besides the turbo, What factory equipment aids to make the power plant work so good

[RJR]

Beside the turbo/intercooler, what one item from the factory aids to a powerful power plant the most?

 

[sixnboost]

Having a engine for the turbo and intercooler to bolt to helps out tremendously.


Actually nothing really, if you want to go fast just about every stock item on these cars need to be upgraded.

You can put a turbo on anything and make it go faster.

.02 cents

 

[Blown&Injected]

Well, for 1986, the computer controlled ignition and fuel control was a bit of a help - Also, has anybody noticed that our intake, when completely disassembled, looks a lot like a mini tunnel ram?

 

[Ormand]

The intake is actually pretty bad. It has some kinship to the old Rochester intake used on the injected Chevy engine, but if you compare it to the intake on any new injected engine, you will see longer runners, and a better plenum. That ensures better flow distribution, and keeps head gaskets from blowing. The original intake on our cars favors flow to the rear of the engine, and contributes to blown head gaskets by leaning out those cylinders.

The performance of the car is enhanced by the well matched engine/transmission/rear axle. As many have found, changing the transmission or the 3.42 gears can actually slow the car down.

 

[SinistrV6]

I would have to say that the sequential fuel injection is the biggest asset and allows us to see the full benefit of the turbo. SFI was way ahead of it's time.

 

[jpratt]

By no means do I know a lot about anything. But I think that the engine was built to work together, that is what makes it so potent. Little things like the knock sensor, waste gate, intercooler, SFI.... On an on you can go. The 86-7 cars work all the engine management together to produce HP. Sure you can stick a turbo on any car an get loads of HP, but our cars are designed for that power and it is able to handle it. With a little mods everything works a little better. Again I think that it is the small things. Just look at the piston. Low compresion, low normal power, but able to accept boost, it has a steel insert around the ring land for strength. A bunch of smart people added little things together that make them lovable.

 

[MAX PSI]

Change Gears = Slow??

changing the transmission or the 3.42 gears can actually slow the car down.

Ormand, I have to disagree. I run a 5.14 gear and have gone as fast as 10.12 and 135 mph. That was on a 3760lb iron head TSM legal GN. I do use overdrive and with this setup I can keep the motor at/near peak torque longer.

 

[SinistrV6]

MAX PSI,

I think he meant "in general". There are always exceptions (like yours). Many have tried to put 3.73's in their cars and have slowed them down.

 

[URSPANKED]

I think that the stout bottom end enables many upgrades while retaining the stock block and crank.

 

[NC87GN]

It is quite amazing IMO how the stock bottom end holds together in these V6's. I'm comparing it to a bare aftermarket DART block (V8) with 4 bolt mains, twice the crank and superior oiling system do produce the same HP. I guess buick done their R&D..

Mike Banas
87GN

 

[Drthv8r]

There's a vacuum line that runs up near the firewall (I think that's the correct one it's been a few years since it popped off on me) . If that line comes apart it pretty much removes the turbo from the picture. You'll soon find out just how much of a slug these cars really are without the turbo if it ever happens to you...lol. To answer your question I don't think any one part makes it happen it's in the combination of parts that makes it all work so well.

 

[BlackBandit]

Through out the years Buick has always been able to make engines that are simply torque monsters. That's what makes them so fun to drive on the street. As for how they do it, I'm pretty sure they just used the extra R&D time that was left over after designing the oil system to figure out how to make more power.

 

[UNGN]

Re: Change Gears = Slow??

Originally posted by MAX PSI
changing the transmission or the 3.42 gears can actually slow the car down.

Ormand, I have to disagree. I run a 5.14 gear and have gone as fast as 10.12 and 135 mph. That was on a 3760lb iron head TSM legal GN. I do use overdrive and with this setup I can keep the motor at/near peak torque longer.

I graphed this out for fun a while back, I'm mad I didn't save it. Using a 5.X series gears DID give better area under the curve than sthe stock 3.42's, but the spacing on the OD shift made 3.73 - 4.56 gears equal to worse than the stock 3.42's in the 1/4.

The Moral is, if you are going to use OD in the 1/4, The Bigger the gear, the better.

 

[MAX PSI]

UNGN,
From experiance I can tell you that the 3-4 gear split is not the best. What I have done is to wire my lock up switch to 4th pressure switch so when I lock the clutch in 3rd it unlocks in 4th then if needed I can lock it 4th with another switch. I do have a 5disc converter. This should help the 3-4 split.