215 Engine Swap in a V6 Starfire

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215 Engine Swap in a V6 Starfire

Postby OldsStarfire » Wed Jul 28, 2021 4:18 pm

I'm not sure how many people would still do this anymore when everything is LS powered these days but I figured would document this just in case someone else is as crazy as I am:

My Engine:
61 Buick 215
98 Rover 4.0 heads gasket match ported (higher compression, larger valves, accessory mounting bosses)
77 Buick V6 w AC water pump
77 Starfire Buick V6 w AC front accessory brackets & pulleys - PS, Alt & AC
Gasket match ported stock 215 intake manifold
Buick 300 exhaust manifolds
Stock Buick V6 rubber motor mounts

What works without changing
The 215 with the V6 motor mounts bolts right into the car on the V6 frame mounts. The tranny mounting face distance is exactly the same as the 231 V6 was, so my T5 tranny still fits (just barely)
No issues with the power brake booster, master cylinder etc.
No issues with the AC except that the high pressure manifold hose is now too short

What doesn't fit & needs modified
The 215 oil pan hits the inner tie rods & center link. The front of the pan needs to be cut & welded shallower.
The engine ID number pad on passenger side hits the accessory brackets & needs to be shaved down.
The 3 V belt lengths are slightly different
The starter solenoid hits the frame. No one modifies these old starters any more so I had to get a mini starter from D&D and re-clock it.
The steering shaft hits the exhaust manifold at the steering box end. I went with a small steering u joint.
The power steering pump hits the exhaust manifolds - I could not find a way to make it work.
I switched to manual steering and even this box makes the u joint hit the manifold - I had to shim the steering box at an angle.
You need to use a manual steering pitman arm & center link but this hits the drivers side engine/frame mount. I had to clearance the mount.
The 215 oil filter housing makes the filter hit the idler arm. A Buick V6 housing & filter works perfect.
The V6 filter housing had to be drilled & tapped 1/8 npt for the oil pressure switch
The water pump pulley is very close to the radiator. I cut the water pump shaft shorter and used 2 small electric fans
For upper radiator hose I used the stock V6 hose and cut about 4" out of the center of it and a bit off the radiator end.
For the lower radiator hose
One of the AC compressor mounting brackets is in the way of the lower radiator hose. I cut & fabricated a Z bend in it.
The long arched alternator mounting bracket had to be cut & modified to fit the water pump mounting position properly.
Last edited by OldsStarfire on Mon Aug 23, 2021 7:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 215 Engine Swap in a V6 Satrfire

Postby 283vega » Wed Jul 28, 2021 7:05 pm

What trans? NICE PROJECT .Any pictures!
283 vega
70 corvette


Brian
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Re: 215 Engine Swap in a V6 Satrfire

Postby bugdewde » Thu Jul 29, 2021 7:34 am

283vega wrote:What trans? NICE PROJECT .Any pictures!


He uses a T5. Here's one of his writeups on it.
http://www.forums.h-body.org/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=852
Dwight

'72 Vega GT Kammback, 215 V8
'73 Vega Wagon - Currently in Limbo....
My rides: http://www.cardomain.com/id/bugdewde
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Re: 215 Engine Swap in a V6 Satrfire

Postby bugdewde » Thu Jul 29, 2021 8:36 am

OldsStarfire wrote:I'm not sure how many people would still do this anymore when everything is LS powered these days but I figured would document this just in case someone else is as crazy as I am:

.


Crazy? You mean smart!!!!!

Ways it's BETTER than an LS:
- Well, it is the lightest V8 option at 320 lbs complete.
- Affords better handling/braking than the 450 lb LS engines.
- Better front/rear balance.
- Lower center of gravity

Cons vs an LS engine:
- Power ..... While it makes nearly half the power (200/240) of an LS1 (350/350) & LS2/LS3 (400/400), it isn't really meant to be a powerhouse. It's an economy motor just like the V6. In fact, the Buick v6 was derived from the 215 v8.

General h-body swap attributes:
- Doubles the H-body 2300/Iron Duke engine's outputs with NO appreciable weight gain.
- Makes more power than the h-body V6s and weighs 90 - 100 lbs less, further increasing performance.
- Outperforms the stock h-body SBC V8s as it weighs nearly 300 lbs less.


Just like an LS swap, there are conversion parts needed. Mounts, oil pans, bellhousings, etc ..... most all the needed conversion parts are available from D&D Fabrications. www.aluminumv8.com

If pure power isn't your thing, it's a great swap.
The handling guru, suspension engineer, racer, Fire Am creator, legendary journalist, Herb Adams wrote a 215 swapped h-body was THE car GM SHOULD have built.
Dwight

'72 Vega GT Kammback, 215 V8
'73 Vega Wagon - Currently in Limbo....
My rides: http://www.cardomain.com/id/bugdewde
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Re: 215 Engine Swap in a V6 Satrfire

Postby OldsStarfire » Mon Aug 09, 2021 11:57 am

Mini starter from D&D and the Buick V6 oil filter housing drilled & tapped for the oil switch and pressure gauge sender. Plenty of clearance now.
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Last edited by OldsStarfire on Mon Aug 09, 2021 12:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 215 Engine Swap in a V6 Satrfire

Postby OldsStarfire » Mon Aug 09, 2021 12:00 pm

Manual steering box before & after shimming it clear of the exhaust manifold. You can also see how I had to clearance the motor plate for the pitman arm / center link joint.
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Re: 215 Engine Swap in a V6 Satrfire

Postby OldsStarfire » Mon Aug 09, 2021 12:34 pm

Duals fans on the V6 AC radiator.
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Re: 215 Engine Swap in a V6 Satrfire

Postby 283vega » Mon Aug 09, 2021 2:02 pm

Nice work!!!
283 vega
70 corvette


Brian
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Re: 215 Engine Swap in a V6 Satrfire

Postby OldsStarfire » Mon Aug 09, 2021 2:28 pm

Hydraulic Clutch master cylinder setup using a modified 3rd Gen Camaro clutch master cylinder.
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Re: 215 Engine Swap in a V6 Starfire

Postby OldsStarfire » Mon Aug 23, 2021 7:45 pm

Here is the internal hydraulic slave cylinder
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Re: 215 Engine Swap in a V6 Starfire

Postby OldsStarfire » Mon Aug 23, 2021 7:47 pm

And here are pictures showing how well the Buick 300 manifold exhaust dumps clear the chassis: You could not ask for better.
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