turbo buick motor in a monte ss

[MonteMan1987]

I want to put a 87 grand national turbo motor in my 87 monte ss, rite now i got a 400hp sbc and just cant handle the gas prices with my car gettin prob around 7 mpg im thinkin a turbo v6 motor maybe help and also make a unique car.
Just wondering if anyone has done this swap before, i have seen plently of malibus with 3.8 turbo motors as well as el caminos but never a monte ss.
Just curious as to what i might need, obviously a complete motor wiring harness and computer but as far as the fuel system im not sure. any help and resources would be appreciated, thanks

 

[2000.malibu.ls]

you could give the car a diet and get a motor from a ponitac solstic? the 2.2 ecotech, a four cylider with some attitude, I would think getting that gn motor would be more expensive than buying that ecotech and making it turbo. I wonder if it could be done?

 

[R/T kota]

I cant see it being any different doing the swap in a monte over any other g out there.
I'm doing the swap to my malibu after the body work is done.

Finding a GN/ T type fuel tank will help.
Not sue if it is really necessary but it has the baffle in the tank and already set up for the pump.
Also need a BOP trans.

Side note, the 3.8 turbo should have came factory in the monte SS instead of the 305.
They did make turbo 6 montes in 80 or 81. Why not the SS?

 

[dan2286]

They did have Monte's with turbo 3.8, so you should be fine. I would take the whole drivetrain from a Grand National(engine, trans, pcm, wiring harness.) just to make things easier. Dont forget to get the trans crossmember, frame pads, most likely gas tank allso.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

For the amount of money you are going to spend, it will take a long time to make up the difference. The swap will probably cost almost as much to do as it would to buy a crappy condition GN in the first place. I would consider a change in gearing, transmission or fuel delivery on your current engine first, or getting a efficient daily driver and just use the SS for fun. I have about 350hp and get over 15mpg city. You should do better than 7!!!

 

[joe_padavano]

For the amount of money you are going to spend, it will take a long time to make up the difference. The swap will probably cost almost as much to do as it would to buy a crappy condition GN in the first place.

Amen to that! At GMs at Carlisle there were a couple of GNs in so-so condition for $4K or so. And while the turbo Buick motor was installed in the Monte for a few years, it was the earlier carb version of the motor, not the SFI version.

 

[daffy]

They did have Monte's with turbo 3.8, so you should be fine. I would take the whole drivetrain from a Grand National(engine, trans, pcm, wiring harness.) just to make things easier. Dont forget to get the trans crossmember, frame pads, most likely gas tank allso.

what year were they made? pics???

 

[78MC-BBC]

yes there were turbo 3.8 monts, but only in 1980 & 81 and these cars were very slow. very basic turbo technology, not fuel injected and basically a hot air car.

because its a v6 does not mean that with a turbo that you'd get alot better mileage than the v8 does. most gn owners i've dealt with get right around 15-17 city and 18-20 highway only when the keep the sock computer and dont tweak the motor any.

your best bet is to change the gearing in the rear end or get an overdrive transmission. you never said what your running for either one?

i'd laugh if i ever saw an ecotec 4 banger in a monte even with the turbo it would be much if any change in power versus a good basic 350.

then again i run a 600 horse big block in my monte, but my dailydriver is a ponitac sunfire with the ecotec 4 banger getting 21 city mpg

 

[joe_padavano]

i'd laugh if i ever saw an ecotec 4 banger in a monte even with the turbo it would be much if any change in power versus a good basic 350.

Sounds like you'll get your chance to see one in the 2009 Camaro, however. I'm not sure that 260 HP, 260 ft-lb, and 30 MPG is a bad thing.

 

[R/T kota]

i'd laugh if i ever saw an ecotec 4 banger in a monte even with the turbo it would be much if any change in power versus a good basic 350.

Sounds like you'll get your chance to see one in the 2009 Camaro, however. I'm not sure that 260 HP, 260 ft-lb, and 30 MPG is a bad thing.

Word is the base engine in the new camaro will be a 296 hp 3.6-liter V6
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