Trans Question/ Rocker Shafts

Also, if you use stainless valves you have to have the heads machined for the chevy style seals.
 
Motor Rebuild

Just came back from dropping off my block / Forged Pistons and rods and heads at the machine shop.. This Mechanic is suppose to be Master Rebuilder of GN motors...and I believe its so.. He has done more than a few 9 second GNs.. I am not going to mention his name till I see the actual results on my motor...I am waiting for his estimate ... Anyway these are some of the things he said to get a Buick to really crank...First you can't use Used Pistons. PERIOD...so much for my good deal on E-Bay of forged pistons...They shrink and strech out and the lands wear out...He would not even put them in nor garauntee his rebuild if they were in the engine...Second...Its either a Roller cam or nothing...He will not gurantee the engine if it does not have one in it... Seems the only pistons he will use are Diamond Froged...Most of the rest are made overseas and no quality control...He was a little set back when he found out that I did not have a Forged crank....he was a little upset when I did not have a late model GN Block... I think he said 509 or something...But I told him I really didn't want to push this thing to its limit and If I got from 300 - 400 HP I would be happy.. He said that would be the most the stock crank would handle anyway... He wanted to put all studs in the heads and Mains...at extra cost of course...I told him to forget it...I would use the stock bolts...Seems like the later Grand National bolts can only be used once then they have to be replaced. He was kind of set back a little when He realized I was using a Turbo Buick early 80's manifold...He said the opening was so small for the air intake...I could almost see his brain trying to figure out how to make the opening much bigger but he didn't say anything... He will even get the whole motor running on a test cart to work out the small bugs with gas and timing ..
 
rebuilding it

Charlie, you were dead on with the exhaust valve retro fit...He told me to take my exhaust valves back and said he would not use them just for the reason you said...and he would put on a seal on the exhaust side just like on the intake.. He really didn't trust any additive in with the oil ....that's why he will not do a rebuild without a roller cam...Some of the figures he said was $500 pistons, a few hundred for the cam and maybe 300 just for the roller lifters that have the pivot bar between them:cool::eek:
 
I've been doing research for over 5 years now Vince. It's taken a long time for me to understand how the turbo cars work. You can use second hand pistons but you're better off using new. As far as the valves, it will work better in the end to have a seal on the exhaust valves and keep the oil out of the engine.
 
Jack knows these engines backwards and fowards, but he's a bit of an ass sometimes. You picked one of the best and crankyest builders for your engine Vince. He'll get it right and make you happy with it.
 
Smokin the Buick

Charlie, thanks for the vote of confidence !! I am still waiting for the estimate with my fingers crossed. He almost closed down last year...he had no work...I'm the same way here with upholstery work...nobody has any money..
 
Manifold alternation

Has anybody ever made the intake hole where the turbo bolts to on an early 80's intake Bigger so to put on a much bigger Turbo and add an Intercooler also ?? It doesn't seem like it would not be too hard just to mill out that opening much bigger. But I guess then you would open a whole new can of worms like Block being too weak, not having a forged crank and rods...then you would probably need a 109 block and then you might just as well go to a late model GN manifold too ...so I guess It has already been done on the later model GN.. i have heard about the new Aluminum V6 Blocks ....I think they are about 3000 bucks each... way out of my leauge...I saw one GN race on Youtube doing a 9 second quarter....insane...they had the camera behind the drivers head and one on the dash guages too... Reminds me of riding in one of my old friends car a hemi Plymouth with the aluminum fenders back in the 60's ...the dude could do wheel stands at will with it...The car pulled so hard that you could just about breathe when he had it floored..:rolleyes::biggrin:
 
An intercooler won't work on a drawthrough system Vince. Air and fuel don't need t get cooled. The fuel will fall out and then you have raw fuel looking for a place to catch fire.

As far as the inlet to the intake you'd need to have a turbo before you adapt it and there aren't any out there, unless you are willing to spend more money than it's worth.
 
Well at the moment the only turbo upgrade is the one that is the second link in my sig. It does double the flow of the stock turbo. Takes a while to build but Aj was running one and it did great for him.
 
mat231v6 said:
no Pontiac 301. i am building one now. or should i say built, because it is finished. all i have left to do is make a down pipe and some small stuff.
Click to expand...

Well it's a hybred really. The hot side is off the 86-87 and the cold side is of the 301 TTA. The combo of the hot side with the cold side make it a little bigger than the 86-87 turbo so it provides for less heating of the air when boost comes in and it will spool faster. Read the whole thread to get a better idea. I know it's hard to follow but the tech is valid and almost all of it is posted so anyone that wants to do it can.:cool:
 
Heads

If I get Grand National heads, would my early 80's turbo manifold bolt up to them?? Are they way better than stock 83 Buick Regal heads ??:rolleyes:
 
Yes the heads will fit, but there is probably zero gain. 8445 heads are said to be the best, but I have never seen flow bench tests or dyno test between the two.

Id run the heads ya got!
 
charlief1 said:
Well it's a hybred really. The hot side is off the 86-87 and the cold side is of the 301 TTA. The combo of the hot side with the cold side make it a little bigger than the 86-87 turbo so it provides for less heating of the air when boost comes in and it will spool faster. Read the whole thread to get a better idea. I know it's hard to follow but the tech is valid and almost all of it is posted so anyone that wants to do it can.:cool:
Click to expand...

ok i guess i will correct myself a hybred turbo. if you are going to build that turbo make sure you talk to me or charlie. we have built this turbo; there is some small things left out. i know a guy reed who does turbo work, and he can do the balancing real cheap. as i said soon i will be finished with mine (installed). then we can see what this turbo can do.
 

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Turbo

I found out that I have 84 heads on this 83 engine...which I am told is the same casting as a GN Head...so I guess I am good to go...Will have to read that Turbo blog again I guess...read it last year but it went in one side and went out the other...Almost got a 109 Block ...but found out that it was already bored out .o30 so forget it...
 
As fa as the heads there were several castings that were used on GN's. The favorite is the 8445 casting. That's the last 4 numbers of the casting number.
 
Total Bust !!

Just got the Estimate for my Engine...hope you are all sitting down How about $5000 plus sales tax which is around 7% in NJ... That was for forged pistons, roller cam, turning the crank down a little, exhaust valves and machining the heads and assembly...Too Rich for my blood...:eek::eek::rolleyes::frown: Going to go pick up my parts and punt.
 
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