Thread: Severe Knocking .....Is My Motor Toast???

Originally Posted by scottydoggs

start calling you local junk yards, engine recycling places. part outs.

at least with most junk yards you get a warranty to cover the engine if its bad. not the labor to swap it.

pick up a new gaskets for the oil pan, lim and sc, and valve covers. swap all that before it goes in the car.

your not limited to just a GP's engine, regal gs, rivieras, bonnies all work. you need to swap some parts from your engine to the new one.

Found a L32 out of an '06 that says "3.8L supercharger opt (VIN 4, 8th digit, opt L32)"....for $1500....but no mileage listed.....here in the DFW area....I can prolly pick it up for less since they are advertising it as a delivered price. I am half tempted to buy a beater and rebuild it myself.....but beefier. Dang....we just sold our '89 Ford F150 "ranch" truck since it had been sitting for the past 6 months

Seems like a lot of people on here are jumping the gun. Then others are jumping on that bandwagon. lol

You need to take off the valve covers and look at stuff. I wouldn't just assume something and pull the whole motor.

apparently some have issues with high ECT, as in 230* F.

plastic fails and bends.

Aluminum elbows with GM o rings.

Okay....so my immediate issue of having a reliable vehicle to drive has been resolved.....I bought my wife a gently used 2004 Toyota Sequoia and now I am driving her Nissan Titan.....but I want my GTP back on the road and more reliable....so, I want to know if someone can point me in the right direction of a shop or individual within a 300 mile radius of the DFW area that I can trust to rebuild my short block....with better than stock parts and knows precisely what I can do to upgrade it......in other words....L32 experience. I am no longer in a hurry and I plan on pulling the motor this weekend. I want to rebuild it right and hopefully save a bundle by me doing the work except for the rebuild.....I was 21 the last time I rebuilt a motor....I am now 47 and have lost most of my hair and all of my patience.....anyone with any ideas???? It's almost like having a blank canvas.

find someone who builds performance LC2's.

AKA grand national buick 3.8 L turbo deally.

You're better off buying a used engine and having that installed unless the shop has buick V6 experience.

I just spoke to a machine shop in Bossier City, LA that has a lot of experience with L67's and some experience with L32's that I am planning on utilizing for my rebuild.....found their info on another...older thread on this forum http://www.grandprixforums.net/recon...tml#post879974 if you are interested. I will keep everyone updated on my progress going this route. Anyone with "mild" upgrade recommendations....please feel free to post. I am going to take him the heads and the block.....plans are for a rebuild on the block and a re-condition of the heads...unless some input from this forum convinces me otherwise. Thanks again for all of the input so far.

Smooth the casting of the heads out.

They can be very poorly made from the factory.