1997 GTP engine Swap

**chi_town** · 09-06-2009

Since im new here and new to the GTP ownership community i have a problem and hopfully will get some answers shortly. I purchased a 97 GTP for $2400 on Friday the 3rd of this month. Well I drove the car home and had the exhaust fixed the next morning. Well that was about the last drive for the car since their started to be a slight ticking coming from the lower part of the engine..

From what I have been told by the previous owner he had the IMG done just recently (Upper/Lower). You can tell the intake was machined previously and im thinking i was screwed on the deal , but in any event that's an entirely different issue..

I know that it is possible to do top swaps on the L36, i was thinking of purchasing a L36 and swapping my top end off my L67 .. What exactly would need to be done? How hard is it... Is it hard to do a completely engine swap entirely if i were to be helped by someone that has done it before?

I just really want to know what exaclty would need to be done to pull the engine out and drop in the L36 and than what would be needed to swap the entire top end off my L67 onto a purchased L36...

Thank you in advance..

Chi_Town

**TheOtherNick** · 09-06-2009

Pretty much the same as a top swap. http://www.grandprixforums.net/f17/t...lots-7763.html
The block will just bolt in. You need to be able to tune for the higher compression and need some flow mods. ie headers intake and cam it while its out.

**chi_town** · 09-06-2009

Alright thanks ill look over that and see what othre information i can find out.. Now is it needed to actually get those flow mods? I know headers are expensive and i was going to go with power logs ... What would i do to the intake? HV3 possibly or am i just not fallowing...

I spent enough on the car as is i want the best possible running vehicle when it's done and also it being not only my DD but my Toy i want something reliable and built tough so it can handle a slight beating when i hit the gas...

Now here are a few engines I found on ebay.. will this work?

00 01 02 03 04 Buick Park Avenue 3.8L Engine Motor L36:eBay Motors (item 390089538572 end time Oct-02-09 13:15:23 PDT)

2005 05 Buick Park Avenue 3.8L Engine Motor L36 ~ 35K:eBay Motors (item 200379515796 end time Oct-01-09 08:45:17 PDT)

There is a few more on Ebay when you enter (L36) so..

Chi_Town

**skidoojames151** · 09-06-2009

the hv3 is only used on l36 w/o top swap...its inside that black plastic intake on the very top...on a s/c car there is a nice big blower there

**skidoojames151** · 09-06-2009

and give morad parts company a call or email...google them

**TheOtherNick** · 09-06-2009

x2 call up ed morad and just get a long block. For flow mods I would say make a fwi, get some modded rockers, headers. Then get a tune. Then you should be fine running the high compression.

**TheOtherNick** · 09-06-2009

You might even be able to drop a pulley with those, or if you just want to get the block because its cheaper make a fwi and get a plog and dp. Then a tune.

**chi_town** · 09-06-2009

Well that seems like alot of work, i thought i could do a complete top swap pretty easily as long as i either have a shop do it or really know what im doing.. I figured id have to tune it because of the compression being lower.. But i didn't know that i would have to do all that for it to actually function properly... If i were to get the block i would pretty much have to build it from the ground up correct? And, that would be cheaper for me than to find a L67 that is already together with low miles?

Im currently trying to talk to the previous owner about giving me money back for all this because of how things happened nearly 24hrs after i returned to the state of MI, I only owned the car a total of 17hrs up untill the engine went.. It still trys to crank over which is odd enough but i have shavings on the dipstick. I was planning on draining the pan and seeing what comes of it but other than that i dont know any other way to see what exactly happened and if it were be repairable or more worth finding a new engine or building one... I dont have any knowledge of building an engine and idk what it'd cost a shop to do so either ...

Chi_Town

**chi_town** · 09-10-2009

Ok so i found myself a 97 gtp engine without the sc in "Holly Michigan" off of Craigslist, i called and had them hold it for me . It has 87K on it came from a car that was rear ended, what i was told is the trans was destroyed... But idk how it would have been if it was rearended? Now should i take a chance on this engine ? They want $225 to pick it up, with gas and everything i figure to have about $400 into it.. I have the charger and a few other goodies off my engine that im going to sell this engine also comes with the wiring harness and ECU..

Now if that would be a good idea, i was thinking about getting rockers, and powerlogs.... I have a K&N drop in as of now but obviously that does nothing since hte car isn't really my DD at the momment with the engine issue..

*UPDATE* the engine still runs, seems to be more of a Rod knock more than anything, we drained the oil and there was shavings on the oil drain plug, but i was excited to just drop a new battery in and have the car start right up with no hesitation..

Ideas? thoughts... Should i pickup this other engine and maybe look into repairing this one?... Would it be smart to pull the oil pan off and see how bad the crank is exactly?

The previouse owner refuses to help pay for anything to get done, and im not sure if there is anything i can actually do about it because of the purchase comming from a privet seller..

And, last and final... My friend offered to do the swap for the sc'd parts off my current L67 minus the Charger, and whatever the other engine may need, but id give him the ecu and harness.... Is this a pretty stellar trade or should i look into shop work? he's a good mechanic with alot of knoledge in the field i do trust him to do the swap correctly, but he's saying there isn't any other way to do it other than dropping the subframe.

Any, and all ideas are greatly appreciated , thank you to everyone that has posted and anyone that may in the near future.. I want my GTP back =*(

Chi_Town