3.4l engine swap

Hey guys. I've heard a lot about the 3.4l engine swap (from 93-95 camaro/ firebird) and I was wondering if you think its worth it. I have found a 95 engine with 60,000 miles on it for a little over $600. I'm restoring my '85 Chief, and am wanting more power b/c I turned over 180,000 on the old power house. (yes....thats the 2.8) What have you heard about this swap, and can it be preformed easily? I've heard that it bolts up to everything nicely.

Any help is welcome.....I'm a beginner at this rebuilding stuff, so explain as best as possible. Thanks for your time

Go for it. What you have heard is correct -- this is THE simplest and most direct way to replace an aging 2.8L in a Cherokee. The 3.4L (rear wheel drive version) is built on the same 60-degree block as the 2.8L so it is a bolt in conversion.

To make it work in a Cherokee, it's easiest if you use the Cherokee intake and exhaust manifolds and peripheral brackets. The 2.8L uses a mechanical fuel pump mounted on the engine. The 3.4L doesn't have any provision for this, so if you stay with the carburetor you'll need to install an electric fuel pump. Not a big deal, and more reliable than the old diaphragm units anyway.

You also have the option of getting the complete injection wiring and computer from the donor vehicle and converting to EFI. That gets a bit more complicated, but it's possible.

The 2.8L used an externally-balanced flywheel/flex plate. The 3.4L doesn't, so you'll need to take your flywheel or flex plate to a good machine shop and have it zero balanced.

What he said :wave:
Here's some reading for ya - http://home.earthlink.net/~jeepcherokee1/Project XJ/Project XJ.htm
http://www.sallee-chevrolet.com/ChevyV6s/207ciV6.html
http://www.off-road.com/jeep/cherokee/xjtech/engine/28-34swap.html
http://www.gmgoodwrench.com/crate_eng/pdf/V6_HT34.pdf
Got more somewhere if you want...
Mike B.

1986xj said:

What he said :wave:
Here's some reading for ya - http://home.earthlink.net/~jeepcherokee1/Project XJ/Project XJ.htm
http://www.sallee-chevrolet.com/ChevyV6s/207ciV6.html
http://www.off-road.com/jeep/cherokee/xjtech/engine/28-34swap.html
http://www.gmgoodwrench.com/crate_eng/pdf/V6_HT34.pdf
Got more somewhere if you want...
Mike B.

Click to expand...

Followed the GM Goodwrench link. Lot of good info on the little parts and pieces that are needed on the last page. Thanks for the links.

I owned the GT Fiero with the 2.8ltr. Its the same engine used with the Cherokee. Neat thing is anything that you can fit into the Fiero 2.8 should work with the Cherokee with the 2.8ltr. There are a number of engine conversions used for the Fiero with the 2.8. The 3.8 is a very populat option too. As is the Caddy engine. Just some food for thought.

Viktor said:

I owned the GT Fiero with the 2.8ltr. Its the same engine used with the Cherokee. Neat thing is anything that you can fit into the Fiero 2.8 should work with the Cherokee with the 2.8ltr. There are a number of engine conversions used for the Fiero with the 2.8. The 3.8 is a very populat option too. As is the Caddy engine. Just some food for thought.

Click to expand...

I've never looked closely at a V6 Fiero and they are getting scarce around here, was the 2.8 used in the Fiero a RWD block?? I always assumed they were the FWD block which wouldn't have any provision cast into the block for RWD motor mounts. The 3.8 has it's own issues, FWD versions have the same MM issues and the RWD are BOP bellhousing pattern not the Chevy. The shortstar and Northstar are interesting propositions if you have buckets of cash, there are kits to solve the MM issues with these and to convert the water pump and all the other stuff to make them work in a RWD application thanks to the sandrail community who have been using them for a few years now.
At one time I think Novak had started working on developing the parts to make a FWD 3.8 kit work in RWD applications, but haven't seen anything ever on their site. Guess it's a low priority.
While all the options are interesting none of them are nearly as easy or inexpensive as the 3.4 swap.
Mike B.

fiero's used funky GM reverse transaxles.. so it was RWD with FWD engine, alot of people have been swapping in supercharged 3.8's and northstar v8's into fiero's.


i definately feel the 3.4 would be the easier choice..

Thanks for the reply's....If I drop the engine in, do you think I should add Flomaster exhuast to give it a little bit more power......how do u think the exhuast would sound?
What else could I add to the engine to make it go??? K&N is what I thought but im drawing a blank on what else.
Thanks

85Chief said:

Thanks for the reply's....If I drop the engine in, do you think I should add Flomaster exhuast to give it a little bit more power......how do u think the exhuast would sound?
What else could I add to the engine to make it go??? K&N is what I thought but im drawing a blank on what else.
Thanks

Click to expand...

I bet you can guess what I'll say :laugh: ummmmm "Weber" & the little K&N filter http://www.webercarbsdirect.com/inc/pdetail?v=1&pid=221. Don't get too carried away about the exhaust, a flowmaster sounds good at first but gets old pretty quick when it's echoing inside the big hollow box we call the XJ :wave: Something like a Dyno Max Ultra Flo™ SS Muffler works pretty good using the stock Y pipe and about 2-2.5" for the rest. If you go too big on pipes & stuff it won't scavange right and you'll end up loosing the bottom end torque.... but this is getting way off the subject now and the whole big exhaust = less power thing is way too complicated for my tired self to explain at the moment.
Mike B.