I put in two 2.5L engines (not at once
). I searched around and found a shop that would do a swap for $500, and I paid $400 for the first engine (bad idea!) and $900 for the second (with warranty, from a good yard that actually tests). I had trouble finding places that were willing to try and drop in a 3.0L, even though I told them it went right in.
Now that I've seen so many 3.0L, I wish I had one! Do a little reading in the 3.0L forum to see what needs to be done, and call shops with a list in hand. You should be able to find someplace that will do the swap for similar money. If you can do that, then go 3.0L all the way. The engine is almost certainly going to be cheaper, and you're talking about a very significant power bump for free! Even if it's just a DD right now, it's simple enough that it's worth it. It's not like dropping a 302 into a Miata or one of those crazy swaps: it's essentially the same casting!
