For my 96 cavalier i was thinking a 3800 series II V6, with the tranny that comes with it. Do you thinks this a a good idea? Why ir why not?

go for it.



Desert Tuners

“When you come across a big kettle of crazy, it’s best not to stir it.”

should I wipe with toilet paper or wet ones? why or why not?

When traction+power (Particularly high low-end torque) combine well with a low curb-weight, it's beautiful. And that's just what you'll have with this combo. Just be easy off-the-mark with it (Once it's installed) & you'll love it! Especially with an overdrive trans out on the open highway! (Woo-hoo!)


Go beyond the "bolt-on".

I think the Isuzu 5 speed will bolt up to the bell housing on the 3800


Project Resurrection is in full swing!

^ Yes, but you need a 3.8L F-body flywheel machined down to the thickness of the stock 2.2 flywheel to do it.

(note* the tranny must be a 2.2 tranny too)

Also, that's a lot of TQ on the tranny. The engine makes 280 ft/lbs stock, and the trans is rated at a max input of 225. Something it prbably going to go boom, as we've seen people trash the Isuzu with less.

Mythod wrote:I think the Isuzu 5 speed will bolt up to the bell housing on the 3800

your right it will bolt up but the isuzu is garbage you might aswell hook up a 95 3spd Auto if your gonna use that trans. if you enjoy swapping transmission everytime you release the clutch at 2000rpm then GO FOR THE ISUZU.

if you choose the 5spd get the 2nd gen 3.1 5spd trans and axels or use the 00 + 2200 trans
you will need a 3800 RWD flywheel found in a camero or firebird. i believe its 1.14" thick from the back of the centre ring to the clutch face, this has to be machined down to .84 and then use a clutch for whatever trans you choose

if you want auto then get the 4T65E HD trans from a bonneville or lesabre its much stronger then a stock grand prix trans. also the autos are less wiring aswell make sure you get theft removed if you have THEFT in the DONOR CAR you can't do a cav relearn aswell the regals have chips in the key (GAY) once you get the PCM it best to get it out there ASAP i wish i did i have been waiting for mine cause Raven has had a stubbern car in his shop the wont run, HOPEFULLY EARLY THIS WEEK.

Best to research this talk to the guys that have it in there cars or have put one in not the guys that think they know what its like. i put mine in the car did the fabricating with help from SMCAVALIER and i wired my car aswell twice accually cause we thought there were issues wiht it turns out it was fine

the guys to talk to are
myself, lenko, raven, sunfireGTP there are a bunch more but if i recall we are the ones who have recently done it or are currently doin it and its fresh in our minds.


JBO since July 30, 2001

I'm running my '96 Sunfire with the 3800SC (supercharged) and the original Isuzu Tranny (MK7). Don't do this unless you swap the third member ass'y (weakest part) with one from a '91-'93 GEO Storm 5-speed. The MK7 has cast spider gears and a lot of slop between them. The storm tranny has machined spider gears.

Also, purchase a "TEAM GREEN" LSD unit (as seen on this website).

When you shave the camaro/firebird flywheel, remove .300" to match and be careful about the flywheel mtg bolts.

I have all the gages working in the dash except for the Tach. A/C and Cruise work too.

Raven and Brian (Team Green) were GREAT !!! resources for me.

Heh.... that damn tach never wants to pick up 6 cyl's.

stupid tach thats why i'm running all auto meter guages in mine, i'm not at the momment but have them sitting here ready to go in.

i wasn't sure if the coolent temp works i haven't had mine run long enough to notice that


JBO since July 30, 2001

To make the temp gauge work and get the correct signal to the 3800SC, you need to install both the 2.2 and 3.8 temp sending units. Drill a hole in the intake manifold next to the original temp sender. Be careful not to put it to close to the thermostat or you won't get it back in. I run an offset thermostat in mine that comes in the GTP version.

pfft screw that i'm gonna continue with my autometer guages i already drilled a hole in my spare manifold for me water temp gauge

i got the 6 gauges i wanted in my dash cluster with no gauge pods, now for the filler and the paint and its good to go


JBO since July 30, 2001

Sunfire SSR wrote:To make the temp gauge work and get the correct signal to the 3800SC, you need to install both the 2.2 and 3.8 temp sending units. Drill a hole in the intake manifold next to the original temp sender. Be careful not to put it to close to the thermostat or you won't get it back in. I run an offset thermostat in mine that comes in the GTP version.

ROFL... Screw that. GM 3-wire CTS FTMFW.

That's what I run instead of running 2 CTS's. Works marvelously.

Application is a 93 Cavalier 2.2.

yeah i'm just putting my temp sensor in the bleed hole until i swap out my ported lower manifold and supercharger


JBO since July 30, 2001

Tried the GM 3-wire first. Signal to the PCM for the 3800SC didn't match. Had bad Starting / idle issues.

pound for pound and MPG the 2.4 is a better engine. the 3800 doesn't really outperform a 2.4 plus it sucks more gas.

the fellow i got my 2.4 from a while back said he was going to do the swap, my question is because im really interested is.. does someone have a mounting system they manufacture or how far off is the subframe from a gtp or regal or what ever else a 3800 comes in to bolt to the j-body platform?

wow a 2.4 is better then a 3800?? yeah right lol. i get 19mpg in the city and 26 in the high way with my 3.8 sc regal. the car runs 13.7 with bolt ons and the curb weight is almost 3600 lbs lol. pushrods ftw

Ok. Manny

My Sunfire with the 3800SC gets 30 mpg @ 75mph. Out performs the 2.4 dramatically. Laugh at that ? I think not...

Maken Waves wrote:pound for pound and MPG the 2.4 is a better engine. the 3800 doesn't really outperform a 2.4 plus it sucks more gas.

people that have no clue what there talkin about should stay out of posts

my 97 2.4L got 600km to a tank (from over the full mark to the check gauges light)
my 3800sc on the bottom 1/2 a tank i got 275km, also the when you fill it full it takes about a 100km for the needle to come down to full mark, so thats about 375 i got another 1/2 a tank on the guage (full mark to 1/2) so i should hit atleast 600 again wiht a bigger engine.

now i haven't accually filled it FULL and run it down yet as i have only 300km on the car since the swap.

the 3800 is a very fuel efficient engine my dad gets 38mpg on the highway in his impala you put that engine in a lighter car
-it has less weight to pull around
-it doesn't have to work as hard
-slap a 5spd to it you get even better milage (if your not redlining it)

you can't sit here and say those oil burner, rod snapping, ticking time bomb 2.4s will out perform a 3.8. when was the last time the 2.4 wait the QUAD 4 was a WARDS 10 best engines thats right never the 3800 was on the list 4 years in a row from 94/95/96/97, the last 4 cyclinder GM had on that list was the LSJ ecotec, WHY GM 4 Cylinder DOHC were garbage simple crap hell even the 3.4 DOHC sucked thus why GM is using the SAAB DOHC 4 Cylinders now


JBO since July 30, 2001

Maybe he was thinking the 3800 series 1 non supercharged... The series 2 or 3 ESPECIALLY the supercharged engines will blow the 2.4 out of the water. My dad's 97 Grand Prix (which is much heavier than a cav) with the series 2 NA 3.8L is faster than 2.4's with autos or crappy drivers. Imagine that in a cavalier!

To the OP, if you have the chance, definately get the supercharged engine because if you go NA its not as simple as bolting on the blower, they have some different internals aswell and i'm thinking the less often you have to put in and take out that huge engine the happier you will be.

Has anyone successfully swapped the series 3 in yet?


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<<<<<2003 Sunfire Sedan>>>>>

The only real difference is the series III has a Gen V blower instead of a Gen III blower. I've heard that the engine management on the Series III makes it much more worthwhile to have the Series II setup.

However, you can swap the Gen V blower onto the series II. I think they said the same ammount of boost, but 250rpm lower.

Drive by wire isn't an issue? I thought 04'+ Grand Prixs had this. I know its an issue with an LSJ swap because it means rewiring the car but i suppose you'd have to do that for this swap anyway.


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<<<<<2003 Sunfire Sedan>>>>>

it depends i think if you swap out pedal assemblies you can run it

the series 1 was a 10 best as series 2 didn't come in till 97 i think maybe 96


JBO since July 30, 2001