Just picked up 2 Buick 215 Hi Compression motors. My plan is to rebuild them and maybe stroke one. Anyone out there in Buick land have experience or information related to the 215?
Here is a good start for you to read; http://www.aluminumv8.com/Home/Technical And you don't want to skip this section; http://www.aluminumv8.com/Home/Displacement GL Derek
Do the usual oiling mods and run tight bearing clearances. Be very careful working up to torque on mains and heads. Thread pull is an issue. Minimum torque figures are recommended. Lots of info on BritishV8.org and MGexperience.com Jim
Thank ya'll. Appreciate the replies. Mostly looking for build threads and experience. I'm curious if anyone has gone outside the box on a build? I've read the British V8 article about the blown 215. I'd like to find the recommended automatic transmission. I have a rebuilt T5 ready to go. I'm curious about carburetion, fuel injection, forced air intake.... I've been working on restoring a 1981 Chevy Luv that will be the recipient of one of the 215's.
Post up some pics it sounds like a cool project! Most of us have not used the 215 however I have one here bit I never did find a low cost option for a trans. Here is some info and if you send me a PM I can email you more... I have some magazine articles and word documents full of info I collected. http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?122449-Announcing-a-BUNCH-of-tech-articles-on-Buick-215
There are lots of threads on those two sites giving build info. BritishV8 tends to be the more technical of the two but gets fewer posts. Lots of info on parts choices, options, etc. Jim
There is a lot you can do, depending on what your build goals are. For most it seems to include a power increase. Using the Luv I'd expect you are more than usually concerned about the weight. Since the Rover variants are sand cast they can be as much as 30 lbs heavier than the Buick. Available in larger displacements, but with fairly common liner issues that the Buicks do not ever have. The Rover blocks tend to be denser and therefore stronger but also heavier. For automatic transmissions there aren't a whole lot of choices but there are some. The old B&W 3 speed was used by the brits, you have the 2 speeds used by Buick and Olds, and the newer trannys used in the Rovers. Other than that the unique bellhousing limits your choices. I do have a very nice Aisin electronic 5 speed w/lockup with a detachable bell that has a shoulder cut on the block side concentric with the input shaft, something that is rather easily adapted but you'd need a controller such as the Megashift to run it. I'd sell it but the conversion requires some work yet. (I went with the 8 speed behind my 340.) If you're interested we could discuss what's needed to finish matching it up. I've done a lot of transmission adapters (including a commercial line) and this is one of the easy ones. A 2004r or 700r4 would be great but there isn't a bell to match. Jim
I'll see if I can post a few pictures in the next few days. The Luv is relatively light at about 2400#. My guess is that the 1962 Skylark weighed in at considerably more. Internet says 2840# so not incredibly lighter but a little. I'll have to look for an automatic transmission that doesn't rob too much power from the engine. I do have a Borg Warner T5, but the Luv isn't manual. In a future project I'd like to use the T5 behind a 215 in a MG or Sunbeam or even a Datsun Roadster. There is an Austin close to me that is already set up for a V8. One just never knows.
Feel free to e-mail me the pics if you want help posting them I can do that... Uploading pics on this site is a pain so I use a photo hosting site called "photobucket".. its quick and easy for me to post your pics.
Hey Jim, I think that D&D sells an adapter for one of these 2 transmissions. Weird that I couldn't find a listing on their website for the actual adapter though. BUT, they DO admit to having one in their brand new stuff section; "NEW D&D 2014 PRODUCT Item: Automatic Transmission Close-Off Panel dust cover for use with our GM V-6 style transmission adapter kit. Fits all Buick, Oldsmobile, and Rover V-8 engines when the 60 degree 700-R4 transmissions from the following engines are used. 2.8L, 3.1L and 3.4L engines. Description: This close-off panel is designed as a lower Price: $80.00 Automatic Transmission Close-Off Panel" http://www.aluminumv8.com/Home/NewStuff A 700R4 would be a good fit for a little 215 to help it get going from a dead stop with its 3.06;1 first gear. Derek
I recently talked to Mark from D&D (about 2 weeks ago) and he has "adapter kits" available for a large variety of trannys. 2004r 700r th350 th400 and a few others are on the list of available kits. The trannys must have the BOP bolt pattern though. Have your checkbook ready cause they are a lil spendy, like $850 for a kit! Keith
That's a fairly common price point for a transmission adapter. I used to sell one which I had Advance Adapters manufacture and stock for me. It's still on the market btw. The BOPR (215) bell is unique, and different from the BOP. The 2004r has both the BOP and SBC patterns. Also there is a $100 plate you can buy to go from SBC to BOP or back, it's 1/8" thick. It might be possible to use such a plate to go from BOPR to BOP or SBC. I've never tried, or even looked to see what the longitudinal offset is, but I think the bell depths are pretty close. If so you can do it a lot cheaper than D&D. The 215 MGB conversions generally weigh in somewhere in the 2100-2400 lb range depending on the car. The performance is quite sprightly, so I wouldn't think the Luv would need the low 1st gear of the 700r4 unless you are taking it off road. The 2004r is likely the better choice if it's a street machine only. Jim
Or if there are plans of using the truck as a truck and he wants to use it for towing the car he wants to build with the other engine? Derek
The plan is to put the truck together with the Buick 215, I'm thinking either a BW-35 or a 200R4 for the transmission. No hauling with this truck. But it will be interesting to see just how much we can get out of the 215. I'm looking to pick up an Oldsmobile 215, 6 head bolts per cylinder rather than the 5 on the Buick. I've read where some Brits engineered an Eaton M90 supercharger and mounted it on the 251. It might be worth 300 hp or so.
If you want 300hp I'd suggest you reconsider your engine choice. I ran a blown 215 and always had problems with the head and main bolts loosening up. (of course, I was running 16 psi of intercooled boost) Instead you might want to pick up a 300 short block. It'll be more reliable at higher power levels. Plus you can stroke it to 350 with a 350 crank and a .050" overbore. You do pick up 80 lbs (with alloy heads and intake). Or, just go to the 350. Aluminum heads and intake are available and the weight would be within a very few pounds of the 300. (short block is 82 lbs more than the 215). In the long run that might be the best choice, if you can swing the TA heads and intake. It's still a light engine at around 400 lbs even. Probably not that much more than the lump you are removing. With the iron it's still around 450 lbs. Jim
Yup, the 1964 Buick 300 was produced with aluminum heads and bigger valves than the 215. I'm just intrigued by the 215 and it's going to be a challenge to see what can be done with it. And the fact that it's aluminum, probably several 100 #'s lighter than the 350. I hand a Buick 350 a while back but found that the timing chain cover liked to crack and leak. I have a partially rebuilt LM7/LS6 motor for the Chevy Luv but the cost is getting astronomical. Understand that the 215 isn't going to be cheap either, but it will be cheaper than the 350 or LS motor. I tried to upload a few pictures of one of the 215's, but the only picture that would work was of the engine casting number. The HI at the beginning of the number indicate a high compression motor. I think factory at 10.25:1, not too shabby for a little motor.
