Radical engine swap, easiest to make run?

Suppose you wanted to replace a 110hp lump with something else ranging from 180hp-300hp but more importantly you would like a ton of torque as well, you have no issues making nearly any engine fit in the engine bay BUT you want to do the swap within a very small budget.

What is the EASIEST FWD engine to use when swapping into another FWD chassis?

I am considering a PreOBD Buick 3.8L (1989-1994) that would eventually get unnaturally aspirated.

What ideas do you have for EASY to wire engine swaps?

"tons of torque" means to me Powerstroke/Duramax/Cummins with a bigger turbo and a LP tank on board.

SBC? If you go with a carb and dizzy, the wiring doesn't get much easier.

sbc

Let me add one parameter that was omitted.

FWD.

quad 4?

Nissan SR20? (jim wolf has those thoroughly cracked and could sell you a plug and play ecu deal)

Northstar v8 (the sand rail guys get them to run, and they are dirt cheap)

I'd look into a Mazda KL-DE. They're very common and can be found for $100 if you look hard enough, and they're 60-degree 2.5L V6s with an aluminum block, 24 valves, DOHC, and very oversquare. Very compact and FWD as well.

LS4? Not sure on the electronics. Northstar, perhaps?

2.0/2.4 chrysler 2.2/2.5 chrysler

unevolved wrote: I'd look into a Mazda KL-DE. They're very common and can be found for $100 if you look hard enough, and they're 60-degree 2.5L V6s with an aluminum block, 24 valves, DOHC, and very oversquare. Very compact and FWD as well.

This. Great motor.

Great motor, but how hard are they to wire?

Northstar? Whatever the V8 was they stuck in the Malibu?

Mazda KLDE

I have one with a 5speed, ecu, and wiring harness that I'd let go for $300

Toronado. Get one of the older ones with a carb and a dizzy.

Is wiring really that hard?

mw wrote: Mazda KLDE I have one with a 5speed, ecu, and wiring harness that I'd let go for $300

Hell, if you weren't over the border, i'd buy that.

mw wrote: Mazda KLDE I have one with a 5speed, ecu, and wiring harness that I'd let go for $300

I will PM you.

John Brown wrote: Suppose you wanted to replace a 110hp lump with something else ranging from 180hp-300hp but more importantly you would like a ton of torque as well, you have no issues making nearly any engine fit in the engine bay BUT you want to do the swap within a very small budget. What is the EASIEST FWD engine to use when swapping into another FWD chassis? I am considering a PreOBD Buick 3.8L (1989-1994) that would eventually get unnaturally aspirated. What ideas do you have for EASY to wire engine swaps?

It depends on who's doing it.

If it were Andy, well, I'd tell him to go ahead and stuff the big block into the mini anyway he sees fit.

OTOH, for a Mr Quasi, it would be more on the line- don't even change the oil filter- you may not get done.

Just sayin.

Eric

alfadriver wrote:

John Brown wrote: Suppose you wanted to replace a 110hp lump with something else ranging from 180hp-300hp but more importantly you would like a ton of torque as well, you have no issues making nearly any engine fit in the engine bay BUT you want to do the swap within a very small budget. What is the EASIEST FWD engine to use when swapping into another FWD chassis? I am considering a PreOBD Buick 3.8L (1989-1994) that would eventually get unnaturally aspirated. What ideas do you have for EASY to wire engine swaps?

It depends on who's doing it. If it were Andy, well, I'd tell him to go ahead and stuff the big block into the mini anyway he sees fit. OTOH, for a Mr Quasi, it would be more on the line- don't even change the oil filter- you may not get done. Just sayin. Eric

Somewhere in between, the Audi tech that took the black Beetle carcass when I was done getting parts from it.

Aren't there a lot of modifications available for the 3.8? I know a number of guys are drag racing late model Grand Prixs, etc. with the supercharged version of that engine.

what about the turbo'ed version (3.1L?) You should be able to turn the boost up pretty good.

the sand rail guys also use the supercharged pontiac/buick motor... I have no idea if they are running factory ecu's or stand alone or what. they've also been showing up in some of the midengined "rock buggies" lately..

You didn't specify some important bits, but I will give it a go

The small LS variant they put in the malibu SS with a edelbrock carb and intake and MSD box. That stuff is pretty pricy, but it makes the same power as the injected route, and it can be done very easily. The downsides are that it's a carb, and it's (I think) an automatic.

how would you control the auto if you carb'd the motor?

how would you control the auto if you carb'd the motor?

SRT-4/PT Cruiser turbo. Stock turbo = excellent response, 300+ wtq without much effort. I giggled every time I took the 1g ACR for a spin.... I miss that car....sometimes.