Engine Swap for 1983 Cutlass Supreme

[DoctorSwain]

I live in St. Louis and have a good used Buick 3.8 available cheap.


timo22

Can we have it shipped out here to Montana without too much hassle? Someone in another thread suggested shipping with Fastenal.

 

[87National]

I have decided against the 350 just because I think it is too much work for me to handle.

I would have to go against the crowd on here and recommend that you take the opportunity to upgrade to a mild SBC or maybe a 403 olds if you can find one. There is just something satisfying about the sound of a healthy SBC......hitting the throttle from a stop and lighting up both rear tires. I have been disappointed in every v6 gbody that I've ever owned (my 87 GN is an exception).....it's almost like the anemic performance doesn't match the personality of the gbody styling.....if that makes any sense.

A mild sbc will put you slightly over your $1k budget.....but not by much if you are resourceful. And it will take a little more time than a like-for-like replacement.....but it will be worth the extra $ and effort in the end.

 

[DoctorSwain]

I would have to go against the crowd on here and recommend that you take the opportunity to upgrade to a mild SBC or maybe a 403 olds if you can find one. There is just something satisfying about the sound of a healthy SBC......hitting the throttle from a stop and lighting up both rear tires. I have been disappointed in every v6 gbody that I've ever owned (my 87 GN is an exception).....it's almost like the anemic performance doesn't match the personality of the gbody styling.....if that makes any sense.

A mild sbc will put you slightly over your $1k budget.....but not by much if you are resourceful. And it will take a little more time than a like-for-like replacement.....but it will be worth the extra $ and effort in the end.

I do want one, I just question my ability to do it. I know it's gonna be tough no matter what I put in there. I will keep your suggestion in mind. The more I've been learning about my car, the more I think anything is possible man.

 

[lilbowtie]

Do not think you can't handle a SBC swap, for that matter even a V-8 Olds /Buick. As mentioned above you will need more parts to support the V-8 and more $$. It would be nice to know what trans is in the car to handle it.

 

[DoctorSwain]

Do not think you can't handle a SBC swap, for that matter even a V-8 Olds /Buick. As mentioned above you will need more parts to support the V-8 and more $$. It would be nice to know what trans is in the car to handle it.

I'm going to check out the transmission gasket shape and bolt pattern tomorrow.

 

[DoctorSwain]

The transmission is a GM TH350 according to this chart I found online.

 

[lilbowtie]

That's good - even better if it was a universal bolt pattern.

 

[olds307 and 403]

Check for a stud near the cooler lines, if there it is there, it is a TH250 or TH250C. A 4 prong electrical plug on the driver's side means a "C" lock up trans. A TH250 is not the end of the world, just weaker than a TH350 but still better than a TH200. It would be either a TH250C or TH350C if stock to the car, basically a different lock up converter over a regular TH250 or TH350.

 

[DoctorSwain]

Check for a stud near the cooler lines, if there it is there, it is a TH250 or TH250C. A 4 prong electrical plug on the driver's side means a "C" lock up trans. A TH250 is not the end of the world, just weaker than a TH350 but still better than a TH200. It would be either a TH250C or TH350C if stock to the car, basically a different lock up converter over a regular TH250 or TH350.

Thanks, I will take a look at that.

Today was a beautiful day in Montana and a great day to work on the Cutlass. I removed the upper and lower fan shrouds, the radiator, the fan, the alternator, the AC unit, and the power steering pump. Most things came out easily with the exception of a radiator bolt that was a little stripped. I put some bike chain lubricant on it, used the adjustable wrench and popped it off. I labeled all the cooling hoses, wires, and belts and put all the nuts and bolts into labeled ziplock bags. Everything took me about 3 hours. I am 8.75 hours into the project with about 5 hours of that being just research and drawing diagrams. The next step is to remove the water pump, the fuel pump, the carb, and all the brackets that hold the accessories into place. There are a bunch of random wires that move throughout the engine bay like a labyrinth. I can't help but think most of them are faulty connections that didn't get fixed by the previous owner.

With that in mind, when I was driving it 6 years ago, the wipers were functioning, the power windows were functioning, the power locks weren't working, the heat wasn't working, the radio wasn't working, the cruise control worked then failed after a few months, the turn signals worked then failed, and the rear taillights were working then started to only light up when they functioned as brake lights. Also, the weather stripping on the windows is corroded. There are some suspension pieces that have gathered a lot of grime from various fluid leaks. I know the power steering pump also leaked, so I may have to buy one of those. My jack has been sitting in the back of the car for 6 years and I think the hydraulics on it are messed up because it doesn't seem to lower correctly when I release the pressure. I am going to have to buy a new jack. I was able to raise the drivers side up and get a jack stand under there so I could check out the transmission. According to the above poster, I have either a TH250, a TH250C, or a TH350 or TH350C.

Thanks to all the people on g-body forum helping me through this project.

 

[MrSony]

Buick350buick350buick350buick350
buick350Buick350buick350buick350
buick350buick350Buick350buick350
buick350buick350buick350buick350

Drops right in. Literally. Only easier swap would be another 231.