Cadillac 4.5 into '88 Grand Prix.

[2.8 Grand Prix]

Will do. Thanks!

[SofaKingWeToddDid]

convertibles are great!! except in -40 winter!!! lol just keep an eye on Kijiji maybe you can find a donor car that got rear ended and get the whole thing with a good motor and interior for 200 and theres all the parts you need except for tune up stuff.

[2.8 Grand Prix]

Yah, it is fun!

[no_doz]

its a message board-its for bullshitting & getting help-feel free to ask as many questions as you like-just make sure you search first.

you could always trade that 250k mile 88 grand prix for a 5 speed convertible cav with 3.1 also known as the pontiac sunbird convertible. these can be found with a bad headgasket or misc small problems- for cheap or cheap trades. i commonly find them for $200-300 needing head/intake gaskets which should really be replaced anyway.

5 speed-convertible

see-its fun as hell to throw all kinds of shit around, as long as the $$ bills arent spent until you are 100% positive then it all serves a purpose in the end!

[2.8 Grand Prix]

Ok, I guess I will. Thanks! I wish I was within driving range from you, but we have Illinois in between us. LOL.

I plan on getting an engine sometime, but I have college bills coming in the near future. I was trying to get the majority of the car done before I had to start paying off my student loans, but that 'aint goin' to happen. Looks like it will be slow going untill I get a full-time job, but I'll stay here and keep looking for answers to my questions.

[pocket-rocket]

If you lived within driving distance, I would give you the gray seats out of my 91 to ease your wallet :/ Just because you can't mod your car now doesn't mean you have to leave. Stick around and do some research to save time later

[2.8 Grand Prix]

I've hit a road block, I've decided I can't afford to put in a new engine right now. The interior is in bad shape, so I am using a little of my money to put in a new driver's seat and try to redo the door panels (fabric is ripped off).

Thanks for all your thoughts and ideas. If you want to continue using this thread to talk about your modifications and other things, go on ahead. I won't be posting back untill I can afford to do anything. Good bye, for now.

[SofaKingWeToddDid]

a motor swap sounds like fun, and a cool way to make a one of a kind car. maybe i should ground my lumina for a year or so while i fix EVERYTHING on it. lol

[robertisaar]

i rarely see 3x00s with head gasket issues. its always the LIM but gets misdiagnosed as head gaskets, but since the LIM gasket gets changed during the headgasket change, they assume it was right...

get the felpro problem saver full metal LIM gaskets and remove the worry....

3.4(in the way you're using it) can mean

f-body motor: old block, iron heads
LQ1: DOHC
3400: newer motor, aluminum heads, basically a big bore 3100.

finding a low-mileage 3400 for cheap is fairly easy. hell jmgtp just picked up a 50K mile 3500 for $300...

[2.8 Grand Prix]

Thanks you guys!

I have a lot of new ideas now! I just got my paycheck today, so it's time for some fun! Now I just need to decide what engine I want to put in.

By the way, how many of you with 3.1/3100s have had problems with head gaskets. The mechanic that we go to says of all the GM engines, he has replaced more head gaskets on 3.1/3100s than anything else. I would really like to stay away from any un-needed work.

Are there any problems I should know about with the 3.4? I don't want the DOHC version 'cause I can't afford both an engine and a tranny right now.
Thanks for all your help and suggestions. They have all helped me decide what route to take in my engine swap.

[robertisaar]

You try installing a home made oil catch can on that bad boy, Robert?

not going to bother. if it sucks up enough to cause oil starvation, thats all the more reason to start on the 3900 swap...

[pocket-rocket]

One nice thing was the 3.2 DOHC Honda engine did have solid lifters too.

You try installing a home made oil catch can on that bad boy, Robert?

[robertisaar]

bad rings/valve seals/worn cylinder walls.

it also seems to like sipping through the PCV....

no smoke though, so i'm thinking its losing it rather than burning it.... for the most part.

[no_doz]

bad rings/valve seals/worn cylinder walls.

[robertisaar]

1 quart of oil usage every 1000 miles is not excessive.

don't suppose that applies to my 3100

it somehow loses/ingests about that amount...

itd had plenty of potential but itd have to be all custom

exact problem of the LQ1...