Found a few LA1's to play with and will be taking the UIL/LIM and possibly the heads. This thread may not be updated often since I am going to take my time on this to make sure I have all needed parts before performing surgery on my DD.

So far I have the Newer Century air box and zip tube as well as coolant overflow bottle to relocate my stock one. I don't plan on going into the cams but 6 months from now that might get added to the list. No promises. Headed to the J yard now for the UIM and LIM. Will check into the heads if they are decent.

Before engine bay shot bone stock 98 3100 (L82)

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k2...6/88f19e6c.jpg

 

Good luck with the swap. If you need any pictures, or have any questions, about the setup on the LG8, let me know, and I'll try to help

 

No need to pull covers or rods to remove. You only need to pull the valve covers and the rods for the gasket swap or if I would have gotten the heads too. THe covers are apart of the LIM so you do have to at least take the effort to loosen them. Pulled a few 3400 UIM to see if there was a difrence but last one I had an issue with. Didn't have room for a knife to cut the belt. Alternator was holding the last bolt down on the minivan 3400 intake. It even had a different texture to it I might go back Thursday for it. I did snag the engine cover and oil cap from it. The minivans had a higher rating than the alero and the impala intake(one I chose). Found another auto dim mirror from a 97 limited. P/S wasn't that bad 3 bolts and it was out of my way. Someone already snatched the alternator so that was 1 less step to do. The tranny being in neutral was boss so I could just pull it fwd some. The cars are raised at least 3 feet off the ground making the back bolts a lay across the windshield and sharp edge where the cowl was kinda adventure. Glad the coils were already gone off the car too.

I came to the conclusion if the LIM gasket goes I would go on with the build of just LIM UIM swap but leaning more twards just getting the whole 3400 to slowly piece together. Pulling the heads would be better if the engine was out of the car anyway in that J yard. I also might send these off to get ported or something like this.
http://www.milzymotorsports.com/miva...Code=ep3400IFD

Large HD pics starting....now.
Alero is on top and Impala on bottom
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k2...6/b06ef53c.jpg

The Alero 3400 UIM pretty much bolts to the LG8 LIM. THis is a 99 that I toom my airbox from a century 2000 is where the overflow and other misc items came from.
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k2...6/f96e00ab.jpg

UIM LIM rails and cover...
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k2...6/3009d611.jpg

LA1 UIM on a LG8 LIM
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k2...6/f96e00ab.jpg

 

Sounds like you know what you're doing. haha.

I was gonna mention getting the 3400 engine cover from a van if you could find one. Looks like you're already a step ahead. haha.

 

Actually 2 steps... Not sure if I'm even going to do it.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k2...6/13c7a1fb.jpg

 

You know, I like the new one better. I like how it uses symbols for the parking brake, brake, and fuel levels. The only downfall to switching, is that your odometer will be off, I think. For some reason, I think the odometer is stored in the cluster on these cars. I may be wrong.

 

The faces should just be a sheet to lay down behind the needles. This one doesn't have "miles" for the odo. Reason it was the only one left in the yard. I am tempted to see if a regal one would work as well but can't find a regal that's in a J yard. Either way I got the cluster to practice on... thinking of doing LEDs but that's going to be a little while later. I have a few PM's on what all I need for the swap but the subaru forums are down again. Was seeing if I need to yank heads or not for this to completely work before 1st snowfall or wait till next summer when more donors show up. I originally just wanted the manifolds but I keep leaning towards the whole top swap. Last PM I got before the forum went down was use a combination of LG8 and LA1 if need be.

 

I'd be interested in seeing if a Regal cluster with a tach would work. I'm not sure how the tach is controlled in those cars. Thats one thing I miss in my car. When I had my Ranger, I would judge my driving style by the rpm.. When I was trying to drive conservatively, I would try to keep it under a certain rpm.

 

Same here for the tach on the freeway and happy medium. Now I am like a person who lost one sense relying on the others to pick up the slack granted we aren't driving stick shift w/o a tach. So far 75 mph cruise control is decent and you can't even hear the engine. Gonna hold off on a regal cluster cause I would like to figure out the info center more. Found the info center/fogs button to retrofit if it's not a sold out never to be restocked item. I rather do the cluster vs adding a 3 gauge pillar pod or a monster tach with ultra bright shift light on the dash to look like a complete Cleveland Racing member to the local and highway cops defeating my choice of century over regal.

Going to wait till spring summer for the coolant. Not trying to drill the strut tower then have salt baths for a few months shortly after. The 3400 SFI UIM/LIM does bolt up to 3100 heads if you have roller rockers. I just have to research the heater pipe and if I need to change it to the full 3400 3500 swap piece for an additional $35.

Heater pipe is non threaded just like the 3400 so I saved $35. Apparently Beretta and a few others have a threaded one and it does some funky bends.

 

I think you can get a Regal cluster without the DIC. I'm not sure if there is any extra wiring to get the DIC to work, or if it would work off the stock Century pcm..