Oldsmobile Help.

[Prodigious9]

I own an '86 Cutlass Supreme, stock for now. I'm looking for answers.
I'm dropping in a Chevy 350 or Olds(if I can find a good one at my price range) turboed and I'm looking at the 200r4 transmission for it all, I'm just trying to figure out will it all click? Will that engine tear that tranny to peices or will the engine/tranny combo work but shred the rear-end differential, what kind of turbo(s) I would need for this kind of setup and if the piping will need to be fabricated, and there will probably be many more questions to come when I think of them. A super-hybrid I suppose.

Will most major parts from any given G-body type car fit into any other G-body type car?

 

[mikestertwo]

Will most major parts from any given G-body type car fit into any other G-body type car?

The nice thing about GM, the drive trains are easily interchangable between the G-bodies. All the mounting holes are in the frame for all the GM motors available in the G-body.

 

[Prodigious9]

That is very good news to me.

 

[Red Regal T]

The BRF TH2004R transmisson would not be affected by the underpowered 350 Olds or Chevy you're contemplating installing in your Cutlass.

 

[Prodigious9]

The BRF TH2004R transmisson would not be affected by the underpowered 350 Olds or Chevy you're contemplating installing in your Cutlass.

You do realize the engine I'm contemplating put out 350-400 HP stock, while the GN's put out around 200-300 HP I think with the turbo. Plus I'm thinking twin-turbos. And what of the rear-end(differential)?

 

[Red Regal T]

You do realize the engine I'm contemplating put out 350-400 HP stock, while the GN's put out around 200-300 HP I think with the turbo. Plus I'm thinking twin-turbos. And what of the rear-end(differential)?

there's plenty, in fact a vast majority, of TRs that will blow a 350-400 HP chevy into the weeds. No, the 7.5" rear GM put these other underpowered g-body's will not do the job. GM made no such error with the turbo Buick which comes with a pretty bullet proof 8.5, at least down into the 10s where many TR owners live. Usually, we in the know, chuck those V8s where they belong, and install a Buick turbo V-6 in it's place, because we want to go faster and make more power.

 

[Anarchy]

i agree my buddy has a 86 monte ss that has a 86 gn motor in it. our 8.5 rears are very do able. so yea i would go with a gn motor over the 350. a gn set up can be worked to the balls. and my friends 86 monte ss kicks a$$. i like it.so yea g bodys parts are all interchangeable.

 

[RIFF RAFF]

Im

Runnig a 450hp stroker in my 79 ho with the stock 350t beefed up and an eaton posi in the stock housing holds together very well no major issues yet but it is a new build with about 7000.miles on it and im still breaking her in but i would brace everthing to avoid body flex hope this helps.

 

[Prodigious9]

So...where exactly do you find differentials? do they come whole or do you buy them in peices and put them together, I have no experience in this....

 

[Red Regal T]

Only certain 442s, after 84 I think, came with 8.5s. Then of course, all TRs, although some are not posi. Your best bet would be to keep an eye out and find one locally for sale. Check craigslist regularly or check the parts forum here.

 

["Turbo-T"]

1984-1987 Buick Turbo Regal/Grand National
1985-1987 Oldsmobile 442
1984 Hurst/Olds

All of the above listed models had the 8.5 rear. All other G bodies received the 7.5 rear. Yes the 7.5 rear is weaker. How long it will handle or if it will handle is a gamble. I've heard of people with 90 hp 4 cylinder S-10's blowing up a 7.5. Yet I had one in my 300 hp 350 V8 S-10 and it never blew on me, despite all the burnouts , tire barking/chirping I used to do with it (courtesy of the B&M stage 2) :biggrin: and just all out abuse I used to dish out to it.

If you're looking to buy an 8.5 rear, look on eBay, Craigslist, Racing Junk and in the classified ads on this web board. As mentioned not all 8.5's were posi traction. Expect to pay around $600 for a non posi and around $800-900 for a posi unit. You can always convert a non posi to a posi with an aftermarket carrier from Eaton. Summit sells them.

As for your tranny, are you dead set on an overdrive trans? If not a TH400 would probably work. Otherwise I see a lot of people going with the 4L80E trans.

 

[just plain john]

So...where exactly do you find differentials? do they come whole or do you buy them in peices and put them together, I have no experience in this....

That's a clear indication to me that you must be dreaming. If you don't know if a differential comes whole or in pieces I find it unlikely you have the chops to pull off a turbo LS. I see you just joined the site within the last month, and have 14 posts at the time of this writing, and you haven't been back since. It's quite a jump from there to an LS swap, even a N/A one, much less a turboed version. Pie in the sky.