What would be a good GM V8 engine to put into a 1992 Buick Regal?

Currently my '92 Regal has the stock Buick 3.8 V6 engine which many GM enthusiasts consider excellent, however while driving it sometimes feels like something is holding you back. It is not gutless or anything; I actually think the car is too heavy for a 6. It's pretty well a tank. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.|||Does a V8 even fit in a GM W-Body?


All those cars had sixes....


Maybe the transverse 325 LS4 V8 from a Gen IX Impala SS|||Emission tests are likely going to be your biggest problem. If you just have to pass a sniff test you may not have too much trouble but if there is a visual its going to be a lot harder. Many states only allow swaps if you are swapping to a newer engine and if it was offered as a factory option on the same model car. Even at that there are usually a few other catches like having to get the ECU reprogrammed so the VIN numbers match. Only other engine option for the Regals was the supercharged 3800. They were optional in the Regals, Grand Prix, and Bonnevilles so they are out there.





Next issue is your car is FWD. Cadillac is the only one that I know of that has ever made a FWD V8. Around 92 is when the 4.6 Nothstar came out. Thats a fairly wide and tall engine so I dont know how well that would fit in the regal, it may be tight. The one that should be an easier fit would be the 4.9 that was used on some models till 95. Big differences in the FWD motors is how the mount to the car and transmission. How the oil pan clears the transmission. How they fit between the wheels. An example, the 4.9 has the water pump mounted off to the side vs. old V8 way where it stuck out the front which would be the side in a transverse setup like we are talking about.





You are likely going to be better off looking for a 'faster' car. If you like that style and size the supercharged Regal, Grand Prix, or Bonneville would be worth looking at. Thunderbird and Cougar were RWD 2 doors about the same size and I think they had some cool engine options in that era. If you dont mind bigger look for a Roadmaster. All were RWD. 91-93 had regular EFI 350's in em. 94-96 all had the LT1 corvette 350 in them. Those years it did not matter what car you bought you got the same engine. Impalla SS, Cop caprice, Trans Am, Roadmaster, grandpa Caddy Brougham, all the same motor.|||I would leave it stock actually and look for something faster. It's a '92 Regal, how much money do you wanna put in it? All the fast 4-door cars previously mentioned like the Caprice 350 LT1 and Northstar Caddies would cost the same or less than doing a swap to your FWD Regal, which isn't exactly an ideal platform for a V8 swap anyways unless it's a specialty GM V8 like a 5.3 or Northstar.|||Maybe Jay means the 4.6 Cadillac Northstart engine. It should fit and would wake up your Regal for sure.|||the 4.6