Question about an engine?????

[Uncletruck]

Just wanted to add another point here. Before considering an engine swap ALWAYS-ALWAYS check the emissions regulations where you live, they not only differ in every state, they often differ a lot within a specific state. For instance in PA where I can get away with using a non computer carb on my '81 Malibu where I live in Erie county, if I were to move by Pittsburgh or Philadelphia this car would still need to have the emissions tested on an exhaust analyzer, where it would probably fail. This might not only effect you, but potential buyers of the car if you want to sell it later on.

The days of just tearing the old engine out and, "dropping in," whatever engine you want are becoming scarse, if not extinct in some locales. So if you want to legally drive the car, you better make plans to comply with emissions when changing over engines if your area requires it.

-Mark-

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

As far as costs go, well it all depends on where you shop for parts. I was recently in Binghamton NY to visit a friend of mine and went junkyarding while I was there. The U pull it yard there was a little cheaper than it is down here, and the prices I pay for this stuff are as follows ( estimated) PS pump-$15 Alt.-$20, Starter- $20, Pulleys- $5 ea ( 2 required) Fan and clutch- $15, Transmission- $65, Radiator $60, Fan shroud- $15, DIstributor $20, and so on. The best way to swap the car would be to find a wrecked G body or B body with a 305 or 350 and a TH200 4R trans that still runs and strip it for parts. That should be under $500 and will give you pretty much everything you need except for the exhaust. Check Craigslist and other places that specialize in cheap stuff and see what you can find. This is best left to a do it yourself type of project as the labor can get quite pricey to have it done. Besides, the 3.8 in that car is just awful to drive and you are much better off upgrading it. I drove one for 140k miles of pizza delivery and hated every minute of it! I get about the same fuel economy with the 355 I have now ( I planned it for delivering) as the V6 and far greater driveablility. ( however, I have not used it for delivering for 8 years- I bought my Nissan new for that purpose)

 

[Afroman2007]

where abouts is this junk yard located and do you have a phone number for the junk yard maybe? because Binghamton isn't that far from where i live.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

where abouts is this junk yard located and do you have a phone number for the junk yard maybe? because Binghamton isn't that far from where i live.

I only went the one time and can't remember the name of it, but I'll try to remember to ask my friend what it is the next time I call him. I remember that it is on a steep hill and that they have an old van they send around as a shuttle to help people get up and down the hill ( It's really steep). I think it's off exit one or two on the interstate and is just uphill from the Susquehanna river.

 

[Alanco]

Engine Replacement

Nobody mentioned the obvious: The cheapest way is to find a Cutlass with a 305 Chevy in it and just use all the parts in your car. Either that or just find a good Cutlass with a 305 Chevy. The engine will last forever and they used a 200 3 sp hydramatic.