Wanting to learn how to build Buick engines

[nolanator]

No way you can learn enough just from watching someone else. There's a lot more to it i think then just put this part here then bolt it in. What about the things you can't teach like love for it and passion, confidence eye for detail and experience. My suggestion is do the time put in the endless hours of wrenching and troubleshooting, reading and watching hours and hours of videos bust open your knuckles wake up with a sore back have dreams of wrenches and nuts and bolts, then just maybe you will be onto something and be able to build a engine with ease and comfort knowing it will be done right.

Preaching to the choir.

 

[gentek10]

Lord ol mighty can I get a hallelujah

 

[Gary Wells]

No way you can learn enough just from watching someone else. There's a lot more to it i think then just put this part here then bolt it in. What about the things you can't teach like love for it and passion, confidence eye for detail and experience. My suggestion is do the time put in the endless hours of wrenching and troubleshooting, reading and watching hours and hours of videos bust open your knuckles wake up with a sore back have dreams of wrenches and nuts and bolts, then just maybe you will be onto something and be able to build a engine with ease and comfort knowing it will be done right.

I believe that Dee has the fever, passion, dedication, & whatever else it takes to become a top turbo Buick mechanic.
He needs a starting point, not a preacher. My belief is that he knows what he needs to do to be successful.

 

[gentek10]

I just gave the guy my advise and guidance, not only that everything I said is a fact not just opinion. Didn't know the truth was preaching. He is obviously asking for a mentor/preacher/teacher or what ever you want to call it someone step up and help the guy. If he is that serious about it but only he can say that not someone else for him. I paid a tuition to learn my skill and worked at a shop for two years before I was able to break off on my own. I had a couple mentors through it all. I remember when I wouldn't even touch a oil drain plug now I can tell you by memory which bolt goes where. Ain't nothing to it but to do it.

 

[USMC_Turbo6]

I believe that Dee has the fever, passion, dedication, & whatever else it takes to become a top turbo Buick mechanic.
He needs a starting point, not a preacher. My belief is that he knows what he needs to do to be successful.

Thanks Gary.


Some people l.... SMDH

 

[gnsrule]

I assemble my own engines to take out the blame if it blows up. I have found more wrong shit from the machine shop than you can shake a stick at. Example is my current project, they couldn't get the line bore right so they told me to bring in the rest of the parts and they will do the final assy. Uh..no. The best book I ever found was "How to hot rod a small block Chevy." It was a thick book, came out in the 70's. Although it's geared for a sbc, the principals and methods are spot on. As far as learning the specifics of tr motor, read this board religiously. This board/ forum contains the best in the business, if you know what to listen too.

 

[USMC_Turbo6]

I understand all of that. I have done 90% of the work on my car. I have had it for 7 years. Its a slow process do to the fact of money and do to I want to learn. So I don't have to pay someone for everything. (My dad has had his car for 25 years, it spent the last 8 years down because he was frustrated and did not understand how to fix things anymore and I don't want to be that way I want to be able to help him work on his car so we can enjoy our cars together and keep him from getting frustrated and wanting to sell his car.) I have meet great people on the board that have helped me out or told me Dee you can do it just listen to what I'm telling you.

Engine building is the only thing I have not tried yet and building the transmission. So I do understand the fact about attention to detail. As a Marine I tell that to my junior Marines everyday that you must have attention to detail in everything that you do. Doing it right the first time saves you a lot of pain and a lot of headache and a lot of money. Right now I have a friend that's going to teach me how to rebuild my rear on my own I could have paid someone $500 to do it but I'm not going to a education out of it.

I'm on the Forum everyday reading something new about our cars. Thats how I figured out how to put the flex fuel fuel system into my car by reading it off the Forum. I have learned a lot from reading off of this forum and talking to the people here. All I'm seeking now is help from someone to teach me how to build the motor for the car the proper way. I know that I will not become a master at it overnight, I know I will have to go through and do it multiple multiple times to get it down pack. So that's why you take copious notes on everything that you can to do it the proper way, that's why you learn the specs, that's why you shadow people so that you can learn and attention to detail is key when it comes to these motors. No room for error why do you think all the great engine builders on here are very quiet about the things they do.

I'm like this eventually the great older engine building on this form will eventually pass away, (sorry it's the truth) they can share that knowledge to someone else to carry on the tradition of building great killer motors or it dies with them. So that's one of the main reason why I'm so eager to learn. I don't want to have our cars die off with the knowledge of the great engine builders.

You see so many people now are going LS swap in our cars because they are so frustrated with the motors by the cost or trying to build one, actually it makes me sick to my stomach I'm a die hard turbo Buick v6 guy through and through.

You're entitled to your opinion all you want. But maybe next time you might want to ping the guy who originated the posts and see their mindset so there won't be any misunderstanding or words going back and forth.

Thank you for your time and feedback.

 

[NY Twin Turbo]

I understand all of that. I have done 90% of the work on my car. I have had it for 7 years. Its a slow process do to the fact of money and do to I what to learn. So I don't have to pay someone for everything. (My dad has had his car for 25 years, ig spent the last 8 years down because he was frustrated and did not understand how to fix things anymore and I don't want to be that way I want to be able to help him work on his car so we can enjoy our cars together and keep them from getting frustrated and wanted to sell his car.) I have meet great people on the board that have helped me out or told me Dee you can do it just listen to what I'm telling you.

Engine building is the only thing I have not tried yet that and building the transmission. So I do understand the fact about attention to detail. As a Marine I tell that to my junior Marines everyday that you must have attention to detail in everything that you do. Doing it right the first time saves you a lot of pain and a lot of headache and a lot of money. Right now I have a friend that's going to teach me how to rebuild my rear on my own I could have paid someone $500 to do it but I'm not going to a education out of it.

I'm on the Forum everyday reading something new about our cars. Thats how I figured out how to put the flex fuel fuel system into my car by reading it off the form. I have learned a lot from reading off of this forum and talking to the people here. All I'm seeking now is help from someone to teach me how to build the motor for the car the proper way. I know that I will not become a master at it overnight, I know I will have to go through and do it multiple multiple times to get it down pack. So that's why you take copious notes on everything that you can to do it the proper way, that's why you learn the specs, that's why you shadow people so that you can learn and attention to detail is key when it comes to these motors. No room for error why do you think all the great engine builders on here are very quiet about the things they do.

I'm like this eventually the great older engine building on this form will eventually pass away, (sorry it's the truth) they can share that knowledge to someone else to carry on the tradition of building great killer motors or it dies with them. So that's one of the main reason why I'm so eager to learn. I don't want to have our cars die off with the knowledge of the great engine builders.

You see so many people now are going LS swap in our cars because they are so frustrated with the motors by the cost or trying to build one, actually it makes me sick to my stomach I'm a die hard turbo Buick v6 guy through and through.

You're entitled to your opinion all you want. But maybe next time you might want to ping the guy who originated the posts and see their mindset so there won't be any misunderstanding or words going back and forth.

Thank you for your time and feedback.

After 22 years of working on my Buick, there is only 2 things I have never done.
1-Worked on the internals of my engine
2-Worked on the internals of my transmission

I feel the exact same way you do. I wan't to do this work. I want to watch it done. I want to help. I want to know the ins and outs. I want to understand all the lingo and theory. Every single part of my twin turbo set-up and all it's support systems, engine management, fuel, and electrical components have been by me. I have had a lot of advice and support, but in the end, I built it.

Unfortunately, the only way to build a 1000 HP motor is to have seen many motors before it fail! You see, it appears the experience required to do this is usually the result of previous success AND failures. I now have a stage motor. And I only have one. I don't even know what cam is in it! I asked once and was told "It's the one you need." Apparently this is true. So, I just kept quiet and didn't ask again. A little mistake or over-site can result in a 20 thousand dollar paper weight. Even worse, I don't think I could go 3 years of down time. I wan't to drive my car.

I wish I could afford a second TR stocker and I had more time. Then I would practice all I wanted on the other mule. But I can't. So for now, it's cheaper to leave the the internals of my engine to others.

If you can get the help you need, and still afford the money and time for mistakes, then continue to acquire all the know-how you can and apply it!

Also, I agree 1000000% about LS swaps. If you want a Chevy then buy a Monte Carlo. They are disposable anyway like every other car. I am the quintessential Buick snob. No need to contest my last statement it wont change my mind.

 

[Gary Wells]

Dee:
Even I know that rear end rebuilds are best performed by proctologists.

 

[USMC_Turbo6]

Dee:
Even I know that rear end rebuilds are best performed by proctologists.

Lol

 

[SPOOLFOOL2]

Dee,
You're doing it the right way. You are hard working enough to get your hands dirty, yet humble enough to ask for advice. Get with an engine builder in your area. See if he needs a hand on weekends. Be a fly on the wall. Listen whenever he says something to a customer or on the phone. Then, when you want to step it up a bit. Help out on a race team. Drag racing, boat racing, Bonneville, or whatever. You will learn quick on a race team. Learn to tune and take your car to the track. Learn from your and other people's mistakes. Read, read, read...

Great thread...

Mike B.

 

[Gary Wells]

Smart people learn from others peoples mistakes.
Not so smart people learn from their own mistakes.
Idiots like me never learn, or learn after the game's over with.

 

[dank GN]

After taking my car to a shop the first time to replace my drivers side header and seeing how easy it was I have since never taken it to someone else ever again . I have rebuilt my motor several times unfortunately . Rebuilt my 200 with guidance from Lonnie , I have learned just about everything I needed to know from this board and from many personal phone calls to the members of this board . All I can say is take your time and if u run into a problem just put acouple sticks of dynamite in it and start over lol jk . But really all it is is nuts and bolts if I can do it I believe the average guy can to .

 

[Gary Wells]

There is virtually nothing I can't take apart.
Putting it back together is another story.
When I was about 5 my mom was dusting
under my bed with a dust mop when she
heard something metallic clanking around.
It was my dad's camera in about a zillion
pieces, no 2 parts still attached together.
No allowance for me. Not for years to
come.

 

[dank GN]

Same here my pops had a brand new set of 15" house speakers and I was young and curious how they worked so I proceeded to take a screwdriver and pop off the center cone and poked holes in it . Needless to say I got a my behind spanked but the moral of the story is don't take off the center cone section of a speaker unless you want your ass whipped by the owner and them to sound like shit lol

 

[NY Twin Turbo]

There is virtually nothing I can't take apart.
Putting it back together is another story.
When I was about 5 my mom was dusting
under my bed with a dust mop when she
heard something metallic clanking around.
It was my dad's camera in about a zillion
pieces, no 2 parts still attached together.
No allowance for me. Not for years to
come.

Same here my pops had a brand new set of 15" house speakers and I was young and curious how they worked so I proceeded to take a screwdriver and pop off the center cone and poked holes in it . Needless to say I got a my behind spanked but the moral of the story is don't take off the center cone section of a speaker unless you want your ass whipped by the owner and them to sound like shit lol

You guys may call it taking apart......When I do it, I don't even try to disguise it as "taking it apart". I just blow it up.