REGAL ANY CARBURATOR SUGGESTION IN EBAY??? for buick v6

[Athos]

Hi, i need a new carburetor for my buick regal 1980 the original was a rochester dualjet 210, I purchase this one in ebay, they said it would be compatible but it not have the same pipes and can´t install it, I will return it, I would appreciate any recommendation of which one buy on ebay?

I chose that one for the price but I prefer to save myself problems and buy another one even if it is more expensive but 100% compatible.

 

[ck80]

When I bought the car it was in terrible condition and there was no trace of the turbo, I don't even know if the engine is the original.

but I would like to keep the 3.8, and leaving the performance and originality aside, I would only like the car to work and finally enjoy it, hahah I haven't driven it for 2 years.

i thought i needed a new intake to fit a carb, but maybe i can use the base i already have and fit a bolt-on carb without any other modifications?

I really appreciate your help, at this moment I don't have photos of the engine and the base, but tomorrow I will upload some, I would greatly appreciate your advice to finally get the car back on the road as cheaply as possible.

Will take a look at the pics after you upload it.

The most important think you can do for your 3.8 is replace the timing set. The nylon teeth on the gears both wear and get brittle. End result is it keeps working until it randomly skips and jumps time. Then it won't run. Many an engine wound up pulled and junked because of it.

The same steel gear and chain setup from a grand national fits your 3.8

Second thing you do is while you have the timing cover off you check if where the oil pump is located the aluminum has been worn away from friction. This area wearing leads to diminished oil pressure and all the problems that later brings.

The third thing you need is to make sure to use a ZDDP additive in your oil, or, buy a specialty oil that contains higher levels of zinc molybdenum phosphorus etc and the like to keep the cam healthy. Your engine will be a flat tappet cam which, in the day, relied upon the additives to create a lubricant/sacrificial metal coating and prevent lifter wear. Modern oils use lesser levels to protect advanced cat converters and sensors, but, do not protect the wear surfaces on flat tappet cams.

It is not worth the cost to upgrade the 3.8 to a roller cam setup. Just use the additive at oil changes or the boutique oil.

Those three things are enough to get a 3.8 to last hundreds of thousands of miles. I've never lost a 3.8 engine yet. Of course, that assumes your engine is still healthy to start with.

 

[jiho]

Yep, from the factory that was a Regal Sport Coupe with the Qjet turbo. Funky. Does it have a bump on the hood?

You could try to find the engine VIN stamp on the block. If the numbers match, you still have the turbo long block.

 

[jiho]

As for the DualJet, your "original" does not look like the computer-controlled "feedback" type. The fitting you have circled is for PCV, though. No idea how that could be missing on the "new" one.

For 1980, if it was a California car it came from the factory with a computer, otherwise it did not.

 

[ck80]

As for the DualJet, your "original" does not look like the computer-controlled "feedback" type. The fitting you have circled is for PCV, though. No idea how that could be missing on the "new" one.

For 1980, if it was a California car it came from the factory with a computer, otherwise it did not.

Not entirely true.

With the turbo cars, there was the same electronic spark control, knock sensors, etc that you're familiar with that merged into the CCC system but it was called the TCC back then... by 1980 the TCC which used to be a little back box on the fan shroud had migrated into the passenger underdash area. All the way back to 78 it existed though, just used to be on top of the fan shroud on the really early cars. Amd that was all cars,, not just CA. No reason not to use it if there's there.

However, you raise a good point, we have no idea what year engine is actually still in the car at this point being that the turbo stuff is missing. Could be anything from even fire to odd fire, spanning a good couple decades.

 

[Athos]

Not entirely true.

With the turbo cars, there was the same electronic spark control, knock sensors, etc that you're familiar with that merged into the CCC system but it was called the TCC back then... by 1980 the TCC which used to be a little back box on the fan shroud had migrated into the passenger underdash area. All the way back to 78 it existed though, just used to be on top of the fan shroud on the really early cars. Amd that was all cars,, not just CA. No reason not to use it if there's there.

However, you raise a good point, we have no idea what year engine is actually still in the car at this point being that the turbo stuff is missing. Could be anything from even fire to odd fire, spanning a good couple decades.

Your help is being very useful to me, the mechanic who is helping me to repair the car is not very familiar with the g body, he did not even believe that this car originally had a turbo.

This mechanic mentioned to me that he had problems with the car's timing, the first solution was to change the carburetor and if the problem continued, change the timing chain.

the pics with the numbers are something related to the turbo?

 

[ck80]

Your help is being very useful to me, the mechanic who is helping me to repair the car is not very familiar with the g body, he did not even believe that this car originally had a turbo.

This mechanic mentioned to me that he had problems with the car's timing, the first solution was to change the carburetor and if the problem continued, change the timing chain.

the pics with the numbers are something related to the turbo?

Not to make you nervous, but, I'm weary of the mechanic you're using. The carburetor isn't the solution to known timing problems.

That engine has been out before. Picture two of the intake is clearly not a turbo intake manifold, it is a factory 2bbl version. However, the paint on the engine is an improper color no matter how you slice it - the blue is too dark.

Factory engine color would me more of a Robin's egg blue, or, for a later 80s post 1983 engine it would be black. But never dark blue.

Picture 3 is just an exhaust manifold casting number. It references as a LH side manifold that was typically used on 1979 and 1980 both n/a and turbo 3.8 engines (early production for 1980). So it could be original, and so could the long block for all we know.

Pics 5 and 6 look like climate control and air duct parts.

Pics 8, 9, 10 are your fuel canister, part of emissions and venting the vapors to and from the gas tank. That and other pics show tons of plugged and hacked vacuum lines, and again, going back to mechanic, I don't know why the vacuum lines weren't straightened first, then try to set timing which may have the stripped nylon gears I mentioned earlier.... just don't understand the jump from timing to change carb first...

Your vin and other thing identify it as an original turbo car to me, but, don't help figure out what and where the engine came from.

The intake is early because it lacks provisions for the EFE later 3.8s used. But the question becomes, is the engine original or not...

If you can get casing and stamping numbers off the block itself it may help.

 

[ck80]

Also, fwiw, I've tried studying those pictures of that figurative rats nest of hoses and wires pulled apart in the engine bay. The alternator bracket appears correct for the carb turbo car which I forgot to include, but, the rest eludes me.

It MAY by that the command control computer went bad and they couldn't source a replacement. Then they ripped off the turbo setup from the rh exhaust, and intake up, then put N/A parts on to make it functional. Or, blew the engine, sourced a short block (explains wrong paint) and reused some front accessory brackets to install.

You are, of course missing piles of emissions stuff like the a.i.r. pump to go along with the turbo setup.

If you wanted my opinion, I'd hold off buying the carb, have the timing set changed to the steel gear and chain, and have them sort out the wiring, vacuum hoses, etc with the old carb on it but setting timing with the new gear set. Then, once everything was sorted, decide if the carb needs changing.

Reason being, one you know the engine is healthy you may choose to buy a turbo intake, carb, rh exhaust manifold/up/down pipe, and change that instead of the dualjet setup... especially if you can confirm the engine is an original longblock.

 

[Athos]

Also, fwiw, I've tried studying those pictures of that figurative rats nest of hoses and wires pulled apart in the engine bay. The alternator bracket appears correct for the carb turbo car which I forgot to include, but, the rest eludes me.

It MAY by that the command control computer went bad and they couldn't source a replacement. Then they ripped off the turbo setup from the rh exhaust, and intake up, then put N/A parts on to make it functional. Or, blew the engine, sourced a short block (explains wrong paint) and reused some front accessory brackets to install.

You are, of course missing piles of emissions stuff like the a.i.r. pump to go along with the turbo setup.

If you wanted my opinion, I'd hold off buying the carb, have the timing set changed to the steel gear and chain, and have them sort out the wiring, vacuum hoses, etc with the old carb on it but setting timing with the new gear set. Then, once everything was sorted, decide if the carb needs changing.

Reason being, one you know the engine is healthy you may choose to buy a turbo intake, carb, rh exhaust manifold/up/down pipe, and change that instead of the dualjet setup... especially if you can confirm the engine is an original longblock.

Thank you, I will follow your advice, and install the timing set first.

Could you just provide me with a link to the steel gear and chain?

I'm sorry to bother with that but I am from Mexico and I do not know other pages to get spare parts for this car and be reliable for it.

 

[ck80]

Thank you, I will follow your advice, and install the timing set first.

Could you just provide me with a link to the steel gear and chain?

I'm sorry to bother with that but I am from Mexico and I do not know other pages to get spare parts for this car and be reliable for it.

There are many sources available, even some local auto parts stores. I'm linking a search for summit racing since I'd think they have no issue with international shipping. You will see many options here:

1980 BUICK REGAL 3.8L/231 GM V6 Timing Chain and Gear Sets Parts & Accessories | Summit Racing

Find 1980 BUICK REGAL 3.8L/231 GM V6 Timing Chain and Gear Sets and get Free Shipping on Orders Over $109 at Summit Racing!

www.summitracing.com

Now, if you were going back to turbo I'd consider something heavier duty like double roller or billet of the choices. It doesn't cost much more compared to the effort of making a change - do it once and forget it. (I tend to put the strongest stuff into my cars so I don't have to do it again) but anything that had steel gear teeth will do the job.

If you're going in there remember to check the oil pump/front cover situation.

 

[ck80]

Also, you're welcome.

I suggest you try to find sets of the buick 1980 factory shop manuals, fisher body manual, etc. They're cheap at swap meets and ebay and help see how things are supposed to be.