Thread: Top Swap or L32 Swap?

Curious question. Without any regard to cost, would it be better to top swap my L26 with L32 parts, or just swap in a whole L32?

L32 and be done with it

It would probably be the same amount, or less work to swap in the l32. You can pull the engine and drop in the new one in a weekend, easy. I've done a pull, cam install, and reinstall in an afternoon. It's really just incredibly easy once you know where everything is.

As for which choice you should make. I would suggest the l32. It's going to have more potential down the road because of the piston design/CPR. Also having the engine out will give you a chance to really clean everything up and do a nice install.

I plan on going pretty far with it, probably somewhere down to a 3.2 pulley.

Also a slightly unrelated question. Speed Daddy says their headers will only work with L67/L32, but they'll work with any 3800 right?

A 3.2 pulley isn't something I would consider as being that far down the mod list. Your at somewhere in the high 200's for WHP with a cam at that point. It's "okay" but your going to want more power I think.

I say topswap, if your l26 is in goof shape. More power

Originally Posted by TeeWX

A 3.2 pulley isn't something I would consider as being that far down the mod list. Your at somewhere in the high 200's for WHP with a cam at that point. It's "okay" but your going to want more power I think.

3.2 on a gen v though, breh. And idk how my car is gonna react to mods. It might mod like sh*t lol. I'm planning on a VS cam, E85, etc. Basically I'll pulley down until I have to intercool, at which point I'll either demod and turbo or go twin-charged.

Originally Posted by 01gpgt01

I say topswap, if your l26 is in goof shape.

It's got 144k miles on it, mostly highway. Seems like it's in pretty good shape but I got it at 112k miles so idk what happened before that.

Originally Posted by Confusingboat

3.2 on a gen v though, breh. And idk how my car is gonna react to mods. It might mod like sh*t lol. I'm planning on a VS cam, E85, etc. Basically I'll pulley down until I have to intercool, at which point I'll either demod and turbo or go twin-charged.



It's got 144k miles on it, mostly highway. Seems like it's in pretty good shape but I got it at 112k miles so idk what happened before that.

If you plan to ever go turbo then the l32 is better.

So where's the best place to get a cheap L32 lol. When I was checking it out earlier the cheapest one I found was for ~$950 and it had 43k miles on it (but they said it makes noise??? meh) or I could get one from Morad for $1250 + shipping that has 100k+ miles on it. Fuuuuuuuu...

if your planning to do all the mods then DEMOD and go turbo... why not just go turbo?

Originally Posted by Z34Phoenix

if your planning to do all the mods then DEMOD and go turbo... why not just go turbo?

Top swapping can be done much cheaper (thus many months sooner -- I'm a poor bastard...for now), there's much more community knowledge on the subject, it'll help me familiarize myself with the engine more...the list goes on and on.

im just saying.... cause if you do plan to go turbo... save the money and do mods that will help when turbo... stay NA get an HV2 or HV3 insert, cam, power logs or something that may be used with the turbo or something that can be sold easy. also get a tuner now and learn to tune NA where there is a larger margin of safety so when you got boost your not still learning and dont go boom!