Engine block color.

[Mister5150]

After scouring the web and search function of this site, I am left clueless as to what the original color of the engine block should be for an 83 t type. Anybody have any clues?

 

[charlief1]

In 83 GM was now corperate and I believe most of the engines from the early 80's were black. The 78-80 engines I beliebe were GM blue.

 

[Mister5150]

That's kinda what I was thinking however, I was unsure of the exact year. The long block currently installed appears to be blue, bluish green in some places.

 

[charlief1]

Go to GNTType.org and you should be able to find the date code for the block. That may help you figure out the engine paint.

 

[Mister5150]

Thank you once again for your assistance Charlie, I will post some pics of my project eventually lol.

 

[b4black]

It's black. I have an '82 and '83. 1982's were silver, and the 1983 has black paint (original motor).

 

[charlief1]

Thanks for the input Rich. Didn't know silver was used at all in the 80's.

 

[Mister5150]

Thanks Rich I have read all the information you have contributed as well. The entire engine is painted blue, I will assume at some point that the engine has been removed. I will try to find the casting # in the morning, she runs pretty strong just changing all the gaskets and hoses.

 

[b4black]

Seemes like a blue was a popular color for reman engines and of course junkyard engines could be blue, so it could be a replacement. Does the motor have the correct valve covers? If they used a NA engine, they would have had to swap the turbo-style valve covers over. There should be no oil fill hole on the passnger side and one at the front end (with a 6" fill tube) on the driver's side. Having the right valve covers is a good sign.

Casting number will tell you a lot for sure.

 

[Mister5150]

It does appear to have the correct valve covers, it has no oil fill on the passenger side with the numbers 418 stampted on it(?) additionally it has the six inch filler tube in the front on the driver side. Still trying to find the casting numbers.

 

[charlief1]

This should help you figure out what year it is.

http://www.gnttype.org/general/v6hist.html

http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/pictureguides/blocks/blockguide.html

 

[Mister5150]

Thank you Charlie. The more I dig in to this thing the more confused I become, the carb says 1980, there are no baffles in the valve covers ( rocker arms look spotless.. Did all 3.8s come with shaft mount rocker arms?). However, I'm sure I have the 83 intake and turbo.. Gotta get some more carb cleaner to see block casting.

 

[charlief1]

The 83 should have a CCC carb on it as well as no vacuum advance on the distributor. If you look at the stickys for this section you can see the write up I did on what a non CCC carb looks like and the basics of how it works. All of the Buick V6's from the early 60's until the mid/late 80's FWD engines had shaft mounted rocker arms. My 83 had the factory chrome covers on it and didn't have any baffles in it that I remember.

The intake for the 82-83 are a little different than the earlier ones but other than the casting number you'd need to look at the bottom of the intake to tell.

 

[Mister5150]

That cleared up a lot, it is a CCC carb no vacuum on the dizzy, it is a 83 intake and plenum. Once I pulled the valve covers I noticed blue paint over spray on the push rods. I am confident at some point the engine has been pulled for some reason or another. Thanks Rich and Charlie for the help. I will post some pics and change my avatar as I will be here for a while..

 

[83turbomon]

I have a Car and Driver Magazine from 1983 and they said the engines came in GM light blue for the one that they tested. Mine is orange, but has probably been opened up at some point.

 

[Mister5150]

Most of the blocks Ive seen online were also blue however, I'm quite sure mine was at least removed and painted so due to the overspray on the pushrods.