dropping a 3800 into my Isuzu

Hi I have planned out a major buildup of my 92 isuzu Pickup that I use for offroading.

I'm dropping in a 3800 from an 02 Camaro. Im going to try and run the engine on a Megasquirt (megasquirt.info) custom fuel injection controller managing both fuel and spark.

I have a few questions maybe you 3800 gurus can answer.

1-Can the electronic throttle body be swapped out for an earlier cable linkage one? if so what was the breakppoint in year they converted over?

2-What sensor is just behind the throttle body just to the side of the EGR port on this intake manifold?

3-What is the best source of wiring diagrams for this engine harness? I need to graft my existing Isuzu harness connections, GM motor so its a GM harness actually, to the 3800 harness.

If anyone cares to see this sort of thing on here I will post updates and pics to this thread.


here's a pic of me pulling the GM 3.1 that came stock:

http://berisford.net/uploads/cpom/projectpup/12.jpg

truck as it looks now:
http://berisford.net/uploads/cpom/projectpup/pt2/4.jpg
http://berisford.net/uploads/cpom/projectpup/pt2/5.jpg
http://berisford.net/uploads/cpom/projectpup/pt2/6.jpg
http://berisford.net/uploads/cpom/projectpup/pt2/7.jpg

I can't really help you with you questions, however I want to say thats a pretty cool lil project you got there...sounds like fun.

interesting...prob cant help ya either... good luck though and keep us posted...

I found out the break ocurred in 1998-99 year for throttle body types, this is what I can tell by car-part.com and the drive-by-wire TB will not bolt to this intake manifold. Since the d-b-w TB has no IAC, rather than modifying it to fit a manual linkage I'll try and build an adapter plate for pre-99 cable actuated TB.

I got a subscription to alldatadiy.com for wiring diagrams which has proven to be immensly helpful.


what sensor is this?

http://www.berisford.net/uploads/cpom/projectpup/3/img_0896.jpg

fits in a hole in the intake manifold right next to the EGR port here:


http://www.berisford.net/uploads/cpom/projectpup/3/img_0899.jpg

MAP sensor?

It turns out it is the EVAP purge solenoid. I'll check back with you guys when I start breaking into this wiring harness -- got a subscription to alldatadiy.com for wiring schematics.

I'm just curious... What made you decide on going with the 3.8 from a camaro? I have a 91 Isuzu pickup with the 2.3 and might replace the motor someday...

I would think it would have been easier for you to retain the stock PCM and throttlebody....

cool project though.

- Justin

I would think it would have been easier for you to retain the stock PCM and throttlebody....

cool project though.

- Justin
those would be HIGHLY incompatible with a 3800.

picking the 3800:

I wanted to keep this project simple and reuse my existing trans and transfer case. My stock trans is a MUA5 Isuzu 5-speed. I looked at 3.4s from Camaros and as they have the same pattern as my Isuzu trans. I could also reuse my existing ECM and motor mounts. As I got into the project, my Isuzu trans went south so I was looking at a full driveline swap.

Looking at prices, an old engine needing a rebuild would cost hundreds and hundreds of dollars after parts and machine work, so newer would be better. There really wasn't a cheap 3.4 GM solution so I started looking at camaro 3.8s as I bought a manual covering both 3.4s and 3.8s from Camaros.

Long story short I have an engine that was cheap (under 500 with low miles), good torque curve and will bolt to a Toyota dual case setup, best of both worlds.

Yes it would have been easier to graft in the stock ECM and PCM versus a custom setup but I wanted to experiment with all of the fuel injection settings and build it from scratch. Having a drive by wire throttle doesn't seem like it will be worth the work so I decided to go cable throttle.

I will keep you guys posted on progress, spent last weekend and next weekend out of town but September will see some major progress with this project.

those would be HIGHLY incompatible with a 3800.


I think he meant keeping stock 3800 ECM to run the engine, not the Isuzu stock ECM.

those would be HIGHLY incompatible with a 3800.

I meant keeping the original 3800 PCM, rather than going with an aftermarket controller.

- Justin