Thread: Motor Replacement

I'm looking to buy a 2000 Grand Prix GT with roughly 120k on it that has a bad motor (sounds like a rod knock) for $700. The body is good and clean, interior is pretty clean, so I don't think it's a bad deal. It has a 3800 Series II in it which from what I have read should be an L36 and a 4T65E transmission.

I'm just looking to put another 3800 Series II in it, I'm not trying to change it to a GTP or anything, I just want to get a motor in it the cheapest and easiest way possible so I have a car to drive. I seen one thread where they had to change the PCM and some other things for the transmission to work properly, Will I have to do this as well? From what I read all the 97-02 L36's should be the same, so as long as I get an L36 from 97-02 should everything just swap motor wise and not have to do anything with a PCM?

Is there a certain year motor I should look for that has more power? I think I read the 01's had an upgrade in power? Would a Regal 3800 have more power than a Grand Prix 3800?

Are there any threads here that detail with pictures pulling the motor and dropping a motor?

Are there any places online that I could order a motor that I know will be reliable or has been inspected instead of just going to a junkyard and hoping I get a good one?

Anything I should expect with having to swap the motor?

Well Morad is only about 45 minutes away from me, however their cheapest L36 is $900 which is a lot more than I was expecting I was really thinking in the range of $500-$700 for one with roughly 80k on it. Well maybe the junkyard will be my best bet.

So the L26 from the 04-08's will work the only thing you need to change is the Upper intake manifold and gasket from the L36 to it? What about the alternator and throttle body and stuff like that? Will we have to use a belt for an 04-08 Grand Prix? Will the PCM need changed? Or does it pretty much just drop right in and go?

Yea the motor is an L36, and I work in a muffler shop that my dad owns so I can get the rotors pads and converter at cost and obviously there won't be any labor charge. The only thing that has me worried is the guy I work with that grew up with my dad has only pulled motors on RWD cars and more specifically, older muscle cars. Neither of us has ever swapped a motor in a new FWD car that has all the wiring and sensors for everything so were not quite sure how smooth it's going to go. I searched this forum for a DIY on pulling a 3800 with pictures of all the steps involved and couldn't find one.

Ok, I have figured out that the failed e-check was more than likely because of the converter. I got the car started and pulled it from outback into our muffler shop and raised it up, somebody that owned it prior had cut the converter off knocked the inside of it out and welded it back on.

The other motor I had found fell through so now I'm back to looking and found some L26's that are pretty cheap and low miles compared to the L36. Checked a couple of days ago and there weren't any L26's now there's about 10 of them, go figure.

Now I seen I had to change the upper intake from the L36 to the L26 but from what I have been reading it seems like every L36 that gets a rod knock is caused by the upper intake cracking where the EGR tube comes through dumping coolant into the lower intake which drains to the pan and causes it to spin a bearing. I am assuming that's what happened to this motor so I don't want to change the upper intake onto a nice L26 to have it ruin that one. Is there an easy way to check the upper for the crack? Even if I have to get another L36 upper used I don't think I would want to put it on the L26 and have it crack in 10k miles and ruin the L26?

Originally Posted by g4m3r7ag

Ok, I have figured out that the failed e-check was more than likely because of the converter. I got the car started and pulled it from outback into our muffler shop and raised it up, somebody that owned it prior had cut the converter off knocked the inside of it out and welded it back on.

The other motor I had found fell through so now I'm back to looking and found some L26's that are pretty cheap and low miles compared to the L36. Checked a couple of days ago and there weren't any L26's now there's about 10 of them, go figure.

Now I seen I had to change the upper intake from the L36 to the L26 but from what I have been reading it seems like every L36 that gets a rod knock is caused by the upper intake cracking where the EGR tube comes through dumping coolant into the lower intake which drains to the pan and causes it to spin a bearing. I am assuming that's what happened to this motor so I don't want to change the upper intake onto a nice L26 to have it ruin that one. Is there an easy way to check the upper for the crack? Even if I have to get another L36 upper used I don't think I would want to put it on the L26 and have it crack in 10k miles and ruin the L26?

I can get a L26 motor for $800 with 18k miles on it

I found one on car-part with 38k for $450. I'm still confused about changing the Upper intake though when that's the most likely the reason the motor went bad in the first place?

edit: We posted at the same time, Ok thank you for the info cause I really don't want to use the plastic upper that is prone to cracking on an L26. Ok so if I don't switch the upper intake will I still switch the fuel rail, alternator bracket?

And I would be using the L36 throttle body just with an adapter from zzp so it bolts to the L26?

I tried searching but its not letting me search PCV its too short, I even put " around it to make it search and no results were coming back. It seems like the longer this thread goes the more stuff that comes up that needs to be done that complicates it. Its starting to seem like its more trouble then its worth but the L26 is such a better engine it seems like.

Anybody know about this PCV thing?

I seen at clubgp a post about having to tap the TB adapter and seal something else off and haven't seen anything here about it. Does anybody have a true DIY/How-To on swapping an L26 into an L36 car?

Thanks for the link nascartech

I seen something on clubgp about having to change the coolant temp sensor as well. There seems to be more and more and nobody seems to have a true DIY for it.

Anybody done this? Know where there is a DIY?

I registered on clubgp about a week ago and my account still hasn't been approved.