Just got the Rivi's replacement engine. Came out of a 97 Grand prix with 60k on it. I will need to swap some stuff over, but shouldn't be too bad of a swap. Unfortunately the yard I got it from had to order it and the yard they got it from took the alternator, starter, PS pump, and ac compressor off it. Would have been nice to have spares, but oh well. It also does not have the plastic cover which I would like to have had.
Removing the engine on my 97 Riviera
Pulling the knocking 3800 supercharged out of my Riviera to make way for the replacement engine. Came out relatively easy thanks to the engine wiring for the most part is one harness that unplugs at the firewall. Everything is in that harness except the starter, alternator and speed sensor wiring. The AC compressor and power steering pump unbolt and can be left in the car so you don't have to drain the fluid/refrigerant. The biggest pain was getting the axis motor mount off, the bolts were pretty rusty. The ironic part is those bolts have to be removed to change the belts, which are so cracked and chipped I wouldn't doubt they are original. The old engine will either be used for parts, or I may rebuild it at some point.
First start
EDIT: whoops, forgot the starting part! The moment of truth! After countless hours of cleaning, replacing parts, etc I finally start the replacement engine. She ran a bit rough at first and threw a code (cyl 6 misfire) but smoothed out a few seconds later. I think that was just air in the injector rail causing that cylinder not to fire. The smoke eventually stopped and the new engine is quiet and responsive. No leaks either as a bonus! Now on to replacing the rear brakes and a much needed cleaning
HOW TO CHANGE THE SUPERCHARGER OIL ON A GM 3800 SERIES II V6
just a quick instructional video of how to properly change the Supercharger oil on your 3800... some people say just to re-top off your Supercharger, but many owners as well as a good number of master mechanics ive talked to about it that worked on these cars, they say to full out replace it by draining it and putting new oil in, simply because if you know anything about oil youd know that it breaks down over time especially because of heat and friction. new oil handles it better and keeps it properly lubricated and cooler temperature. old oil will be dirty, maybe burned, and possibly ineffective if broken down enough over time. which method you trust is up to you, im not saying either method is right or wrong, this one just makes more sense to me, therefore thats the one i do on my car so we made the instructional video for this, if you choose simply to top off your oil, do all the same steps just dont empty the old oil first.
GM 3800 Series II Supercharged Intake Manifold Leaks
This is an all too common problem with supercharged 3800 series engines. GM used a plastic lower intake manifold gasket that would break down over time causing coolant to leak into the oil. If left unfixed, it would get worse to the point where your engine starts knocking from poor lubrication. Your oil will look really milky as a result. This engine had only 60k miles on it when I replaced these gaskets and its a good thing I did. GM makes a newer revision aluminum gasket set that fixes this problem. You can get those from a GM dealer, they are the set that has locating pins, the stock ones did not, but these do fit fine.
Replacement engine walk around
Finished replacing misc gaskets and swapping parts. Now all there is to do is drop it in the car. I sped up the lifting of the engine because it took forever and was extremely boring to watch
917 - Part 7 Removing the Engine
Kevin, Bret and Andy remove the engine from the 917.
Ottokar Jacobs favorite hat - Historic Porsche Racing
http://www.youtube.com/ottocars
Assembling modified Buick LN3 3800 Series I engine. Low-tension piston rings.
Assembling modified Buick LN3 3800 Series I engine. Low-tension piston rings. The entire rotating ammembly is together and torqued to specs. Even so, I can rotate the engine by hand (ONE hand, at that!) by turning the crank pulley. This is how a new engine should feel. The camera picks up well the sliding sound of the new pistons on the new cylinder bore. It is not really that loud!
This engine is for an 89 LeSabre T. It has been modified. It has Series II 9.8:1 compression pistons (with low-tension rings); 252° Delta Cams modified roller camshaft; ported heads, inlet and Exhaust manifolds; and a re-tune of the ECM.
3.8L Engine Spun Bearing
Do Not Run an engine if this has happened, this bearing has lost grip on the conrod and end cap & started to spin with the crank, and it has scored the crank and wrecked the bearing, as a result from Thrashing and hooning, this can also be caused by Poor engine Maintenance, but a regrind of the crank and new bearings should fix this, hopefully :)
Riviera update
Located an engine that I will be getting at some point. The yard got 2 engines, both had problems so now they have to locate yet another that hopefully works. In the meantime the engine will be removed in anticipation of the replacement coming.
3800 Supercharged Series II First Start Up!
My stupid camera is too slow so I didn't catch the actual crank, but this is the 3800sc running for the first time in my 1987 Fiero GT
New project: 1997 Buick Riviera Supercharged
PIcked this one up off Craigslist for $400 plus $50 to deliver it. Car runs and drives but has what sounds like rod knock. I still need to to some diagnostic work, but that's what it sounds like to me, and the guy I bought it from was a mechanic and thinks the same. The car is fully loaded with what looks to be every option offered right down the traction control and engine block heater. The car has just under 100k on it and it in excellent shape in and out. The car has been sitting for a year or so and looks it, but it will get washed when it gets warmer.
Riviera engine pull pt.4
Continuation on pt.3, engine coming out. Had to pull both at the same time because we *thought* the back bellhousing bolt was out, but there was something still holding the two together so we just pulled em both at once.
GM 3800 Engine Transmission removal (Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight)
2010-12-20 : GM 3800 series II engine and transmission removal from 1995 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight. A tree had fallen upon this 132,000 mile car, so the drivetrain was salvaged. It is now available for a future project.
Grand Prix GTP knock after machine shop mistake
Payed a machine shop to replace a piston in the car after valve to piston contact, also caused by the machine shop. They had to remove the rod from the crank, and were instructed to replace the bearing if need be. They didn't and a day later and 85 miles later, it was knocking.
I am an ASE certified mechanic, not some backyard billy bob mechanic. I build race engines, but choose not to do short block rotating assyembly due to the liability. I have built tons of these engines, and this was the first to have a knock. I know it was not my fault, because the cylinder knocking was also the cylinder they took apart. The reason the damn valve hit the head, was because they didn't machine my new bronze valve guides enough, and a valve stuck in the head during engine break in.
