Wrecked my motor.....rebuild advice?

[Skids]

Sad day for me.......I just put in new 65# Motrons, and an Eric Mashsall chip. I started to tune it on the highway. I got about 3.5 degrees of knock retard at 23 lbs........and got out of it right away. I drove another 60 miles at normal speed (no boost) and noticed my coolant temp was starting to rise slowly. At 225 degrees I pulled over and noticed loud knocking coming from my engine......very loud like someone was smashing it with a sledge hammer. The last time I heard that I had spun a rod....:frown:

Anyway, I'd like some re-build advice. I don't have much cash,(wife says NO MORE!!!) but I do have a lot of engine re-building experience, and I have built one Turbo Buick engine before. I have a complete N/A 109 short-block from a 20,000 mile 87 Regal.....it's mint, so I'd like to use it as my staring point. Can I just clean and transfer components from the turbo bock over to the N/A block??? I'd like to use the turbo pistons and rods(re-sized), the N/A crank, I'd like to get new rings and lightly hone the bores, new gasket set and new oil punp and clean the snot out of the rad and turbo....or should I just spent the money on a TRW forged re-build kit from Summit Racing??? Will the standard sized (3.800) forged TRW pistons just drop right into the N/A standard bore without honing??? Any ideas appriciated........Cheers!!!

 

[SouthernCal GN]

You'll want to assess the damage first. Pull the pan, and take a look around. If it's a rod, you may get away with pulling the engine, having the crank turned and rod resized, and gaskets- a relatively cheap fix.

 

[Skids]

Can I, or should I use my 20,000 mile N/A 109 block in place of my tired 130,000 mile turbo block? Are the main caps just as strong? Can I use the N/A crank with any success? Can I use the original turbo pistons in the N/A block if they're in good shape and I get new rings and a light hone? Thanks!

 

[mikestertwo]

The 87' n/a block is identical to the turbo block. Have you checked the crank in the n/a motor? It may have a turbo crank in it. I pulled a n/a motor out of a 87' Regal a while ago and it had a rolled fillet crank in it.

 

[cool 84]

The 87' n/a block is identical to the turbo block. Have you checked the crank in the n/a motor? It may have a turbo crank in it. I pulled a n/a motor out of a 87' Regal a while ago and it had a rolled fillet crank in it.

I remember hearing there's a one in three chance of having a turbo crank in 87. I know there's debate on the NA crank being ok in the turbo motors but having a friend break a NA crank in a mid 12 second car was enough to steer me away from it. Could've been a fluke but not worth risking losing the entire shortblock IMO.

 

[Skids]

O.K., so the pistons will probably fit with new rings and a light hone, the rods are the same...........but are the rod cap bolts and main bearing caps the same???? I'll likely just get the turbo crank turned........it looks like I'll get away with 10 under.