Turbo 3.8 to Turbo LS1 swap???
04-17-2007, 09:38 PM
#1
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Turbo 3.8 to Turbo LS1 swap??? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
alright well last year i had my new motor installed and shortly after, i blew a rear main seal and havent had it fixed yet. The shop that installed my motor along with my turbo kit is very close to some members in my family so they hooked me up with a One year warrenty on the motor with the turbo so they are gonna fix the rear main seal for free....now, my transmission is shot because of the turbo i have now and its only on 10psi...
What i have been thinking is...if I was gonna go forward with my original setup i have now with a New performabuilt tranny and 3600 Torque converter and Transgo shift kit (plus installation), thats gonna be about the same amount of money i can pick up a used 50K LS1 and auto Tranny package off ebay. (about 3 grand). My uncle however, is very very good with cars (he has done full motor swaps in only hours) and he has a huge heated garage. Well anyways, he wants to do the swap with me. Now if i did install the LS1 I would sell my 3.8 but keep the turbo kit and throw that on the LS1...
How hard honestly would it be to do a complete LS1 swap?? Motor,tranny,motormounts,Wiring harness,PCM,and new speedo...anything else did i leave out thats involved in a swap??
Note: I dont have any AC (everything i took out) of a EGR valve so thats less to uninstall for the swap and less to hook up...gives me more room also.
alright well last year i had my new motor installed and shortly after, i blew a rear main seal and havent had it fixed yet. The shop that installed my motor along with my turbo kit is very close to some members in my family so they hooked me up with a One year warrenty on the motor with the turbo so they are gonna fix the rear main seal for free....now, my transmission is shot because of the turbo i have now and its only on 10psi...
What i have been thinking is...if I was gonna go forward with my original setup i have now with a New performabuilt tranny and 3600 Torque converter and Transgo shift kit (plus installation), thats gonna be about the same amount of money i can pick up a used 50K LS1 and auto Tranny package off ebay. (about 3 grand). My uncle however, is very very good with cars (he has done full motor swaps in only hours) and he has a huge heated garage. Well anyways, he wants to do the swap with me. Now if i did install the LS1 I would sell my 3.8 but keep the turbo kit and throw that on the LS1...
How hard honestly would it be to do a complete LS1 swap?? Motor,tranny,motormounts,Wiring harness,PCM,and new speedo...anything else did i leave out thats involved in a swap??
Note: I dont have any AC (everything i took out) of a EGR valve so thats less to uninstall for the swap and less to hook up...gives me more room also.
04-18-2007, 03:34 PM
#3
i was going to do a 3.4 to LS1 swap I was putting aside 2 weeks for screw ups and working at a slow rate.
if you and your uncle have all the tools, lift etc...i don't see why it would take anything more than say...10-20 hours...rewiring the hardness/PCM and mounting everything up would be the hardest.
goodluck. that intercooler looks nasty as ****.
if you and your uncle have all the tools, lift etc...i don't see why it would take anything more than say...10-20 hours...rewiring the hardness/PCM and mounting everything up would be the hardest.
goodluck. that intercooler looks nasty as ****.
04-18-2007, 04:03 PM
#4
Would be easiest to get the wiring from the donor car along with the engine and tranny I would think. Your PCM is going to recognize it as the 3.8. Also don't forget your speedo! 
You know for sure if the turbo will swap over to a LS1? Might have to do some fabbing.
You know for sure if the turbo will swap over to a LS1? Might have to do some fabbing.
04-18-2007, 04:09 PM
#5
Yea I would really make sure that you think it through and add up all the "little" things that will be needed, those are what really adds up when doing these kinds of things...
On a side note, your car sounds sick from what you have listed in your signiture now any HP numbers or track times?
On a side note, your car sounds sick from what you have listed in your signiture now any HP numbers or track times?
