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Buick 252?

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by Agar426, Jun 5, 2007.

  1. Jun 5, 2007
    Agar426

    Agar426 Member

    Los Alamos, NM
    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2004
    Messages:
    270
    For my '46 I wanting to swap in V6, and of course my choices are the 4.3 Chevy, and the Buick V6.

    My question is what's the deal with the 252 Buick? You don't hear much about this engine. Does it have the same qualities that the Buick's are known for, such as the longevity, high flywheel weight, etc? Is it just that it's rare enough that nobody has one?

    Anyways, just curious....

    Thanks!
     
    Agar426, Jun 5, 2007
    #1
  2. Jun 5, 2007
    NoFlyZone

    NoFlyZone Member

    Ridgeville, SC
    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2006
    Messages:
    578
    I thought the only one with the heavy flywheel was the oddfire 225. I think that it is hard to find any of the even fire buicks with flywheels at all. Most of them are attached to automatics.
     
    NoFlyZone, Jun 5, 2007
    #2
  3. Jun 5, 2007
    sparky

    sparky Sandgroper Staff Member Founder

    Perth, WA
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2002
    Messages:
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    sparky, Jun 5, 2007
    #3
  4. Jun 5, 2007
    dwoodall

    dwoodall New Member

    Skyline, Alabama
    Joined:
    Dec 30, 2006
    Messages:
    3
    I have a 49 that I am putting 4.1 Buick in. It came out of a 1981 Lesabre. The thing that I like about the 4.1 is that it has more horsepower than a 3.8 in the same year range. The research that I have done shows that they are the same engine as the 3.8 but with a larger bore and carb. I would think that the 4.3 Chevy engine would have more horsepower than the 4.1 and easier to find because they still make them. The year range of the 4.1 was when they did not build engines with alot of power, they had lots of emission control on them. I bought my engine (actually the whole car) off of Ebay for $200.00 and it runs strong. The main reason I chose this engine for my Jeep was that it was already set up for the Buick V6. The only thing that I would say bad about the Chevy 4.3 is the distributor is located at the back of the engine. In a Willys with the transmission located a the stock position it sets right next to the fire wall. Years ago I had 79 200 ci Chevy V6 in a 53' CJ3B and we had to cut the fire wall to clear the distributor. Hope this helps.
     
    dwoodall, Jun 5, 2007
    #4
  5. Jun 5, 2007
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
    Messages:
    4,585
    I have a 4.1L (252) in my jeep. I ended up with it because i was supposed to have boguht a 225. But oh well. I added an edelbrock intake and carb. Added an earlier distributer to get rid of computer controlled timing. It runs nice after i finally got things tuned on it. The reason you dont hear much about them is they really are not all that common. It is a larger 231 as you found out. And finding one with a flywheel is probably going to be rare also. I balanced my 225 flywheel for the motor by getting the harmonib balance and flexplate from the 4.1L and balancing the flywheel to them. A competant shop can do it, but that is as far as i can say abotu the process. It is a good motor, i do not have complaints about it. As for parts availablility. I think the parts are pretty available much like the 4.3 The 4.1L shares alot of parts wit the 231 so generally you will find parts at most stores. Also the water pump is laonger on the4.1L so i botled a 225 on and it is much shorter. Plus the 225 pullys and stuff fit the 4.1L.
     
    DanStew, Jun 5, 2007
    #5
  6. Jun 6, 2007
    Agar426

    Agar426 Member

    Los Alamos, NM
    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2004
    Messages:
    270
    Thanks for all the information. So am right in reading the posts, I can take a flywheel from a 225 and balance it to the 4.1, that way I get the displacement, plus the torquey feel of the heavy flywheel? Then, it being even fire, shouldn't it be easier to stick a TBI setup on it?

    Sounds like a winner to me, as I really like the front distributor, plus it's just plain cool!
     
    Agar426, Jun 6, 2007
    #6
  7. Jun 6, 2007
    nickmil

    nickmil In mothballs.

    Happy Valley, OR
    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2002
    Messages:
    12,529
    That's correct. Nickmil
     
    nickmil, Jun 6, 2007
    #7
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