jimoshel Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 Didn't do my homework. Just got home with my shiny new, front end only, 2010 Chevy. 92 actual miles. with the 4.3 engine and auto. Fella bought it new, drove out of the dealership and got tail ended. Car caught fire and was subsequently totaled. Fire department was on the ball and all the damage was confined to the rear end with the interior heavily smoke damaged. Finally got the legal works settled and I bought the remains for $950. Plan was to replace the blown 2.8 in the grey '86MJ with the 4.3. You can imagine my frustration when I got to checking out my prize and noticed the standard Chevy bell pattern instead of the 2.8 bolt pattern. :doh: Ain't no biggy. Got the local neighbor hood hot rodder drooling all over his self wanting the engine and Novak and Advance has adapters to fit. Got to make up my mind which way I want to go there. My question is, what is the biggest size engine and what years, models was it in that will bolt to the 2.8 bell housing? Only care about the mechanical bolt pattern, not the electrics, fuel etc, etc, hookups. :dunno: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Driver Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh.......you got what? $5K worth of engine for $1K with harness and computer I assume? And you have what to decide? really? Even with your concerns and disappointments I'd have no problem with an AX5 behind it, but then I don't tear things up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Driver Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 AW4s came behind them too didn't they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comanche County Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 I thought the 3.4 was the same engine with the same bellhousing....I'm talking about the 3.4s that came in 90's Camaros and Firebirds. I was looking at this with the 86' MJ I recently sold. I found a 95' Firebird engine, the plan was to just use the block and keep the Jeep upper end stuff on it, essentially a block swap. Here's a good link: http://www.lunghd.com/Tech_Articles/Pro ... ect_XJ.htm I like the idea of an injected 3.4, although JP magazine did name it one of the top ten Dumb engines swaps,,,,I do love those guys but they're in cahoots with the SBC crowd and they're biased toward Chevy powered Jeeps. From JP: "GM 60-degree V-6 The candidate: GM stuck the little 2.8L piggy in everything from front-wheel drive cars, to S-10 pickups and Blazers, to Camaros and Firebirds. Later stroked to 3.1L and then punched to 3.4L, every version left any semblance of power, torque, and longevity at the door. The perception: Why not yank a 2.8L out of a GM vehicle or '84-'86 Cherokee since they're plentiful in the junkyards? If it blows, you can grab a replacement pretty much anywhere. Or, why not upgrade a 2.8L Cherokee with a 3.4L Goodwrench 60-degree crate engine? The reality: Even the "mighty" 3.4L GM crate engine offered as a power upgrade for the 2.8L puts out a measly 160hp and 194lb-ft of torque. Besides, reliability was never one of the 60-degree V-6's traits. The exception: There is none. Move on. We think: The 2.8L is so bad and underpowered it must've been designed by the French. Its only saving grace is that it shares the same bellhousing bolt pattern as Jeep's 2.5L four-cylinder. We'd rather have one of those. Read more: http://www.jpmagazine.com/techarticles/ ... z1tfDHd0Hq" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJRemi Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 For some reason I thought the mid-late 90s GM 3.8 V6 was the same set-up as the 3.4 but I'm not sure. If so, it put out 205 hp and would be a decent option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimoshel Posted May 2, 2012 Author Share Posted May 2, 2012 The '86 MJ had the 904 automatic and the AX4 and AX5 manual trans. I have 3-4 good 2.8 engines I pulled from some S-10's. I was just wanting something with a little more oats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incommando Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 3.8 is like the 4.3 in that it is a 90 deg V6 not a 60 deg V6. That is about the only similarity between the Buick V8-derived 3.8 and the SBC derived 4.3. I think the 60 degree V6's were the 2.8/3.1/3.4/3.5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dasbulliwagen Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 The 3.8 may be a 90 degree engine, I don't know, but I do know that it has the 60 degree bellhousing. Jeepcomj has done a 3.8 swap, look him and his build thread up. From what I hear, it eats AX5's for breakfast, but a built A904 should hold up to it fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpace6a Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 The gm 3.4 is the next size up in the 60* gm v6's, and an ax5 will do alright behind it iirc. I have an 86 with the 2.8 as well, and was planning on putting an I6 in until i was informed on how much fab work it requires up front. the 3.4 can be found in the late '80s camaros and i believe firebirds, not positive about the firebirds though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvusse Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 If you want to keep a stick shift with a 3.8, put an AX15 behind it using a Dodge Dakota bellhousing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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