I ran across this Buick for a friend of mine needing cheap wheels. Looks and sounds great for the price, but under hood does not look quite right, does it? https://nashville.craigslist.org/cto/d/1986-buick-electra-park/6338654194.html Compare to: What is that that is missing on the Buick versus this Olds 88 engine photo?
The earlier 3.8 (not the 3800), used in the first A-body FWD cars, I think through '87. You can tell by the 'roundel' on the top center of the plenum, which had the symbol for the fuel-injected 6-cylinder, a stylized '6' with an arrow at the end of the curlicue. This one is in an '87 Century, and the DIS unit was mounted on the backside of the engine.
OK, so the engine on this 1986 Electra should look ok as shown? Thanks. I have little experience with these transverse mounted V6 GM engines.
That's correct but I would not have thought appearance of the same engine would vary much from year to year.
Believe it or not, they are not the same constructions, even though they are the same displacements. The reason why I specified 3.8L, and not '3800,' is that the 3.8L is an SAE fastener user despite the metric displacement, but the 3800 is a metric engine, and parts do not interchange. So if you have to order, say, a camshaft, it helps to have the GM designation for your specific engine. VIN does not guarantee you get the correct parts.
