JKoe57

Could I use a Bonneville engine in my camaro? I know both cars have the same engine, being a GM V6 3800 Series 3.8L L36 but they could have some differences making them incompatible. We have a 97 bonneville that the cradle dropped on, but we just bought the engine. I also just bought a camaro about 5 days ago and the engine pretty much died. Is it possible to swap out the engines? What I'm really asking is are they compatible?

72c10gunn

I dont know for sure, but if they are both the same engne code (l36) like u said, then there should only be a couple of items that may need to be swaped if they are diffrent, such as intake, exhaust manifolds,ect.

JKoe57

That's what I thought. Thanks a lot.

robmick33

If the bonne engine is not the supercharged 3.8(l67) then all you need to change is the upper and lower intakes with throttle body.and the accessories.if it is the supercharged engine the block will work and thats pretty much it.The pistons are lower compression,the heads are different in that the injector bosses are in the heads etc.

JKoe57

I was told that since the Camaro's engine goes in sideways and it's a rear wheel drive I wouldn't be able to use the bonneville's engine, which goes in normal and is front wheel drive. Does this change anything? Would it be too much to do the swap? Or should I just buy a semi-new camaro engine?