Buick Grand National

[Hypsi87]

Originally Posted by skedmd

I have just discovered the Grand National, and I must say that it has turned into my dream car! I have been looking into them, and was wondering about their reliability. I'm certainly not affraid to put some work into a car, but I don't want to get in over my head with problems (i.e. transmission, drivetrain etc...). Any information would be great.

The number one most certian thing you can do to keep a turbo buick realiable is to get a scanmaster or something to watch or knock retard. Keeping spark knock to a minimal is the key. As far as I'm conserned the weakest link in the car is the Tranny. Probabally the best thing to do for that (besides getting a beefed up 200r4 is to put a trans. cooler on the car.

Keep the kock out and run good fuel and you should be good to go.

[kratefan]

Originally Posted by KuzmaEagle

Anyone know where I can get a Grand National engine (pref 1984-87) these days? Anywhere near San Antonio?

Thanks!

[email protected]

Check out the GNT-type website, www.gnttype.org. They have a section called that has wanted and for sale items.
Jeff

[turbocody]

i have a 87 TurboT with bolt-ons and i ran 12.22@108 w/stock turbo set at 19psi. i have a Ta-49 now and i will be expecting 11.50's@116-118mph. and my car weighs about 3700lbs. w/ me in it.

Cody

[Hypsi87]

Originally Posted by turbocody

i have a 87 TurboT with bolt-ons and i ran 12.22@108 w/stock turbo set at 19psi. i have a Ta-49 now and i will be expecting 11.50's@116-118mph. and my car weighs about 3700lbs. w/ me in it.

Cody

What made you go with the Ta turbo instead of the Te series?

[kratefan]

Originally Posted by turbocody

i have a 87 TurboT with bolt-ons and i ran 12.22@108 w/stock turbo set at 19psi. i have a Ta-49 now and i will be expecting 11.50's@116-118mph. and my car weighs about 3700lbs. w/ me in it.

Cody

Have you upgraded the fuel system? What pump(s) are you running?
Jeff

[turbocody]

the Ta-49 works very well with the stock converter and the spoolup is amazing.and it's more than enough turbo to get me to mid 11's.and i have a bosch AFPR,Blue Tops,Red Armstong Pump hotwired.

Cody

[Hypsi87]

Originally Posted by turbocody

the Ta-49 works very well with the stock converter and the spoolup is amazing.and it's more than enough turbo to get me to mid 11's.and i have a bosch AFPR,Blue Tops,Red Armstong Pump hotwired.

Cody

I went with the TE-44 before I bought my TE-60. Now im looking at getting a Te-63. A big shaft turbo is not really affected by compressor surge.

[kratefan]

Originally Posted by turbocody

the Ta-49 works very well with the stock converter and the spoolup is amazing.and it's more than enough turbo to get me to mid 11's.and i have a bosch AFPR,Blue Tops,Red Armstong Pump hotwired.

Cody

It sounds like a good combination. The Blue Tops should be enough to get you into the mid 11's, but you may want to run an EGT just in case. We have a club meeting Sunday and I'll ask the TA-49 guys what they're running for mid 11's. My MSD 50's petered out at 11.04, but I was running a single Wabro 307 and exceeded 43 psi fuel pressure.

[Hypsi87]

Originally Posted by kratefan

It sounds like a good combination. The Blue Tops should be enough to get you into the mid 11's, but you may want to run an EGT just in case. We have a club meeting Sunday and I'll ask the TA-49 guys what they're running for mid 11's. My MSD 50's petered out at 11.04, but I was running a single Wabro 307 and exceeded 43 psi fuel pressure.

I run a single walbro 340 hotwired with like 33 PSI line off pressure. My O2's are 774's range.

[BOOSTJunKEE]

Originally Posted by gn1220

All turbo and non-turbo blocks are the same 109 casting. The only thing a turbo block has that a non-turbo doesn't is a drain back line from the turbo. Just have your machine shop drill and tap it for you.

Hey, Did you guys know that the 86- 87 blocks had larger oiling passages? just thought that might help find a core, oh, and don't put that motor in front of a standard 200r4 or you'll be walking home sooner than later.

[BOOSTJunKEE]

Originally Posted by Hypsi87

yea if your ever at the track and you see a GM car go one way and the wheel and axle go another then you know the c-clip broke

I haven't seen the clips break, usually it is the end of tha axle, and the eliminator is a bearing and retainer set that presses on the axle and bolts to the housing, which holds the axle in the housing, sounds good to me, as I personally would be upset if I had an axle break at 100mph.. sounds like a pretty bad day to me. It really should have been factory, shouldn't it?

[kratefan]

Originally Posted by BOOSTJunKEE

I personally would be upset if I had an axle break at 100mph.. sounds like a pretty bad day to me. It really should have been factory, shouldn't it?

As bad as that is, one of our club members broke a driveshaft at the big end BEHIND the loop. Needless to say, I'm running two driveshaft loops on my car.
Jeff

[BOOSTJunKEE]

Originally Posted by kratefan

As bad as that is, one of our club members broke a driveshaft at the big end BEHIND the loop. Needless to say, I'm running two driveshaft loops on my car.
Jeff

I bet that was a pretty bad day, Huh? were you there when they did? and the real question is, Did he vault it and were they ok?
How about a 10 point driveshaft cage? 1-1/2 chromemoly tube with a nice shiny chrome plating.. don't know about the cage, but the chrome is worth .2 in the 1/4! :

[kratefan]

Originally Posted by BOOSTJunKEE

I bet that was a pretty bad day, Huh? were you there when they did? and the real question is, Did he vault it and were they ok?
How about a 10 point driveshaft cage? 1-1/2 chromemoly tube with a nice shiny chrome plating.. don't know about the cage, but the chrome is worth .2 in the 1/4! :

I was there when it happened. I couldn't see anything from the stands. He ALMOST vaulted the car, but it fortunately it didn't. It DID dig a trench in the dragstrip and took out the lights for about 45 minutes.
As far as the driveshaft cage, please keep this quiet. You can bet your a$$ we'll be seeing them on Hondas and Toyotas (even the FWD ones).
Jeff

[tman]

thats really a great idea, you can bet those rice burners will try to steal it!!