Some insight into the 3.4L OHV RWD motor
01-06-2008, 04:28 PM
#91
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 15
01-06-2008, 04:36 PM
#92
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 15
heres a good story of what "not" to do. You need to change the pistons or grind material out of the head to make the combustion chambers work properly or you will run into problem that could cost you your motor.
cutting the "tab" off the timing cover is no big deal - i had to do it too. you dont have to have custom pushrods. I went to GM - told them I needed pushrods for a certain year (dont remember which..i think it was 1994) grand am gt - and i got the right ones. its whichever year has a Gen II aluminum heads as the Gen II blocks have aluminum heads but flat tappet "non roller" lifters - so the lifters are the same height and work perfectly.
All of the parts in my engine - i will testify in court - are 100% off the shelf GM except for the rksport headers. thats it.
So there is an easy way to make this happen - you just have to make sure you do it right. I dont have a detailed parts list or a "how to" guide yet - but if you don't mind shooting me a few emails i can guide whoever needs help doing htis.
HOWEVER - this is not a quick "do it on the weekend" project, nor is it non-labor-intensive. you need to know how to work on engines to do this - and need to have good knowledge of cars and engine mechanics to get this to happen.
disclaimer: I said it before I'll say it again - this modification is for (to quote every parts manufacturer) off-road (track) use only. Any and all modifications described in this post or others like it will make the car illegal to drive in any state requiring mandatory yearly smog inspections including but not limited to visual inspections. DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK.
cutting the "tab" off the timing cover is no big deal - i had to do it too. you dont have to have custom pushrods. I went to GM - told them I needed pushrods for a certain year (dont remember which..i think it was 1994) grand am gt - and i got the right ones. its whichever year has a Gen II aluminum heads as the Gen II blocks have aluminum heads but flat tappet "non roller" lifters - so the lifters are the same height and work perfectly.
All of the parts in my engine - i will testify in court - are 100% off the shelf GM except for the rksport headers. thats it.
So there is an easy way to make this happen - you just have to make sure you do it right. I dont have a detailed parts list or a "how to" guide yet - but if you don't mind shooting me a few emails i can guide whoever needs help doing htis.
HOWEVER - this is not a quick "do it on the weekend" project, nor is it non-labor-intensive. you need to know how to work on engines to do this - and need to have good knowledge of cars and engine mechanics to get this to happen.
disclaimer: I said it before I'll say it again - this modification is for (to quote every parts manufacturer) off-road (track) use only. Any and all modifications described in this post or others like it will make the car illegal to drive in any state requiring mandatory yearly smog inspections including but not limited to visual inspections. DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK.
I have a 92 camaro that had a 3.1l. I took a rwd 3.4 and put the 3400 top end on it which was a mistake. You have to fly cut the pistons becouse the valves will hit. You also have to cut the tab that sticks up on top of the timming cover off for the lower intake to sit down. I took a a 350 distrubutor took the top plate off where the cap sits on and put the v6 on then cut the shaft and welded it to the 3400 oil pump drive so the distrubutor would sit up about 6" so it would clear the lower intake runners. You then have to make a u notch in the upper intake for the distrubutor cap to clear.And I also had to measure the push rods and have them custom made to use the rwd cam. ( I also done my 1st one using a foctory 3400 roller in order to use it you have to use the 3400 top timinr gear nad grind the block to bolt on the cam plate to keep it from moving back and forth, I drilled into and tapped the lifter vallies to bolt the roller lifter guides in, which I didn't get all of the metal out and the motor didn't last 5 miles before the bearings went out.) After this 2nd motor I ran a compression test on the cyclinders and the had between 275-290 psi (no thats not a mistype) I ran 110 octane racing fuel and the motor had unbelievable power but it also only lasted for about 2 hours before it blew a head gasket I'm currently pilling it out again but it will not have the rwd pistons in it.
01-07-2008, 03:14 PM
#93
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 4
heres a good story of what "not" to do. You need to change the pistons or grind material out of the head to make the combustion chambers work properly or you will run into problem that could cost you your motor.
cutting the "tab" off the timing cover is no big deal - i had to do it too. you dont have to have custom pushrods. I went to GM - told them I needed pushrods for a certain year (dont remember which..i think it was 1994) grand am gt - and i got the right ones. its whichever year has a Gen II aluminum heads as the Gen II blocks have aluminum heads but flat tappet "non roller" lifters - so the lifters are the same height and work perfectly.
All of the parts in my engine - i will testify in court - are 100% off the shelf GM except for the rksport headers. thats it.
So there is an easy way to make this happen - you just have to make sure you do it right. I dont have a detailed parts list or a "how to" guide yet - but if you don't mind shooting me a few emails i can guide whoever needs help doing htis.
HOWEVER - this is not a quick "do it on the weekend" project, nor is it non-labor-intensive. you need to know how to work on engines to do this - and need to have good knowledge of cars and engine mechanics to get this to happen.
disclaimer: I said it before I'll say it again - this modification is for (to quote every parts manufacturer) off-road (track) use only. Any and all modifications described in this post or others like it will make the car illegal to drive in any state requiring mandatory yearly smog inspections including but not limited to visual inspections. DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK.
cutting the "tab" off the timing cover is no big deal - i had to do it too. you dont have to have custom pushrods. I went to GM - told them I needed pushrods for a certain year (dont remember which..i think it was 1994) grand am gt - and i got the right ones. its whichever year has a Gen II aluminum heads as the Gen II blocks have aluminum heads but flat tappet "non roller" lifters - so the lifters are the same height and work perfectly.
All of the parts in my engine - i will testify in court - are 100% off the shelf GM except for the rksport headers. thats it.
So there is an easy way to make this happen - you just have to make sure you do it right. I dont have a detailed parts list or a "how to" guide yet - but if you don't mind shooting me a few emails i can guide whoever needs help doing htis.
HOWEVER - this is not a quick "do it on the weekend" project, nor is it non-labor-intensive. you need to know how to work on engines to do this - and need to have good knowledge of cars and engine mechanics to get this to happen.
disclaimer: I said it before I'll say it again - this modification is for (to quote every parts manufacturer) off-road (track) use only. Any and all modifications described in this post or others like it will make the car illegal to drive in any state requiring mandatory yearly smog inspections including but not limited to visual inspections. DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK.
05-06-2008, 06:25 AM
#94
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 4
I have a 92 camaro that had a 3.1l. I took a rwd 3.4 and put the 3400 top end on it which was a mistake. You have to fly cut the pistons becouse the valves will hit. You also have to cut the tab that sticks up on top of the timming cover off for the lower intake to sit down. I took a a 350 distrubutor took the top plate off where the cap sits on and put the v6 on then cut the shaft and welded it to the 3400 oil pump drive so the distrubutor would sit up about 6" so it would clear the lower intake runners. You then have to make a u notch in the upper intake for the distrubutor cap to clear.And I also had to measure the push rods and have them custom made to use the rwd cam. ( I also done my 1st one using a foctory 3400 roller in order to use it you have to use the 3400 top timinr gear nad grind the block to bolt on the cam plate to keep it from moving back and forth, I drilled into and tapped the lifter vallies to bolt the roller lifter guides in, which I didn't get all of the metal out and the motor didn't last 5 miles before the bearings went out.) After this 2nd motor I ran a compression test on the cyclinders and the had between 275-290 psi (no thats not a mistype) I ran 110 octane racing fuel and the motor had unbelievable power but it also only lasted for about 2 hours before it blew a head gasket I'm currently pilling it out again but it will not have the rwd pistons in it.
08-19-2009, 05:28 PM
#96
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Cocoa, FL
Posts: 437
well I'm getting ready to pick up a 94 firebird for free from my mother. It just has a coolant leak somewhere. In any case, it's good to know the extent to which this motor can perform. However, I'm getting it simply as a daily driver. So it would not be financially viable for me to do such an intensive modification to my car. When the day comes that I can afford to do something like this... and I still happen to have this car, I may do this. Until that day... 
08-19-2009, 05:38 PM
#97
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Chatsworth, CA
Posts: 190
Jeez. post a little info about a project you did, walk away for a minute to live life and get your priorities straight and BOOM...
never thought this would grow the way it did lol.
Just FYI for everyone - you don't have to "notch" anything. and if you are messing with the pistons the easier thing to do would be to get pistons from a 97 DOHC (i've heard reference to using them) although it'll make your CR climb really really high.
Glad to know that people appreciate all the work that went into this - from me and everyone else - and sorry if I haven't been around. I had to form a car club, get married, and start living my life - couldn't be *all* about the car now could I?
pfft..who am I kidding..I'm always all about the car...
never thought this would grow the way it did lol.
Just FYI for everyone - you don't have to "notch" anything. and if you are messing with the pistons the easier thing to do would be to get pistons from a 97 DOHC (i've heard reference to using them) although it'll make your CR climb really really high.
Glad to know that people appreciate all the work that went into this - from me and everyone else - and sorry if I haven't been around. I had to form a car club, get married, and start living my life - couldn't be *all* about the car now could I?
pfft..who am I kidding..I'm always all about the car...
04-23-2010, 04:37 PM
#98
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 1
I subscribe to thirdgen.org and over there, several guys have STARTED the 3.4 hybrid, but no one seems to have mastered it. In reading your posts, you just seemed to have knocked it out 'ho hum' like it was a walk in the park! So kudos! Is it really as easy as just swapping the heads, intake, injectors and the lower compression pistons? How 'streetable' is it? Not that I would EVER consider running it on the street in California...
04-23-2010, 05:33 PM
#99
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Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Chatsworth, CA
Posts: 190
Wasn't quite "ho hum" - lol.
I think too many people are trying to hard to make it something it's not. I was simply trying to get a variation on the 3.4 with updated parts.
I had one thing done that I didn't perform:
Replacing the pistons.
That was done by a shop as I have stated several times before. They used (and i know this for a fact) -- Pistons designated "LA1" - the 3400 motor designation for the time (2002-3) I was doing the build.
The rest of it was all off the shelf stuff. The pushrods require measurement, and I don't remember the exact numbers, I'll see if i can look around and find them (I have it written down somewhere).
The rest of it is as stated in all the posts I did. I got a fuel rail and injectors from a 1999 3100 Grand Am GT - I bought a fuel pressure regulator and fuel rails from GM and modified them with the help of the hardlines from the 3.4 fuel block to fit and attach to the stock fuel connectors.
Everything I did - I did with attention to detail. If you look at my engine bay, or you look at the pictures of it I've taken, you would be hard pressed to see what is and isn't "factory installed". In fact I've had several people look at the car at various car shows and tell me that "GM really wedged the motor in there" - and I've commented that I did that, and its modified, and they are always shocked.
I'm not exactly sure what all people are doing that makes this swap so hard, it only took me a few months to get everything up and running and fired up right. There were some hurdles - I had to learn some about the differences in the 3.4 and 3x00 motor, but they were few and easily overcome.
If anyone has any questions you can keep adding to this thread, I'll get a notification - and you can email me through this board, should get to me ok. I'll answer when I can.
Good luck everyone!
-R
I think too many people are trying to hard to make it something it's not. I was simply trying to get a variation on the 3.4 with updated parts.
I had one thing done that I didn't perform:
Replacing the pistons.
That was done by a shop as I have stated several times before. They used (and i know this for a fact) -- Pistons designated "LA1" - the 3400 motor designation for the time (2002-3) I was doing the build.
The rest of it was all off the shelf stuff. The pushrods require measurement, and I don't remember the exact numbers, I'll see if i can look around and find them (I have it written down somewhere).
The rest of it is as stated in all the posts I did. I got a fuel rail and injectors from a 1999 3100 Grand Am GT - I bought a fuel pressure regulator and fuel rails from GM and modified them with the help of the hardlines from the 3.4 fuel block to fit and attach to the stock fuel connectors.
Everything I did - I did with attention to detail. If you look at my engine bay, or you look at the pictures of it I've taken, you would be hard pressed to see what is and isn't "factory installed". In fact I've had several people look at the car at various car shows and tell me that "GM really wedged the motor in there" - and I've commented that I did that, and its modified, and they are always shocked.
I'm not exactly sure what all people are doing that makes this swap so hard, it only took me a few months to get everything up and running and fired up right. There were some hurdles - I had to learn some about the differences in the 3.4 and 3x00 motor, but they were few and easily overcome.
If anyone has any questions you can keep adding to this thread, I'll get a notification - and you can email me through this board, should get to me ok. I'll answer when I can.
Good luck everyone!
-R
12-01-2010, 12:27 PM
#101
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 1
Re: Some insight into the 3.4L OHV RWD motor
hey im wanting to do the head swap on my 1994 camaro 3.4 but im not really 100% postive on what im doing.im enrolled in an automive course at my college and im going to do the rebuid myself but im not sure what parts will work and what parts wont. im wanting to go a little higher then stock but i dont want to buy anything and put it together and it not work. does all the parts have to be stock like the cam and pistons? i wanting to go slightly bigger with aluminum psitons with a comp cam but ive seen people talk about not having enough clearence. i need to get an idea of what parts i can and cant use if at all possible because i would to start to do my rebuild soon. so any information would be greatly appreciated.
04-28-2011, 05:35 AM
#102
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Florida
Posts: 1
Re: Some insight into the 3.4L OHV RWD motor
Hello everyone, Since Im new to the Firebird Family. I found your Post enlightening. Have you yet and if not how easy would it be to Post a list of the change over parts needed for the aluminum heads ? I see the
Heads: Off 99 Grand Am ??
Intake: Same as above
Fuel Rails: fuel rail and injectors from a 1999 3100 Grand Am GT
Injectors: fuel rail and injectors from a 1999 3100 Grand Am GT
Throttle Body: Assume off the Grand Am ?
Pistons:
New lifters or not ?
Diff cam and crank or used original 3.4 ones ?
I am buying a block from Junk Yard 3.4 because i want the stock Motor, Not going to V8. So my 1995 Firebird Convert is my Daily Driver but i can take as long as needed to build this Motor on a Stand
I also have a 5 speed manual think its the T56 tranny comes stock. Is there also any suggestions to the rear end gears like the 3.73's I read somewhere come stock in a forget the year Jimmy or Blazer ??
Also what about the sensors on the intake and throttle body ? are the harness the same ?
I see that i missed a few posts. so I am editing this.
Heads: Off 99 Grand Am ??
Intake: Same as above
Fuel Rails: fuel rail and injectors from a 1999 3100 Grand Am GT
Injectors: fuel rail and injectors from a 1999 3100 Grand Am GT
Throttle Body: Assume off the Grand Am ?
Pistons:
New lifters or not ?
Diff cam and crank or used original 3.4 ones ?
I am buying a block from Junk Yard 3.4 because i want the stock Motor, Not going to V8. So my 1995 Firebird Convert is my Daily Driver but i can take as long as needed to build this Motor on a Stand
I also have a 5 speed manual think its the T56 tranny comes stock. Is there also any suggestions to the rear end gears like the 3.73's I read somewhere come stock in a forget the year Jimmy or Blazer ??Also what about the sensors on the intake and throttle body ? are the harness the same ?
I see that i missed a few posts. so I am editing this.
Last edited by Noob-Bird; 04-28-2011 at 05:52 AM.
04-29-2011, 02:00 PM
#103
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Chatsworth, CA
Posts: 190
Re: Some insight into the 3.4L OHV RWD motor
NOTE: This post is to clarify what was done, HOWEVER, if you read throughout the thread you will find that I have already listed what parts I used and where I got them from. (two posts up from here, in fact)
If you want to replicate what I did to the letter here is a list of all of the parts that I used in my original build (that are on the car presently)
(part :: where to get)
Upper / lower intake manifold :: 2000 Grand Am GT
Throttle Body :: 2000 Grand Am GT
Fuel Rail / Injectors :: 1999 Lumina (3100 motor)
Headers :: RKSport 3.4L Nickel plated headers
Aluminum Heads :: 2000 Grand Am GT
Rocker Arms :: 2000 Grand Am GT
Camshaft :: Stock 3.4L Cam (when i did this originally)
Water Neck :: 2000 Grand Am GT (but there's a better one out there)
Pistons :: 2000 Grand Am GT (I would reccomend new ones however)
EVERYTHING ELSE IS STOCK. I COMPLETELY REUSED THE ENTIRE BOTTOM END OF THE 3.4L CAMARO ENGINE AND ONLY CHANGED THE PISTONS ON UP.
Even the camshaft is a stock 3.4L Camshaft.
The timing cover has to have the part that the heater hose assembly attaches to cut off and smoothed out. The pushrods are custom length. I will see if i can find measurements and post them here.
I had to do some custom work like removing the EGR plate from the 3x00 upper intake manifold and some custom plumbing work with a gas water heater hose and thread taps. I also had to custom make a bracket for the 3.4L throttle body cable to fit onto the intake and be held in the right location, but still operate the right way.
There were numerous other custom modifications as well.
I have pics of the original install (when it was a 3100 / 3.4L engine) - located here: http://black34v6.wcfb.cc/modpics/
Feel free to check it out. I'll try to get into this thread and update as much as possible. Life has become... busy, of late.
Drive Well.
If you want to replicate what I did to the letter here is a list of all of the parts that I used in my original build (that are on the car presently)
(part :: where to get)
Upper / lower intake manifold :: 2000 Grand Am GT
Throttle Body :: 2000 Grand Am GT
Fuel Rail / Injectors :: 1999 Lumina (3100 motor)
Headers :: RKSport 3.4L Nickel plated headers
Aluminum Heads :: 2000 Grand Am GT
Rocker Arms :: 2000 Grand Am GT
Camshaft :: Stock 3.4L Cam (when i did this originally)
Water Neck :: 2000 Grand Am GT (but there's a better one out there)
Pistons :: 2000 Grand Am GT (I would reccomend new ones however)
EVERYTHING ELSE IS STOCK. I COMPLETELY REUSED THE ENTIRE BOTTOM END OF THE 3.4L CAMARO ENGINE AND ONLY CHANGED THE PISTONS ON UP.
Even the camshaft is a stock 3.4L Camshaft.
The timing cover has to have the part that the heater hose assembly attaches to cut off and smoothed out. The pushrods are custom length. I will see if i can find measurements and post them here.
I had to do some custom work like removing the EGR plate from the 3x00 upper intake manifold and some custom plumbing work with a gas water heater hose and thread taps. I also had to custom make a bracket for the 3.4L throttle body cable to fit onto the intake and be held in the right location, but still operate the right way.
There were numerous other custom modifications as well.
I have pics of the original install (when it was a 3100 / 3.4L engine) - located here: http://black34v6.wcfb.cc/modpics/
Feel free to check it out. I'll try to get into this thread and update as much as possible. Life has become... busy, of late.
Drive Well.
Last edited by 94Camaro; 04-29-2011 at 02:10 PM. Reason: clarification
04-29-2011, 02:07 PM
#104
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Chatsworth, CA
Posts: 190
Re: Some insight into the 3.4L OHV RWD motor
Then why do you bother being a troll?
Yup. You must be right. Sounds like a weed whacker alright. That's why when I throw revs at other v8 Camaros I get challenged to races - or have LS1 owners follow me off the freeway for a contest. Yea. My car sounds crappy alright...
Like cheese is going to pay for anything...and I have it on good authority that two extra cylinders does not a finer engine make. Tell porsche that their cars suck cause they don't have a v8 in them.
You did realize that the Porsche 911 Turbo uses a 3.8L 6-cylinder engine, right? So..if a v8 is so "more finer" than a 6 cylinder. Why isn't Porsche using one in one of their most powerful cars?
Oh! Of course - "no offense" at all. You don't mean to offend when you came into a specifically v6 oriented part of a message board and spouted rhetoric to bash the v6 and the owners that love their cars.
You did realize that the Porsche 911 Turbo uses a 3.8L 6-cylinder engine, right? So..if a v8 is so "more finer" than a 6 cylinder. Why isn't Porsche using one in one of their most powerful cars?
Oh! Of course - "no offense" at all. You don't mean to offend when you came into a specifically v6 oriented part of a message board and spouted rhetoric to bash the v6 and the owners that love their cars.
Last edited by 94Camaro; 02-25-2015 at 01:24 AM.