Swapping Engine Questions

[flamingothicsnake]

So we are finally going to swap my engine!    ...Hopefully anyways. Its an 87/88 beretta 2.8L. Since i'm broke and couldn't afford a brand spankin new engine, i got one from an 89 olds supreme. Here is what i've noticed already. The oil filter location is diffrent, diffrent oil filter ( fram ph3980) which is just a longer filter than the (fram ph3387a). How do i switch that. And, i know some of the common gaskets that leak oil and coolant, valve covers, distributer seal, and a few more. Anyone help me out on other common gaskets on 2.8L that leak? I'm not doing a total job, cause i paid only 200 for this engine. If it dies, it dies. it will be better than whats in my car right now. How do we start this project, what should be first things to be taken off, or out... (coolant and oil first) Any suggestions? Thanks for reading! and responding!
~Sammie~

[danmf05]

i just swaped a motor in my 89 beretta, with a 90 cavalier, i flushed the coolant, drained oil, you can see if you old motor has an extension on the oil filter and swap them if that works, mine did, also if the new motor has sat for a long time i would run it with fresh fluids and then drain and put in new soon just to freshen it up, i had a great success until the oil pan gasket started to leak, so check that too

[Scanman88GT]

When the 2.8 in my 88GT blew the rear center spark plug out of the head at 210,000 oriiginal miles, we picked up a 2.8 from a Corsica with only 90,000 miles on it (that's the lowest mileage one we could find at the time).

Before we put it in, I replaced the timing chain and timing gears (along with a new timing cover gasket). We also did the distributor O-ring seal as well as valve cover gaskets.  I also dropped in a high volume oil pump and pickup tube, as well as a new oil pan gasket, obviously. I'm using the full-sized oil filter instead of the short one that GM recommends for 2.8's. I have no clearance issues at all with the taller oil filter either.

That seems to cover most of the bases. Of course we also replaced all the fluids as well as sparkplugs (my old wires were in good shape).

My car just rolled over 300,000 miles two weeks ago, and the odometer on my digital dash won't go any higher, because they weren't designed to. The engines still running strong and I'm getting 29.4 mpg on the highway with my 5 speed manual trans.

[yellow3800]

Top or bottom?

I do still prefer the top.  Even on my 3800.  I only have 1/4" clearance on each side on that one, but the concept is the same.

If engine AND TRANS must be replaced, I will consider going through the bottom of the brakes could use a bleed job.   Other than that, I like to go through the top because it is less mess than dropping an entire cradle assembly just to have more space to work with  - it ultimately takes more time.  

Its especially easier if you only have an engine hoist.

PS,.. I only get used engines.  Dollar for return, they are teh best way to go!  and when they wear out, if there is nothing better to replace them with, I'll rebuild it.... but I don't ever see that happening because there will always [seem] to be a better engine for teh dolllar that I could buy for half the price, that'll do twice as much as the one before.

Andy
Lemon 3800