New guy

Young olds · May 02, 2018, 07:12:29 PM

New member but not new to the site, i been researching the olds, buick, rover motors for years now and seem to always end up on this site so i figured id just join so I can ask questions and gain more info. I dont own a british car but i have an opel manta with a 215 and t50 im working on.

Young olds · May 02, 2018, 08:20:42 PM

I've had 215's in a few olds f85's and I've always been interested in them but never modified one. I stumbled upon this engine and just had to have it, with the engine I got a chevy bellhousing adapter with flywheel, a dry sump pan and a nib crower stroker crank.

Then I needed a car, ended up with the Manta. Then the fun began, most of the fun was building headers( picture is of an unfinished one) but luckily was able to pull that off.

mgb260 · May 02, 2018, 08:49:16 PM

Very Cool! Welcome aboard!

74ls1tr6 · May 02, 2018, 10:15:16 PM

Looks like fun!!

MGBV8 · May 03, 2018, 10:11:58 AM

Nice flares on the Opel.

BlownMGB-V8 · May 03, 2018, 10:46:01 AM

I like it. Also those injector stacks are way cool. What can you tell us about them and the front cover?

Jim

mgb260 · May 03, 2018, 11:44:16 AM

I really like the RV8 style tri-y headers!

Young olds · May 03, 2018, 01:14:08 PM

The injection is hilborn, the ports are larger than the ports in 215 heads so I'm assuming they match 300 heads or the gm race heads I've heard about. The only thing I know about the front cover is it says Micky Thompson and it's set up for a cam driven fuel pump.

Thanks for the comment on the headers, This is my first time building headers and I've been working really hard on them. Excuse the ugly welds I only have a mig. Once I get them to fit how I want I'll smooth the welds and get them ceramic coated.

Drivers side had to have the steering shaft pass through. Both sides are a tight fit and it whooped my butt making these.

Young olds · May 03, 2018, 01:31:09 PM

Are there mini starters readily available? Mine has one on it that has a McLeod sticker but I never heard of them making starters, and this engine bay is so tight I can't fit a starter and larger then what I have. Would also like to know more about the gm race heads if anyone can enlighten me.

Young olds · May 03, 2018, 01:43:40 PM

Realized I didn't tell you about the engine in the car. It's an olds block, buick heads( 10:1 comp and rocker supports), Erson tq20 cam, performer intake and quadrajet carb, and an aluminum flywheel. https://youtu.be/LnjXuLJF7NI video is with partial exhaust, from headers through x pipe ending under back seat area. Still not sure what I'm doing for mufflers.

MGBV8 · May 03, 2018, 07:31:32 PM

Mini-starter. This is what I used on my Buick 215:

McLeod 810163 Mini Starter 1.4kw 215 Alm V8 Buick/Olds 156 Gear

mgb260 · May 03, 2018, 08:48:23 PM

DynoMax have very good flowing mufflers.

88v8 · May 04, 2018, 04:52:51 AM

Silencers....I had a Flowmaster DBX on my 3.5 RV8. It sounded like a tin can. Previously a straight-through that was more like a slow-firing machine gun, until it blew its stuffing out.
Now I have a Hooker Aerochamber. Big improvement.

What sounds good for five minutes can become a real earache after an hour, and getting the sound you want without resonance or boom is a bit of a lottery. Demon Tweeks have a good selection of silencers.

Ivor

Young olds · May 07, 2018, 10:28:08 PM

I already know what style of muffler I want it's just a matter of if I can fit them.

It doesn't seem so but does anyone have anymore info on the mickey Thompson front covers for these motors? I've seen one other one on a motor with hilborn injection like mine but it had a magneto where mine has a Mallory dual points. I've come up empty handed when I tried researching it. Also very interested to learn more about the gm race heads as well as the dual quad intake.

mgb260 · May 07, 2018, 11:21:22 PM

Roger, I don't know for sure but Mickey Thompson was involved with GM, Indy, Drag Racing, Off-Road and Marine. Probably Drag Racing or Marine. They commonly used cam driven water pumps.

7sand8s · May 09, 2018, 05:40:16 AM

An early article about the engine:
https://www.teambuick.com/forums/content.php?370-Excerpt-from-a-1960s-Buick-racing-book-on-the-215-sports-car-and-Indy-racing

MGBV8 · May 09, 2018, 10:03:00 AM

That link requires on to log in to view it.

What was the name of the article? Maybe I can reach it via Google.

7sand8s · May 09, 2018, 11:00:15 AM

The article was called "Souping The Special-Hot Rodding Buick"
Spotlite Book 537

BlownMGB-V8 · May 09, 2018, 12:03:11 PM

The website has free accounts and they are a good resource.

Jim

MGBV8 · May 09, 2018, 08:39:45 PM

I see.

It is an excerpt from a Peterson Publishing book - Hot rodding the Buick;: Tuning and souping all Buick engines from Special V6 to 425 "Mystery" V8. Performance secrets of Reventlow's Scarab, ... dragster (Hot Rod magazine technical library) Unknown Binding – 1963
by Bob Russo (Author)

This link should work.

https://www.teambuick.com/forums/showthread.php?24467-Excerpt-from-a-1960s-Buick-racing-book-on-the-215-sports-car-and-Indy-racing

roverman · May 16, 2018, 07:39:59 PM

I suspect your Hilborn "butterflys", measure 1.8" dia. ? If so, same as mine. Mine has Hilborn pump and water pump driven, direct by cam. I was at Hilborn, in Laguna Niguel, when they were building the "last" shipment of (50), to Azland. GM,Buick and Olds, did some real odd-ball motors/parts for the Indy efforts. Unless you're a quite skilled corner burner/etc., you may find some challenges with Hilborns, on the street,(loading-up on low speeds). Story I was told, was use a excess fuel return tank, clos as possible to engine bay, (reduce load-up). Looks like a handful and fun. Good Luck, roverman.

Young olds · May 31, 2018, 09:29:17 PM

Is there a timing belt set up available for these engines( instead of a chain)?

Young olds · June 17, 2018, 06:29:46 PM

Had the engine running today, plan was to get it warm and full of water so I can set the fan controller. It was going well at first, nice oil pressure, steady idle, etc. then I noticed I was putting more water in then the engine should hold. Checked the oil and there is water in it, hopefully I shut it off before any bearing damage but I'm wondering if I have bad head gasket or something else. The block had a crack on the outside that leaked water, wondering if there is a crack inside.

Young olds · June 18, 2018, 12:55:03 AM

I picked up a rover 4.2 hoping to only use the shortblock. Will all the parts from my 3.5 bolt on? I know a ton of parts interchange but am unsure about the flywheel. I literally want to only use the bare block and rotating assembly and swap the rest from my 215.

MGBV8 · June 18, 2018, 10:33:36 AM

QuoteIs there a timing belt set up available for these engines( instead of a chain)?

Like a Jessel Belt Drive? They are quite pricey. Doubt they are available for the 215.