New 84 Gn owner - wiped cam and other questions

[chip-c]

Hello everyone,

On Friday I purchased an 84 GN in north Oregon that seemed to be really well taken care of. This is my first turbo regal. I was up there with my dad, he was buying a 67 GTO project and that already needed to be towed, so I had the smart idea to try to drive the buick back to San Diego in heat wave weather.

About 300 miles in going up a hill it wiped the cam (#3e). The motor had been rebuilt in the early 2000s with a 206/206 flat tappet, and has about ~1500 miles since then.

The car is now on a truck here, once it gets here I will try to diagnose the damage more.

What are my options? Has anyone had success with flushing the oil and putting another cam in? Or does the engine for sure need to come out?

I read some people try magnets on the oil filter to catch metal - does this work? Any other problem areas I need to check for metal?

My understanding is that all flat tappets in this block are a gamble, but that using the GM lifters and ZDDP oil can help things live.

I really don't want to throw $2500 at having a machine shop go through the engine and install a roller. For what I paid for it, I might just dump it non-running before doing that.

Assuming the cam is replaced, what is the general reliability of a hot air car (I know that can be hard to quantify)? This car has some of the standard mods - fuel pump, hot wire, injectors, kenne bell chip, 14# boost. My first DD was a 72 ss 350 chevelle, and my current DD is a 70 mach 1, so I understand there is more maintenance associated with older cars, but are these things a nightmare? I think I bit off more than I can chew this time.

 

[hot air 84GN]

Hello everyone,

On Friday I purchased an 84 GN in north Oregon that seemed to be really well taken care of. This is my first turbo regal. I was up there with my dad, he was buying a 67 GTO project and that already needed to be towed, so I had the smart idea to try to drive the buick back to San Diego in heat wave weather.

About 300 miles in going up a hill it wiped the cam (#3e). The motor had been rebuilt in the early 2000s with a 206/206 flat tappet, and has about ~1500 miles since then.

The car is now on a truck here, once it gets here I will try to diagnose the damage more.

What are my options? Has anyone had success with flushing the oil and putting another cam in? Or does the engine for sure need to come out?

I read some people try magnets on the oil filter to catch metal - does this work? Any other problem areas I need to check for metal?

My understanding is that all flat tappets in this block are a gamble, but that using the GM lifters and ZDDP oil can help things live.

I really don't want to throw $2500 at having a machine shop go through the engine and install a roller. For what I paid for it, I might just dump it non-running before doing that.

Assuming the cam is replaced, what is the general reliability of a hot air car (I know that can be hard to quantify)? This car has some of the standard mods - fuel pump, hot wire, injectors, kenne bell chip, 14# boost. My first DD was a 72 ss 350 chevelle, and my current DD is a 70 mach 1, so I understand there is more maintenance associated with older cars, but are these things a nightmare? I think I bit off more than I can chew this time.

I love my car to death, but it's been a nightmare since I have purchased it in 1999. A 30 year old car will need a lot of TLC and attention. First year for computer. There are so many sensors to go bad, and mess everything up. A good scantool would be a great help. I would definetly say my car is NOT a good daily driver vehicle!! I have been towed more times than I can remember. Unless you replace every sensor, terminal, and wire. Plus all fuel and spark components, these cars will fail with the weakest link. I call it my money pit, but I do love it when I can figure out how to repair it correctly and make things work! I plan on keeping the car for a long time and investing more money into it. I guess thats what you really have to ask yourself. Are you going to keep the car or not?? And go from there. Be prepared to sink some money into a hot air. Parts are not as readily available as the intercooled 86-87 cars. Most parts you will have to use 86-87 eventually, and convert/adapt. Keep reading this forum alot!! There is so so much info on here. I still learn constantly from the more knowlegable guys on here. Keep your head up. Good thing about these cars is that they are rare, and will be more valuable in the futrure

 

[charlief1]

Cam can be replaced without doing anything else but that's a big gamble. You're best bet it to pull the engine, have the crank and rods checked, replace the bearings after having the block cleaned, and go back together with it. You can use a flat tappet cam if you follow proper break in procedures and use ZDDP additive in the oil. Synthetic isn't an advantage at all so get a good conventional oil for her.

 

[highboost]

you could do just a cam swap, i have done it before. just flush the oil and pull the oil pump apart and make sure there is no debris in it. and i have never had a problem with a flat tappet cam in the 3 different hotair cars i have owned. and never use any additives to my oil either. i always run mobil1 10w30 and follow proper cam breakin procedures and everything is fine.

 

[Mike Horak]

Welcome to the Buick Turbo World. I am fairly new here as well.

The experience that I have with circle track racing engines would tell me to replace bearings. I have toasted a couple cams in the past and the material from the cam will circulate through the oiling system, in turn wearing the main and rod bearings at an alarming rate. My experience is with the small block chevy but I am certain the same holds true here.

The reason for the cam failure needs to be addressed as well. I would inspect the valvetrain (pushrods, lifters, springs, valves, etc) for anything that would put undue stress on the cam lobe that failed.

 

[crashedout1]

Huge difference in owning a hot air than a old chevy completely unreliable unless every wire and sensor is replaced hell a mew engine harness is 750 run away lol

 

[alec296]

check your oil pressure once its back together. its possible oil was old and cam might never have fully broke in . check turbo as depending on what happened there could be a problem. pull the drain plug an drain alittle oil see how much metal comes out in oil. I would bet engine is ok as I have seen cams go flat after break in I bet with 1500 miles that the oil was still break in oil .after cam change replace filter every 500 miles will help pull metal out and save engine

 

[Chuck Leeper]

Huge difference in owning a hot air than a old chevy completely unreliable unless every wire and sensor is replaced hell a mew engine harness is 750 run away lol

Huh??

 

[novaderrik]

how sparkly is the oil?
i'd probably just stick a cam and lifters in it, change the oil a few times, and call it good... watch it closely for a few thousand miles- if there's going to be any problems, it's going to happen sooner rather than later..

one thing to look at when taking it apart- check if the lifters can spin freely in their bores.. a lifter that doesn't spin will wipe out that lobe in no time.

 

[alec296]

if you only wipe 1 or to lobes don't worry not a lot of metal but find out why so it don't happen again.

 

[Chuck Leeper]

if you only wipe 1 or to lobes don't worry not a lot of metal but find out why so it don't happen again.

A suggestion: Quit providing bogus info.....

 

[alec296]

A suggestion: Quit providing bogus info.....

metalologist?

 

[Chuck Leeper]

Suggesting that "only 1 or to" lobes being gone, won't put enough contamination in the engine to worry about, is bogus info.