Overhaulin'

I need to find a 1986 Chevrolet Camaro engine!?

I live in St. Petersburg FL and our Camaro needs a new engine. I have looked but I can't really find any engines for sale. My dad says we might have to sell the car (for like $100) . I really don't want to sell the car, it's pretty awesome and everyone likes it. Its a 1986 Camaro IROC-Z. It has a V6 engine currently. I already tried google but I can't find anything. Nevermind, it doesn't have a V6.

Public Comments

1. Have you tried craiglist? What about a junk yard?
2. Forget the Camero part and just look for a Chev engine. The auto wreckers should be full of them..
3. The Camaro IROC-Z is collectible. If kept in tact it will only increase in value. If you want to keep its value the best thing to do would be to overhaul the original engine. This will keep the most collectible value for this car. However the 6 banger version of this car will never be worth as much as an original V8 version. About the last choice would be a junk yard engine. Like I said before, GM stopped using this series engine in the early 90's. So any junkyard motor that you will find may truly be a 20 year old junk motor. It may last a few years, it may last a few months. There is no way to know with an old junkyard motor. A better choice would be a re-manufactured engine. You will find this at nearly any major automotive parts store. The V6 used in this car was the 2.8. This is what GM calls their 60 degree V6. It is still in production today. However the current version is not suitable as it is only available in a front wheel drive configuration. However this same engine was used in the S10 truck. It was also used in some small Isuzu trucks. You could install a newer 3.1. Keep with the gen 1 60 degree V6 no newer than the early 90's. You would have problems making the fuel injection from a newer Gen 2 motor work. Your next choice may be upgrading to a V8. This car has an engine bay that was designed for a V8. It is not fuel injected so you don't have to deal with as many sophisticated electronics that you find in a late model engine. You will also need to upgrade the transmission. Use a turbo 350 or 700R4. The V6 Camaro from these years used the turbo 250 transmission which would not last long with a V8. You can get a basic 350 crate motor that makes about 300 HP for about $2000. 300 HP is about double what your 2.8 V6 made. You can get by for less if you install a re-manufactured 350. To be honest it will cost you a little more than $2000 to install a 300 HP crate motor. This motor does not include a intake manifold, carburetor, ignition system, or exhaust. Add about another $1000 for these. If you go the V8 direction, don't mess around with a 305. You will spend the same amount of money installing a 305 than you would a 350. However the 350 is a superior engine. I agree with JDM. seeing this car has a V6 it is most likely a base model Camaro with IROC stickers. A clone of sorts. A V8 will make it closer to the original it is pretending to be.
4. If it has a V6 in it right now, either A) you don't actually have an IROC-Z, or B) someone replaced the V8 and dropped in a V6, which makes no sense at all. Double check your VIN number...chances are 99.9% that you DON'T have an IROC (sorry). That being said, 350cid crate motors are pretty easy to come by and are fairly cheap in the crate-motor world. You could also try a place like Jasper's Engines, a national company that specializes in replacing engines.
5. look on craigslist or a junkyard.