LT3/C20GET vs C20NE Engine Questions

M

miscbrah

New member
Joined
May 22, 2014
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Hi folks - first post here, been doing a bunch of research which has led me to your fine forum.

The long and the short of it is, I'm posting from the UK where we didn't get the LT3 engine (also called the C20GET engine, which came in the '87-'90 Sunbird.) One of our equivalent cars (Vauxhall Calibra) came with the C20NE engine, which is pretty much the same, but with no turbo:

opel-calibra-v6-08.jpg


I'm trying to get together the info needed to turn a C20NE engine into a C20GET/LT3 engine.

As far as I know, and I'm hoping someone can confirm, the differences are:

- Both manifolds.
- Turbo ofc.
- Loom.
- ECU.
- Pistons (forged on C20GET, unsure about rods.)
- Air intake routing is different. Might go without saying as it's got a turbo ofc.
- Oil routing for turbo.
- Unsure on injectors.
- FPR.

Is anyone with expertise reading this so far and spotting anything I've missed?

More importantly, I'll need a rough costing of these bits going forward. Does anyone know where I might find them either new or used or set about getting them (once I find out what they actually are of course) and mailing them to the UK?

Thanks for reading this far, and hugely grateful for any and all advice on the issue! :)
 
we have some people who will be able to assist you when they check in
 
Wow that was a quick reply! Thanks melsg5, will check back. :)
 
Pistons are no longer availabile so thats a dead end. ( they would have to be custom made)

Better off finding a whole running car and have it shipped over than trying to find separate parts, IMO. (Sunbird and some Grand Ams)

or a search here for a running Motor and Trans complete with computor and wiring harness: www.car-part.com

Good info in this thread on the JBodies forum:
http://www.j-body.org/forums/read.php?f=29&i=63556&t=63556

Doug in P.R.:cool:
______________________________
 
Yeah what Doug said.

I would also venture to say that if the pistons are forged then the connecting rods will also probably be forged. Just a guess on that though.


But if you were dead set on doing the conversion I would say you will probably need to replace.

Pistons
Rods
May as well do bearings while your there
head
intake
exhaust manifold
getting a hold of the turbo charger
harness
computer
tuning equipment to get the best performance from the engine.


Also I am unsure if the TB would be the same or not since sometimes on some GM cars the bore of the TB can be different or wider.

There is a lot to think about before going forward with a conversion.

As doug said it would be easier to swap the engine. Even swapping an engine and tranny both would be easier.

I would just get a engine you want, figure out mounts for it and swap the engine and tranny along with the computer and harness. But you will still also need to figure out the wiring for it.

Either way good luck.
 
The OP never got a reply on the Jbody forums either, better off importing whole Sunbird Turbo .

Seen one on Craigslist last week for $3000 .:D ( convertible too!)

Doug in P.R. :cool:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Back
Top