The 6.2 forum is the closest one on here for olds diesels.

I found an '85 FWD Olds 98 with a 4.3 V6 diesel (a VERY rare find) for a couple hundred bucks. It runs /drives and is in pretty decent condition. I know the V6 didn't have the head gasket problems of the 5.7 V8.

Anybody ever have experience with one? I'm looking to use as a school car when I go to college since I will be driving 80 miles a day.

It's so rare I'd like keep it around as a backup vehicle.
Plus I need another diesel to drive when the 700R4 in the suburban s***s the bed (it's gettin close)

Wow. Never even heard of it. 5.7s had alot more than headgasket problems. Catostrophic eninge failure was the problem. we had one when I was a kid Total POS.Two engines by 50k. My father finally junked it.

4.3 and 350 olds diesels actually weren't that bad... A lot like the 6.2 diesels - if you understand their shortcomings going in and do the maintenance - not such a bad engine...

Think there's an olds diesel board kicking around somewheres... Where was that link, think it was on infopop...

that 4.3 is alot better than a 350. since it got 1 extra head bolt per cylinder than the gas version did unlike the 350. so the 4.3 is built better. hang onto it!

I know 5.7s aren't that bad if you know they're shortcomings. The DX block engines didn't have very many problems. If I could get a hold of the guy that has this 4.3 olds for sale I'd like to pick it up this week. He mysteriously disappeared, hopefully for just the weekend.

We're going to need some pictures of this engine, I really want to see what one looks like. I'll pick one up if I ever see one for sale cheap, now that I know what they are.

http://forums.delphiforums.com/n/main.asp?webtag=350Diesel

This will get you started. The 4.3's are in here also.

Did any of you guys know they made a 260ci 4.3 V8 diesel? Exactly same as 5.7, but sleeved. Very small piston diameter. Its the smallest olds diesel- the V6 is bigger at 263ci. I believe it was '79 only, but it was the only olds diesel offered with a stick shift.

The 4.3 V6 was made in RWD and FWD versions. The FWD is most rare, because '85 was the first year for new style FWD GM cars and the last year for diesel. There is a 4.3 Buick century on youtube, I'll post a link. The FWD also has the same bellhousing pattern as a 2.8V6.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_HqP8cTU3Q

look at the coal that dude is rolling in another guys video!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYOAIRPR29w&NR=1 i think hes got some major EGT's

http://forums.delphiforums.com/n/main.asp?webtag=350Diesel

This will get you started. The 4.3's are in here also.
Thankyou! That was the forum I was looking for :)

I came across one of those in a Cutlass on eBay a couple of weeks ago.

look at the coal that dude is rolling in another guys video!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYOAIRPR29w&NR=1 i think hes got some major EGT's

ROFL :D:rotflmao: that is sooo funny to see a shitty Buick Century with rolling coal!

4.3 was the worst gm diesel ever put in a car. Extremly low power. Always had your foot to the floor so there never was any fuel economy to be had.

I've heard the 4.3 V8 had worse driveability than the V6. Would make an interesting project to do something with...I'm just not sure what.

Is that diesel 4.3 V8 any relation to the gas 267 V8?

Did any of you guys know they made a 260ci 4.3 V8 diesel? Exactly same as 5.7, but sleeved. Very small piston diameter. Its the smallest olds diesel- the V6 is bigger at 263ci. I believe it was '79 only, but it was the only olds diesel offered with a stick shift.

The 4.3 V6 was made in RWD and FWD versions. The FWD is most rare, because '85 was the first year for new style FWD GM cars and the last year for diesel. There is a 4.3 Buick century on youtube, I'll post a link. The FWD also has the same bellhousing pattern as a 2.8V6.

Oldsmobile apparently also made a prototype diesel V5 engine.:eek:


http://members.tripod.com/%7EA350Diesel/v5.jpg





http://members.tripod.com/%7EA350Diesel/v5info.jpg

I have seen that pic before. Very interesting IP location.

looks like that V6 that was overfueld got up to speed it a goddamn hurry.

looks like that V6 that was overfueld got up to speed it a goddamn hurry.

I bet you it melts pistons in a hurry too!:p:

yea them EGT's were probably cookin stuff off the tail pip at around 1500-1700* jesus!

I don't think the 4.3L had the problems of the earlier 5.7L, someone already mentioned the head gaskets and they didn't have enough power to damage themselves (something like 90 HP I think). I think they had some of the earlier 5.7L problems worked out when these came along as well. They just never really caught on because the price of gas was on its way down when they came out and GM gave diesels such a bad rap with the 5.7L. We had one ages ago and I think it got around 35 mpg or so but that was with a 3 spd. Probably would be better with OD. Couldn't get out of its own way though. I always thought it sounded cool and people at gas stations were always trying to pump gas into it.

I remember seeing an article where someone stuck a turbo on one and then actually had a pretty decent car. They are so rare now that you probably would have a hard time finding any parts.

wow did that guy dissolve old tires to use as fuel. Bit of a twit I'd say.

I would think that engine would have to be ruined by now, with that much fuel and EGT.

The 4.3 V6 was made in RWD and FWD versions. The FWD is most rare, because '85 was the first year for new style FWD GM cars and the last year for diesel. There is a 4.3 Buick century on youtube, I'll post a link. The FWD also has the same bellhousing pattern as a 2.8V6.


for the most part this thread is right. the olds 4.3 doesnt have the problems that a 5.7 did (though most of that was fixed in 82 with the DX block)


but the above is rather wrong. the RWD (Vin V) 4.3 v6 blocks are the most rare as most RWD deisel cars were optioned with the 5.7.

also FWD blocks were produced between 82-85 not just 85. i hear from a freind with a diesel (turbo) park ave that there are early webbed blocks, and 4 bolt main blocks but i do now know for sure.

parts are not to bad as long as you don't have to do a major overhaul. a few of us (including the century in the vid) are working on some 4.3 turbo projects over at a-body.net. the coolest and the one that should make the most power is turbokinetic (http://www.a-body.net/forums/member.php?125-turbokinetic)'s

4.3 was the worst gm diesel ever put in a car. Extremly low power. Always had your foot to the floor so there never was any fuel economy to be had.


idk man i was getting 32 with major blow by.
here my motor running with major blow by and the swaped 4 speed muncie (FWD)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1o0K9xasKo

Wow...... Someone went thread grave digging.......

Since this was brought back up I'm moving it to "All other GM Diesels" where it belongs....

I want one of those diesel buicks! I like buicks and I like diesels. Put a turbo on that thing and i bet it'd make a ton of power for its size. Seems to perform pretty well as it is tho.

idk man i was getting 32 with major blow by.
here my motor running with major blow by and the swaped 4 speed muncie (FWD)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1o0K9xasKo

That thing actually did pretty good, especially for being a naturally aspirated V6 diesel from the 80s.

thanks. the main fact is i have changed up the gearing a little. my buikc came with a tall ratio Thm 125c. my muncie 4 is a 3.65 final with a lower 1st gear. and 4th gears over ratio is that of the 1:1 3rd and 2.84 final the old auto....the goal is to get about 275 lbs out of the motor when i get ot thew turbo mod.


this is the blow by vid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx_5PShhrgc

sorry about the grave digging i was looking for a long other forum that i cant find anymore and found this thread and realized hey im a member here lets get some of the facts strait.

that's blowby? Do you have a road draft tube on it?

Blowby is the vapors getting past the piston rings. You'll spot it when you open the oil filler. The puffing "smoke" you'd see is blowby. That doesn't look like blowby, that looks like white smoke form unburnt diesel or a blown headgasket to me.

that's blowby? Do you have a road draft tube on it?

Blowby is the vapors getting past the piston rings. You'll spot it when you open the oil filler. The puffing "smoke" you'd see is blowby. That doesn't look like blowby, that looks like white smoke form unburnt diesel or a blown headgasket to me.
i though that tell i re did the hole fuel system (pump rebuild, replaced lines
(that was fun) rebuild injectors. also when i tore the motor down for a real rebuild i have major traces of blow by on the pistons and the exhaust soat was very gummy and this car wouldnt start for below 40 with out major help. but yes part that is unburned diesel due to super low compression

story is i get this car from my parents (couldn't let it go the the crusher and its not been a 3 year love affair but well worth it. tore it down for the first time 3 years ago because it had the classic 80's diesel problem of stuck rings from gasser oil. freed everything up as the motor only had 90k on it put her back together with new gaskets and and then spend the next year getting her running better and better but still smoke so i couldn't drive it on the street for more then 2 weeks at a time ever 4 months. looks like the. looks like when my mother over heated the motor the pistions got a little tweeked and the crome moly rings wouldn't seat again

Had to sign up here cause i had a 4.3
I loved my 85 olds.cutlas ciara with the 4.3 diesl. I had just under 300,000 on it when a tree fell on it.
the most common problem with mine was that it burned out the dioids in the alternator every year.

Keep the glow plugs up to snuff and it will start down to zero without pluging it in and then it only needed 20 minutes to get it started.

They made so few of them that they didnt have to make parts for them. If you do need a head gasket i think it was the 82 4.3 had the same size fire ring but you have to drill some more water and oil passages in it. so match up the gaskest carefully!

Had to sign up here cause i had a 4.3
I loved my 85 olds.cutlas ciara with the 4.3 diesl. I had just under 300,000 on it when a tree fell on it.
the most common problem with mine was that it burned out the dioids in the alternator every year.

Keep the glow plugs up to snuff and it will start down to zero without pluging it in and then it only needed 20 minutes to get it started.

They made so few of them that they didnt have to make parts for them. If you do need a head gasket i think it was the 82 4.3 had the same size fire ring but you have to drill some more water and oil passages in it. so match up the gaskest carefully!

hey if yourt up for it we could use you knowage over at A-body.net. just rebuild this 4.3 with some added goodys. fixing a few mistakes i made. there a build thread over that a-body.net as well

If you ever run across a 4.3 V6 diesel, take a close look at the heads. Olds used what was known as known as the "lost-foam" casting process for the heads, where casting sand was packed in and around a styrofoam form. When the hot metal was poured in, the styrofoam was vaporized and displaced by the metal.

When they were new and their light metallic green paint was still clean and shiny, the grain was so pronounced that the engines appeared to have styrofoam heads. The effect might not be so obvious after twenty-five or more years of use.

If you ever run across a 4.3 V6 diesel, take a close look at the heads. Olds used what was known as known as the "lost-foam" casting process for the heads, where casting sand was packed in and around a styrofoam form. When the hot metal was poured in, the styrofoam was vaporized and displaced by the metal.

When they were new and their light metallic green paint was still clean and shiny, the grain was so pronounced that the engines appeared to have styrofoam heads. The effect might not be so obvious after twenty-five or more years of use.

WOW! thanks for that info. i always wondered why the head had that weird texture.

UPDATE: yes that smoke was blow by.... i rebuild the motor about 4 months ago (bored .20 over, with total seal gapless 2nd rings, fully balanced rotating assembly, i also added a set of harland sharp roller rockers for a full roller valve train), waiting for the fund to add a pro-charger (plans are 10psi at 3500 with water meth injection after 8psi, red line will be about 36,3700 but i dont plan on pushing her past 3500 much)
picts of the texture and finshed motor
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb167/lorddurock/Full%20Oldsmobile%20Deisel%20Build/2010Olds43ltdieselrebuild047.jpg
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb167/lorddurock/Full%20Oldsmobile%20Deisel%20Build/2010Olds43ltdieselrebuild055.jpg
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb167/lorddurock/Full%20Oldsmobile%20Deisel%20Build/2010Olds43ltdieselrebuild085.jpg
http://s210.photobucket.com/albums/bb167/lorddurock/Full%20Oldsmobile%20Deisel%20Build/

Wow man! :eek: looks amazing, nice nice work.

Nice. Can't wait to hear it run.

that's blowby? Do you have a road draft tube on it?

Blowby is the vapors getting past the piston rings. You'll spot it when you open the oil filler. The puffing "smoke" you'd see is blowby. That doesn't look like blowby, that looks like white smoke form unburnt diesel or a blown headgasket to me.

i took this picture for you dave, the rings on a few hole were very relaxed
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb167/lorddurock/Full%20Oldsmobile%20Deisel%20Build/2010Olds43ltdieselrebuild030.jpg

to clindt, i will try and post some new videos soon, i should get to it in the next few weeks. it pull much harder now

ouch. why was the top of that piston so chewed up?

ouch. why was the top of that piston so chewed up?

that is the effects of a major overheat done sometime before i got the car. glad i found the smoke problem to be ring related, as the piston was doomed to come apart with in 5k. major heats can lead to alot more problems then just head warps and bad pistons. in this case the heat was so bad that the rings lost there spring.

That is true.When an engine overheats badly,piston rings will lose their tension.I've seen it happen many times.