Another engine swap

H

Hiram K

Registered User
I have a friend that had a 90SC auto, and believes that it needs considerable work. Can he take a regular 3.8, install in car as is. No super charger, he just wants it to be a daily driver for another year or so. He feels he can get a complete motor cheaper than rebuilding the sc'd engine. Can this be done EASILY ?
 
I think the short answer is, "No".

How easy is "easy"? I see ~$750 NA 3.8 Tbirds on Craigslist all the time, and I'm pretty sure most of them would go for 500 if it were offered. Seems like the time spent trying to make an NA swap work would be better spent trying to earn an extra $500.
 
if he goes with an n/a v6 he will also need wires, and an eec for the engine. after everything that would be needed and ending up with an engine that will run for a year plus he might be better off just rebuilding the sc engine.
 
Hiram K said:
I have a friend that had a 90SC auto, and believes that it needs considerable work. Can he take a regular 3.8, install in car as is. No super charger, he just wants it to be a daily driver for another year or so. He feels he can get a complete motor cheaper than rebuilding the sc'd engine. Can this be done EASILY ?
Click to expand...

I would consider installing the NA 3.8 more than a considerable amount of work compared to rebuilding the SC 3.8. ;)
 
It seems it would be easier to install the NA 3.8 longblock in place of the SC longblock. This will allow you to drive your car and give you a chance to rebuild the SC longblock. If you take it easy and drive your car "normally" the NA 3.8l will last for awhile. I had a SC setup on a stock NA 3.8 bottom end, it last about 1 year and it did fail from "Abuse".
 
There will be some challenges: the Ignition system will be a major one, The N/A engines run a distributor and single coil and the N/A balancer does not have the reluctor wheel on it to run the SC ignition system. Radiator is different, throttle cable is different, air conditioning hoses are different, cruise control cable is different, EGR system piping is different. the list goes on and on. My 94 cougar was a N/A and I went to a SC, I went through all of this. I do have lots of leftover N/A parts though
 
When it comes down to it, any motor other than the SC 3.8 will have plenty of challenges to get running correctly.

3.8 na
5.0 na
4.6

ect ect, all have different challenges, and effort to do, requiring all different parts.

my vote is to get another cheap daily driver (honda, toyota, escourt, what ever) and fix the SC the way you want.
 
Why not just buy a used long block? I've done it and you can be back on the road in 16 hours if you've never swapped an engine before. Less if you have experience.

Regards

Sean
 
Personally I can swap motors in a SC in about 8hrs (like to see what I could do with some air tools).

Honestly looking at about $1200 for a good rebuild. Any long block will be $800+ out of yard and will need at least $300 of parts.

IMHO either rebuild it or get a cheap car until can rebuild. If sell it as is will take a huge hit.

This is assuming actually needs a rebuild and it anit a vacuum, ignition or balancer issue.
 
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