger and it later found its way into the Cobalt. Notice I also said turbocharge a LD9, and I stated as such because it's more common than the supercharge build. These examples were that... just examples. I wouldn't hesitate to build a turbocharged L61, and in fact I think it would be more intriguing than a supercharged one considering that not many people have done a turbo.

Anyways, both the LD9 and the L61 can be turbo or supercharged. It really dones't matter what you chose, what mattes is how you build the internals, I wouldn't just slap an s/c or turbo on an engine without making sure it can handle the boost.

Originally Posted by aleros_eat_rice

Seems like swapping for the LD9 is the best bet to go s/c. The superchargers are readily available, and since the Alero used it as well, shouldn't be too difficult to do. The problem being, I need to get an LD9. I can get all of the other stuff (exhaust, belt drive accessories, etc) as I'm building up to get the motor.

I would recommend you getting a second car. Unless you already have a backup car or a daily driver, you're going to cause many headaches swapping a 3400 to a LD9 or L61. I think there was a member on this forum that went from a 3400 to a LD9 and he always had wiring issues. To make a long story short, if you want a LD9 in your car, you need to swap EVERYTHING that's not frame, body, or trim out. The trans has to go (different gear ratios), the wiring has to go, the PCM and BCM have to go, you might have to swap out the fuse box. It's a royal pain not to mention a big money pit, whereas if you already have the platform, all you need is the parts. Seriously, it's easier this way.

IDK how you want to do this type of engine mod, but I would recommend looking for a low mileage $1500 - $2000 Alero and go from there. I know many are going to tell me it's impossible, but I bought a rare Cutlass Supreme convertible for $1500 and a Camaro for $2000, both with low miles, 2nd owner, and good condition. Sure they needed to be fixed up, but what used car doesnt have issues? Take the hunt slow and it will come.

[aleros_eat_rice]

That will probably be what I do. Get a stock Alero w/ ecotec, rebuild and supercharge.

Still want to port and cold air the 3400.
Btw, what kind of power and/or efficiency differences can I expect if I port everything and mount a cold air on the 3400?

[sleepyalero]

Just build up the 3400. Its faster then the 4 cyls of course.


You will see a decent increase in power. Mine takes stock ones easy. With my mods and a tune that is unfinished atm im at 240 ft lbs tq. Hp I cant tell you. But I dont doubt my torque going up more once I get the tune locked In.

[aleros_eat_rice]

I was considering taking plenum, lower and exhaust mans from a junkyard Alero and sending them somewhere like milzy to have them ported. Then, when I rebuild the motor, I can send in the heads for porting and milling.
Edit:
That'll probably be what I do. I know I can expect decent power increases, as a friend from work has a 98 GAGT with the 3100, ans he had his ported, milled and tuned. Says his power jumped up a bit, even with it being NA.
Plus, I think I saw someone in the timeslip thread post their all stock Alero quarter mile, at like 16.9 or so. This makes me feel good, because I think back to a video of a Turbo Civic SI attempting to keep up with a Buick Grand National. The GN gives the Civic a head start and still pulls off a 10.4, but the Civic takes it to (I think) 15.9 or so. Since mine is stock now, it wouldn't fall too far behind.
Here's the video.