[Kashif W]

Is it possible to put a Chevy Cobalt engine in Chevy Caprice? Cause i have a old school box chevy which i love but its not good on gas and its not all that earth friendly.If i can keep my classic but make it morden that would be awsome.

 

[ChevyChugg]

Utterly Speechless

 

[moneypit]

why a wimpy cobalt engine?

 

[breetai]

Idea

If you want better mileage/emissions look into a 1987 or 1988 (the ONLY two years this applies) 3.8L. Buick v6. It's a 90degree v6 based on the tried and true 231, but with a LOT of goodies. It is NOT the same gutless wonder. This is the final build generation before they went to the 3800, which is a completely different motor.

Sequential digital fuel injection, distributorless digital ignition, factory roller rockers, factory tubular steel headers, factory "decked" heads.

I had one in a 1988 Olds Cutlass Ciera International 2dr, and it COOKED. It would outrun my friend Richard's 92 rs Camaro HANDS DOWN. In a front wheel drive car (which is why people overlook that motor, it's in a fwd platform, but is a rwd motor, that and they're scared of fuel injection for some reason). If I could keep my foot out of it, it got around 28 on the highway, and 20 or so in town.

Factory underrated at 180hp and 225ft/lbs i believe. PLUS they are the same motor, aside from intake manifold and computer, as the grand national motor of the same year, so turbocharging is RETARDEDLY simple. Kinda like me.:biggrin:

The only problem in putting one into a rwd car is with the intake manifold. It faces the wrong way on the motor, towards the back, but GN manifolds are fairly cheap on ebay, and can be run without the turbo.

You can pick one of these motors up, usually complete runners plus wiring harness and everything at a junkyard for around a couple of hundred bucks.

Just an idea.

 

[RMC]

+1 for that V6. Had one in a '87 Buick LeSabre; got great mpg and power. Crappy FWD trans went out and was a PITA to replace. Change the timing gear set while its out, if it has not been already been done. (It has the crappy pot metal[?] cam gear.)

A full GN engine would be a great swap too. Someone did one in a later wagon and got decent mpg, when his foot was not in it.

 

[Goldmaster]

LS1 conversion FTW :biggrin:

 

[spaceman spiff]

The v-6 would most likely get WORSE milage than a v-8 in that car.
It's a matter of torque vs weight.

The little v-6 would have to work harder to get all that mass moving.
A 350 with world products s/r torquer heads, a mild r/v-towing cam(for low end torque) a good dual plane intake and a q-jet. A converter justa touch over stock like a 2,000/2,2000 and say 3.42 gears.
Or a lt1 or lsx swap.

 

[Roadhouse]

Can i put a Cobalt engine in a 89 Caprice?

If you do... I'll laugh at 'cha. Seriously though, you'll need an engine that's designed to move all that weight. So even if you do install that in your Caprice in total defiance, it'll be a waste of time, money and stubbornness. :wink:

 

[deuce228]

Try putting an old school diesel from a small truck. Should move the weight and you can do a veggie oil setup.

 

[KW Baraka]

Can i put a Cobalt engine in a 89 Caprice?

Yes. But getting it to run is a whole 'nother issue.

KW

 

[breetai]

I never thought about that...

The Olds/Buick/Caddilac 350 cubic inch diesel of the early 80s is a decent motor, providing you tear it down and replace the head studs with a head bolt kit. It's basically a high nodular iron nascar type 350 gas block converted to diesel. You can expect decent gas mileage with one of those, though it won't be a racecar by any means! You could throw (well not exactly throw) a turbo on one (off a 6.2 would work) maybe even a propane fogger kit and it would go pretty ok.

One thing to remember with a diesel. DRIVE IT LIKE A DIESEL! You have to warm one up, slow down on the hills, not run it wide open like a gas motor, and cool it down after you are done running it.

You could put in a 6.2l diesel, out of a pickup/blazer (my dad has one in his 84 double cab heavy duty 1 ton extra long utility bed GMC, BIG truck, about 9000 curb weight, and he gets about 16 on the freeway at 55[flat and level at sea level]) or even a later model 6.5td, but it might not be as easy to put in.

On the 3.8. My dad built a 79 pontiac wagon with an 86 (close to the years i mentioned, just with batch fire, not sequential injection) 3.8l and it did just fine, granted it didn't accelerate like a scalded cat, but it did run pretty good at freeway speeds, and got decent mileage, I believe mid 20's or so.

 

[Moose]

The v-6 would most likely get WORSE milage than a v-8 in that car.
It's a matter of torque vs weight.

Cobalt's got a four lunger in it, doesnt it?

And if you're gonna go diesel, you want the motor out of my K3500. Mechanical injection pump, pressure actuated waste gate. Two wires, and it will run. No electronics :biggrin: