Buick V6 Help Needed

[IDOXLR8V8]

I tried to get some help at the BPG Nationals and the turbo guys laughed me off and asked me why even fix that engine. I'm mainly into my 455 Stage 1 4-Speed GS and have a restored 1984 Century wagon and now with a broken crankshaft. I was told a #404 casting crankshaft would work and there is a different casting number on the crankshaft. does anyone know all the casting numbers that will work in a tall deck "E" code 3.0 V6 in a 84 Buick Century FWD. Currently I'm using 20 bolt 85 V6, AL.

 

[joe_schindler]

To answer your question; I don't know any of the numbers.

I do know that if you have a broken crankshaft; you're probably not going to be lucky enough to just change it and it be fixed. Something caused it to break; and it probably tore up some stuff along the way.

I’d think that these engines are plentiful in salvage yards; and the price would be worth getting a running engine.

 

[charlief1]

Pull the 3.0 and get a 3.8. Same size and more power to boot. You won't loose any gas mileage and the only thing you MIGHT have to change is the intake.

 

[IDOXLR8V8]

To answer your question; I don't know any of the numbers.

I do know that if you have a broken crankshaft; you're probably not going to be lucky enough to just change it and it be fixed. Something caused it to break; and it probably tore up some stuff along the way.

I’d think that these engines are plentiful in salvage yards; and the price would be worth getting a running engine.

I'm a mechanic by trade a shut it off right as I heard some thing going on and found no damage to the engine other then a crack in the front timing housing in the seal area and no metal on the pick up screen. The crankshaft looked to be maybe repaired at one point and think this is why it failed. These V6 crahks are prone to failure by design at the flay on the rod throws. This engine is a fresh rebuild and ran great till it failed and think a new crank would fix the problem. Your correct on finding a used 3.0 easy but I push mine a bit pulling a trailer on the hwy. I posted the question on the 3.8 and that would require finding a flywheel and front dampener/pulley set up because the 3.0 has a counter wieght flywheel and front pulley set up.This Buick V6 has great torque and see why you guys like this in turbo "G" bodies. AL.

 

[joe_schindler]

Cranks are historically not the weak link in an engine. Like yours; there are some that have problems that manifest themselves in cranks. You’ve probably got something else going on with this engine than just a repaired crank. Maybe some main alignment; or something causing a little more stress than the crank can take. I’m sure you were quick with the shutdown; but 1 revolution is enough to mess up a lot. Regardless; it’s probably time for a fresh start.

With what you’d have invested in time and repair parts for this engine; you can probably get a running 3800 that would only help with the trailer pulling.

 

[IDOXLR8V8]

You make excellent points! I would have done a convertion a wile ago but the OBD1 OBD2 thing makes it a mess. The older cars were so much easier, AL.

 

[joe_schindler]

It might take some searching; but if you can find a running 3800/3.8 that fits the hole and the transmission bolts up; you’ll probably be time and money ahead. Like Charlie said; you might have to change the intake; or maybe a bunch of sensors; but you should be able to run the OBD-I on an OBD-II engine.

 

[charlief1]

The 3.8 and the 3800 share a lot of parts and the only diff is the timing cover. If yours has the distributor then there might be some problems but my 89 is a 3800 so it's OBD1. You also need to go down to the hybred section and find a thread on a Century someone else did. He fabbed a turbo setup for his and its a fast little thing. Not a hard job if you look at what he did. He transplanted it and got rid of the 2.8 he had. Good reading for sure. He even adapted a late model auto to it and made his own posi. I'ts a couple of months old so you'll have to look for it.

 

[IDOXLR8V8]

Now I'm complete cluleless!! I checked my casting number and it is a #732 and that is for a "L" code short deck 3.0 and the engine I have is "E" code tall deck and should have had a *404 or a *257.

 

[charlief1]

I don't know the FWD engine codes so are you talking about the block or the crank?

 

[IDOXLR8V8]

There were two different 3.0 Buick engines, a tall deck ("E" code) (like your 3.8 turbo with a FWD bell housing)) and a short deck was used in the later FWD 87 ("L" code) and on. What I've found was some one installed a short deck crankshaft in my tall deck engine. This can be done with special pistions (I could only guess). The tall deck uses a 6.320" connnecting rod and short deck uses a 5.150 connecting rod. So in short this engine has the wrong combination , My engine should have had a 404 or a 257 casting crankshaft, AL.

 

[charlief1]

Well that explaines a lot. I only knew about the long rods not the short ones. I was going to get some of the long rods for my 4.1 and now I know that there are 2 different designs. Is there a stroke difference? If not the cranks should be interchangable. Since you have the tall block all you'd need to make it a 3.8 is the crank, rods, and pistons. Simple change and you should be able to get everything out of a salvage yard to do it. Just get the right pistons and you're good to go.

 

[IDOXLR8V8]

I know the 3.8 and the 3.0 are the same block for sure because I have a converted 3.8 to a 3.0 I bought a wile ago. One of the tall deck casting numbers would be #2552414, AL.