top end swap ?'s

[Money pit Beretta]

Is it easy to put in and hook up a pressed in heater tube on a 95 Beretta? I have a 2000 3400 upper/ lower and the lower didn't come with the tube. The plan was to thread the lower for the stock tube, but Ben at WOT-Tech said he wouldn't take that as a core. He would if I have it ported(which would make too much down time on the later 3400 engine swap). Can I use the intake bolts from the 3100 on the 3400 intakes? I see that the upper bolts are not the same and they sent only two of those with the intakes. Does anybody have a link to the new tighting sequence?
This is my first V6 intake swap, so any tips would help.

[3X00-Modified]

I welded a press in tube part onto a stock beretta pipe... It works for me but if you dont have the tools, or the two pipes its next to impossible.

You need to at least get a pipe from a GA or something so you have the press in side to work with, then either connect it to a stock pipe via rubber hose, or weld like I did.

[Money pit Beretta]

How would I press in the tube? I do have the screw in piece that goes in the 3100. I got it from the JY to make it easy for a shop to know what size the threads would be. So, I'm open to doing it both ways. I can't weld very well though. What did you use to clean the lower intake?

[Cliff8928]

It's not really "press in". It's sealed with an o-ring.

[Money pit Beretta]

Ah, that would make it easy. I should be able to yank one out at the JY. I forgot to ask, what works best to push the clips in on the 3100 tube? It was a PITA to get off and I had to break the clips on the one at the JY. Would a 99 GA tube work?

[Money pit Beretta]

Easy my butt! The first one that I worked on took me an hour to get off. Once I got it off I saw that the end was still inside. I walked around and found another car that had the intakes off. The tube was just hanging there and I got that one. It didn't fit very tight on the lower when I checked it. Looks like it will need a new O-ring. Do I need the stud that was on the head that holds the tube? Also do I need the lower intake bolts or can I use mine from the 3100?
My guess is that I have cut to fit the tube and use my old one with a rubber pipe.

[JeffD]

1. Tighten the lower intake manifold bolts in sequence to 7 N·m (62 lb in) on the first pass.
2. Tighten the lower intake manifold bolts (1, 2, 3, 4) in sequence to 13 N·m (115 lb in) on the final pass.
3. Tighten the lower intake manifold bolts (5, 6, 7, 8 ) in sequence to 25 N·m (18 lb ft) on the final pass.

for the upper use loctite and tighten to 18lbft.

these instructions are for a 2000 Grand Am.

when I did this I got 3400 heads too, that way I got bigger intake valves, needle bearing rockers, and I didn't have to modify the gasket/head/intake to make it work. much easier when gasket matching too.

[JeffD]

also get the push rods!
On my top swap I just cut the new pipe and used rubber hose + 2 clamps. still hold today and that was 2 years ago now.

[3X00-Modified]

Pushrods are all the same length... Why bother...

[JeffD]

I thought that early 3100s that had the non bearing rockers had a different length pushrod. I just did it to be on the safe side.

[3X00-Modified]

nope they were all the same length for both setups

[Money pit Beretta]

Thanks for all the info! If I have to notch the heads where do I need to do it?
The intakes are almost fully clean and ready to go on. I also have my EGR adapter. They will go on with in the next two weeks or it could be this weekend.

[1988GTU]

On the 2K+ style I dont think you need to worry about that. I could be wrong though.

[3X00-Modified]

Are you trying to put roller rockers on a non roller head? if not why do you speak of notching heads?

To use factory 3100 parts on a large bore setup you either need roller rockers, OR you need to grind clearance on 4 rockers to clear the underside of the intake... You need to do it on any setup, they all interfere... I also ground clearance on the backside of my rocker to give me more room since I didn't want to grind down through a port.

[Money pit Beretta]

Yea, the plan is to use the stock 3100 stuff. Looks like I have non roller rockers. I want to make this as easy as I can, but I'm not big on changing the rockers. Because everything is wear matched and I don't want any trouble down the line. It may be hard to get the roller rockers unless they are on a 96 or 97 3100. Let me see if I got this right, you have to grind any rocker, roller or not? Too bad I can't use the Comp Cams roller tip 1.6. It's been a long time and I can't remember if you can just sand the push rod ends and the rockers to start fresh.