2.8 to 3.1 rebuild?

[tkgibbs27]

what do you have to consider if you want to rebuild the 2.8 to 3.1L? i have been told it can be done, but what would you need exactly? someone on here told me you can tell if you can rebuild it to a 3.1L by looking at the harmonic balancer.

[JeepcoMJ]

all the way to 3.5 and 3.5

 

worth the time? no

 

the worst thing about them motors is the damned jeep carb, so upsizing pistons will not help you very much. in fact, I'll be honest and say you'll wish you didn't waste the $$$

 

 

you can BUY for $450 OR LESS a 3.4 from a camaro, with fuel injection, and retrofit that in. identical block to the 2.8, just need an in-line fuel pump (or 2.5/4.0 sending unit...not sure which), the engine bay wiring from the camaro, and it's engine computer.

[tkgibbs27]

guess i won't go down that road then.

 

well i got all the info on swapping that gutless pos out for a 3.4L. only hard part is finding the engine, wiring harness, computer and everything else i need. it is even less likely is finding a wrecked pontiac or camaro for a decent price. it seems like they are just as rare as comanches are over here.

 

EDIT: i have called basically all the wrecking yards within a 2 hour drive. and looked every where on craigslist. haven't found a wrecked camaro or pontiac with the right trans., they've all been drivable both auto and manual for 2K+

[GirsMJ86]

My last 86 had a 2.8 in it rebuilt to 3.2L, and I tell you the thing still was worse then my 86 K-10. Like Jeepco said, its the carbs. If you can cut back on the carbs then you have a much better truck. :D

 

Anyways.... Just do the Camaro swap, and when you do the swap make it fuel injected as well.

 

Alex

[tkgibbs27]

well i have been looking around for a camaro or firebird since some of you guys have recommended the 3.4L swap. no luck finding a cheap one, nor finding just the engine and tranny. seem pretty scarce around here, but i am still keep my eyes wide open for one. one of my buddies was telling me that his friend has a 94 or 95 camaro auto, that he is pretty sure that his buddy is selling, but wasn't quite sure how much he wanted for it.