V6 into a 86 Electra Estate Wagon??

I have an '84 Delta 88 here with a good V6 and automatic in it but the car unfortunately has no real value as a car because of it's size. It's a shame because it is really a pretty decent car but I have no paper work for it and I have an '86 Buick Electra Estate wagon that needs an engine. Does anyone know anything about those V6's - would it be strong enough to power the wagon and get decent fuel economy or is it one of those deals where the engine works hard and uses as much fuel as a V8?
The Estate wagon has an Olds 307 in it but the engine has a broken crank and the transmission is gone out of it. The wagon had a near brush with the crusher but someone saw some potential in it and saved it and I bought it. The car is totally, absolutely rust free and quite pretty and I'd like to get it running. Is it a major conversion to put the V6 in place of the 307 and does anyone know what all I will need to use off of the Delta?
I am sending the Delta off for scrap once I am done taking what I want although it grieves me to destroy it. But I can;t fix 'em all and I can't save 'em all despite the fact that I have done my part to do so. Any help and advice and input will be appreciated.

 

That would be the 3.8 V6.
You could certainly transfer the drivetrain, but it seems to me you're just exchanging one problem for another. You'll end up with a sedan with no engine vs. a wagon with a slow engine.

Just put a crate 350 in the wagon.

 

The sedan is toast - as nice as it is, I can't keep it as I am currently waging war with the government over zoning issues. I really like the wagon a lot better than the Olds but I am wondering as said in my initial post, whether the V6 will be economical and strong enough to carry the wagon. I've never seen a big car like the Olds with a V6.. it has to be somewhat unique.

 

The wagon will be a SLUG with the V-6! Plus, any load at all, and it will drink back fuel like an oil tanker! Skip the 6 completely. The 307 is sort of marginal for the car, anyway. You'd do better with the LS-1 and overdrive out of a 90s full sized G.M. better performance and better fuel economy. Plus, that 3.8 will NEVER idle smoothly, since it is an 'odd firing' engine. Look at the distributor cap and you'll see what I mean.

 

If you have to have a six, at least get a 4.3L one from an Astro or C1500 or something. The 307 had 140hp and 205tq stock. The 3.8L has LESS than that but most years of 4.3L have that much hp and slightly more torque. 1993 Astro for example has like 160hp and 236tq. It's not hard to run the TBI wiring either but you'll need a return line to the tank and an external pump. But really to change out the 307 for anything it ought to be something better. More efficient. The LSx engines do that in spades! Even the basic 4.8L truck engine from a '99 Silverado has 255hp and 285tq with less cubic inches than the 307. Heck, the 4.3L V6's from the 99-07 trucks have 195hp and 260tq, and that's plenty more than the 307 and no one buys those (they always go 4.8L or 5.3L or 6.0L) so you can get them complete and virgin and cheap!

 

FYI, the Buick V6 went from odd-fire to even-fire in 1977 by using split crank pins.

Without the assistance of a turbo, I have to agree with the others about it being underpowered for the wagon.

 

I don't know about when they smoothed them out, but my step-Grandfather had a 78 Skylark with the odd firing 231, and another friend had an 84 Delta, and theirs was odd firing as well. Neither was ever smooth, both SUCKED fuel, and both were gutless wonders.

 

My friend had an 84 Cutlass Supreme with the 3.8 and same thing, never ran smooth and he called it the gutless Cutlass for a reason.

My other friend had a brown 88 Caprice (he called it the Turd) with the 4.3 and even with 200k and a case of blowby, it seemed to have decent torque getting around town. My grandpa had an 86 Caprice with the 4.3 and it did fine. Don't know about MPG for either one.

 

Well, I guess that settles it - I'll give the v6 to a friend of mine who has one in a Jeepster. He already got the power steering pump, brackets and steering box to use convert his Jeepster to power steering ( it has the identical engine to what I have here that is now out of the Olds as of last evening ). I'm not sure about the transmission that's hooked behind the V6 - is it the same 700R4 as would be used behind a 307 in the wagon?

I have another '84 Buick LeSabre sedan here with a very nice running 307 here transmission that like the Olds is useless as it has no paperwork and it is from out of the province which here in B.C. complicates matters even more. It was driven out here and I picked it up for parts for the wagon. So that drive train will go into the wagon I suppose. We ( my wife and I ) actually have four Buick wagons ( early '80's through '86 ) and the one of those that is going to be a parts car as well has a 403 that us supposed to run well although I have never tried to start it.The 403 would likely be pretty tough on fuel compared to a 307, so I have never really had an interest in it but I'll bet that it would boogie on down the road pretty good.

We drove two of the wagons until both had transmission failures and both were 307 powered cars and they were certainly reliable enough and nice to drive and economical for a big wagon. When it comes to updating and adding computers and wiring, it is all beyond my capabilities and interests - I ain't too crazy about anything that has a computer in it, to be honest with you. But we sure do like those Buicks.

 

The 700R4 was only used behind Chevy engines and thus only came with the Chevy bellhousing pattern. More than likely the transmission in your car is a 200 (non overdrive) or 2004r (overdrive).

 

:banghead3:Arrrrrrrrggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!! This newer stuff just kills me!!! How I pine for the days of Power Glides and Turbo 350's and 400's... when things really were simple. Nowadays, everything has more wires and valves and sensors on it than it knows what to do with...
On a more positive note, I've attached three photos of the transmission that came out of the Olds.. so is this transmission unique to V6 cars? Oner of our Electra wagons needs a 700R4 apparently - sorry to appear stupid but I quit really being interested in cars when the build date gets past 1970, although I really do like the Buick wagons. I'm just not that familiar with what fits what as my Interchange manuals don't give any information post 1980. My neighbor has said that he'll take the 3.8 for his S10 pickup which already has a 3.8 in it that I gave him years ago - but can anyone tell me if this transmission is even any good to me or not? I'd really be grateful for any advice. Gary

 

New stuff? You realize that engine and trans are almost 30 years old right? Anyways, if that transmission was behind a Buick 3.8 then it should have the B-O-P bellhousing pattern. It would probably live behind a weak v-8 if you needed it. I'm not good enough to tell from those pictures if it is a 3 speed or 4 speed.

 

The transmission you have pictured is the 200C, a 3-speed automatic with the BOP (Buick, Olds, Pontiac) bellhousing pattern. Relatively inexpensive adapters do exist to put BOP transmissions onto Chevy engines and visa versa.

BTW, the different bellhousing patterns existed on the TH350 & TH400 and there are some multi-pattern 'Glides out there as well so nothing new there.

 

I think W88 is correct...and, if so...that 200 is a lousy tranny. I would get rid of it. The wagon should have originally come with a 2004R....a good OD tranny that is under rated.
BTW...that 403 would be a great engine in that wagon! Put a 2004R behind that and you are in business. Should drop right in, too.

 

I'm not sure what I am going to do here yet but one thing is for sure, my idea of the V6 is out the window based on what has been said here. I do have the sedan with the 307 in it and I may just use that as my son has his eye on the 403 for a 1980 Firebird that he has - if he ever does anything with the car. We've driven two Buick Estate wagons with 307 engines and we rather liked the fuel economy and comfort and I really like the appearance of those cars, but both developed transmission issues. So, we actually have four Estate wagons here - two with bad automatics, one needing both engine and transmission and the one with the 403 for parts. That car is pretty ratty looking and a year or two older than the other three so there's no question about it's future.
We really only need one wagon but selling those things in this area is a tough job - actually, selling anything in this area is difficult. So, they'll all go under shelters once I get them roadworthy and I'll try to find people who aren't looking for a hit to pass or demo derby car to buy a couple of them. Sooner or later, someone will come along who will give them a good home - I hope.