84 T-Type Questions, and Rebuild...

[The Beabers]

Hello, I am new to the forum and I am rebuilding a 1984 Buick Regal T-Type. I will post pictures soon, however, I have some questions I need answered. This is a hot-air model... which I did not know when I got it, I do know there are a few differences. However I'm about to install my crankshaft and I do not know the correct torque specs. I found this... http://www.turbobuicks.com/resources/Tu ... e_Spec.pdf
If this is correct through all years of the 3.8 turbo motor then great, if not could someone tell me where to find the correct specs for the 1984, or what on that list that is not correct. I went to the local parts store and they didn't sell a Haynes or Chilton.

Thanks in advance, I did do a search before this, and couldn't find anything.

 

[Bweavy]

This site is like the bible for turbo Buick questions. http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/recipes/recipepage.html
This will help you with more then just the specs your asking for. But the 84-7 Turbo torques specs are pretty similar for both builds. Go there first & read around. Did it blow or just in need a of a rebuild?
If your doing a non stock rebuild or even if you are use ARP Hardware in the bottom end.
If your getting into more of a performance build TurboBuick.com Can give you some good advice as well. There are some guys & Jamie putting the hot airs into the 10's with out intercooling it.

But keep your posts here as well. I'm sure some one else in the future could use what information you leave for a future reference from this site also. That way when the next guy does a search he will have the info you leave.

 

[The Beabers]

Thanks for the info.

Here's the 411. I paid $2,700 for the car. I was told it needed a main bearing by one person and a cam bearing by another. I pulled the motor out to find a headaches worth of problems. Car had about a quarter inch worths of crank walk, the thrust bearing was worn as well as the crank... not good. One of the cam lobes had been badly worn, enough that the car wasn't firing on that cylinder. The idiot guy that the person I bought it from took it to for repairs replaced 3 pistons in the car with non turbo rivara pistons that weren't even the same weight.
.
I bought a 212/212 Comp cam to replace the factory one. I'm hoping for a bit of lobe from that. Hehs.
I bought a summit racing full rebuild kit. Comes with everything, including forged aluminum pistons.
I had to obviously buy a crank, decided to go with factory. I'm not 100% sure about the setup, but figured id five it a try.
I also got the arp rod bolts.

In the future I was to get the stock stoke crank kit that I see out there, but for now I'm hoping this will work. I'd like to make somewhere around 400 and 450 hp. If I can't do that with these parts, well I guess ill be alright. I've been told these blocks are good for 500hp.

Anyway let me know what your thoughts are.

Thanks again.
Cheers.

 

[Bweavy]

Do yourself a favor & get the main cap stud kit as well. There are a few problems with the engine from the factory.
First your fuel pump voltage is about 10.5 volts. get a hot wire kit. New fuel pump isn't a bad idea either but with that HP you will want at least a Wal bro 255 LPH pump.

On the 84-5 the passenger header on the center cylinder has a lot of slag. Cut a triangle in the bottom & open up the ports.
Then weld back up.
On the intake. We had Tom at Champion port a few of these for us. It is expensive due to the fact there is a lot of work in there. This doesn't mean that you can't open up the intake yourself.
Look at the factory flow #'s here:
http://www.gbodyparts.com/product_info. ... 55fa203eec
#4 is pretty low. You can open it up yourself to get a better flow & a more even flow #.

Last problem that sticks out on that car is the down pipe. Look at the bottom before it goes into the cat convertor. It gets down to about a 2" opening or less.

When checking the cam bearings look at the front one. More then likely it will be worn pretty bad.

There are a lot of upgrades for the 84-5 that were not around a few years ago. We have had a lot built for them. One of the few cars you can buy for $2500 put $2500 into & get some real performance. Alot of guys use alky injection as well to eliminate the need for an Intercooler. Others just inter cool what they have or do a 86-87 Conversion.
You can now get ported intakes, inlet bells, down pipes,Up graded turbo's Alky injection etc..
The best thing to do is find some one who has built what you want & follow their recipe. You will save a lot of $ in the long run.

 

[The Beabers]

Thanks for the info. I will look into these things, I think that the guy that had it before me already had the hot wire done.
So do you think my setup will hold the amount of power I want to make, the block, stock rods and crank?

 

[dogsht]

You might ask Weber Racing about the naturally aspirated crank to what limit it has been found to be safe at. Picture is worth a thousand words so here you go for the price difference and some crankshaft clarity; http://www.weberpowerproducts.com/turbo ... s/1821.htm

Big fan of methanol/water injection or even ISO Alky even in an intercooled street car that wants to run higher boost on pump gas. Single best upgrade I ever did. If you want to make power on pump gas in a hot air car its the deal IMO.http://alkycontrol.com/

Don't get any of your advice from Summit or anyone who does not have a track record of personally making these cars go and stay together. You cannot try to turn up the wick in the blind with these cars like you can with a naturally aspirated car. Not trying to scare you only to say its worth your time money & saved headaches to get complete correct specific advice the first time. You need a scantool such as the Scanmaster. The next link on top should have links for how to order a chip which I think is worth reading and an online store which shows an example of the scanmaster etc. If you have been on the turbobuick forums you can find links for other TR specific vendors. http://www.turbotweak.com/

 

[Bweavy]

dogshit where did he state he had a N/A crank at?
The Beabers you stated you bought a factory 84 crank?
Maybe I missed something.

 

[dogsht]

He didn't. But just stating an 84 factory crank still left it a bit vague as to which factory crank in my mind so I thought if he saw the price & material difference of the two he would know (if he wasn't sure) which crank he had for sure.

ie new naturally aspirated cast crank $180
new steel Buick turbo crank $800.

Brian as you already know but for the benefits of other readers. This is why when I see somebody posting that they bought an old hot air car and are swapping to a v8 that I pop in and say don't scrap the old motor somebody wants it for parts.

 

[Bweavy]

He didn't. But just stating an 84 factory crank still left it a bit vague as to which factory crank in my mind so I thought if he saw the price & material difference of the two he would know (if he wasn't sure) which crank he had for sure.

ie new naturally aspirated cast crank $180
new steel Buick turbo crank $800.

Brian as you already know but for the benefits of other readers. This is why when I see somebody posting that they bought an old hot air car and are swapping to a v8 that I pop in and say don't scrap the old motor somebody wants it for parts.

Oh I agree I just thought I misread something that's all. Here in North Carolina I have bought more small block Chevy converted Buicks then I have any where else. They understand the Chevy but not the Turbo motor. Now don't get me wrong we Have Richard Clark , Jay Carter , Shane Grimsley, & Alot of good Buick guys in the Carolinas. Only other place I have seen so many Buicks was New Jersy, DE, MD, PA area. But there are a lot of people who have no idea what these cars are. So they pop a head gasket & put a small block in. I have seen this a few times just not so many.

I agree with you we need to get some turbo information on this site. I would like to see some of the all Buick events turn into an All Gbody event. I really like this site & this seems to be the only Gbody area where the turbo Regal has little info as compared to the rest of the site.

For the future record the 84-7 Cranks are the same for the turbo regals. As long as you put in a Stock Turbo crank you should be fine at 450 HP.

Maybe we should ask about putting some Sticky's here for new readers with Turbo Regals who come here? Just some basic facts. Not every one will find the other sites on General searching. Some members here have other Gbody's & have been here foir a while. Then they have an opportunitty to ask info on a Turbo Regal before or after they buy one.

 

[dogsht]

LOL Went to a buddys lil country auto shop with my GN once and so my friend and some onlookers had to see under the hood. Their checking it out talking bs car stories about somebodys GN race car being so bad etc. Up pulls a young guy apitimy of a red neck in his Regal with his "built" 3 fitty five. I am a country boy so red neck is not necessarily a negative term. But this guy was of the type that did not finish skool etc but knows it all. No lie he looks listens a bit then spits his tobacco and says I should build up a nice 355 like he did and pull that 6 banger out cause there a waste of time. Honestly he didn't know the first thing about them. Well for that matter I don't think he knew that you could make power with anything other than the best motor ever.. ehh that would be a gen 1 sbc.

The other guys tried to talk to him but I saw his eyes gloss over quick and knew it was like reasoning with a drunk. Finally I said look I never claimed this thing to be all that its pretty much stock with only the wick turned up a bit but its still probably faster than your car. He about chocked on his tobacco and said how much you want to bet. Nothing but if you want to run em down the back road a time or two I think it will surprise you and you will have to admit they run pretty good. He thought I was stu pud! Couldn't believe I was such a dumbass. So I don't know what he got other than some 295/50/15s on old school cragers that stuck out from the body some pipes & obviously a cam. I'm thinking maybe he got some spray I never even asked or looked under his hood. I just figured take no chances run my car for what its got and at minimum it won't embarrass me. I spooled up as he did a three count and bang I left him so hard he must of felt like an idiot and he turned off on the fist cross road and never made it back to the shop. My friend said later he said I must have sprayed it.