Trying to get power out of the v6 - GM Performance Tuning

sr20fd3st · #1 (**permalink**) 01-30-2007, 12:21 AM

Hey. To be honest I've never messed around with F-body's, let alone many GMs before. I don't know if the L36 or w/e is one of those limp dick motors or if it's something that can be brought up to speed. I don't know shit about this motor. Here are a few Q's

-Is it an overhead cam or pushrod motor?
-Why the hell did gm stuff it under the damn firewall?
is there a way to get the heads off without pulling the motor?
-Will an upgrade in the ignition system, exhaust, intake, and other areas of N/A performance be noticable?
-Is there a decent selection of performance parts for this engine?
-does the 4L60E auto tranny have any balls?
-Are there any bolt-up supercharger kits for it that aren't a big pain in the ass?
-Is it worth it?

sr20fd3st · #2 (**permalink**) 01-30-2007, 12:23 AM

Oh yea...as for a goal I'd like to see 300 rwhp

wireless · #3 (**permalink**) 01-30-2007, 01:25 AM

the 3800 has huge potential, check, http://www.digitalhorsepowerinc.com, http://www.zzperformance.com, http://www.z-spec.com/catalog.htm, http://dtcc.cz28.com/ (sinister performance), and http://www.milzymotorsports.com/.

jeremy96gase · #4 (**permalink**) 01-31-2007, 06:25 PM

-Is it an overhead cam or pushrod motor?
Pushrod.

-Why the hell did gm stuff it under the damn firewall?
The V8 is a much larger engine, and they didn't want to move the transmission for the V6 version.

-is there a way to get the heads off without pulling the motor?
dunno.

-Will an upgrade in the ignition system, exhaust, intake, and other areas of N/A performance be noticable?
The GM ignition system in most cars is up to what ever your doing (should be no different on your ride). Exhaust and Intake will increase your performance noticeably, but not too 300hp.

-Is there a decent selection of performance parts for this engine?
There are LOTS of parts for that engine because of it's popularity in the Grand Prix market.

-does the 4L60E auto tranny have any balls?
www.gmpowertrain.com states the 4L60 is used to this day on a wide variate of engines including the 295hp 5.3L Silverado.

-Are there any bolt-up supercharger kits for it that aren't a big pain in the ass?
I've seen people put the Grand Prix GTP intake/supercharger setup on the L36 block. I've also seen people swap in a L67. Check http://forums.motorswap.org/
There is an aftermarket Supercharger for the L36 Grand Prix, dunno how hard it would be to make it bolt to a F-body L36.

-Is it worth it?
The F-body platform is capable of handling LOTS of power (far more than 300). This basically depends on what your looking for. Power in a strait line? Canyon carver? Daily driver with pep?
What do you want your car to do?

sr20fd3st · #5 (**permalink**) 02-01-2007, 12:55 AM

pretty much a daily driver with balls. I'm selling off my rx7 with was my fun car, and the firebird is my girlfriends car, but i dont think i can live on without being able to smoke the tires, and the gay little ricers that cruise around. that and i need something to do now that the rx7 is going.

300hp at the wheels should be what..350 at the crank..or maybe even
375-ish considering its an automatic? from the stock 220 or w/e thats a good 150hp over baseline that i'd like to drill out of it. that should atleast remind me of the rx7 :-/

that and my girl would dig it if she could stack up to a trans am :)

god it's so much easier with forced induction. N/A power = topend work..bottom end work..everything.. blower = injectors, maybe fuel pump :-/

I understand that the coil pack system on there will probably hold up fine for the power I'm looking for.

I mean, lets say I ported the heads, put stock ratio roller rockers in there with the proper springs and w/e (what is it..like 1.6:1 for this thing?) swapped the cam to something a little more beefy, put like a 90mm throttle body on it, with a cold air intake, 3 inch catback exhaust, underdrive pulleys, different intake manifold, and got a standalone engine management system to tune it to goodness....you think i'd hit the power I'm looking for?

god it would be so much easier if i just had a shortcblock on my stand to tear into, build up, and just swap later...
(p.s. how much would a less than 50,xxx mile l36 block go for?)

thanks btw for answering all my questions

jeremy96gase · #6 (**permalink**) 02-01-2007, 09:36 PM

I think you should look at the links wireless posted, and see whats available. zzperformance (look in Grand Prix section) is a very popular because they have great products, and good customer service.

I'll tell you there arn't too many 3800's with nearly 400hp at the crank, let alone NA 3800's.

Check www.car-part.com for engines in your area. You'll easily be able to find one for less than $1000.

jmak · #7 (**permalink**) 03-21-2007, 10:37 PM

For parts to start on check out www.moradpartscompany.com good prices on eng and tranny's and stock parts.

BlackJack · #8 (**permalink**) 03-22-2007, 02:08 AM

I'd consider an L67 swap of at least the short-block if you want a more stout bottom end. If I'm not mistaken, the Stattama drag TT GP is running nearly high 8 seconds on mostly stock bottom end. Someone smack me if I'm wrong?

http://www.zzperformance.com/miscftp...eekhof_901.wmv

phat_ridegt · #9 (**permalink**) 03-31-2007, 02:30 PM

ZZP FTW.

you can make that motor have as much hp as you can afford. I'm not sure in an f-body, but a simple bolt on turbo kit in a gp, can yield 300+whp, and with a cam or rockers, and a good tune with an i/c...400whp is easily in reach.

check out my mod list with zzp
http://www.zzperformance.com/grand_p...ies1.php?id=74