Front wheel drive 3.8 SFI Turbo - Videos!

[turbokinetic]

Just a quick note - here are my latest car videos of the 1984 Buick Century (front wheel drive) with LG3 3.8 SFI Turbo. It's pretty serious, and loads of fun to drive. I've left behind some really upset Mustang and Camaro drivers!

David

Zero to 80 with bad launch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=153b4ljlqX4

Pulling a hill:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVmg5YlvJbk

Burnin' rubber!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p5WmIvuVYs

 

[DaveLC2]

Your car sounds like a beast! I'd love to see that at the track.

 

[vicious6]

Awesome man, I have always wanted to do that to my little Century (87 model), but always seem to lack the money and fab skills. Your fab skills are incredible!

 

[LilSpann601]

Awesome man, I have always wanted to do that to my little Century (87 model), but always seem to lack the money and fab skills. Your fab skills are incredible!

all i can say is damn

 

[BEATAV8]

made me giggle...

Nice.

 

[charlief1]

I'd LOVE to see the faces of the guys you killed. I'd be laughing so hard I'd double over.

 

[49-blues]

what years have the LG3 motors?

 

[turbokinetic]

Thanks for the replies! I appreciate the compliments. I didn't get a notification for some reason. Darn it.

Yes I have made some rice burners really mad, and have waxed a few Mustangs and made them wonder what sort of hallucination they just had!

The LG3 motor was late 86, 87, and most of 88. It came in the A and H body cars (Century, Ciera, Park Ave, LeSabre, Delta 88). If the engine is in the year range stated above, has a round "V6 SFI" medallion on the top of the manifold, and says "RL" on the side of the block it is an LG3. The older ones looked almost identical but had flat-tappet cams. The engines with "3800" on the plenum are equally tough as the LG3 but have on-center bore spacing and a balance shaft. None of the GN performance parts will fit the 3800, but most of them will fit the LG3 because it is nearly the same engine.

I've tried twice to get the car on the dyno but each time the scheduling has not worked out. The place I am trying to book has a Mustang dyno that (if I understand correctly) simulates 1/4 mile, as well as gives HP and torque.

Maybe this week I can get it done. The place is 1 hour away and requires an appointment. I work a 14 days on, 14 days off schedule at work and have a full 10 days off to get it done this time.

I'm working on an 87 Century project now. It has an LG3 that is getting a turbo. It won't be an powerful as my car is, but I'm shooting for 240 HP. It's a project to see what I can do with spending as little time and $ as possible. The HP goal of 240 is because that is the power of the original supercharged 3800 engine.

That car's story is here:
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3333733
It's another one I saved from certain death.

I also got a DIESEL powered Century coupe that is getting a Garrett aVNT electronic variable nozzele turbo.
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3327906

When I get the dyno numbers I will post that for sure!
Later,
David

 

[1chance]

That has great info! I have always been intimadated by FWD, but you make it look simple, great fab work!

 

[hesermon]

Build my LeSabre

David, I have an 86 LeSabre Grand National that I've been sitting on for a couple of years now wondering exactly what to do with and always thinking that I'd like to make a turbo car. Now I know exactly what I want to do, however as much as I like to "tinker", I see from your build that it is way more than I would ever consider doing. A couple of questions for you, 1) would the build be easier on the LeSabre because there is so much more room under the hood and 2) would you consider taking the job on? I'm only about 3 hours from you and I'm not much on re-inventing the wheel and it looks like you have the wheel pretty well down to a science. I have the running LeSabre, an 87 long block (minus fuel delivery) from my GN conversion, and a ton of spare parts.
What do you think? Hugh

 

[Goat]

damn lets see some pictures of the motor setup it sounds mean. I wouldnt mind a fwd setup.

 

[turbokinetic]

-error-

 

[turbokinetic]

David, I have an 86 LeSabre Grand National that I've been sitting on for a couple of years now wondering exactly what to do with and always thinking that I'd like to make a turbo car. Now I know exactly what I want to do, however as much as I like to "tinker", I see from your build that it is way more than I would ever consider doing. A couple of questions for you, 1) would the build be easier on the LeSabre because there is so much more room under the hood and 2) would you consider taking the job on? I'm only about 3 hours from you and I'm not much on re-inventing the wheel and it looks like you have the wheel pretty well down to a science. I have the running LeSabre, an 87 long block (minus fuel delivery) from my GN conversion, and a ton of spare parts.
What do you think? Hugh

Hugh, e-mail sent. Sorry I missed this post for so long. You are correct the build would be easier with more room under the hood. I'm about to do a Park Avenue turbo build that will help me plan out the C and H body layout.

Sincerely,
David

 

[turbokinetic]

damn lets see some pictures of the motor setup it sounds mean. I wouldnt mind a fwd setup.

Sure. Here goes:

Engine, as I found it:

During build-up:

Here is is in the car:

By the way, I have put 50,000 miles on the car since turbo build, without any engine issues!

Sincerely,
David

 

[Rafs-T-Type]

Very nice. How'd the tranny hold up?

 

[turbokinetic]

Very nice. How'd the tranny hold up?

Before the 440T4 had a chance to break; I replaced it with a 4T65EHD. That, I broke one time before getting it right.

Sincerely,
David

 

[22lbChevelle]

OMG this thing is badass! Nice use of hardlines for the turbo oil/cooling.

My daily is a 2001 century. I havent researched the FWD stuff at all. Is it feasible to swap a 3.8 and good tranny into it?

 

[49-blues]

I have a rebuilt 3.8 fwd motor & trans out of a 87 la sabre with less than 500 miles on it -very reasonable if someone needs it, the car got wasted right after I had the motor and trans rebuilt- I paid $3000. For both-will sell for $1000.

 

[turbokinetic]

OMG this thing is badass! Nice use of hardlines for the turbo oil/cooling.

My daily is a 2001 century. I havent researched the FWD stuff at all. Is it feasible to swap a 3.8 and good tranny into it?

Thanks, I don't like rubber hoses because they can deteriorate and leak at the worst times. Many car fires and engine failures can be attributed to broken oil lines and coolant lines.

I'm not into the "newer" cars as to the nitty-gritty details - however I am sure it could be done. They had a 4-speed auto (such as a 4T60E or 4T65E) which will work with the 3.8SFI FWD engine.

If your car has a 3800 engine, the newer 3800's have a big performance following. You would be best to keep it, and build it. The 3800 series II is a very formidable engine when in the right hands....

GM made a L67 supercharged 3800. It is OBDII controlled. This means its ECM programming will work with your existing car's electronics. There code for the supercharged engine is well documented and adaptable to turbo. I know someone who makes 450HP+ with a L67 that has been converted from supercharged to turbo.

I have a rebuilt 3.8 fwd motor & trans out of a 87 la sabre with less than 500 miles on it -very reasonable if someone needs it, the car got wasted right after I had the motor and trans rebuilt- I paid $3000. For both-will sell for $1000.

That's a ver fair price for a fresh rebuilt engine! It's a little far for me to drive though, to NYC. Plus all my stuff is running perfectly.

Sincerely,
David

 

[usetaboost]

This is the car that was a carb turbo project right? I've always thought it would be cool to do a fwd 3800 turbo car. THere's tons of 80s fwd cars around here and they're cheap. Would you be willing to do a write up with cost list in the how to section?