New Buick Dune Buggy

[buickbuggy]

I am new to these motors and as the title entails I have recently purchased a dune buggy that is powered by a 1984 Buick Grand National motor (non turbo currently) that has some work done to it. The problem I have is I don't know what kind of work has been done internally, i.e. what can is in it, whether it still has stock heads or they've been worked at all, and if it still has stock pistons or higher compression. I know it has a Smokey Yunick Weiand intake, Holley double pumper 600cfm, Accel distributor with high power coils, and homemade headers.
I just bought a complete turbo setup off a 1979 Regal and am thinking of swapping it on. I'm wondering what kind of difference the stock Air Research turbo and quadra-jet would make, and if it would make difference making an adapter to use my current intake instead of swapping the stock intake on? I'm not trying to run a lot of boost, maybe 6-8psi, so if the pistons are higher compression I think I should be able to avoid detonation still.

 

[charlief1]

Glad to see you made it over here finally. This is the big board and the little board is pretty much dying now. I moved your post to the B4black section so you can get a better response. I'm Charlie (B4turbo), and Aj (dr_frankenstein) as well as Rich (B4black) is here. We've got a bunch of guys that are trying to prove that these cars can be made faster as well as reliable.

 

[buickbuggy]

Thanks for pointing me towards the correct area of the forum, now if I can just figure out where to go with my motor I'll be good. I wish there was an easy way to find out what's inside it because there's no way I'm tearing it apart just to see. I've thought about taking it to a dyno shop to see what kind of power it's making and that might give me an idea what's been done to it.

 

[charlief1]

If you had a bore scope you could look into the combustion chamber through the spark plug hole and see if the pistons's a flat top or dished. If it's dished then it's most likely low compression.

 

[buickbuggy]

Unfortunately I don't even know what a bore scope is (though I think I have an idea), let alone own one, so that's not really an option. If it has higher compression pistons I would think I am still ok to boost it to the levels I'm looking at from what I know, but please correct me if I'm wrong so I don't blow something up.
Also, I'm wondering what kind of difference the turbo could/ would make if my motor is already pretty well built? I'm hoping to wind up around 250hp or so, but might change my mind depending on what it's putting out already. It goes pretty well so far but the other guys I go with are all running much bigger motors with a good bit more power and I want to be able to keep up. Would the turbo effect my bottom end numbers or just increase the mid-top end power? Sorry about all the questions but as I said earlier I'm new to these motors and also pretty new to turbos, I had a turbo diesel once before but that's all and I never did anything with the motor.

 

[ek02]

You could take a compression test and get a rough idea if it has high compression. I think a stock engine should have around 150-160 psi cranking with all the plugs out and the throttle blocked open. If you get up to or over 200, it has higher than stock compression.

 

[dmarx]

Send pix of the engine and dune buggy!!!

 

[dr_frankenstein]

very cool! lets see it!

 

[buickbuggy]

I'll try to snap some pictures tonight and post them.

 

[gnpoweredrail]

In my old sand rail I ran the setup you are inquiring about for over 20 years.I ran the Q-jet for a very long time and then put a Air Sensors 4 injector TB setup on it...
I ran over 20 psi many times.
We need to talk.I still have alot of spare parts you will need to convert your engine over.

 

[dr_frankenstein]

In my old sand rail I ran the setup you are inquiring about for over 20 years.I ran the Q-jet for a very long time and then put a Air Sensors 4 injector TB setup on it...
I ran over 20 psi many times.
We need to talk.I still have alot of spare parts you will need to convert your engine over.

fill us in.

 

[buickbuggy]

Is your buggy the one in the picture? That looks like one that was featured in Sand Spots Magazine May/June issue that is pretty awesome. They said it was putting down 550hp on sport tune, and 750hp in high boost setting running a 3.8 turbo setup.

 

[gnpoweredrail]

yes that is me

 

[gnpoweredrail]

fill us in.

what do you want to know?

 

[dr_frankenstein]

what do you want to know?

tell us more about the TBI and going to 20psi!

I cant pass 18 without knock, was that TBI more effective?

 

[buickbuggy]

I finally got some pictures of the buggy, hopefully they turned out ok.

 

[dr_frankenstein]

wow thats cool man! i need to toss a shot of mine up!

 

[charlief1]

You got a buggy to Aj? Better send me some info.

 

[Squid4life]

That thing is wicked cool! Here is a borescope, and at Harbor Freight they can be had for as little as $69. Would allow you to look in the cylinder as stated above.


http://www.harborfreight.com/digital-inspection-camera-67979.html

 

[gnpoweredrail]

tell us more about the TBI and going to 20psi!

I cant pass 18 without knock, was that TBI more effective?

the highest I ran was 24.I used a MSD boost retard box with their BTM ignition box and billet distributor.
I ran pure AV Gas 100LL in it.
The TB system made it seem like I had been driving on 3 cylinders all its life....Now with those MSD Atomic and FAST TB systems they are wideband controlled...so you could really make it run good.