Freshen up a motor

[Just a Six?]

Anything quicker than 11.50 you need a cage as well. Build it for tens & beat on it every weekend in the low 11's & slow down once your warned by the track. They will allow 11.20's most times but depends where you race. 
I know you are a new owner & excited but after you drop $25K+ complete on a caged, new interior, new paint with the engine, trans, suspension etc. etc. you better be planning on keeping it a Long Time!   
 
Man I wish I had only dropped $25K into mine since 89. Build it once & build it the right way so unlike me you don't end up trying out a new combo every 5 years plus all the new toys & realize one day you have dropped near $50K+ over the years!! 
 
I don't regret it it since I've had Many Great Years with my car but stuff adds up fast & selling it for 40%-50% re-sale value is something to seriously consider. Maybe I'll sell you mine with a truck full of spare parts for $25K & you have an instant go fast toy that just needs a cage & some tuning!     
 
Nah probably not
 
But you see how this Black Crack addiction will suck a decent amount of $$$ out of anyone's bank account when you start a project of what you are considering!     
 
 
 
 

[Charlief1]

On the other respect of David, I do as much on my car as I'm able and buy parts through swapping or just getting lucky some times. My rear quarters had the R-83 ventilated rear on it and I welded in new metal to fix it. When I had the rear out to change over to disc brakes I found out that I had a rotten frame so I traded a case of VR1 20w50 for a frame to use. It's now very modified and I made my own motor mounts to lower the engine and back it up 1".


As David said, do it right the first time and you'll be happy and not have to do much to change it when your done.

[tb3]

I think the best mod I've came up with yet is when I told a guy I was gonna fill hundreds of ziplock bags with helium and shove them inside my frame rails to make the car lighter 
 
sorry,  back on subject 

[YGspider]

Anything quicker than 11.50 you need a cage as well. Build it for tens & beat on it every weekend in the low 11's & slow down once your warned by the track. They will allow 11.20's most times but depends where you race. 
I know you are a new owner & excited but after you drop $25K+ complete on a caged, new interior, new paint with the engine, trans, suspension etc. etc. you better be planning on keeping it a Long Time!   
 
Man I wish I had only dropped $25K into mine since 89. Build it once & build it the right way so unlike me you don't end up trying out a new combo every 5 years plus all the new toys & realize one day you have dropped near $50K+ over the years!!     

 
My budget for the this rebuild I want to keep in the 10k range but I can see it quickly heading into the 15k range. I don't really want to go 10 seconds or anything like that my mission is more about just having a car that can be fun for 10 plus years with lets say about 500 HP and last the 10 years before the motor needs to get rebuilt. The engine in my car has about 20 000 km's on the rebuild and is making the stupid noise I cant figure out valve train or cracked headers. only time will tell this winter when I pull the motor. If the engine is still good and its a exhaust leak. you better bet your ass its going back in haha.. but if she's fried all hell is going to break loose over the next 2 years. Keep in mind i'm only 20 years old so this is quite a feat for me to do a project like this. a lot of people look at me like I'm crazy.... the whole idea is to finish my dream before I get a family that will take full priority and money wont be so free to waste on the black crack   
 
I'm thinking a Lexus pearl white with the blackout bezel treatment as well as refinished Turbo T wheels that I'm considering getting chromed or sand blasted polished and re clear coated. A full engine bay overhaul and a few odds and ends all new T Top seals door sweeps and a various trim.. basically I want to get into my car and have a time machine to a year before .... hell I wasn't even born haha 
 

[YGspider]

And I should also mention that you didn't have all the combos set in stone in 1989 so things where still being learnt. you had to play the cards given to you. I'm sure by the time im a old man this car will have eaten a large sum of cash from my bank. But I don't care the passion that has grown on me towards these cars is so unreal. I've realized I don't really care about any other car.. like this is my dream Ferrari 

[Just a Six?]

I'm sure you will have many years of enjoyment with your car! With a modern chip from Eric & some self control with the boost & a little patience with tuning there is no reason that a Buick V-6 can't run down 1/2 the guys at the track & stay healthy for years doing it.     
 
 

[Just a Six?]

I think the best mod I've came up with yet is when I told a guy I was gonna fill hundreds of ziplock bags with helium and shove them inside my frame rails to make the car lighter 
 
sorry,  back on subject 

I still find Amazing Deals on this site!! The Butt Dyno is Awesome!!! 
http://kalecoauto.com/index.php?main_page=index
 
Since this thread is about Freshen the Motor (back on track) I think you should check this stuff out!
http://kalecoauto.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=9&products_id=25

[YGspider]

Haha the passenger noise reducer perfect for someone who loves to talk to much during a long drive... http://kalecoauto.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=10

[YGspider]

Finally I think I figured out my problem with my motor as it sits.. I think a lifter is starting to fail and wont pump enough oil at idle. When driving the engine doesn't really make the noise and is rock solid. I think my best option and maybe the cheapest way is to just replace the cam and lifters, push rod ext...  And use the left over money for paint. Maybe this build wont be as expensive as I thought.

[Old Buzzard]

If it's for sure a lifter noise, and the cam is going flat, I'd not continue to drive it.
The trash that's created will find a home in the brgs....Then, you will be spending that money.......an d some.
Cut the oil filter open, and see if the cam lobe is in there.

[Steve Wood]

and, if a lobe is failing, it may be a case of the front cam bearing wearing which causes less oil to be pumped to the top end.  This happens often with hv oil pumps and/or age.  No matter what, if a lobe or lifter is coming apart, the engine needs to come out to be thoroughly cleaned out or it will eat something else out when you start driving it again.  And, you should not use the stock oil cooler again.  Up there, just eliminate it from the equation would be my suggestion.  Remove the cooler adapter from the pump when you put the front cover back together.

You can run high tens on a stock short block.

[Just a Six?]

Pull the valve cover off the suspect side & let it idle while watching all the pushrods. You could mark them & watch to see if one isn't acting like the others. May give you a better idea of what's going on or an area that needs further inspection?

[SuperSix]

Diagnose it correctly before chasing perceived issues.

[TWIN86GNS]

Diagnose it correctly before chasing perceived issues.

Please read and UNDERSTAND the above post.

[xpander343]

Damn 10 to 15k you coulda bought a car already done by the time you factor in the purchase price of the car too.