King_V

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hey, I hope that I can get some help. I have a project car. What I have is a 1987 Oldsmobile Delta 88 engine and I have it on a stand....</div></div> Unfortunately, I can't answer your questions. However, since you have (or at this point had?) this engine on a stand, can you tell me if the block has provisions to attach the RWD-type motor mounts, say if someone wanted to put that motor in a mid-80s Regal or Cutlass? I've never gotten a 100% definite answer on that... Thanks!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Limiting this to GM... 4. The HT 4100 in a full-sized Caddy. Common sense did not prevail here in the engineering department. Extremely underpowered, under-developed engine. At least Olds and Buick put larger and more powerful engines (relatively speaking) in their full size c-body and b-body cars. The V864 was another underdeveloped item, but at least it could be bypassed to run on all 8 cylinders. It was always a shame that Caddy did not develop the Digital fuel injection to run the 368 in more cars. They probably could have tuned this system to lower emissions and raise fuel economy without sacrificing power. The DFI system is pretty reliable and has good self diagnostics. </div></div> In terms of being undersized, yeah, I agree with you. But at least with the 4100, Caddy did something that was long overdue. In the 1970s, it seemed that GM wanted to make smaller motors to meet standards, but did EVERYTHING on the cheap. The Olds 260 came out in 1975, just a 350 Olds with a smaller bore. The Buick 196, a smallbore 231. And Cadillac? The 425 uses the same basic block as the 472 and 500, right? The 368? Same block with smaller bore, isn't it? I had to help change the spark plugs on one of the "downsized" fullsize caddys, I think a 1977 or 1978 with 425. In a *big* car, we couldn't get to the #8 spark plug, and had to take it to a shop to change that one. They didn't want to cut down the deck height and reduce stroke. This would have made the engines lighter as well as giving smaller displacement. No, same block, just make the bores smaller and smaller. So in a way, despite the poor reputation of the HT4100, it was finally a step in the right direction in terms of doing something about weight while shrinking the motor, as opposed to just doing a "let's shrink the bore again and change nothing else" The thing that always got me about the 368, at least the V8-6-4 version, was, why the heck did they spend all that money in an incredibly complex system rather than just making a smaller block? Stick with the bigger bore, cut down the deck, go with a shorter stroke, and save yourself a LOT of hassle. Yes, you need new intake manifolds, and new crankshafts. Big deal. Compared to what was actually done in those years... I think they could've saved themselves a lot of hassle.

Bummer! I've been looking for this type of info as well, as I have an 86 Delta 88 with perfectly running motor, 3.8L SFI. Was considering putting it into a Cutlass or Regal RWD to replace a carbureted V6. I figured it'd be a relatively cheap swap since I have the entire setup still in place. But bummer that the TH200-4R won't fit, nor will any standard RWD tranny (either Chevy V8 pattern or BOP pattern). So, aside from an adapter plate, the only "bolt right in" trannys will be from the 2.8L Firebird/Camaro, and from the S-10? Is this just a TH700-R4 with a different bellhousing? Another question to add to this: do the FWD 3.8L V6's have provisions to put motor mounts on the block for RWD application? That is, can I literally take the mounts for a RWD Buick V6, put them on the FWD motor, and expect the formerly FWD motor to sit in exactly the same position as a RWD engine would? Thanks! I've been having trouble finding this sort of info. I'd always thought that since Buick developed and offered a SFI V6 since 1984 (RWD for the turbos, FWD for non-turbo), that they SHOULD have been using them in the RWD mid and fullsize cars. Or at least offered them as an option. EDIT: Turbo Loyd, does the rule about the tranny bolt pattern hold up for ALL the FWD V6 Buicks? I ran across a site, admittedly discussing putting a Buick V6 into a Toyota Truck , that said in addition to the carbureted V6, the 3.8L SFI from FWD cars will accept RWD trannies, but that the 3800 series won't because the bolt pattern is different. Can anyone tell me if this is right or wrong? Thanks again...