Need help with putting a 97 Firebird 3800 back together

Miyoko Rei Hinata · Nov 17, 2015

Hi everyone. I recently got a 97 Firebird from my brother as a birthday/x-mas gift. He was just going to junk it since he didnt want to work on it anymore. The upper and lower intake manifold was off and quite a bit of the rest was taken off. I started to put it all back together this weekend, but I got confused as it looks like I am missing something and my crate of parts that came off the car doesnt seem to have anything that would work.

It would be nice if someone could take a pic of both sides of their 3800 to help me out with the location of the diffrent parts. Also I have what looks like a EGR valve and something else that I have no clue where they go. The haynes manual wasnt really much help in this regards. Thanks in advance for anyhelp someone can give me.

Here are some pics of where I am at so far. The generator, intake boot, throttle body, and ignition coils are the last big parts I have to put on (unless something else is missing). The TB and intake boot are easy to install but I have no idea how the igntion coil tray mounts or how the firing order goes on the coils. The last photo shows a gap between the exhaust peice and the engine. Also if someone could show how the exhuast tubing routes off from that would be great too.

Lou B · Nov 17, 2015

EGR Valve and egr TUBE are missing. the lower valve in picture w 2 vacuum tubes is for the Emissions can.

do you not have a Chilton manual for the car ?

Miyoko Rei Hinata · Nov 18, 2015

Thanks for the reply. No I do not have a Chilton manual for it, but my brother does. No time frame for when I will get a chance to get it since it is such a long drive to his house. There is a Pick N Pull on the way home from my job that has a 02 Firebird with the 3800 in it and I plan on stopping there to take a couple of pictures of the engine for a reference point. It's the only one out there and I am hoping the difference isn't too great between the years to have changed much. I plan on stopping tomorrow after work. I am not in too much of a hurry, but I want it done before the end of the month before it gets much colder.

sea dog · Nov 19, 2015

We have the 96 service manual in the 4th gen tech section. Also have exploded views for the 97. These 2 resources should help you out in your job.

When you go to the 4th gen tech articles, open the master index at top. When that page open scroll down the page until you find the non engine specific category. Open the 99-02 exploded view choice. When it opens it will have exploded views from 82-02.

Service manuals also found at the non engine specific category.

Miyoko Rei Hinata · Nov 20, 2015

I went to the junkyard yesterday and took a lot of pictures of the 02 Firebird out there. Got home and was comparing them and noticed that I am missing the EGR valve. Called my brother and asked him to see if he still has it or not. If he can't find it, I may go out and grab that along with the bracket that sits behind it that holds up the ignition coil tray.

@Sea dog, I saw those exploded view diagrams the other day but I couldn't find what i was looking for, mainly because I did not know what it was called. Now I know that the two valves are Canister Purge Valves, I did manage to find the correct diagram that details how they hook up.

I post some more pics when I get it back together. Thanks for all the help so far.

wav6644 · Nov 24, 2015

Miyoko Rei Hinata · Nov 24, 2015

Thanks for the pics. I'm waiting for it to warm up a bit before I work on it again. Ill probably do so Thursday while all the cooking is going on. Still waiting on my brother to tell me if he has the EGR valve or not. If he doesn't, I can get one from the junkyard for about $28 or so.

wav6644 · Nov 30, 2015

You CAN just fab up EGR block offs until you get a hold of the parts. It Technically won't be emissions legal, and you will need to get the EGR fixed for inspection (if you live in an area that does them). You will get a Check Engine light, but it won't hurt anything (possibly 1 or 2 less MPG)... just make sure you seal off the exhuast and intake portions or it will run like crap.

Miyoko Rei Hinata · Dec 2, 2015

Here is a update on where I'm at. My brother couldn't find the EGR valve, but I got one at the junkyard for $9 during the Black Friday half off sale. All I need to do now is change the spark plugs and wires and flush the engine. Do I need a swivel socket like the repair manual says or can it be done without one with a bit more difficulty? The oil had some water in it, probably from where it sat with the top of the engine disassembled. I'm going to flush it twice and fill it with Castrol Ultra Synthetic that I already have. I saw a post somewhere that mentioned the V6s ran better with the NGK TR55 plugs and so I got those to go in it.

Edit: If you look at the pic, there is a hard tube with rubber connectors on the ends that hooks into the throttle body above the water pump pulley. It's disconnected in the pic, but visible. Anyone know where to get a replacement or at least for the rubber pieces? They are cracked and dry rotted. I'm sure it will start with the way they are, but I want to eliminate future trouble due to something so simple.

wav6644 · Dec 14, 2015

How much water got in? That can be real bad news.

Heres what I would do:

1) Pull the oil drain plug out.

Let the engine sit for a couple hours, and make sure its not raining.

2) Fill with cheap oil.

3) Drain coolant out and fill the cooling system with water.

4) Turn the car on and run it unitl the Engine temp runs up to 200.

5) Remove the Oil cap, and oil dipstick.

6) Repeat a couple of times, and remove the valve covers while real hot and check for steam.

7) Drain Oil and Water in Cooling system

8) Do you Oil Change and fresh coolant change.

You should burn off all the water sitting inside your engine. It sounds like a lot, but water turns to steam and then back into water. Its not worth chancing.

NGK Spark Plugs do real well in the 3.8's, but invest in a few swivel sockets... its a real pain to do. Also make sure you have heat shields, wire routers, and or plug heat sleeves. Also if you don't have headers, this is the perfect time to do them. Pacesetter makes a great set for the 3.8's, EGR fittings bolt right up, just make sure you get new 02's for the headers. Great Mod, and makes the Spark Plug job super easy afterwards.

Need help with putting a 97 Firebird 3800 back together

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