1980 buick regal sport coupe / 78 3.8 turbo build
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hi Charlie. different oil pan?? even if i wanted to use a different oil pan, i can't. the other oil pan doesn't match bolt paterns. the timing cover is also triangular at the front, where the 78 block is flat. not sure what year the other engine is, but to give you an idea, the other engine has a 2bb alluminum intake plenum, i have a pic some where of the casting #. just been too buisy to check. i'm gonna guess it's an 84 or later. the heads seem to line up to the 78 block and it looks as though i can bolt my turbo intake plenum with no issues. the push rods (side by side) appear to have the same spec. the 78 rocker assembly bolts in. the 78 turbo block is in perfect condition minus the cam/bearings, and likely the push rods and lifters. if it wasn't for that one lifter i would have had a set of good lifters. instead i have 2 dud sets.
There's a 14 bolt block and a 20 bolt block when it comes to the pans and timing cover Dan. The 20 bolt block started in late 85 and there's only 2 of that design. The 109 (last 3 digits of casting number) is the prefered casting but all of them are basically the same thing. You can also use a 20 bolt timing cover on a 14 bolt block and all you need to do is bolt the cover and pan on to mark the holse so you can drill and tap them.
is there as specific reason why i can't use the 78 pan? the 78 pan is physically smaller. i do have a standing drill press. should be easy to shim, i'll look into it. as long as it doesn't cost money... i'm all in. i might just simply throw in the notion of selling my most prized engine. 1968 BBB430 matching components. but that may only get me a few bucks... i have to tread lightly. other things are brewing as we speek.... a leaking water heater is demanding i make an appointment with the plumber.
ok, here are a few pics. the engine bay is here now cause i lost the other pics...lol it's a bit dusty. now that i'm organized, i will break out the carb stuff and attempt to rebuild my 1st carb. see what happens
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dr_frankenstein
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Are you just trying to assemble one good motor out of all your pieces? im a little lost on the info
Hello there.Im in Lethbridge Alberta and I have a 1980 Century turbo coupe. I have done alot of work on my car and if you ever need any tips maybe I can help.My car was solid but worn out when I started with it.My turbo needs new bearings and I got some advice on this site and Im going to rebuild it myself.
opened the can of carb parts that was left for a few months. turned out not bad, but the bottoms and crevases are not clean enough. i need smaller brushes. finished with a bottle of intake medic. i'm soaking the bottoms with wd40 for the night. if that don't work, i have other methods. intake medic is powerfull, my toothbrush never even made it to the 3rd piece...lol.
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hi back, lethbridge isn't that far from me. i'm getting tons of info from this site. it almost feels illegal. thanks for the offer. i always need help. as i'm sure the pics show, i'm no mechanic.
actually i'm not really, the 78 engine is good.... minus the cam. that is being ordered new. the other engine was the one that came with the car. most of the parts like bottom end and stuff are gone already. what i'm showing is just my brainstorm. i have 3 stages that i'm thinking of, all of which are on the table. all of which include using the same block. stage one is to get the engine in the car-running. then i need to learn how it all works as far as being a buick is concerned. while i might be able to mix n match parts, there is always little hiccups like having to drill for the 20 bolt oil pan. stuff like this gets in the way of progress. i can pull the motor and tranny in 1/2 an hr now that it is all clean. i can work with it in the car as well. it seems confusing, but in all the mess and dissarae, a fresh new cherry will sparkle and dazzle my eyes.
all my ideas are on the table.... like one big thought bubble. bit by bit everything on the table must be scraped, and cleaned flawlessly, this is a buick i'm working on, not just a gm product. then i will look at what works for me and what doesn't. what doesn't may be needed down the road, so having everything clean now saves loads of time later. i have been dreaming of this for the last 15yrs. stock piling thoughts and ideas, now i have to mesh reality! in a perfect world everything would be new. stage 3 will alter the classic vin approach to my build, but i think a custom mpfi will be in the cards, along with intercooling. if it stays in the family, i'm going to drop some serious cash for the suspension.
all i can think about is cruzin with the T-Tops and have everyone staring at the car as i drive down the road. and give those skyline GTR owners something to think about when i'm sittin next to em at the tree. i'll stay on the left side thanks!
If you convert to an IC engine then you can intercool it, if you go HA injected then you can add an intercooler, but if you stay with the stock design then you can't put a intercooler. Fuel is flowing with the air and if you add some sort of intercooler then the fuel will drop out of the mixture.
so after cleaning all the major parts with an exception to one just right nasty timing cover,( man, yuk!)............. i nailed down the year of the other engine...... 25518445 heads. with a bit of port matching the heads to the intake, i think they will do just nice with the 78 intake. if i add new pushrods, new hotter cam(not wild), bearings, lifters, i think i have a good setup? at this point, i still retain the 78 turbo/ carb, 78 intake mainfold, and the block. i have moked up the everything once with various configurations. unless i missed something, i should be ready to spend some money. i have but how much? kinda nervous about getting bad news like bent valves and cracks, so unless i have a bit more than i need, i'm not making the appointment. if i might be so bold as to ask for a ball park $$$ for my proposed machine work?
my 1968 parts bare quite a resemlblence to my 3.8 parts. maybe buick had it right all along. i have decided to part ways with these 68 430 parts of mine. i may not have the block...... but i got all the magic pieces. the block is the easy part. what can i say. the 3.8 won me over, financally. unless another buick lands in my lap...lol, this one did. so now Dr Fankensein, i might be mixing it up. the heads were that messy! days later, i'm still black. it's almost as bad as ink.
Charlie, i haven't mocked up the timing cover or the oil pan yet. i think i want to use the newer timing cover it's so nasty. i found nothing but blue silicon and some brown stuff, i found paint on almost every gasket seal and machine surface. $150 for a reason eh. wrapping the 78 block with 87 pieces seems very intriguing all of a sudden. i know i'm not gonna drill the pan holes, it may become one of those lil' extras at the machinist. i bet it holds a full quart more oil. i have an idea for a remote oiling system with a cooler, i have one on my van.... i don't know, i might take a look at it. but my main goal is to cool the oil leaving the turbo, i read it's important for the rear main bearing.
my 1968 parts bare quite a resemlblence to my 3.8 parts. maybe buick had it right all along. i have decided to part ways with these 68 430 parts of mine. i may not have the block...... but i got all the magic pieces. the block is the easy part. what can i say. the 3.8 won me over, financally. unless another buick lands in my lap...lol, this one did. so now Dr Fankensein, i might be mixing it up. the heads were that messy! days later, i'm still black. it's almost as bad as ink.
Charlie, i haven't mocked up the timing cover or the oil pan yet. i think i want to use the newer timing cover it's so nasty. i found nothing but blue silicon and some brown stuff, i found paint on almost every gasket seal and machine surface. $150 for a reason eh. wrapping the 78 block with 87 pieces seems very intriguing all of a sudden. i know i'm not gonna drill the pan holes, it may become one of those lil' extras at the machinist. i bet it holds a full quart more oil. i have an idea for a remote oiling system with a cooler, i have one on my van.... i don't know, i might take a look at it. but my main goal is to cool the oil leaving the turbo, i read it's important for the rear main bearing.
Turbo ect will bolt right on.
dr_frankenstein
Mad Scientist
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I think you might be over thinking the process just a little bit.
Dont over estimate the lack of intercooling.... its not that its not possible with a wet charge, you just have to know how. Chemical Intercooling can go a long way if you pay attention. weather it be Alky injection or E85.
As for cooling the oil, pay no attention to the temp discharging from the turbo housing, but more as to what temp the oil itself is when being pumped back into the engine. its the return part where your gains are to be found.
ALSO........ remember that buicks inhearently have weak oiling. So with your remote oil cooler, dont forget to check your pressure losses across the core and for the distance away from your oil pump.
Dont over estimate the lack of intercooling.... its not that its not possible with a wet charge, you just have to know how. Chemical Intercooling can go a long way if you pay attention. weather it be Alky injection or E85.
As for cooling the oil, pay no attention to the temp discharging from the turbo housing, but more as to what temp the oil itself is when being pumped back into the engine. its the return part where your gains are to be found.
ALSO........ remember that buicks inhearently have weak oiling. So with your remote oil cooler, dont forget to check your pressure losses across the core and for the distance away from your oil pump.
Me.... overthink????? well i never....... had a situation that required simple thoughts. i'm told that i'm the master overthought..... sometimes overseeing is a problem too... lol the cart always ends up before the horse when there's an engine involved. good thing at this stage, they are just thoughts.
comparing base plates and bodies isn't that easy when you don't know a thing about carbs. i know from the pics that i was given an n/a carb. the kid probly tried it. i have no doubt that this carb was on this engine. just one more reason it didn't work as he planned. the power valve needs to be modified. M4? i'm not sure how to identify the carb.... i don't see any code resembling M4 anything on this carb i figured i could find it after it was cleaned........ guess not. i think the carb is newer because the filter is cast sideways, not straight out. the only electrics that were on the carb are for the electric choke, not sure if that means it's an electric carb. but i see where i have to seal and and reroute, so i guess cleaning the carb wasn't a total waste. i think i have a base that's in better looking shape. i really want to ask if when built, wether or not i should clearcoat the carb? i don't care for the tarneshed look.
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