Blueprint 225

Focker,
Sent and e-mail to a buddy that works for GM Performance yesterday and asked him about the number markings on the pan rails of the Buick V6...........he confirmed what I thought or guessed previously in how that used to be a standard procedure in the GM engine plants whereby as these motor blocks were being machined, bored and honed they were also quickly measured for bore sizes and assigned a number code that the assembler down stream of there could use to quickly put a proper sized piston +/- a few tenths in the coded hole............He also stated that the process at the time was in no way highly precise as compared to today.

 

Rob , You were asking about upgrading connecting rods and these would be the ultimate rod for a Buick V6 even fire 231 made by Scat. Typical H-Beam forged out of 4340 material.
These are for my Buick even fire 231 V6 project if I ever get around to finishing it. Nice stuff.

 

Those sure are purttty.

 

Still waiting on some parts...........But I still have some things to do while I wait............Here is a TA Performance #1533 231 Front Cover on the left. This is there High Performance Cover that will also fit a 225 compared to the stock 225 Odd Fire front cover on the right . If you look closely these covers have been re-popped in the aftermarket for T.A. Perf. Once they get them they bore and ream the oil passages out and install there V8 gears and booster plate. They also receive these with an unfinished gear pump cavity and bore them on site to there own gear Clearance spec.

Some of these upgrades like the V8 gears and adjustable pressure plate have already been previously added to the 225 cover as will as tightening up the gear cavity........some of this is old school technology but Mike @ TA has obviously taken it to another level on his new timing covers. I will also clean up or ream the oil gallys in the 225 cover. His new cover has also been changed so the the oil seal is now installed from outside as opposed to the inside on the early cover.........We will be using the T.A. Front rubber seal # 1513 and also his rear main rubber Viton seal # V1515 as replacements for the old Rope seals at both ends.


It's a good time to do a little prep work to the water pump area as will as any other areas that need to be flat to seal. A lite dusting with a flat file is all you need.


In this picture I have just taken a reamer and cleaned up this oil galley that is the main galley from the Oil Pump Pickup in the pan.


and this one also


Some of the reamers in play used to touch up the gallys to insure that an ample supply of oil can find it's way easily to the pump. Some may consider this extra work to be solely reserved for High Performance only but in all reality improving the oil system helps just the same even in a grocery getter and even more so on oil systems like the old 225 that are not the best going in.


Not uncommon to see these pick-up tubes break from stress at either end while using these V6 motors off road.........No mystery to what happens to the motor once it breaks!
I'll add something to this to gain some additional strength.

 

The later 231 pickups were larger, like 5/8". If it will fit it is a great upgrade, especially if you've taken the time to enlarge the passages in the block.

 

I can tell you first hand what happens when the oil pickup breaks!......its not pretty!....its costing me a new motor!

 

Been raining here for the past several days..........I need to give the block another bath outside when it drys up hopefully next week.

New Parts:

 

I always laugh when I look at your pictures! your note pad, (your table top).

New lifters and valve springs, very nice! Anyone spot that the lifters are going to be for a solid cam?

 

Need to do a little work on the Pickup tube to strengthen it. But first I also need to build a Sump in the base of the pan at the Pickup tube. This will keep oil from running away from the oil pickup when the Jeep is being driven off camber ...........Windage trays although popular in some Oil pans for high RPM do very little in a pan for this type of use........a pressurized dry sump system would be nice but expensive.



The Pickup sets about a 1/4" off the floor of the pan


Took a piece of 18 gauge CR sheet-metal about 16.250" x 2.50" tall and notched some 1.5" half circles in the edge.


Then rolled it into about a 5" circle


Welded it using Silicon Bronze




This is how it fits inside the pan

 

I love that.

 

That's a great idea! Simple but effective.

 

I'm in LOVE
wish that was mine

 

following intensely.

 

Been watching this build with a lot of curiosity. Very nice work as usual Terry but Isky springs, solid lifters, Scat rods? What sort of rpm are you planning for this and is the application still for your new Jeep project? Going forced induction?

 

John, thanks for watching............My original Buick V6 motor has been purchased by a member here and I thought during the rebuild & assembly I would just share the process with the membership here , while at the same time share a few things that will enhance how they run & perform.........But, This is not a High Performance engine. For the most part all of the components are just factory Items that have been either rebuilt , re-sized like the rods , grinding the crank & balancing it and re-boring the cylinders............The Scat rods are for a different 3.8 project and were just shown as an example of an upgraded Buick Connecting Rod.

The original V6 build had a solid lifter Isky cam in it which was a Kenne-Bell grind , ground by Isky back in the day.........we are using the same Camshaft , solid lifters and adjustable push rods once again.............somewhere along the line I misplaced a pair of those lifters..........which are fairly common .842" sized Chevy SB lifters. What is not so common anymore is the push rod seat depth height inside the lifter. With the desire to keep the pushrods near the same length even though adjustable , I just replaced them all..............likewise a few of the original valve springs were off by 10-15 lbs at the seat and although I could have just shimmed them I opted to just replace them..............some of the other work in the oiling system and measuring of all the components is just basic engine Blue-Printing.

As far as my Jeep Project..........it will have a Fuel Injected LS 376 in it.

 

What horse power?

 

Finished up that oil pan today..........
Added another piece of sheet metal in the rear of the pan to better control the oil moving both fore and aft..........the front of the pan already has a near vertical forward wall that will help keep the oil contained on the Downhill slope...........but the rear of the pan has a more relaxed wall that will allow oil to retreat to the back on Up-Hill climbs. Here is at least a partial solution to slow the oil migration.










Another Problem with most Oil pans is the Drain Plug is normally hanging out in the Breeze just like this one. If your Jeep is just a Grocery Getter , then skip this section........
Do I ever expect the pan to get hit there? Not Really, but I have seen plenty of oil leaks on the trail caused by smacking these....even seen a guy loose his motor after all the oil drained out............one thing for sure is anything is possible on the trail so here is an easy fix to help protect that plug.

 

500

 

Really nicely done