3500 Top End Swap

[Nate's Alero]

Well, What Do i Need? my curiosity needs to be answered, what would i need for a 3500 or a 3800 top end swap?

For starters, there is no such thing as a 3800 top-end swap, so get that thought out of your mind. You can swap in a complete 3800, but it's a ton of work and only a few people have done it.
So, to do a 3500 top-swap, you'll need 3500 cylinder heads and a 3500 lower intake manifold, and with all the gaskets and what not. You can re-use your 3400 plenum, or get a 3500 plenum, althouh this requires some creativity since you'll need to either fabricate an alternative for the 3400 MAP sensor or splice in the new one, plus your 3400 throttle body will not bolt up to the 3500 plenum - although adapters and new billet TBs are available from http://www.wot-tech.com.
This is far from an exhaustive list, so I highly suggest you consult the 660 board (http://www.60degreev6.com) for more specific instructions and requirements.

[Nate's Alero]

Originally Posted by mfuller

For starters, there is no such thing as a 3800 top-end swap, so get that thought out of your mind. You can swap in a complete 3800, but it's a ton of work and only a few people have done it.
So, to do a 3500 top-swap, you'll need 3500 cylinder heads and a 3500 lower intake manifold, and with all the gaskets and what not. You can re-use your 3400 plenum, or get a 3500 plenum, althouh this requires some creativity since you'll need to either fabricate an alternative for the 3400 MAP sensor or splice in the new one, plus your 3400 throttle body will not bolt up to the 3500 plenum - although adapters and new billet TBs are available from http://www.wot-tech.com.
This is far from an exhaustive list, so I highly suggest you consult the 660 board (http://www.60degreev6.com) for more specific instructions and requirements.

thanks! do i hear ben chirping in at all (ima get a compression test jeez!)

[WhiteV6]

If you keep your 3400 upper and fuel rail/injectors with the 3500 heads and lower, its pretty much a drop on. The lower needs to be drill/tapped for the stock coolant temp location or use the 3500's setup in the rear head and use an extension for the sensor plug. I still have to make the extensions if I go that route officially but for now I plug the rear head and drill/tap the lower.

Compression tester is your friend.

[Nate's Alero]

Originally Posted by WhiteV6

If you keep your 3400 upper and fuel rail/injectors with the 3500 heads and lower, its pretty much a drop on. The lower needs to be drill/tapped for the stock coolant temp location or use the 3500's setup in the rear head and use an extension for the sensor plug. I still have to make the extensions if I go that route officially but for now I plug the rear head and drill/tap the lower.

Compression tester is your friend.

yeah, extension sounds decent, do they have a pigtail to pigtail connector?

[WhiteV6]

Well you have to get the connectors and put the wires to them or get 2 pigtails and solder them together. This will require the 3500 CTS as well to screw into the rear head.

[Cliff8928]

Is the plug different between the 3400 and 3500 coolant temp sensors? It looks the same in the service manual but has a different part number. They're the same series (Delphi MetriPack 150.2 pull to seat, black)

[WhiteV6]

Yeah its the same but the sensor itself is different.

[Cliff8928]

Oh, OK... Casper's electronics could make a extension for that in a snap!

[Nate's Alero]

Originally Posted by Cliff8928

Oh, OK... Casper's electronics could make a extension for that in a snap!

So, cars with the 3500 ?

[clutch1]

One my friend's 3400 the plug was a 2 wire, and the 3500 sensor was a 3 wire.. totally different IIRC. He just used various fittings to move the sensor out of the way, and get the right threads.

He also had to add a T onto one of the vacuum lines or something coming from the plenum, to go to the HVAC.


It needed different pushrods, too, I think... or maybe he got different pushrods and they were wrong and had to go back to stock.. I forget, lol.

[WhiteV6]

the 3500 is 2 wire just like the 3400. The pushrods are the same as the 3100 and 3400. Using the 3500 upper takes MAP sensor swap or plug the MAP hole, EVAP purge will not bolt to the upper, the DIS bracket will not mount to both the plenum and the head studs, its 1 set or the other, and the FPR vacuum source needs to be ran off a vacuum line placed where the 3500 keeps its cannister purge setup. Thats why running the 3400 upper makes life a lot easier.

[WhiteV6]

Car-parts.com

2005 pontiac G6 3500 engine

That will show you the other vehicles.

[Nate's Alero]

Originally Posted by WhiteV6

Car-parts.com

2005 pontiac G6 3500 engine

That will show you the other vehicles.

k i am in the market for 3500 heads and a good condition clean lower, no valves needed on the heads CLEAN PLEASE!

[Jibbs.]

what are the performance goins of this, also do you need to re-map the comp?