NEED URGENT FEEDBACK PLEASE!?!?!

[KingLouis]

Hello all. Thanks so much for looking at my thread first off.

Second.. I don't race much, just want more grunt when annoyed by flies.

I have a 87' GN w/ 27k. Its currently in a trusted shop. I'm overseas in Afghanistan. Its in the shop for no compression in #3 cyl. Turbo spiked and it bared the grunt of it.

AFTER THE SHOP PULLS THE HEAD OFF AND TAKES PICTURES I WILL POST IT!!

Ok here is the scenario. The motor is going to be rebuilt(if it needs to be) from top to bottom to relieve all the old seals and freshen it up after sitting for years. It has the following 90's mods, I bought the car this way.

dual exhaust
hi-flow fuel pump
cold air intake
manual boost controller
bulldog chip

I want to purchase the following....


206/206 Roller Cam Kit
Pat's Performance Torque Converter - Stall 3000
42.5 Pound per Hour Injectors
TA49 TURBOCHARGER

Alchy, injection kit to be bought at a later date.
What do you think?

 

[HelloBozos]

Put a roller cam in it or you have to run additive all the time,Girdle the bottom end,that turbo's to big for stock heads,Run a T48-50, an last put an alky kit on it..You'll be pleased an have a lot of durability.

 

[Phoneguy]

Go with a small roller cam as stated above. Ditch the current chip and get a TT chip and 60 lb injectors, ALKY would be a good choice for you. Leave the stock headers on the car. The 72mm and 76 mm turbos are WAY out of reach for your build. A TA49 would get the job done nicely. A good converter would round out your build.

More than likely you just blew a head gasket and dont need a full rebuild. Good luck

Bryan

 

[krom]

At the least you will need to change the convertor and strengthen the tranny if they are stock. State your goals to get a realistic build and cost. Buicks are all about the combination.

 

[KingLouis]

I want a stout ride. I dont drag race at all. I just want something with more power than it currently has.

More or less its a "HEY I"M REBUILDING THE MOTOR WHAT CAN I REPLACE OR STRENGTHEN TO GET MORE POWER?"

Help please??

 

[KingLouis]

hell.. truthfully I'm a novice with Turbo's or GN's for that matter... Hate to say it here but I'm a Honda guy. Dad owned a Turbo T back in the day and I finally got a chance to own one.. Not even sure where to start. Links would be appreciated.

 

[Blazer406]

Paues.....take a deep breath....... and take some good advice from some of the people who knows....

If you are used to Hondas..... you will love a turbo buick with a TE44 and a 3000 stall..... and an alky kit. With the right combo... it will light street tires up at 40 mph......

IMHO forget about the big turbos and just do a good rebuild with a small hyd roller cam.... say a 206......

Make sure you do the research here before you spend a bunch of $$ on stuff you don't need. It will make the project much more enjoyable...

 

[KingLouis]

ok fellas. Thanks for the info. I was being sold something from GN1Performance after a conversation just to make a sale. Which is why I came to ask you all.

After researching some more and reading reviews I'd like to get your info on this?
How about this set-up?

206/206 Roller Cam Kit
Pat's Performance Torque Converter - Stall 3000
42.5 Pound per Hour Injectors
TA49 TURBOCHARGER

Alchy, injection kit to be bought at a later date.

 

[Guess]

I think you are wasting a lot of money. I don't see a need to rebuild a 27k engine from top to bottom, but I defer to the experts here. Probably a blown head gasket but I would have them check the bottom end while they are in there.

I'm a relative noob, but had my engine rebuilt at 140k. I would recommend:
Head gaskets
Port and polish the stock heads, valve job and rebuild with new springs, seals etc.
Slightly bigger than stock cam, roller or flat tappet. Flat tappet if you want to save money, not hard to add additive. You probably don't even need to change it, but not much cost for flat tappet or roller if you got the money.
Upgrade the timing chain like you planned. My chain let go at 140k, hence the rebuild.
Ditch the custom headers - waste of money
Realistic turbo size, I bought a $400 used TE-44
Match converter to turbo - I use a 2,800 stall for my TE-44
Hotwire fuel pump kit and make sure your fuel pump is keeping up with your boost.
3-inch down pipe
Use the money you saved on ditching the headers to buy an alcohol injection kit, single nozzle.
Scanmaster and knock gauge, or you'll be in the same place again with the head gasket.
After you get your mods nailed down - 60lb injectors and a turbo tweak chip to match your mods.
Harden up the trans - I haven't got to that point of my build yet.
TUNE

I have basically all the above except for Alky. It's a little beast and I'm very happy with it. I'll add Alky later though, when I get brave.

Have fun with it!

 

[SGRIM]

Buy from a vendor that supports the board please... We are a small community and every bit helps...

 

[Guess]

ok fellas. Thanks for the info. I was being sold something from GN1Performance after a conversation just to make a sale. Which is why I came to ask you all.

After researching some more and reading reviews I'd like to get your info on this?
How about this set-up?

206/206 Roller Cam Kit
Pat's Performance Torque Converter - Stall 3000
42.5 Pound per Hour Injectors
TA49 TURBOCHARGER

Alchy, injection kit to be bought at a later date.

Excellent. I use the 42.5's because they came with the car and will satisfy my combo just fine. Some people recommend getting the 60's now so there will be room to upgrade later.

 

[KingLouis]

Excellent. I use the 42.5's because they came with the car and will satisfy my combo just fine. Some people recommend getting the 60's now so there will be room to upgrade later.

GUESS, thanks for seeing the revised list and approving. I feel real good about that list there. Seems to be a decent entry level list from what I've read.

Thanks for the advice as well everyone. As far as the rebuild.. It partly peace of mind. I believe the owner before me messed something up along the way which is why I bought it with 18k miles for $10k. The TPS sensor was way outta whack and the idle screw was adjusted pretty far out of the normal, possibly trying to hide something. Always buy something you can actually see, fellas... even if you're overseas. 110 pictures he sent and a mechanic "friend"checking it out still didnt do the job.

 

[Phoneguy]

Sensors being out of adjustment does not dictate an engine rebuild. Have it checked if you like but I doubt it is needed.

Bryan

 

[KingLouis]

I understand this, Mr. Bryan.

Thanks for the advice, but I was really looking for advice on the mods tho. The motor is going to be rebuilt. The car sat for far to long with out being ran, for my liking.

Black smoke billows out @ anything higher than idle. The turbo doesn't leak.. tho it has slight play. That's going to be replaced instead of rebuilt. It could be a number of things that is causing this blow by, I know.

(Disclaimer: The following may sound extremely dumb.. read at your own risk.)
I guess I just like throwing away money on my sanity, knowing all was went thru carefully and is going to be reliable. It's that damned Honda mentality I have, I guess. I seek reliability first and foremost, performance second. (don't smoke me to hard) Aftermarket parts are considerably cheaper in this world. This whole rebuild and parts list start to finish wouldn't buy much in my world. I am not trying to disregard any of your opinions. I respect them all and are all taken into account. Right now your advice is golden to me. I really do appreciate you guys taking your time to teach a novice in your world.

 

[scot w.]

Your list is very close to my build on our test car and will make you a very fun street car with great manners... My car has been 7:90 @ 93mph in the 1/8th on regular street tires with a 1.80 60 foot time. That is on 93 octane and alky with only 20lbs of boost.

The reason many here are trying to have you avoid a re-build is because if it's not done by a reputable builder and "Done Right" you will have worse problems than you do now! Just because it sat for awhile does not mean it's bad! I think taking it out and putting it on an engine stand and looking at the bearings would be a good thing but a new complete rebuild done by the wrong place can make for a bad day and many wasted dollars! My motto is "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" check things out real good with the help of a member here and you will learn a lot in the process..

Which ever way you go, I wish you luck and hope to see you at a Buick event with it...

Here is my list:

TE-44 turbo
2800 Non lock up, spragless Pro-torque converter
55lb injectors
206-206 comp cam
stock heads
stock exh manifolds
Alky kit
Front mount

 

[scot w.]

Where are you located? Maybe your close to someone from here that could come by and give you a hand with this build or help you inspect it...


SW.

 

[Guess]

Yeah, my tps and idle was so far out of wack when I bought it I was surprised it drove! Do a search for Spring Cleaning. It tells how to set all that stuff and most of us do it every year. I also monitor the setting through scanmaster constantly.

Keep reading. You're on the right track. It'll help you weed out what works and what just looks nice but doesn't do much. A lot of that stuff isn't needed unless you plan on going much faster than you and I plan on going.

I'd really wait for a whole rebuild until I've heard more from the people on this board. From reading this board, I get the feeling the builder can cause more problems on a rebuild. Especially if they've never done a turbo Buick V-6 and it wasn't needed in the first place.

 

[Blazer406]

I had thought the OP said no compression on #3.

Hopefully it is just a HG..... but once that is fixed.... a simple recipe would be a blast to drive on the street.....

 

[KingLouis]

I will have pictures taken when the head is removed.

 

[KingLouis]

Im in Afghanistan. the car is in Killeen/Ft. Hood Texas.

WOW SCOT.. thats pretty quick.