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Omc 3.8l

R

Rilouko

Member
Hello everyone! I am Eric, a Frenchman who wants to do American mechanics 😁!
I ask you to apologize in advance if the translator does not translate properly 😅
So I have an OMC 3.8L V6 HUFR19E engine from 1970 which is suitable for boats, but which is a BUICK 3800 V6 block. My boat is an Jeanneau Europa junior.
I am trying to be able to find the identical Buick references because I want to completely redo the engine, cylinder head gasket, segmentation, etc ...

I found the OMC/Johnson Evinrude references on other site but these no longer exist, however there are the same internal parts in Buick

Can someone help me find équivalent Buick parts? (I know exhaust and heating block/thermostat not same)

15 years that I work in mechanics but it is the first American that I touch 😁
I'm very sorry for my "english" 😅

Thanks all
 
That engine is an odd fire 225 cid that was originally designed by Buick about 1960, used a few years then sold to Kaiser Jeep.
OMC used it from 1964 thru 71 with some left overs sold as 72. Be sure any arts you look up are for a 225 and not a 3.8L
 
Ok so, documenting parts for a Buick 225 I can identify the same references?
And for connecting rods, crankshaft, piston joints etc it will be identical?

Thank you for these details, and your precious aid 👌
 
I've owned a '69 for the past 22 years and a '70 model from about '08 to '14. I assume inner parts are the same but to be honest I am not certain. I've never had to go deeper than tune-ups & oil changes on these engines.
 
For internal parts like pistons, rings & bearings you’d have to search sources for classic Buick or Kaiser Jeep parts. These engines were designed by Buick but were only used in Buick cars for a few years. However IIRC during the first fuel crisis in 1973/4 GM needed smaller 6 cylinder engines and bought the tooling back from Kaiser Jeep, the next run of Buick V6s came out a few years later. The 3.8 engines were eventually converted to an even fire crankshaft and a balance shaft was added. The 3800 was used for many years in several GM car lines.
The basic engineering is very simple classic US design and if the internals are in good shape you might only have to rebuild external parts like the carburetor, distributor , starter and alternator. Note that all these parts must be marine certified for inboard gas engine use. No auto starters alternators distributors or carburetors!
Bonne Chance!
 
Also, factory shop manuals are available for older OMC drive systems, I’ll have to look around for a link to those….
 
Thank you for all details.
I search for workshop manual but I found.
I can conclude that for the cylinder head gasket I can be based on a GM 3.8L? The other internal elements are surely different (?)
Thanks Droid and Louc
 
When I get home on my desktop computer I will be able to find the link to the manuals. Keep in mind we are discussing engines that haven’t been produced in about 50 years so any internal parts are going to take a good bit of searching around….
 

Marine Literature

Ken Cook Co. sells Original Product Literature Supporting 1996 and Older Outboard Marine Corporation Products, limited supply of original printings of Johnson, Evinrude, Gale, and OMC manuals are still available. On older literature, we may provide a machine copy reproduced from a master file...
www.outboardbooks.com
this is for your model number
I would at least buy the parts manual and shop manual, a bit of money but if you want to really get that into shape, it is well worth it. The aftermarket manuals are not good.
for parts that are hard to find, try ebay or www.NLAMarine.com
also there is a place up in Canada (Ontario) that sells a lot of parts for these and even rebuilds drive units:
outdriverepairparts.com

Contact T.C. Electronics/Marine

Contact T.C. Electronics/Marine Contact Us / Our Location Distributor of GLM aftermarket parts Mercruiser, OMC Cobra, 400/800, Stringer, Johnson outboard parts International and Continental shipping OMC and Mercruiser repairs Exploded View Parts drawing Technical support for our stern drive...
outdriverepairparts.com
you can call them, they will often answer the phone, or email them, they will respond. I have bought a few hard to find parts from them
The problem with running an OMC powered boat is they have long been out of business, so many parts are hard to find. I have a 1988 Cobra system with the 4.3 Chevrolet V6, engine parts are easy to find locally, but you can't just go down the block to a dealer and buy OMC parts, its usually mail order, I do have one dealer who can order parts for me.
 
Wooowww thanks for all, yes i want repair this engine for a 2nd life 🤞
I take your help, thank you very much for your help and all link/informations
 
Well before spending a LOT of money, and doing a lot of work, I'd make sure as much as you can that the drive system (OMC Stringer system) is actually functional, because if not, it doesn't make sense to rebuild the engine. Does the engine start and run properly, does the drive shift into forward and reverse, and power the boat like it should? Keep in mind that parts for those are hard to find even here in the US, they can be found but it takes time and you need a mechanic who is familiar with them. The last of this type of drive system was built like 40 years ago, in 1985! After that, the OMC outdrives were made more like a Mercruiser (Cobra series) those were built from 1986-1993, then the company merged the outdrive division with Volvo Penta, after that they were modified to shift in the upper gear housing with a cone clutch like the Volvo Penta, this outdrive became the Volvo Penta SX which you probably do see in Europe.
If you really really like that boat, the most practical thing to do, although a lot of fiberglass work is to convert it to a Mercrusier drive system or Volvo, whichever is more common in your part of Europe, as far as finding parts.
Now if the drive system is OK, and functions properly, first you have to take the engine apart, to see what shape the block is in, if it has to be bored oversize, etc. That will determine what size oversize pistons you will need. Same for the bearings for the cam and crankshaft.
 
No problem with boat and sterndrive system. I take the boat on 2024 summer, but i've an 2nd engine, by whith the boat.
In my boat, the engine is hufr69m and in my garage the engine is hufr19E.
I want rebuild hufr19E to change it in my boat, and after why not rebuild the hufr69m 🤷
 
Then you’ll be the only classic Buick expert in all of France! Glad the Sterndrive is functioning well. I have had great luck with my 1988 Cobra. It has lived in salt water each summer for the 22 years I have owned it…I have a spare outdrive in the garage that I’m going to have rebuilt and I have many spare parts; starter, alternator, carburetor etc.
In the USA Buick was the upmarket GM division like Oldsmobile. Both were one step below Cadillac.
I’ll be interested as to your opinion of American engineering vs European. My experience with classic American engineering is that the engines are simple, easy to repair and long lived.
 
And for piston ring 225 cid are not same my engine? I need shape the block for adapt all parts? (Same cylindre head ring etc..?)

Expert? 😅 Ohhhh no i don't think 😂 but good mecanic 🤔 yes 😁🤞
But i want to bé an OMC expert, they are still OMC engine but nobody rebuild because it's difficult to find parts...

For me, in Europe, Germany engines are better. The french engine are not good much more with the difficult European standards 2000 to 2025

It's sure the french engine are very difficult/**** to work for exemple the cylinder head is under an "camshaft support" (2 éléments with camshaft in sandwichs) and all this under the coverhead... More and more job for access...
And it's the same system for crankshaft...

Yes for me american engine are simple and long lives, i think because the cylinders are bing, exemple 3.8l, 5l etc... And it's easy to find old parts

The european engines become smaller. In 1980/90 are 2.2l, 2l etc... Today a lot of manufacturer build 1.2l, 1.5, 1.6l .... With 110/130hp ... No for long life... Thanks european standards 💩 ...
If you want to read and laugh, search the engine "Peugeot 1.2l puretech" or "Renault 1.2l TCE" ... They're big big **** engines build ~2017
Two BIG french manufacturer 😮‍💨👌
 
Old school American engines were simple, all cast iron (more forgiving than aluminum, less likely to strip threads) but heavy & not very efficient due to OHV design. But I value durability and simplicity more than efficiency especially for powering a boat. French cars used to be sold here but not since about 35 years. German cars are quite popular here but repair and maintenance are very expensive compared to American & Japanese cars.
I’m not sure what you’re asking about the piston ring try explaining again…I only had to do a top end overhaul on my 1988 4.3 V6 (remanufactured cylinder heads) the pistons and rings are original…still has good compression….
 
Sorry for my bad words... In France a write on 1h00 am and my english is very bad... No longer night 😂 but now i read my text and i see many problem with my english 🙄....

Yes, probably the same problem import parts for you because big distance Germany->USA...


Ok try again 😅... So i would like to know if the cylinder head gasket are the same on my hufr19E as Buick 225?
And if the pistons ring (good word?) are same too?

I didn't take the compression because i listen an "pschhhiiiiit" (good word for leak?) in the valve exhaust on 1 or 2 cylinders
The engine no run many years and causes problem on valve seat i think.
I disassembled the head cylinder tomorrow and valves in the week (in my job in my break 🤪.
With camera i look in cylinders, but i don't see any probem...
But i know the compression are not good because i've problem with valves seat...
If not big problem i want use an product but i don't know his name in English.. in french is "pate a rodé" when you build the new valve on cylinders head for "damage/attack" the valve on valve seat
 
Ok in general a marine engine that is a modified auto engine has mostly the same internal parts as the auto engine (pistons, piston rings, crankshaft connecting rods, bearings etc. there are some parts that are different:
Camshaft, will be designed for the water cooled exhaust that marine engines use, so that it doesn’t cause the engine to suck water up the exhaust into the cylinders (exhaust reversion is what it is called). Here in the USA the camshaft is described as being similar to a truck or recreational vehicle camshaft not like a high performance car.
Head gaskets, in the marine version they are more corrosion resistant than in the auto version due to the marine engine is cooled by river/lake/ocean water not like an auto with antifreeze.
Casting plugs in the engine block also have to be corrosion resistant for the same reason.
You probably have several stuck valves due to the fact that the engine has not been run in a long time. Usually caused by minor corrosion. Here most people would just take the cylinder heads to an automotive machine shop and have the machinist rebuild the cylinder heads; with new parts where necessary. In my case my old heads were cracked from an overheat so o bought remanufactured cylinder heads.
Sounds like the thing you’re describing is some kind of valve grinding tool. The pate a rode sounds like what we call valve grinding compound.I took French in high school & university but it was more than 40 years ago so i don’t understand that much. But I practice now with Duo Lingo to learn & recall what I used to know lol!
 
Okayyyy so i can just buy the détails parts, no kit. I think to reduce price 🙄🤞

Huuummm 🤔 "pate a rodé" it's just a "cream with sand" toi advanced the used under valves and valves seat, you know? Simple process when you change valve in a rebuild engine

When valves and cylinders head are ok, i rebuild the engine to take compression 🤷. But after if the compression are not good... 😥
That's why i want to change pistons rings and why not crankshaft rolling and others similar parts.
Engine open, why not rebuild the maximum parts 🤷, but the kit on the link in my before text is so expensive, i'm not sure, i'm afraid it's not the same parts 😅 (it's difficult choice to buy expensive parts when i'm not sure 😂)
 
another idea
GM engines were identified by serial or casting numbers stamped on the block and cylinder heads, you can do some research as to where these engines have such identification and use that to try to find the right parts. Here's an example of the Chevrolet 4.3 V6....
4.3L casting numbers & serial number.jpg
 
Yes thank you i'm dreaming 😅.
I write an email (with my super english) for my question
Ok tomorrow i look if the identification number is on the block 🤞
Thank you Louc !
 
Ohhhh one question again 🤔😅

Can i used the old cylinders head bolt or i have to buy new?

My reflexion:
For the first Time, I find on amazon one gasket kit "Fel-pro inc. HS8723pt7 head set". If my children let's me work, i disassemble cylinders head today to look if the amazon gasket kit are same.

When valves seat are ok i can buy this low price gasket kit, and after rebuild i can take compression 🤷
 
Cylinder head bolts, usually can be reused unless very rusty. Mine were rusty so I replaced them with ARP bolts (high quality for racing) also very important clean the threads for those bolts in the block with a thread chaser. Not sure how you would say that en Francais!
 
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