So it is my goal to have my Fiero running and on the road before the Car Show on Saturday, April 26th at my old college.
I am doing the 3800 SC swap, I already have a clutch, and a flywheel machined down to fit in the factory 4 speed housing, as well as the 3800 ECM and wiring harness, engine mounts, maybe some other stuff in the pile.
I have a motor ready to buy, its an L67 out of a 2004 Monte Carlo SS Dale Earnhardt Jr. Edition, with 39,000 miles. I plan on taking one or both of the dogbones that mount this engine to the monte carlo frame for use on the Fiero. I am getting it from a friend of mine for $1100 and plan to buy it on the 1st of March.
I will be having my mechanic install the motor, no price quote or length of time on the install yet. I plan on asking him if he would be willing to let me assist him, I want to learn how to install a motor, and I am willing to sign a waiver waving him of any liability should I get hurt in his shop.
Which brings me to my question: Of those of you who paid to have your 3800 installed, how long did it take and what was the approximate cost? Of those of you who installed them yourselves, how long did it take and what would you estimate the cost at if done by a "professional"
Keep in mind, I ask because I am a 21 year old college student, and need to plan funds accordingly (I already have quite a bit saved up).
So it is my goal to have my Fiero running and on the road before the Car Show on Saturday, April 26th at my old college.
I am doing the 3800 SC swap, I already have a clutch, and a flywheel machined down to fit in the factory 4 speed housing, as well as the 3800 ECM and wiring harness, engine mounts, maybe some other stuff in the pile.
I have a motor ready to buy, its an L67 out of a 2004 Monte Carlo SS Dale Earnhardt Jr. Edition, with 39,000 miles. I plan on taking one or both of the dogbones that mount this engine to the monte carlo frame for use on the Fiero. I am getting it from a friend of mine for $1100 and plan to buy it on the 1st of March.
I will be having my mechanic install the motor, no price quote or length of time on the install yet. I plan on asking him if he would be willing to let me assist him, I want to learn how to install a motor, and I am willing to sign a waiver waving him of any liability should I get hurt in his shop.
Which brings me to my question: Of those of you who paid to have your 3800 installed, how long did it take and what was the approximate cost? Of those of you who installed them yourselves, how long did it take and what would you estimate the cost at if done by a "professional"
Keep in mind, I ask because I am a 21 year old college student, and need to plan funds accordingly (I already have quite a bit saved up).
Any advice, tips, or related info. is appreciated
-Kyle
It will it be ready by the date of the car show. I would now take it to a non Fiero shop to have the swap done. If the swap is rushed it will come out wrong and will end up paying double in the end cause of mistakes..I know this is not what u wanna hear but this will be the outcome...
I would have to say it was about 4k all said and done. I started when I was 17 in September, had a birthday in October, and finished it in January. It has to come back out now because I broke a mounting bolt on my trans case.
I've not done this swap yet or paid to have it done but if your mechanic isn't familiar with fieros and the 3800 swap I would do the research and pep to do it yourself. Or as mentioned above you will pay too much AND be disapointed. Just my $.02
It will it be ready by the date of the car show. I would now take it to a non Fiero shop to have the swap done. If the swap is rushed it will come out wrong and will end up paying double in the end cause of mistakes..I know this is not what u wanna hear but this will be the outcome...
There are no Fiero-specific shops in my area at all, I only know of 3 Fieros in my area other than mine at all.
quote
Originally posted by DLCLK87GT:
I've not done this swap yet or paid to have it done but if your mechanic isn't familiar with fieros and the 3800 swap I would do the research and pep to do it yourself. Or as mentioned above you will pay too much AND be disapointed. Just my $.02
My mechanic is kinda familar with Fieros, he worked on them back when they were everywhere on the roads in the 80's. He knows what he is doing, I have no question about that at all.
I know he has worked ON these motors before, but I don't know if he has SWAPPED one before. I will probably stop in on Tuesday to talk to him.
quote
Originally posted by mitchjl22:
I would have to say it was about 4k all said and done. I started when I was 17 in September, had a birthday in October, and finished it in January. It has to come back out now because I broke a mounting bolt on my trans case.
Does that include the cost of your donor car? My motor will be about $1100, my custom exhaust is quoted at around $600. I read through your build thread (quite impressive to be honest), and I learned quite a bit.
I work 40 hours a week while I go to school, but I also have a car payment and school loans to pay each month. That is why I am worried about the time crunch and the cost. If I get the motor on or shortly after the first, and then I get the swap started by March 10th hopefully, that gives me nearly 7 weeks to have the work professionally done. Not only could I not afford 7weeks of shop time, but if it takes that long I think we have bigger problems.
[This message has been edited by DKcustoms (edited 02-23-2014).]
$850 for the engine (Series 3 L32 with the Gen V blower 33k miles) $300 cam $200 1.7 rockers $250 upgraded injectors $200 on larger throttle body $400 for a harness rewired with base tuned PCM $400 for new Spec clutch $140 for new flywheel and having it cut to spec $300 for engine/trans mounts $120 for fuel pump $900 1.75" headers to tips custom exhaust stainless 3"exhaust $80 on welding/support modifications to the cradle to strengthen it $250 on tuning on the dyno $100 on AC hoses $150 on coolant/heater hoses/air intake piping and and cold air filter locating $200 for a low mount alternator bracket with an upper dog bone mount $110 for driverside to trunk firewall dogbone kit $80 for SC pulley MPS system and machined snout $60 on smaller SC pulleys $1200 ZZP intercooler $850 on machined and fully ported/smoothed heads (picked up a lot of power I added these last) $300 on ZZP fuel rails $75 on modified T-stat housing/filler spot
$7515 total cost
The transmission was brand new in the crate when I purchased my Fiero. It's doing very well so far I have 6400 or so miles on the swap without a single issue. I have plans for a very unique manual trans upgrade if/when the Getrag does fail.
[This message has been edited by Steel (edited 02-28-2014).]
There are no Fiero-specific shops in my area at all, I only know of 3 Fieros in my area other than mine at all.
there is more information around here if you just look and ask !!
when you take a motor out of something and are going to fit it into something totally different is very big task ....I've been buying things and building things for about two years for my swap...... hope your mechanic can do the research to do this right its not just a pullout and stick in
as for the dog bone for the monte carlo .......prob not going to work
Roughly $2800 give or take $300. I didn't keep an accurate accounting of it. The car was sitting in a farmer's field in very dry Southern Colorado and I bought it for $250. Mike Gonzalez did the conversion for a very reasonable price and it started and ran very well and still runs very well plus it has no rust other than a little surface rust on the front suspension.
Like Mstangs Beware, I recommend finding someone in your area to do the swap if you have a certain date to get it finished.
I once drove my old '53 Chevy pickup 2000 miles the day after I installed a rebuilt engine and sure as little green apples, I hadn't tightened the tranny coolant lines very well, the fuel filter clogged up and a keeper on one of the valves hadn't been installed correctly. (I only had myself to blame) My point is that no matter how well you think the car runs, I wouldn't take it for a long trip unless you have roadside insurance or unless you've had a few local shakedown runs. I have done a lot of engine installs and conversions (mostly Chevy and one MoPar) and working on them after work or school when tired surely was the cause of my mess-ups.
Average full swap I do takes any where from two weeks on depending on the shape of the car, trust me here things like rusted or seized bolts can really slow things down for example dropping the cradle on a good car takes just an hour maybe two and the cradle is out as well as the old drive train. Now on a rusted car with seized bolts this can take well over a day if it does not cooperate. I charge $2,500 for all the labour and supply the harness, programmed PCM as well as all mounts and brackets with this, customer covers the cost of or supplies donor engine/tranny on auto swaps, fuel pump and exhaust components. on manual swaps customer is responsible for cost of engine flywheel and clutch as well as fuel pump and exhaust components. average cost for customer in parts for auto is around $1500 and for manual swaps is around $1800. Hope this helps give you an idea of costs to have some one else do the swap for you. Dan
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DARN Cars now open with Over 30 years wiring experience between cars and trade as an avionics technician in both Canadian Air Force and civilian aviation. Over 25 years experience building and modifying cars. Over 10 years of full Fiero engine swaps and harnesses building and still going.
Whatever the cost, DO NOT PAY UP FRONT!!! A member here is still waiting on his car to be STARTED and the shop has had his car and his money FOR OVER A YEAR!!! He got a text from them two weeks ago that they were about to put his car on the lift. We went by the shop yesterday and his car has STILL not been moved!!
Make payments as stages of the swap are completed or pay at the end or walk away.
Basically if I am supplying the engine and tranny or the clutch fly wheel I always ask up front to be covered for the cost of these parts other then that payment is due when the car is finished. has been test driven by the owner and is being picked up. I find this works best for both me and the customer. I have had some customers pay up front because they wanted to or make installments along the way but most pay when every thing is finished.
$850 for the engine (Series 3 L32 with the Gen V blower 33k miles) $300 cam Not Needed $200 1.7 rockers Not Needed / downgrade from stock $250 upgraded injectors Not Needed $200 on larger throttle body Not Needed $400 for a harness rewired with base tuned PCM Not Needed, making one is easy, and tuning is not required for many grand prix PCMs $400 for new Spec clutch $140 for new flywheel and having it cut to spec +expensive balancing $300 for engine/trans mounts Not Needed, can make yourself or use hbody mounts $120 for fuel pump $900 1.75" headers to tips custom exhaust stainless 3"exhaust Not Needed, stock exhaust works well $80 on welding/support modifications to the cradle to strengthen it Not Needed $250 on tuning on the dyno Not Needed $100 on AC hoses $150 on coolant/heater hoses/air intake piping and and cold air filter locating Not typically this expensive $200 for a low mount alternator bracket with an upper dog bone mount Not Needed. Upper dogbones are a bad idea in general $110 for driverside to trunk firewall dogbone kit Not Needed $80 for SC pulley MPS system and machined snout Not Needed $60 on smaller SC pulleys Not Needed $1200 ZZP intercooler Not Needed $850 on machined and fully ported/smoothed heads (picked up a lot of power I added these last) Not Needed $300 on ZZP fuel rails Not Needed $75 on modified T-stat housing/filler spot Not Needed
I'm just starting a swap and just got the engine to my house. What IS necessary So far I know Fuel pump, please link me to the one I need Clutch, (using my 4spd) please link me to the one I need Engine mount (not trans mount because I'm keeping my stock 4spd) FIEROFLYER's harness and PCM I know already. Exhaust will have to be made (if you know of a link ) it has the 96 downpipe flange btw Fuel lines from pump (please advise) Ground and balanced flywheel (please advise no least expensive source for that) And I don't know what else?!?
What do I do with the power steering pump? And the oil filter mount has an oil filter and then two long hoses coming off that were cut.(please advise on what that was and what to do about it) How do,incur the deck lid rail to fit the alternator or please link me to the alternator relocation( which I guess FIEROFLYER would have to know about to make the harness in. That location) How do I get a new different length belt? Do I have to move the battery? Do I have to move the coil packs? I'm looking to go as basic and inexpensive as possible here. Please PM me the info as I will lose this thread I just know it. Thank you!
------------------ ===Always trying to find time to work on cars=== Louis Duet Baldwin, Long Island, NY Where driving hard is SOP. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Blue" <= '85 Fiero GT Stock V6---Stock everything. Trying to keep it 'mostly' that way. That is until I can find a 3800sc to swap into it! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Boo" <= '81 Delorean DMC-12 The "DuetLorean" VIN #5835 Stock PRV engine Robertson Equipped Neiland/Delman Engineered Carbed and loving it! (Peugot 604 manifold) ---"Sorry purists"
If you had FastFieros or Whodeanie do the swap, you are still waiting.
Almost correct but I am fortunate in that both of these gentlemen actually finished a swap for me. We will not discuss time or cost but they both run well.
Whatever the cost, DO NOT PAY UP FRONT!!! A member here is still waiting on his car to be STARTED and the shop has had his car and his money FOR OVER A YEAR!!! He got a text from them two weeks ago that they were about to put his car on the lift. We went by the shop yesterday and his car has STILL not been moved!!
Make payments as stages of the swap are completed or pay at the end or walk away.
A few days ago, his car was finally put on the lift. Judge for yourself if this is "good" news.
$850 for the engine (Series 3 L32 with the Gen V blower 33k miles) $300 cam Not Needed $200 1.7 rockers Not Needed / downgrade from stock $250 upgraded injectors Not Needed $200 on larger throttle body Not Needed $400 for a harness rewired with base tuned PCM Not Needed, making one is easy, and tuning is not required for many grand prix PCMs $400 for new Spec clutch $140 for new flywheel and having it cut to spec +expensive balancing $300 for engine/trans mounts Not Needed, can make yourself or use hbody mounts $120 for fuel pump $900 1.75" headers to tips custom exhaust stainless 3"exhaust Not Needed, stock exhaust works well $80 on welding/support modifications to the cradle to strengthen it Not Needed $250 on tuning on the dyno Not Needed $100 on AC hoses $150 on coolant/heater hoses/air intake piping and and cold air filter locating Not typically this expensive $200 for a low mount alternator bracket with an upper dog bone mount Not Needed. Upper dogbones are a bad idea in general $110 for driverside to trunk firewall dogbone kit Not Needed $80 for SC pulley MPS system and machined snout Not Needed $60 on smaller SC pulleys Not Needed $1200 ZZP intercooler Not Needed $850 on machined and fully ported/smoothed heads (picked up a lot of power I added these last) Not Needed $300 on ZZP fuel rails Not Needed $75 on modified T-stat housing/filler spot Not Needed
they help keep me motivated 
