Help me build a decent GN

Slix

Member
Joined
May 12, 2017
So, got a 1987 that needs some TLC. Looking for advice on building something reliable and fast, sadly sacrificing speed.for reliability. Already got a race car that isn't streetable, and always needs something fixed.

Trying to get this Buick as fast as I can, as long as it doesn't need parts every week..

Any suggestions on parts as this progresses would be appreciated, so I'm not burning money foolishly.
 
First things first, fuel system? Thinking pump.and hotwire kit.Heard the DW series is the best. Any suggestions on model?
 
Does the car have any mods now or are you starting from scratch?
Needs TLC? Is it running properly now?
Budget?
Hotwire kit / quality fuel pump and Scanmaster should probably be your first move.
Then a modern chip and injectors. Adjustable fuel pressure regulator, downpipe, test pipe, exhaust..... list goes on!
 
Upgrade the fuel system. Build is in my sig. I bracket race the car 7 flat at 100 MPH all day long. The stock junk is incredibly durable...just stay out of detonation.
 
Does the car have any mods now or are you starting from scratch?
Needs TLC? Is it running properly now?
Budget?
Hotwire kit / quality fuel pump and Scanmaster should probably be your first move.
Then a modern chip and injectors. Adjustable fuel pressure regulator, downpipe, test pipe, exhaust..... list goes on!

Thinking its pretty much stock now, ran great on the street, but blew a head gasket at the track. Have another motor (stock block, crank, rods, heads, intake) to swap into the car. sending the turbo back for a definitive ID, then decide if i should rebuild it or get a replacement. No idea what size turbo it is, guessing stock. But just a guess.

Car does have a decent size down pipe on it, but still has stock headers for now.

Have a few gauges( rpm,knock, boost, oil pressure and water temp) ordered a electric fuel pressure gauge, and next will be a wideband o2 sensor.

Have a power logger , next will be a scan master gauge.

Needs new injectors, chip, maf meter for sure.


in process of freshening up the spare engine i had... separate thread for that can of worms...

Short term goal, get car running well again with stock long block engine.
Long term goal, professionally built aluminum long block engine and built trans for the car.
 
I think you are headed in the right direction.
Stock headers are fine but check for cracks.A
Powerlogger with a wideband 02 is a great tool for tuning.
The only other thing that for me is essential, is an Alkycontrol system.
 
I think you are headed in the right direction.
Stock headers are fine but check for cracks.A
Powerlogger with a wideband 02 is a great tool for tuning.
The only other thing that for me is essential, is an Alkycontrol system.

whats triggering the alky system? WOT?

any compensation in the chip for it?

or just adding more boost, and fuel, and using ally to control knock/detonation?
 
Ok so have the stock plastic timing gears and stock cam and stock heads

Any recommendations on
1. Timing chain
2 valve springs
3. Oil pump

Also, anything else I should look for while I have the engine apart?

Only thing I'm not touching in the rebuild I can tell is head gaskets and pistons/rings and cam shaft/cam bearings...

Any thoughts appreciated.
Gonna change main and rod bearings this weekend and try and get the oil pan buttoned up

Thanks
 
whats triggering the alky system? WOT?

any compensation in the chip for it?

or just adding more boost, and fuel, and using ally to control knock/detonation?
The Alky system is triggered via PSI from motor to a map sensor. You can make adjustments if needed via a gain knob on the main controller or tweak it further via potentiometers in the pac controller. It is very easy to use at the power level you are looking for. In your application is pretty much plug and play then just tune the gain knob for no knock.

If using a stock ECM with a programmed chip, you can use a TurboTweak Alky chip that will have the curves programmed and tailored to compensate for the Alky. Again, in your setup, pretty much plug and play.
 
So, got a 1987 that needs some TLC. Looking for advice on building something reliable and fast, sadly sacrificing speed.for reliability. Already got a race car that isn't streetable, and always needs something fixed.

Trying to get this Buick as fast as I can, as long as it doesn't need parts every week..

Any suggestions on parts as this progresses would be appreciated, so I'm not burning money foolishly.

Remove v6 and install LS. Problem solved!
 
Basics, basics, basics... Got to get the car to a solid baseline:

scan master - so you know what's going on
check your seals (front and rear main), t-chain, valve springs, oil pump, fuel pump hotwire, injectors and TT chip, Afpr, t-stat
make sure you can stop so check your pm or swap to vacuum
make sure your cooling system is working well-
Check all your settings (tps, iac, fpr)
Later you can look at exhaust, DP, CAI

Once it's running and stopping well, get some alky and call it good.
 
The stock headers will take you as fast as you want to go in a street car.

A Scan Master should be the first thing you add to the car.
 
It's been well documented here. There are several here that claim they have gone into the 9's with them with time slips to prove it.

I have no reason to doubt their word. It's up to you to do the research to either prove or disprove those claims. I'm just saying stockers will perform well past your street needs. That's been proven time after time.

The search function is your friend...... ;)
 
Basics, basics, basics... Got to get the car to a solid baseline:

scan master - so you know what's going on
check your seals (front and rear main), t-chain, valve springs, oil pump, fuel pump hotwire, injectors and TT chip, Afpr, t-stat
make sure you can stop so check your pm or swap to vacuum
make sure your cooling system is working well-
Check all your settings (tps, iac, fpr)
Later you can look at exhaust, DP, CAI

Once it's running and stopping well, get some alky and call it good.

Bro, gave him the basics and made it real simple for him......

LS = plug and play.....
v6 + shit ton of money = plug and pray.....
Can't make it any easier!
Good luck......
 
Set an ET goal. Buy the correct combo for the goal. My times are in my sig. 11.25 without alky. VP Octanium and 20# boost. 90 mile round trip to track. Run 11.9@14# in mid 80's heat. I'm not the fastest on here nor do I have all the toys. It's all in the combo and tune. If you want low 12's stock turbo will get you there. And you don't need every suspension part either.
Do the spring cleaning, new pump/filter,injectors/chip for your goal.
Our cars became legend with a V6. Last couple of times the ZL1 would not run me....just saying. He had the mph but not the ET.
Nothing against LS as my son is LS swapping an 85 Mustang coupe.
 
LS swap is good for most other cars out there- The mystique of these cars was that they did what they did without a v8. If you're going to do a swap on a gbody, use a plain jane regal. Why spend the bucks to buy a GN or ttype just to scrap the reason you bought it in the first place? It doesn't make any sense at all.
 
Bro, gave him the basics and made it real simple for him......

LS = plug and play.....
v6 + shit ton of money = plug and pray.....
Can't make it any easier!
Good luck......
If you want dirt cheap and easy go fast nothing beats a BBC and nitrous. Why bother with all that LS crap?
 
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