What type of mods can I do to a 3.8L to gain performance? This is in my 81 monte Carlo, she is my daily driver
3.8L mods?
- Thread starter Ever Rojas
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Pretty vague question. I can already hear people saying "swap it! swap it!" lol
A Google search would give you your answer. Heads, intake, cam, suspension, etc...
You can get an Eaton M90 supercharger off craigslist for really cheap. Theres a lot out there. If I had a 3.8, I think that would be a fun upgrade. You can also get a cheap turbo.
You can also cut weight by getting aluminum parts (both for the engine or body), or fiberglass parts for the body.
I would make sure you spend money evenly, as in, dont drop a 454 in your car and neglect the transmission, suspension, etc.
A Google search would give you your answer. Heads, intake, cam, suspension, etc...
You can get an Eaton M90 supercharger off craigslist for really cheap. Theres a lot out there. If I had a 3.8, I think that would be a fun upgrade. You can also get a cheap turbo.
You can also cut weight by getting aluminum parts (both for the engine or body), or fiberglass parts for the body.
I would make sure you spend money evenly, as in, dont drop a 454 in your car and neglect the transmission, suspension, etc.
Pull it and swap in any warm v8 or turbo'd 3.8 if you're inclined.
It's a matter of cost vs gains. You can dump a bunch of money into the 3.8 but by the time you do. you will pay just as much for a decent SBC and probably only make 2/3 the power of the slowest SBC. Infact it would probably cost more and require more work.
If you really want to make the car quicker with the N/A 3.8 change your rear end gearing. Top end and MPG will suffer but getting up there will be quicker.
It's a matter of cost vs gains. You can dump a bunch of money into the 3.8 but by the time you do. you will pay just as much for a decent SBC and probably only make 2/3 the power of the slowest SBC. Infact it would probably cost more and require more work.
If you really want to make the car quicker with the N/A 3.8 change your rear end gearing. Top end and MPG will suffer but getting up there will be quicker.
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An Electric Fan seems to be the most bang for the buck 
I would put in a new ebay high flow cat, and a free flow muffler so it atleast sounds faster.
New plugs/plug wires, a new fuel filter, an oil change with high zinc oil and advance the timing a little.
After that its not really worth sinking any money into. The heads are horrible. They flow like 135 CFM on the intake. Without turbocharging, they are pretty much hopeless.
If I was building a NA carbed 3.8L and didn't have a any other motor available, I would use a 500CFM carb on an AL manifold and use the heads off Fwd 3.1 and fab up some exhaust manifolds.
I would put in a new ebay high flow cat, and a free flow muffler so it atleast sounds faster.
New plugs/plug wires, a new fuel filter, an oil change with high zinc oil and advance the timing a little.
After that its not really worth sinking any money into. The heads are horrible. They flow like 135 CFM on the intake. Without turbocharging, they are pretty much hopeless.
If I was building a NA carbed 3.8L and didn't have a any other motor available, I would use a 500CFM carb on an AL manifold and use the heads off Fwd 3.1 and fab up some exhaust manifolds.
Well the 229 Chevy v6 will take the same stuff as the 265 4.3 v6. So dress up kits headers intakes cams and distrutors are all available.
But will be lucky to brake 150hp. But it will be fun to do. Check summit for what's there.
But will be lucky to brake 150hp. But it will be fun to do. Check summit for what's there.
I wasn't even thinking about the 229 Chevy V-6. Junkyards are full of 4,3's from wrecked blazers.
As a kid a knew guys who ran a Buick Busch Grand National North Series car.... so i saw V6s could run hard and put out some HP... but i havent paid attention to them in years.... if its a che
Id dump the 229.... unless you like the challange.... swap 4.3..... or v8
The GN series motors have almost zero in common with the production motors other than maybe the bore spacing. Those motors would make a fabulous motor, but they never put them in a street car. If you ever see a GN for sale for $30K and it says "stage 2" in the ad, it has one of the racing motors in it, and they can make serious HP.
The fastest stock body production car is still an '89 Turbo Trans Am with a stage 2 motor (299 mph).
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