Breaking down my stock motor

DARTHV6

Active Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2013
I have a stock GN motor on a stand for the past 14-15 years. I'm ready to take it apart and send the block off to be cleaned up and possibly bored. I have a couple of long tables, some masking tape and labels. I'm going to lay it all out, label the parts and possibly film me removing the parts so I'll know how to put it back together. Anybody have a better way or hints to do it better?

Thanks!
Art
 
Before & after pictures. Drawings & notes. Plenty of plastic bags & labels. Buick exploded parts diagrams.

A photographic memory doesn't hurt.
 
Before & after pictures. Drawings & notes. Plenty of plastic bags & labels. Buick exploded parts diagrams.

A photographic memory doesn't hurt.
Wish I had that!
I don't have an exploded view diagram of the motor/parts. Know where I can find one?
 
Pull the intake in one big piece and set it off to the side.

Then pull the PS header and leave the turbo and J-hook on it and set it aside (same with the DS)

Set the heads off, then drop the oilpan and pickup (toss the stock pickup in the trash)

After doing those quick and simple things, you'll no longer be freaked out about having parts everywhere.


Then remove the balancer bolt (get ready for a fight. Put some vice grips on the flexplate to keep the crank from turning. Don't flip the engine stand over)

After that's off pull the timing cover, water pump, and cam sensor in one big piece too.


After that, all that's left is pulling the pistons/rods and then the crank. (cam, timing set, and tappets go in the scrap metal bin with the oil pickup and factory head bolts)
 

Attachments

  • power source manual.jpg
    power source manual.jpg
    30.8 KB · Views: 42
Pull the intake in one big piece and set it off to the side.

Then pull the PS header and leave the turbo and J-hook on it and set it aside (same with the DS)

Set the heads off, then drop the oilpan and pickup (toss the stock pickup in the trash)

After doing those quick and simple things, you'll no longer be freaked out about having parts everywhere.

Earl,
Thanks. Looks like a nice way to keep track of things. Especially since it has sat there for about 15 years. Finally got enough courage to try before I'm TOO old!
Does everything look like it's there?
Thanks,
Art
2018-07-21 17.32.19.jpg
 
Pretty much complete.


Pull that intercooler fan off before a blade gets broken off. They aren't worth anything on the engine, but they're worth real money on eBay. :)
 
My only advice is;
DO NOT BORE the engine, unless absolutely necessary and DO NOT ZERO deck the block.
Reuse the stock pistons and let it ride, or order custom pistons to get yo where you want to with the bore and CR.
Earl Brown or Bison can get you pistons IF needed.

Heck, if it spins over freely, I would replace a few items and run it.
Good luck.
 
It's defiantly cheaper to only have to hone it.

When I square deck, I start on the side with the shortest deck and stop when a slight dirty spot on the (former) lowest corner is all that's left. Then make the other side match. Once I have that height, I put the crown wherever I want it after picking out the head gaskets. (and the final bore is wherever the worst hole comes clean and true).

On buicks they're typically a LOT closer in height than a Chevy.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20180826_172926.jpg
    IMG_20180826_172926.jpg
    123.9 KB · Views: 54
Take a lot of pictures, Plastic bag bolts and parts and label them. And when reassembly comes check then doudle check your bearing Clarence .
 
My only advice is;
DO NOT BORE the engine, unless absolutely necessary and DO NOT ZERO deck the block.
Reuse the stock pistons and let it ride, or order custom pistons to get yo where you want to with the bore and CR.
Earl Brown or Bison can get you pistons IF needed.

Heck, if it spins over freely, I would replace a few items and run it.
Good luck.
I have thought of keeping everything as is as long as it runs, just as a project. The engine in my GN ran low 11's back in the day not knowing what I was doing. I have a Nephew who wants to learn and it would be easier and a heck of a lot cheaper. Why not bore? Just to keep it original is the reason?
 
It's defiantly cheaper to only have to hone it.

When I square deck, I start on the side with the shortest deck and stop when a slight dirty spot on the (former) lowest corner is all that's left. Then make the other side match. Once I have that height, I put the crown wherever I want it after picking out the head gaskets. (and the final bore is wherever the worst hole comes clean and true).

On buicks they're typically a LOT closer in height than a Chevy.
You do all that on your own? Obviously you know what you are doing. I can't do any of that by myself. THAT will be farmed out for sure!
 
Yeah. And I even built the block truing fixture they block sits in. The $2800 BHJ unit was just a datum plate (for one side) and I knew I could do better with some plate I found on the ground at the scrapyard. :)

Mine is an actual fixture.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20180819_185850.jpg
    IMG_20180819_185850.jpg
    111.7 KB · Views: 71
I have thought of keeping everything as is as long as it runs, just as a project. The engine in my GN ran low 11's back in the day not knowing what I was doing. I have a Nephew who wants to learn and it would be easier and a heck of a lot cheaper. Why not bore? Just to keep it original is the reason?
It is admirable to teach. There are many things to learn besides mechanical to make these things run and last.

Regarding boring; Besides the expense, each time material is removed, strength is sacrificed. This is especially important if long term aspirations/performance levels approach catastrophic failure. Stock unopened long blocks are going 10's so the money is much better spend elsewhere.

Hope that helps.
 
Top