Opinions wanted: re. my engine

[xlr8_87]

here's the problem: the VP's piston/conrod bearings are gone, would be to expensive to fix that, so a new engine is in the order.

keeping in mind a fair bit has been spent on my car (new clutch/suspension/steering rack/power steering etc) and the "mods" i've done to it

possible solutions:

1) replace with reco. V6, cheapest but most boring option

2) replace with reco. V8, expensive, would also need V8 box, but fun option

3) sell the VP (hopefully... considering engine state), and buy VN-VR, this option could end up costing me nothing BUT i will have lost the car which has had money spent on it

4) keep the VP, in condition as is, buy a new car (VN V8 or similar) be in debt for a bit, but then slowly build the VP up as a project car

 

[cxcxcxvcvcvc]

you could also look at a supercharged6 and the v8 dosent have to be reco straight away just look out for someone thats had a prang still got the engine in there car so you can hear it running that is asumeing that this car is a daily runner. if its a project car than i sugest put some money away save up for a ls1

 

[PaRaDoX]

2nd hand v6 engine $50 from the wreckers mate

or fix the bearings?? **** its not that expensive, ACL do a kit for not much

or u could drop a L67 in it and kiss $5000 away

if u want it back on the road i recomend just finding a mate with a engine jack , go to the wreckers and find a low km buick and bang that in, then rebuild the engine u rip out of ya car, but as its been said before the buicks dont make much power N/A but bang a charger/turbo on it and they make some nice power, no where near as much as a v8 but for the price its probbly more worth while,

for instance my mate got a VR with a rooted tranny/engine

his dad got a VS tranny and a VR s2 engine for $120 and put it in himself and what do u know its like a brand new car

 

[xlr8_87]

actually, will a stroker kit fix all of this? like the C.O.M.E racing one?
i dont know much about engines so i'm not sure exactly what the kit would be replacing

 

[PaRaDoX]

stroker kit? maybe but for the price u pay its not worth it

probbly worth getting a ACL rebuild kit, comes with new bearings, oversized pistons (by like 20-40thou or something) new gaskets, and all that stuff, then u send the old things off to be machined, replaced the valve springs, and get it back a brand spanker ready for Forced induction, because ill tell you now, the buicks strugle to make over 150rwkw n/a

or just get the bearings seperate from the rebuild kit, get hakhawk to price some for you, auto bahn can get them in

 

[xcop5l]

you can get the stroker kits for the v6's they come with the crank rods bearings pistons and rings
it will make the old 3800 into 4200 (253)
as an example to get the 5ltr stroked out blue printed and balance and bearings sized it was going to cos around $4500. thats including all the parts

 

[xlr8_87]

thing is on P's we cant have forced induction, so i'd prefer to stay N/A at the moment, there's not much point working an n/a buick as mentioned, so i'm strongly heading towards the 5L

 

[xcop5l]

as said before get a wreak that is running then do your change over from there
also while its out throw a cam and new timing chain in. i was quoted about 250-300

 

[cracker]

v6 engines are $50 lol try $400-$600.
conrod bearings are about $40 but its not that easy, chances are the crank will need to be ground, you could... pull the engine gind the crank 10thou, $150, new main bearings and new conrod bearings 130 ish i think cant remba how much main bearings are sump gasket new remain and timming cover gasket would cost like 350-400 which would pretty much give new bottom end of the enigne although the rings and heads etc would still be pretty worn out problay. just something to tke in to consideration.

 

[greenfoam]

Try and get a cheap manual V8 VN or VP, then you can get lpg on it or maybe you might find one with lpg allready, then you have a car that will gain alot of power with every mod you do to it and it's something worth keeping for many years. I wouldn't worry too much about keeping the VP, chances are you wont want it anymore after you have a V8 one. Being Victorian stay away from White VN's as they will rust many years before a darker colour will.

You can spend alooot of money on the V6 and still struggle to break 150 rwkw, where you can go past that with just an exhaust and some more timing on the 5 liter, not to mention 1/4 more torque