how hard can it be?

[racemybuick]

Ok...>SO I am selling a factory crate engine from GM on the boards. It is a 1980 Buick Turbo Regal crate engine, totally original, sitting in a garage for years.....Long story short, I got an offer on a trade. I am in need of a hot air motor....SFI of course. This gentleman has a 1985 turbo riv he would like to trade me for my crate engine. So long as the motor is in good shape, and complete, how hard will a swap be to my Regal? I have about 3-4 other hot air set-ups at home, just no short blocks...I have at least 5 intakes, two turbo's, (one needs rebuilding), two or three up-pipes, a couple down pipes, a wire harness, 5-6 throttle bodies, ummmm....anything that goes on top of the intake, including the intake, I got. My question is, what needs to be done to complete a swap? Can I use the riviera's turbo? Is everything going to go smoothly, or would it just make sense to restore the riv?

Ideas?


John

 

[FWD turbo]

Are you putting this in a regal that's already a T-type, or are you converting a N/A to a turbo? That will make a big diference on how hard it is to do.

 

[racemybuick]

I have two t-types at home, both are 84....I have one GN look alike on my web page, and the other is here:

www.myfirstbuickt-type.50megs.com. It is a project for my twin bro, and his motor is siezed up at the moment, and he wants the car on the road like, ummm...now. He has the rare factory power moon roof, digital guages, digital climate control, and all the fixins! so...It would be ideal if all I needed to do was swap intakes and exhaust pipes and drop the motor in on a weekend! If not, then I will just keep trying to sell the crate motor, and use the $$$ to buy another hot air! lol....So...with that said, what do you guys thing?

John

 

[FWD turbo]

Since you are going to be swapping this motor into an 84 t-type, it will be a very simple swap. They are almost identical. The short block actually is the same. The differences between the t-type/GN and the T-Riv in the years 84/85 were minimal. The only real differences result from the turbos being in different locations. In the Riv, the turbo actually sits behind the engine, (above the trans) so the crossover and exhaust manifolds are different. The intake manifold, heads, block, cam, fuel injectors, ecm, throttle body, etc. are all the same. There also might be some slight differences in the way the steel vacuum lines etc are routed around the fuel rail. The turbo has a slightly different exhaust housing, (wastegate hole is oriented in different location on housing) and a completely different exhaust flange, so you won't be able to use that turbo. Not a direct bolt in anyway. (compressor side is the same though)

If you already have all of the T-type stuff, this will be really simple. All you will have to do is take the exhaust, turbo, steel vacuum lines and fuel rail accessories off the Riv engine, bolt on the t-type stuff and you are good to go. It is a simple, direct bolt-in swap. Remove a few Riv-specific parts and replace them with t-type stuff. Then bolt in the engine. I will post a pic of my engine so you can see sort of what the Riv looks like. The intake, fuel rail & cover, U-pipe, bracket, turbo, throttle body, and all the stuff you are looking at came from an 84 Riv. The crossover was custom made though, because the factory one wouldn't clear my trans mount. I'm also posting a pic of the exhaust housing of a stock Riv turbo so you can make a comparison. If you can think of any other questions I might be able to answer for you, just let me know. Also, if you buy the motor and don't need the turbo, I might be interested in getting it from you. You never know, someday I may need a spare.