Blown Headgasket. New Engine? Which One?

Ok, so my 1995 Chevrolet Camaro has a blown headgasket. To fix that, is quite expensive, the question now becomes "Do I fix the engine or replace the engine?". Then beyond that, if I am replacing the engine what do I replace it with?

It was a V6 3.4 (160HP) Stock Engine.

I do want more performance, so I could upgrade to something such as a V-8 (i.e. LT1) engine, but at the same time I want to preserve gas-mileage as much as possible.


Furthermore, if I swap out the engine with a different V-6 (i.e. the 3.8) or with a V-8 will I also have to change my Transmission? or will there be any other parts on my car that will have to be swapped out?

If anyone has any recommendations and total costs for their ideas (cost of initial purchase as well as any other additional parts that would be required) that would be much appreciated?

You could do the swap and throw in a 6 speed and get great mileage on the HWY (26 - 30 MPG), but it would be cheaper to purchase a used LT1 for 3K - 5K. Just my .02.

I replaced my headgaskets step by step with the Chilton's and Hayne's. That was my first time taking any parts off of an engine and it was a piece of cake. Whole thing cost less than fifty bucks.
Then again, that's if you want to save the 3.4.
Good luck

I replaced my headgaskets step by step with the Chilton's and Hayne's. That was my first time taking any parts off of an engine and it was a piece of cake. Whole thing cost less than fifty bucks.
Then again, that's if you want to save the 3.4.
Good luck

I'm doing the exact same thing now for my first time on a 3.8; never thought I could make it that far in my little garage with only my mid size tool set (definitely needed the universal joints, mid length sockets + O2 socket for the exhaust manifold) but sure enough I’ve made it through :)





p.s. before tearing into it I asked a local mechanic of the cost of an engine swap.. quoted just under 2K roughly $700 for labor, 1K for engine ( could get a V6 a little cheaper if want more miles, but why put in a new old motor ??) and then $200ish for other possible parts …

Replacing the gasket is definitely the way to go if you can do the work yourself. As mentioned, it's only $50 for the complete head set gasket kit. I just replaced mine in my garage, but I also did a few upgrades at the same time. Heads, headers, cam, timing set, rockers, etc. definitely gives it more performance.

To put in a 3.8 you'd have to convert to ODB-II. It would no doubt be easier to go to an LT1. There is a site with lots of info on that swap, v6conversion.com

Oh by the way...
I was out of town at the time and did the whole job out of my portable toolbox. All I had in the way of ratchets was a 1/4" drive snap-on ratchet and my set of metric sockets. Ended up borrowing a torque wrench from a buddy of mine, but the rest of the job was done using what I thought at the time were inadequate tools. It really isn't as tough as it sounds. Good luck.

I personally thought the intake manifold gaskets were the bigger problem.

I am looking to buy a 95 3.4/auto car with T-tops and my coworker who owns it says it has been drinking coolant just a tad bit. In most cases, I bet an unassuming/uncaring owner would let the engine run dry, due to the intake mani gasket bolts already having back themselves out enough, then warping the heads in the end. This may be a bigger issue with the 3.8L being aluminum-headed, rather than the all-iron 3.4L..

My inherited 3.4L defintely suffered from the intake leak. I don't see initial evidence of head gasket issues, but with the oil being watered down and smelling burnt, I figured the botom end is toast anyway.

I heard from a few people that the 3.8 has problmes with the head gasket... mine went at 140K
but in my last firebird (1995 3.4) I drove it upto 150K and no problems