supercharged 3.8 from an 03 grand am for my 99 SLE

[g2barbour]

I was on the phone with the junkyard pricing a new AC compressor, power steering pump, bumper rebar, power antenna, muffler, o2 sensor, rack and pinion, and fuel sending unit for my 99 SSE when the question just came over me: "Do you have any supercharged 3.8's for these cars?" He then told me about a wrecked 03 grand am with a supercharged 3.8. I was offered the engine with all accessories and the tranny attached and the computers for $750. I really want to do this, but i am not sure if this is a direct bolt it, or what else i will need. i could probably salvage most of the wiring from the grand am, but that would cost me a bit more (1100 for the whole front clip including the whole dash).

has anyone done this??? what will i need from the grand am? i need to know BEFORE he cuts it up!

NOTE: the engine has suffered a collision that broke the oil filter, and damaged an idler pulley, and tore the axle out of the tranny, but as a condition of purchase i requested to see it run

[MurderMitten]

It is possible I have seen people do it. You need to do a lot modifications to get the engine and tranny to fit. You'll also need to get the ignition from the donor car as the grand ams do not have a PassKey3 and you'll need to piggyback the computers if I am right. A huge project and a lot of wiring. You may be thinking of a Grand Prix not a Grand Am. Highly doubt if anyone did all the work to put a S/c 3.8 in a little grand am they would scrap it. They would most likely have something else with the car rather than put it into a junk yard.

[MurderMitten]

My bad, thought you were putting it into a Grand Am.

[g2barbour]

im pretty sure the donor car is a wrecked grand am, but it is possible it was a grand prix, i dont know my pontiacs yet. i seem to remember it being a coupe if that helps

[MurderMitten]

Grand Am's are the small model cars similar to a Malibu or Alero. Only had the Ecotec 4cyl or the 3.1 V6 or 3.4 V6 which are essentially the same. If they were to have had a 3.8 into them it would of involved a lot of modification and work

[g2barbour]

i think it was a grand prix... it looked like this:

[g2barbour]

well, not anymore... but will this engine go smoothly into my 99 SSE?

[g2barbour]

as i do my research (as a noob), it looks like i have an L36 (series II) and i am preparing to plant an L67 (series II) in my 99 SSE. series II L67's were listed as an option for my 99 SSE. I am assuming this would be a direct bolt in. i am also getting the larger L67's fuel pump and the 4T65E-HD tranny to upgrade my 4T65-E. the 4T65E-HD had upgrades in 2003, which I am hoping are included on the 03 grand prix donor car. my only worry is wiring it all up. i am also getting the 03 computers, with appropriate fuel mapping for the supercharger. I just need to be sure i get the ECU and the computer for the tranny, wherever they are located in the grand prix??? WILL I NEED THE WIRING HARNESS OFF OF THE GRAND PRIX AND/OR HOW MUCH OF IT PASSES THRU THE FIREWALL? I want the junkyard guy to be able to just cut it off so i can use as much new wiring as possible to kill my electrical gremlins!

[crash93ssei]

I am not sure about swapping into a '99 but I know most W body (Grand Prix, Regal, Monte Carlo) transmissions do not have the mounting holes in the case for the rear trans mount in a 2000+ Bonneville, might want to confirm if you need that mount on a '99 and if the trans from the Grand Prix has the holes. I do believe you will need it and if you do but the Grand Prix trans doesn't have the holes you can't use it.


Now, I am not normally one of those guys that says this all the time, but in this case I strongly believe the best course of action would be to sell your car and buy an SSEi. With all of the other mechanical work you plan to do to it as well as to buying the engine and trans you could take that money and sell your SSE and then use all of that money for an SSEi.

Are you doing all of this work yourself?

[2003 SSEi]

you can NOT use the 03 Trans in your 99. The Valve body and Channel Plate changed in 03 across all GM 4T65's.

Plus the only difference is the Diff, Diff cover, output shaft, and the Passenger side Axle

[g2barbour]

I have already purchased the whole front end of the grand prix from behind the dash, the fuel pump/sender, a rear bumper rebar, and a power antenna for my 99 SLE for $900+ tax. I will pick it up in a few days. And yes, I am doing the work myself. This weekend weather permitting. Since I got the car for $900+ tax I will be into it for just over $2000. After I replace the power antenna, bumper rebar, AC compressor, power steering pump and fix the O2 sensor issue I will probably be looking at over $600 in repairs to resell it anyway. Now I will have a good engine and tranny to resell and recoup the $900 for upgrades and repair, leaving me $1000 or so into this car, which the insurance company wont know is supercharged! I will take pix and notes of the whole process for this post. Also, thank you both for the heads up on the grand prix tranny. that is unfortunate, as the supercharged version comes with the HD version of the 4T65.... The passenger side axle is already missing from the accident. i will look into swapping the essentials from one tranny to the other to make mine HD with the proper mounts or adding a mount point and checking lower clearances. there is a LOT more room in the Bonneville engine bay than the grand prix. I cant imagine i couldnt make it fit. we will see what options are in a few days.

[harofreak00]

Ummm, everything you say you bought from the Grand Prix will not work on your Bonneville. They are completely different cars.

[g2barbour]

only the engine, tranny, fuel pump, and computers are from the grand prix. the rest of the parts were just included in the price.

[harofreak00]

Well the tranny and fuel pump will not work.

[g2barbour]

im aware there is a problem with the tranny, but whats wrong with the fuel pump?

[harofreak00]

They are from different cars and different designs. Grand Prix is a W-body, Bonneville is an H-body.

[2000Silverbullet]

The pump pressure would be the same and so would the volume but I think the fuel tank install may not be physically possible due to differences in dimension. Is that what you mean Andrew?

[2000Silverbullet]

Never forget Sandrock. He did the seemingly impossible too.....but be forewarned.

I agree that unless you are a very skilled electrical/mechanic, that you find an SSEi to implant.

[harofreak00]

99 Bonneville fuel pump:


03 Grand Prix fuel pump:

[MattStrike]

The pump inside the plastic shroud can be removed and put on the other sending unit.