4.3L diesel

[Joe Kelsch]

Nothing new for Regals, but it'll be new for me. I thinking of putting a 4.3L diesel into an 86 two door Regal. The car was mine, then I sold it to my brother. Now it's shown back up on my doorstep. The 3.8L is pooping, so I figure it's prime for a motor swap.

The diesel I plan to get is in an 84 Regal 4 door. I would be getting the whole car (for $300), so the swap wouldn't be all that hard. The guy who has the car isn't sure of the tranny, but I think it's probably a TH-350 or a lesser version. I would rebuild my BRF TH-200-4r the right way and with the 2.56 gear in the rearend I'd have a mileage master on my hands. He said when he was running it here and there he was getting upper 20's for mpg. He never had it on any long trips so he isn't sure of the highway mileage. Though, I'm sure on the highway I'll get that and maybe into the lower 30's.

I thought about sticking one of my Buick 350's in there with the tranny I mentioned above, but I figure that'd be too easy. If I do the swap with the diesel, I'm guaranteed to be the only one around. I don't think the General ever put a diesel in a 2 door Regal.

Should be fun. Any input is appreciated.

 

[Turbo1dr]

Man.....I remember those 4.3 rear wheel drive diesels of the 80's in the mid size cars. Very underpowered and VERY rare! Do the swap! Oh, I also remember whenever you would switch the ignition key off the engine would stop so quick it would make the belt squeek.

 

[1dollardog]

The "General" did it in '82. I'm pretty sure it was the only year of a 2 door regal with the diesel and it was the 5.7 diesel. I've wanted to do a GN clone with the diesel and veggi oil conversion. That would piss some hardcore GN guys off. I've seen a video on youtube of a GN with a Durimax diesel doing burn outs with black smoke billowing out of the pipes.

 

[charlief1]

http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/syclone-typhoon-tech-forum/170728-4-3-diesel.html
Interesting idea but you need some sort of help in the power department.

 

[turbofish38]

The factory installed transmission was the THM200C in 82 and 83. For 1984 it was the THM200-4R.

If you use a 250/350/400 you're going to need a vacuum pump to run the vacuum modulator.


Dumb question? Where do you find parts to fix it when it breaks? 15 years ago those were easy to find. 25 years later, well that's a different story. I can't tell you how many "orphan" projects I have or have owned over the years. One of those things were you have 1 car sitting in the drive and than you have 2 than 3 all because it was easier to buy an entire car than just a couple of parts for it.

 

[Joe Kelsch]

I doing this swap because it's different and that it'll get me good fuel mileage. I drive over 25,000 miles a year for work so any improvement is good. The reason I'm going with the 4.3 is that the whole car comes with it. If the motor winds up pooping the bed then so be it. I'd just find another diesel motor to swap in. That motor would probably be a 6.5L, which is another low powered motor that gets great mileage. I'm not looking for an asphault destroying power plant, just something that I can take to work everyday reliably and not use as much of the muslims oil.

 

[usetaboost]

just put a carb turbo setup in it with an OD trans. THere's your 20+mpg