Here are a few things I've been kicking around for awhile now. Long story short is I believe the L36 is too little engine for too much car, or at very least the gearing (3.06) could stand to better (3.29 would be much better imho). Don't get me wrong it hauls the car and myself around just fine, but I'd like some more GO behind it.

to me, I have 2 options.


1. L67 top end swap. Getting the parts is a cake walk these days. I would swap it from the heads up, and do it like factory. However controlling it could be an issue as I would either need a custom PCM or maybe a PCM from a 96' SSEi would work since that year used the 4t60e, I don't know. Also. one catch. No modifications to it. no intake, no headers, and a stock if not a oversized pulley on the SC to a. help keep KR in check and I really hate how loud modded 3800s are.

2. and this is pipe dreaming, Northstar swap. I am confident that It would physically fit. Using parts from sevilles, I think would let me get the majority of it to be bolt in, wiring would be a totally different story, But I am sure it is not impossible. I am a little afraid of the 4t80, namely because my transmission guy won't mess with them.

but I doubt anything will come of this anytime soon as this is my DD car, and I need it to be reliable, and how responsible is it to modify a 168,000 mile 3800 anyhow!?

Your best bet will be to do a top swap, but you might want to consider getting tuning software to set up the PCM.

The N* swap would be a bit harder, Venom can say for sure, but I believe those have a locked PCM, so no tuning.

Dont know why the tranny guy wouldn't like the 4T80e. Solid reputation. Maybe their just tuff to work on when they do go.

Some people get 200-300k out of a 3800, But to build up one and make it work hard with 170k on it..... Could be sending it to an early grave.

Earlier Caddy Models without the variable timing and such wouldn't have the locked PCM. But I haven't a clue about the years involved. Not a Caddy Fan or know much. Do know the pre 2001 Caddys are the ones that like to trash themselves anytime after 100K. Head warpage, popped headbolts, cracked bottom rod girdle (they dont have rod caps.). Not good prospects for a swap for performance. If you did find a decent one,96 up, it does have 300HP

Quick and relatively easy for more go would be HD swapping your trans.

The diff in your car is smaller than the one in the supercharged cars. If you had someone like GM Tuners (Ryan) change the gear ratio in your pcm or change the pcm for a 97 pcm (then I could do the change) you could swap the diff, diff cover, output shaft and passenger axle.

The benefit would be that you'd have a 3.29 gear ratio. And your trans would be the same as an HD trans.

Consider that being a 97' L36 car it has the 4T60-E. I have a personal vendetta against the early 97-99ish 4t65e'* (changed way too many of them by now). Also when I first got the car I paid a sizable sum of money to get the 4t60-E rebuilt, and I won't want to lose that. And I think with around ~55k miles on the trans, and the fact that it is rebuilt, and shifts awesome It can take a bit more power. I am not looking to have a really modded engine here, I would just like stock L67 performance.

I have heard about the 4t60-HD before, I don't know much about it, however if there are better parts out there for what I have, I'm all ears.

i would think with a rebuilt 4T60 that it could handle the new power.

the other thing you could do is a SSm90 Kit. i helped my buddie Shawn in Wexford do a SSM90 kit on his 2003 Monte Carlo, and he thinks it feels the same or better than his Moded (3.4, 3" DP Plog) Regal. He is running Kr Free, with 19* of timing woth the 4.2 Pulley, and i have to admit it pulls pretty hard

is he running headers?

and forgive me but is that SSm90 kit the one with the custom lower intake? If so, I would think the cost of the custom lower plus the custom fuel rails needed would outweigh the cost of just changing the heads and doing everything factory.

he is not running headers, but he is running a 3" DP

yes he bought the kit new from ZZP, and had everything ready to bolt on. I told him a Top swap is cheaper and you will get more HP per dollar but whatever.

still with the 3.8 i think your Trans will handle it. If you want to stop down im sure Shawn would show you his MC SS and we could have a mini meet before the winter gets bad

That'* the thing, I don't want to do exhaust mods at all. I hate how the 3800 sounds, and want it as quiet as possible.

However if I run a stock or oversized pulley I should be okay.

Also what about upgrading my fuel pump? I know the */C and non */C cars use different ones. If I had to I would, but considering that my fuel pump is only 2 years old, I'd rather not.

A friend of mine has a regal GS, and when he blew the original L67 we got a screaming deal on a L36 and transmission. Top swapped the L36, and put the HD diff in the non HD trans. It runs great, however he also has a 3.4 pulley and headers.

Also I worry about how to handle the PCM, I have a powertuner, but It will not pull a bin file down from it, it claims it is incompatible.

Honestly I should just shelve the idea, as the car is getting up there in the miles, and I don't need to be blowing up my daily driver.