4.3L TBI on 3.8L Engine ?

[Shannen Durphey]

Joe Boucher wrote:

> tyuhas at neurobio.arizona.edu wrote:
> >
> > > beside that,i think the 3.8 is a 60 degree v motor while the 4.3
> > > is a 90 degree (i would question the compatibility of these
> > > distributor)
> >
> > I'm pretty sure the GM 3.8 V6 is a 90 degree motor. Their 2.8/3.1/3.4
> > family is 60 degree.
> >
> > So if both motors are 90 degree, can you use the other's firing
> > order if they happen to be different?
> >
> > Terrill
>
> The original post was adapting a throttle body (wasn't it?) so firing
> the injector's in order is not a problem. So, either the 3.8 retains
> it's distributor or with a distributorless system you figure out which
> cylinders are opposite of each other and route the wires accordingly.
>
> Joe Boucher
> '70 RS/SS Camaro   '81 TBI Suburban

  3.8l started life as a Buick powerplant.  Uses Buick distributor.  Very
short.  4.3l started life as Chev 350.  Uses chev v-8 distributor.  Much
longer. If you use a distributor, use Buick dist in Buick motor.
Also, the manifolds are completely different.  You could probably buy an
aftermarket 4bbl carb manifold, get the TBI to manifold adapter/heater from
a 1988 or so 7.4l efi Chev, and use the 4.3l throttle body on that.
Possibly some of the early Regal turbo engines had 4bbl manifolds.

And more about the distributor thing.  Somewhere around 1986, when the
dist. was removed from the engine, front drive 3.8l engines had the oil
pumps moved and changed.  They switched to a crankshaft driven pump.
Completely different.

I don't have your original post, so I don't know what year your V6 is, but
you can probably use the PFI setup from any injected, rear wheel drive
Buick.  I think the early GN and T-Types were batch fire.

Were you trying to put a front drive engine in a rear drive auto?  Front
[wheel] drive engines have a different trans/bellhousing bolt pattern than
rear drive.  Also, mounts are in different locations.

Oh yeah.  Is your 3.8 odd fire or even fire.  I think all odd fire engines
(vintage '75)had vacuum/mech. advance.  Changing the cam and distributor
would make even fire type.

There have been many, many modifications to the Buick V6 by different GM
divisions.  You should do plenty of research looking into compatibility
before you buy any parts.

Shannen Durphey