I recently started an engine swap and was looking for some info on how to complete it. I was told by the guy that it was the same engine, but when I got it out it was obvious they were different. what I have is a 1997 bonneville se with a 3800. The engine has bad rod bearings and the guy wants to replace it. He brought one over but it is an older one (I am thinking maybe a series one). The engine that came out of the car has a map sensor and the accessories are located in different spots, also the intake is different. I was wondering if you can just swap the intake manifolds and relocate the accessories and drop it in, or if there is some major difference that I am not aware of. Thanks for any help you can give

The manifolds are not swappable, intake or exhaust. Even if you get it to run by monkeying around getting the proper sensors in (MAF, cam, crank etc) it probably won't run right at all.

You could try swapping the heads, but the deck hieght is different so the space between the heads would be all wrong for the lower intake.

He sold you the wrong engine. You need one from 95 or newer.

Yeah, that would take some serious fabrication or programing to make work. And after all that, it would be a downgrade as far as performance goes.

Hope your guy still has his receipt!

well it is really kind of a funny story. The guy did some things that make you want to scratch your head. That is too bad, I was hoping I could just switch the intakes, move the accessories around and drop it in. It LOOKS like it would all interchange, but I think we all know that looks don't get much when it comes to engines. Thanks for the info!

i vote for pics. then we could tell you for certain, before you go any further.

just a pic of the cyl head would be more than enough. where the manifolds bolt to.

Eh, I don't see any way around it. There was only one Series II intake configuration. If this one is different, it'* not a Series II.

There'* one easy way to know for certain though. If all of the spark plugs point in the same direction, it'* a Series II (what you need) or Series III (would work with the old intake and TB). If one of them points in the opposite direction, it'* a Series I (or earlier) and won't work.

I don't really have anyway to get a picture, but i will see what i can do. I am going to find out what year the donor car was. It is still in his yard. I just went out and checked the spark plugs. The spark plugs on the engine that i just pulled out all point the same way. The plugs on the one to go in point in towards each other on two cylinders. It is not looking good! Next time I bet he will want to just change the fuel pump instead of putting the engine in a different car.

Yeah... that pretty much seals the deal. It'* too old.

Hey, I just noticed you're from Hamilton. We're virtually neighbors (relatively speaking).

EDIT: Uh... I'll be interested to know what the donor car is though. It'* a long-shot, but I recently sold an '89 with a bad fuel pump...

If one plug opposes the other two.. it'* the wrong year donor. You'll need the 95+ as mentioned.