231 v6 build

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lil89ram50

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Dec 17, 2010
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need some help again guys. so i found the cam kit i think i want to get. i will post it below, along with the carb and intake kit. the intake is just the edelbrock dual plain, and the carb is a 600cfm holley. the cam kit is a complete kit with valves, timing chain, gears, lifters, the whole thing. so i figured since im that far, i better get higher cr pistons, i think i want 9.5:1cr. what pistons would work good? and for the heads, i know the factory heads werent to great, and flowed horrible. would porting them and putting in larger valves be much good? with a 3 angle valve job? or are there any better heads? like 4.1 heads.....? any help is appreciated ! would you let me know how this set up would work with 9.5:cr pistons would work with a good free flowing exh? rough hp number? anything significant? or not too much?

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-5486/

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HLY-0-80457S/

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CCA-K69-246-4/
 

foxtrot

Royal Smart Person
Dec 19, 2008
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Sounds like a cool project!

Would be cool to see what hp numbers could be achieved from the n/a 231!

High compression pistons would be a good idea along with the ported heads. I think that 250 hp could be achieved!
 
Oct 14, 2008
8,806
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The 600 cfm may be too big, unless very radical. Think more like the Holley 390 cfm 4 barrel.
 

Peter

Royal Smart Person
Jun 27, 2007
1,175
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i've heard of people doing the cam and a 4 barrel swap along with exhaust and saying they were getting around 250 which to me would be a good number but guess no real proof to back that from what i have seen but look forward to seeing your project
 

81cutlass

Comic Book Super Hero
Feb 16, 2009
4,639
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Theres 2 ways to make big power on a 3.8. Boost, or high compression. Unfortunatly theres only 8.5 CR pistons available, so it limits your options.

Heads are fine, keep the ones you have. 4.1's arnt any better. Just port em. I have a set of 900's on my C/T car that I just got done. Guy that ported them said they have larger exhaust ports than the latter 8445 GN heads he had done. Valves dont gain much. 85% of improvement is in the bowl.

Other advice, valve guides need to be cut for that much lift. For carb a Qjet is just as good, and intake isnt bad, but everyone I know runs wieands for some reason.

250 isnt out of the question. Id personally build it so it can handle boost down the road but thats me.
 

lil89ram50

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Dec 17, 2010
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well with the cam kit, new guides and retainers are in it, so there made for that cam. and yea i agree on the carb, i was just thinking of using since it is a bit cheaper then the others. well see if we can reach 250 - 300. not wanting any more than that, its only a daily i want to have fun with, but not loose drive ability. i would say i wouldnt loose drive ability with more, but the ol lady wants to drive it too, and i dont trust her with too much. gota remember this is in a mazda pickup, so not too much weight at all, especially in the rear..
 

dogsht

Royal Smart Person
Nov 11, 2008
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I don't know who if anyone that makes headers for a naturally aspirated 3.8 and it would realistically be pretty much required to get much more that 1 HP per cube. As would an honest calculated 10-1 compression and a flat tappet cam with a duration of about 230@50. You would also want a higher stall converter and some 3 series gears to make that work well. Not that it is not possible just that if you were that good of an engine builder & tuner you would not be seeking advice on your build here. I am not poo pooing your ideas only hoping to bring some reality into them so that proper expectation can be made or another plan. I like the little Buick as it was despite its low power days in the 80s a very durable & strong power plant. I have had good luck with mine in my GN and my father in law bought an 89 Park Avenue (series II) that saw over 300,000 without rebuild before being sold out of the family. You might also look at locating and adding a used supercharger & fi etc from a wrecked one. Have you asked around on the v8buick.com or other buick boards as there may be good leads / experience there as well.
 

G_Body_Enthusiast

Royal Smart Person
Supporting Member
Feb 28, 2005
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pace setter makes headers for NA buick V6's, ceramic coated ones too. so does hedman.

not sure about shorty headers though.
 

lil89ram50

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Dec 17, 2010
29
1
0
dogshit said:
I don't know who if anyone that makes headers for a naturally aspirated 3.8 and it would realistically be pretty much required to get much more that 1 HP per cube. As would an honest calculated 10-1 compression and a flat tappet cam with a duration of about 230@50. You would also want a higher stall converter and some 3 series gears to make that work well. Not that it is not possible just that if you were that good of an engine builder & tuner you would not be seeking advice on your build here. I am not poo pooing your ideas only hoping to bring some reality into them so that proper expectation can be made or another plan. I like the little Buick as it was despite its low power days in the 80s a very durable & strong power plant. I have had good luck with mine in my GN and my father in law bought an 89 Park Avenue (series II) that saw over 300,000 without rebuild before being sold out of the family. You might also look at locating and adding a used supercharger & fi etc from a wrecked one. Have you asked around on the v8buick.com or other buick boards as there may be good leads / experience there as well.

your right i dont know any thing about these motors, or what they are capable of. have never owned one till now, have had a nissan ka24 for a while and pretty much know that thing from top to bottom. but i know that 1hp per cubic inch is not impossible. clearly its not that hard to do with a lot of other motors, this is just another motor, same basic conceept. more air, more fuel, bigger explosions, less restrictions, compression. and fuel injection and sc's dont fit from the newer ones. completely different ball park. and no one said i didnt have a midly built th350 and a 2200 stal converter waiting under the bench. theres guna be a dyno at a car show here in town some in june, and theres guna be a little mazda with a topper up there making hopefully over 250....
 
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