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Thread: 198 Fireball Question

  1. #1
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    198 Fireball Question

    Hey everyone. First off, thank you for having me here. I'm not really a Buick owner, BUT I do have a 62' 198 Fireball in my 47 CJ3a. The information seems to be pretty thin regarding this motor, parts are hit and miss, prices are pretty darn high. Nobody really seems to know much about the 198 in the Jeep world.
    Anyway, I bought the Willys with the motor already in. Hasn't ran since 87, it wasn't stuck, and I did dump some MMO down the bores for extra insurance and let it sit for a few days. After doing the usual carb/plugs/wires/cap/rotor/points I got the motor to run, but I was having a bit of a misfire issue. After doing a compression test I was between 125-135psi on 5 cylinders and #6 was at 50 psi. Did a leak down test and discovered that I'm having catastrophic blow by into the crank case. #6 piston had broken rings, surprisingly it didn't score the cylinder wall. Decided to do a quick and dirty re ring, and figured I might as well do the bearings and seals, they have to come out anyway. At this point my wallet began to scream. I found a NOS headgasket kit for $17, rings for $24. Rod bearings can be had pretty cheap off rock auto. Main bearings... That's a whole different story. Seems like they are worth their weight in gold.
    I remember reading that the 225 was basically the same motor as the 198, save a few differences. This makes me wonder if I can use 225 main bearings in my 198. I've seen a few crank kits advertised as fitting 198/225/231. I've also seen some main bearings sets saying much of the same but it seems that when I look for them at specialist websites they are different part numbers with very different prices. If anyone can help me with my issue it would be greatly appreciated. In the name of thrifty fun I'd like to see if I can spend less before buying some very expansive chunks of metal. Thank you!

  2. #2
    the 198ci is the original Buick v6, from 1962-63. sorry, we don't have a service manual for that. the general systems and architecture will be pretty much the same in 66 but i can't vouch for any specific measurements.

    https://www.teambuick.com/reference/...ssis/index.php

    the main line development of the Buick 90* v6 comes from the 1964 and up 225ci, which is the 300ci v8 with two cylinders knocked off.

    the 198ci is cast iron, but the small block Buick from 1961-63 was the aluminum 215ci which went on to become the Land Rover 3.5L v8. what design modifications transferred from the 198ci to the 225ci / 300ci, i don't think i've ever met anybody that really knows that.

    the 198ci has two major problems, aside from the age. rarity, due to only have two years of production. and the wide availability of FAR larger displacements in the same basic engine family and package size.

    you can get a Buick v6 up to 252ci / 4.1L and the 231ci even fire was available from the late 70s to the late 80s. these are all HEI distributor engines, some of them have factory turbo.

    and, quite often, you can bump up to the Buick small block with minimal issues, which would give you 300, 340 or 350ci. the 350ci ran from 1968-81. obviously, these are still often available at junk yards with older cars sitting around.

    if the 198ci has the 215ci bell housing, the obvious choice would be to get a Rover v8 engine. those kept the same transmission bell from the old Buick 215ci all the way up to 2004. common displacements range up to 4.6L ( 277.8ci ) with some 5.0L available.

    Buick went to the standard BOPC ( Buick, Olds, Pontiac, Cadillac ) bell in 1964 for the small block / v6 and 1967 for the big block.


    www.TAPerformance.com is the primary Buick vendor, and you're right, they are pretty sporty for the 198ci parts.

    i have a hard time believing that someplace like NAPA couldn't cross reference the original bearings though.
    The way to crush the bourgeoisie is to grind them between the millstones of taxation and inflation.
    Vladimir Lenin

    Government schooling is about "the perfect organization of the hive."
    H.H. Goddard, Human Efficiency (1920)

  3. #3
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    Thanks for the reply Bob. I think I may have answered my own question. While the rod journals are the same, the mains are different unfortunately.

  4. #4
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    In the main bearing area, the 62-63 198 V6 was derived from the 61-63 215 V8. Buick parts book shows the 198 used 3- #5458455 regular bearings and 1- #5458459 thrust bearing. A set for the 215 is the same except it has one more regular bearing. These part numbers are for a standard size crank. Part numbers will also show up for early 60s Olds F-85. Maybe for Rover and MG who also used the 215.

    The 225 V6 and 300 V8 from 64 are different due to longer bearing journal dims.

    Maybe there is an economical set for the 215 available or possibly individual bearings.
    Last edited by TODD; 04-02-2017 at 03:42 PM. Reason: correct part number error
    What has been, can be again. (Bob Wills, 1942)

  5. #5
    Maybe for Rover and MG who also used the 215.

    the Land Rover 3.5L is specced out in metric and will have main bearings measured in millimeters.

    whether that will be within tolerance of the SAE 215ci crank i have no idea.

    www.AluminumV8.com is a major US vendor for Rover v8 stuff and would likely know.
    The way to crush the bourgeoisie is to grind them between the millstones of taxation and inflation.
    Vladimir Lenin

    Government schooling is about "the perfect organization of the hive."
    H.H. Goddard, Human Efficiency (1920)

  6. #6
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    Thank you for the help. I picked up some NOS mains.

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