I have been working on a little "RAT ROD" Project for about five years, I am currently running a little chevy 4 cylinder from a 1982 Chevette, I just picked up a 1965 V-6 I want to use the Motor and trans for my Little "RAT ROD" So I was wondering if anyone could answer a few Questions? I Know nothing about the Buick V-6 Motor except that it will fit between the rails of my little project! So here we go, 1) What is the C.I.D. is it 225 C.I.D. 2) What kind of trans did they use? The one that came with it is a two speed 3) what kind of Horse Power do they make in a stock configuration? 4) What is the Weight of the Motor? 5) Are They reliable Motors? 6) What motor mounts do I use are the the same for the Small block? I think it was a good deal on the Little V-6 and I had a buddy back in the 70's that ran a Pontiac Tempest with a V-6 in it and I always remember the "PEP" that it had. I am sorry for being so Ignorant about my lack of knowledge on this. o No: V-6 Dummy Don
Sounds like a cool project! maybe you can find a Buick 350 at some point and have some serious FUN!! The early Buick motors became a hit in the jeeps and earned the "Dauntless" reputation Here is some good info: http://www.off-road.com/jeep/tech/engine/dauntless225.html Here is some more info from gnttype.org The venerable Buick 3.8 V6 has had a long and fairly illustrious career, powering many Buicks, and other GM vehicles over the past 30 years. The original design for the V6 started in the early 60s when Buick created a V6 based on the all aluminum 215 V8. The very first "Fireball" V6 displaced a whopping 198 cubic inches and shared tooling with the 215 aluminum V8 in 1962. In late 1963, the bore was increased to be the same as the 300 V8, which made displacement 225 cubic inches, where it stayed until 1967. Since the V6 had the same bore as the 1966 340 V8 it could be produced on the same assembly line. This made it cheap and easy to produce for the "compact" cars in GM's car lines. The demand for the V6 was never very great and the design resulted in an uneven firing order that produced a rough idling engine, so the design was sold to Jeep in 1967. In the 70s, with the advent of the gas crisis and the demand for a versatile, lightweight, and inexpensive engine, Buick bought the design back from Jeep in 1974. The little V6 was reworked so that it could be made on the same assembly line as the Buick 350, which entailed making the bore 3.800". Using this bore size, it could share pistons and other parts with the V6. This engine retained the original designs "odd-fire" design.
I found a weight of 375 pounds for motor and accesories. Here is some more info comparing the older 225 and the newer 231: "Dauntless" Buick 225 From 1966 until 1971 Jeep used the Buick 225 V6 as the optional engine in CJs. Kaiser purchased the tooling to build the engine from Buick in 1967 and began production of the engine. The "Dauntless" 225 is an "odd fire" engine meaning the cylinders fire odd order. The odd-fire design cause a the engine to idle a bit rough. This version of the engine and parts from these Jeeps can be used to swap a Buick V6 into your Jeep. One big advantage of the Dauntless 225 V6 is the heavy flywheels used on these engines. The flywheels come in 75lbs and 100lbs versions to create low end torque. The normal car flywheels are closer to 45lbs. The bid disadvantage of the 225 is it is more difficult to fuel inject because of the odd fire ignition. The tachometer signal will confuse the computer of regular TBI fuel injection. Buick 231 When AMC purchased Jeep, they started putting AMC engines in Jeeps. The Buick V6 was not used after 1971 and with the gas crisis, Buick became interested in the V6 engine again. They purchased the tooling back from Jeep in 1974 and reworked the engine so it use components from the Buick 350 engine. The larger bore increased the displacement to 231 cubic inches. In mid 1977, Buick introduced the first "even fire" version of the Buick V6. This engine has a smoother idle, but more vibration than the older engine. The odd fire engine uses a distributor cap with equal spaces between the plugs on the distributor cap and the even fire engine has unequal spaces between the plugs on the distributor cap. It is not very intuitive, but that's the way it is. The 231s are internally balanced and the 225s are externally balanced. Technically, you need to rebalance a 231 if you replace the flywheel or install a flywheel in place of a flex plate. Some people report that they have had no problem swapping different flywheels on these later engines with out rebalancing. Later Buick 231s use multiport fuel injection. The Buick V6s never used TBI fuel injection from the factory.
I have one that was in my 64 Skylark (64,000 mi), great motor, sturdy, coupled to a 2 speed switch pitch, it would make the tires chirp , we are changing it out for a 350 and a th400 switch pitch :3gears: Bruce
I also am using a 225 v6 for a project car I am doing. I had TA performance build the 225 for me, and I am mating it to a borg warner T5 5speed. Probably be 5 or 6 weeks till I get it running I hope it runs as good as it looks. Stock they made about 160HP and very reliable. The weight on my complete engine clutch and trans as you see it here is less then 500 pounds.
i still have a 225 in my 65 special. great mpg. the jeep guys have learned to fuel inject it just remember to if you pull dist mark it will as it only goes in one place due to the odd fire .mark the plug wires also so it goes back to stock location.if its wrong it will run like bad valves when you accellorate poping or backfiring . this engine will have plent of momentum for a chevette. i suggest v6 mounts from a 78-88 gbody(regal,cutlass,etc) plenty of these out there.the stock trans(automatic)should be a 2 speed swithpitch .not a bad setup but i sugest a 2004r overdrive . these engines have about 9 to 1 compression so will run on any gas . andy
in a 3300lbs vehicle which would be better for lowend umpph would a 231 with a 100lbs flywheel...smallest cam and headers be great? what donor parts may u use to f/i the 225s i'm sure weight and mpg between the too are minumal in difference? btw how come my 79 231 have virtually no power til like 45 and the late 80s and beyound have pretty spunky lowend? i'm sure fuel injections had some part in it...but could it also have been poor gear chooses in the 70s? thanks again...the rad issue with the 350 to toy4x4 is makeing me have doubts mike
Each year int he 70's got worse and worse for smog control and lowering compression ratios. In the 80's they had come up with good enough fuel injection to be better for gas, emissions, and make more power. The Turbo MPFI motors make good power. The NA Buick 231's produce good power if you can find an good carb 4bb intake for them. They are commonly built up fo low buck jeeps because you don't need all the Fuel injection hassles.
Tell us more about the Buick 350 to Toy project! I'm planning to use a novak th350 to 231 t-case kit so I can put a Buick 350/350 combo into my 91 4X4 Dodge Dakota. I need a custom oil pan and a Nokak universal motor mount kit.
nothing really to tell, its pretty much the same conversion as the 231 v6...except you'll most likley have to find or get a custom sized rad installed all the v6 conversion stuff from advance adapters will work with the 350 just realized by next year i wont even have to worry about emmisions as all i have to do is slap on a classic plate and run w/e carb engine i drop in...depending if i actaully get a 455 for the skylark, the 350 will definatly go into the truck...if not i'll get a buick v6...but i can always get a decent junk engine til i get the swap ready for the car...ir just find another beater to whip around in til both projects are complete.....i'm stiull just bouncesing ideas across...both theyre all well thought through and planned out on parts and price. all and all if i'm still satisfied with the 350 after i get all my performance parts bolted on i'll probly drop a 225/231 into the truck...ifnot the 350 is going in...and a 455 into car.
how about this...i'll make a new thread just for the trucks plans/progress...i have one for the car...need to resurrect it soon :grin: but just for reference heres the major parts ...dont have all the little things included...the advance adapters conversion guide lists everything needed.. buick 350 from my 72 skylark along with the "bop" th350 put in a 4x4 output shaft to hold the engine i'll use the v6 motor mounts from Advance Adapters i'll get the tranny to 21 spline xfercase adapter from AA 86-88 toyota manual transfer case 160 tooth flywheel dual electric fans and pretty much everything would be from donorcar and or AA
hey if your wondering i just called up advance adapters about the buick 350 swap....only reasons from whay they shyed away from this conversion ...from what the guy told me was because the buick v6 swap is getting old...every1s of course using chevy apllications...and the issues i might runinto is possibility of oil pan clearence, exaust clearence...and ofcource radiator hes not totoyly sure...just going by what they did with the chevy 350 swap. so i may be looking into a custom sized radiator....custom oilpan and exhaust? but wouldnt you think a lift would counter the clearnce issues?
To 66 Wildkat For the V6 you should spend your money on a newer engine 79 and up, as they have the better flowing heads, better rods, you could get Alum heads, fuel injection plus other newer parts. It is a even-fire engine with more cubes and 4 barrel-intakes are available. Diver
ok thanks,,, but could u definatly use a 225 flywheel on a evenfire 231 engine to gain torque? if so which donor car has the heaviest 225 flywheel and which flext plate would you use, one off 225, or one off a 231? thanks again Mike
is this going to be an automatic trans? if so the heavy flywheel will do you no good as its for manual trans. also if you use the 225 flywheel or flexplate on a even fire motor you will need to rebalance the rotating assemby as it will be way off due to the offset of the crank journals. doesnt sound like its worth it. if you want to gain torque put some 9 to 1 comp pistons or higher and a nice rv cam. my 225 gets 16 plus mpg in my heavy 65 buick with a 2 speed trans. the 225 will make a great swap into a chevette. a larger cam /offy 4 barrel intake/holley 390 carb/overdrive trans with a low gearset that thing will move preety nice andy
