I'm trying to get an 83 Cutlass running, 3.8 V6. Even fire I was told, whatever that means. I know nothing about the 3.8 V6. Someone else swapped the motor into it. I told them to put a V8 into, but they didn't. The original motor locked up. This motor is said to have came out of a running car. All the electronics on the motor have been removed, I replaced the distributor and carb with new ones for a 1977 Buick V6. I replaced the spark plugs with some good used ones, but I think I'll stop and get some brand new ones today. I don't think the spark plugs are the problem, but you never know. The problem is the motor will only start if I hold the throttle wide open, and then it just stumbles and shakes. It will barely run. I'm at a loss. What am I missing. It has good compression, the firing order is 1-6-5-4-3-2. It has fuel, it has spark on all cylinders. It doesn't really spit back through the carb like a timing issue. The car has set for about 4 years before I got into it. A buddy said maybe the exhaust is plugged, I guess it could be, I work by myself, so I haven't been able to check that yet. This is what you get when you take on someone else's mess. Thanks for any help you can give.
You probably need to figure out what engine it has, first. Buick changed from odd to even fire in 1977, and the engines look the same, but the crankshaft, camshaft, and distributor are different. If someone put the even fire distributor on an odd fire engine, then strange things will happen. Of course there could be a bunch of other things wrong with it.
If it was an odd vs even fire mismatch, there would be a lot of misfiring. If the cars original CCC carb is still being used it will run rich. Need to replace the DualJet with a non-CCC one from 75-79. What is the base timing set to?
I’d be looking at the state of the fuel if it has sat for four years and obviously you need to determine if you have the correct distributor for that engine
Years ago I put a 231 into a 72 Vega. The engine was combined from parts of three engines. I lacked a distributor so I picked up one at the boneyard that had no distributor cap. I got it running with an even fire cap, but with no power and limited range of ignition timing where it would run at all. I subsequently changed the pickup coil with a new even fire one (didn't realize that it had odd fire one in it). Ran great and was one of the most fun cars I ever had. As previously stated, you need to find out if your engine is even fire or odd fire. Then proceed. .bjb
How do I find out if it's even Fire? The motor is a 1983 3.8 V6. in a 1983 Olds Cutlass. Is there numbers I should look for? Thanks.
The 76 and earlier use the nailhead looking covers, 77-78 had a smooth style and 79-87 used the one pictured. I ran an even fire HEI on an oddfire in a Jeep when I was young and didn’t know the difference, got it cheap and it ran okay. Later found out and swapped the points one back.
Ok, I did some more research. I love learning new things. The original distributor cap is definitely even fire. All spark plug terminals are even spaced, not uneven spaced. As asked above, I put fresh gas in the car. I replaced the carb with a new carb that doesn't have the electrical connections, and I replaced the distributor with one that only has the one key hot plug. I don't like doing work that I don't need to, but I will unhook the exhaust from the exhaust manifold. Maybe the exhaust or the cat is plugged. That wouldn't surprise me if it was. Thanks for the replies so far.
Oh, I guess I should have added that I tried to start the car with the original carb and distributor, and it acted the same way. I tried hooking up all the computer connections, but it wouldn't even start then.
I got a 84 Cutlass with 3.8 for $75 back in 94 from a coworker. It ran bad had 2 fouled spark plugs. Even after replacing those it was low on power. Dropped the exhaust at the cat, took a crowbar and busted up the inside of the cat and cleaned out the pieces, it ran a whole lot better after that. You could have a plugged up catalytic converter.
If the car came to you because the guy before couldn't get it to run correctly, the odds have improved that it has a plugged cat.
The car never got far enough to run before it came to me. The motor and tranny wasn't even bolted in, but the exhaust was the only thing hooked up. I'll unhook the exhaust tomorrow, and go from there.
Today was a day of no progress. I removed the exhaust and it still won't run. I thought it was going to idle, but that was short lived. The little it did run, it shook really bad. I pulled it outside with a rope. I have other cars that need to be worked on and it was taking up space. I didn't put the new spark plugs in it, but I really don't think they are the problem. I will put them in, and probably wash my hands of it. If anybody has any other suggestions, I'm all ears. The motor is just like the one in this picture that 31Apickup posted.
Next I’d be making sure the timing is correct, may have jumped a tooth, that’s if you’re still willing to work on it
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