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tips, technology, tools and techniques related to vehicle driveline components

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hoffbug
Tony Hoffer
Minnesota
(323 posts)

Registered:
10/15/2007 05:25PM

Main British Car:
Olds 215 EFI

what buick valvetrain interchanges
Posted by: hoffbug
Date: April 30, 2008 08:29PM

What Buick valvetrain will interchange 215, 300 340.


NixVegaGT
Nicolas Wiederhold
Minneapolis, MN
(659 posts)

Registered:
10/16/2007 05:30AM

Main British Car:
'73 Vega GT 4.9L Rover/Buick Stroker

authors avatar
Re: what buick valvetrain interchanges
Posted by: NixVegaGT
Date: May 01, 2008 11:53AM

I think it's all the same between the Buicks. Anybody else?


hoffbug
Tony Hoffer
Minnesota
(323 posts)

Registered:
10/15/2007 05:25PM

Main British Car:
Olds 215 EFI

Re: what buick valvetrain interchanges
Posted by: hoffbug
Date: May 01, 2008 12:19PM

Thanks Nic.. I know that the valves, springs, etc are different.. But are the rockers, and shafts all the same?


Moderator
Curtis Jacobson
Portland Oregon
(4576 posts)

Registered:
10/12/2007 02:16AM

Main British Car:
71 MGBGT, Buick 215

authors avatar
Re: what buick valvetrain interchanges
Posted by: Moderator
Date: May 01, 2008 08:14PM

I don't know, but I suspect the Buick rockers, towers, and shafts probably are the same. Aren't the Buick V6 rockers and towers the same too? I'm anxious for someone to step in and answer this with AUTHORITY!

This might be the seed for a real nice reference article. I'm imagining someone spending a half hour at the Buick, Carquest or NAPA parts counter and filling in a chart of all the part numbers. Ultimately, we might be able to grow that to include physical measurements (e.g. a comparison of spring tensions, diameters and lengths, pushrod lengthes, etc.) and also to add columns for Rover variants - which could be useful for people who mix and match components.

At the risk of clouding the issue: I vaguely recall Glen Towery mentioning that Buick rockers and towers are "better quality" than stock Rover rockers and towers, but of course Rover was always VERY proud of their rocker shafts. (Rover thought premature shaft wear was the Achilles heal of the Buick engine, and Buick thought they were nuts because any slop was within the tolerance provided by the hydraulic lifters, at least for the service life of the engine.) I also vaguely recall Glen mentioning that both MG (B-Series) and small block Chevy valve springs can be substituted into aluminum V8's to (in both cases) increase spring tension with favorable results. Fancy aftermarket / racing parts for the little aluminum engines are available from England.

Can I get a volunteer to research the article? I'll be happy to format and publish it!


hoffbug
Tony Hoffer
Minnesota
(323 posts)

Registered:
10/15/2007 05:25PM

Main British Car:
Olds 215 EFI

Re: what buick valvetrain interchanges
Posted by: hoffbug
Date: May 02, 2008 05:28PM

Someone pointed out that T/A performance lists their reconditioned shafts as..
61-67 215, 300, 340.
ONE part number....


BlownMGB-V8
Jim Blackwood
9406 Gunpowder Rd., Florence, KY 41042
(6468 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 12:59PM

Main British Car:
1971 MGB Blown,Injected,Intercooled Buick 340/AA80E/JagIRS

authors avatar
Re: what buick valvetrain interchanges
Posted by: BlownMGB-V8
Date: May 03, 2008 11:52AM

They should be the same. I have all three but I've not tried to interchange them yet. Give me a few weeks and I should have the answers for you. I know that the 300 and the 340 both use the same (iron) head. The '64 300 head is different but that may only be the material and the port size. As for the valve springs, as far as I know the Olds 215 is the only one that uses different springs but again, I haven't looked at them yet. (Incidentally, Olds used a "Beehive" design for their valve springs. Comp Cams has recently rediscovered the benefits of this design and now offer a performance line of Beehive valve springs, one of which could be suitable for the Olds heads.) It seems to me that years back when I bought the hot (268H) cam and springs for my first Buick 215 that the Comp Cams catalog listed the cam and springs for 215, 300 and 340. Their online catalog is not so detailed but it does show the same springs for the entire V6 line up to 1989. (The 350 uses a different spring.) Since I'm going to be considering using those same springs for my '64 heads I'll know about that question about as soon as I get the heads back from Dale.

The '64 and later heads have only 4 bolts per cylinder as opposed to 5 (Buick 215/Rover) or 6(Olds) but they still bolt up fine, similarly with the later Rover heads. The engines have different deck heights so the pushrods are different. 300 is about 9/16" taller and 340/350 is 1-3/16" taller. (The overall increase in engine height is somewhat less) The 350 had a different port layout and different cam journal sizes but was otherwise nearly identical to the 340. The V6 used the same port layout as the 340/300/215 and would therefore make an excellent swap candidate using the standard BOP/R parts. Bellhousings changed in '64, with the later design being much more plentiful, and the V6, with the new 3800 designation adopted the GM corporate small pattern bell, meaning the 700r4 would then bolt up, as well as all other trannies using that pattern. This engine was a modern redesign with efi, digital ignition and modern seals and was listed as one of the top engines of all time, falling just below the SBC if I remember right.

Jim


Dave
David Gable
Jax
(112 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 05:40AM

Main British Car:


Re: what buick valvetrain interchanges
Posted by: Dave
Date: May 11, 2008 05:45PM

I know for a fact that rocker assemblies from 215's, Rovers and 300's will interchange. I used TR8 assemblies on my 300 because they were in the best shape of all I had. I measured EVERYTHING. The rocker arm tips are much better on the Rover pieces than on the Buicks. The lifters interchange between all of them as well. I'm using Chevy 250 six cylinder single valve springs. The spring seats were machined because I used a Crower cam with almost 1/2 inch lift. I paid $75 from D&D for the springs then discovered what they were. They are much cheaper from Advance or NAPA.

Speaking of Glen, I talked to him a couple of weeks ago and he centerpunched a large deer in his GT at about 65 MPH. He's OK but his car is not. This is #2 deer vs. MGB for him.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/11/2008 05:58PM by Dave.



BlownMGB-V8
Jim Blackwood
9406 Gunpowder Rd., Florence, KY 41042
(6468 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 12:59PM

Main British Car:
1971 MGB Blown,Injected,Intercooled Buick 340/AA80E/JagIRS

authors avatar
Re: what buick valvetrain interchanges
Posted by: BlownMGB-V8
Date: May 11, 2008 07:18PM

I just learned that the 225 V6 intake valves do not interchange with the '64 300 intakes. They are .005" different on the head diameter (insignificant) but .100" longer on the stem. However, the exhaust valves of the 215, 300 and 340 all appear to be similar enough to interchange. There's a useful chart here: [www.taperformance.com]

Jim


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