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    Fuzzy match across codes, option descriptions, and model aliases. Every result is graded and, where the factory documents it, cited.

    Source document

    docs/rpo/buick/skyhawk-j-body.md

    Interactive view →

    Rendered verbatim from the reference. Factory citations shown as ⛭ GM Heritage — …. For filtering, badges, and crosslinks, use the interactive Skyhawk — J-body (1982–1989) page.

    Buick Skyhawk — J-body, front-drive (second generation) (1982–1989)

    The second-generation Skyhawk was Buick's front-drive J-body compact for the 1982–1989 model years: a coupe and sedan, a wagon from 1983 and a hatchback for 1986–1987 (Wikipedia). The NICB VIN manuals list the Skyhawk and Skyhawk Limited in 1982, and the 1989 manual lists the Skyhawk Custom and Sport, Limited and T-Type. No GM order guide, data book, Heritage kit or service RPO list for the Skyhawk is in the archive, so only powertrain codes are listed: Wikipedia's Skyhawk and engine articles and the per-year Buick VIN tables on gnttype.org name and date the engine codes, and the Heritage kits of the Chevrolet Cavalier, the J-body twin, are cited only for the shared 2.0 L OHV engine (LL8, 1989) and for the transmission codes MM5, MX1, MD9 and MK7, which the kits never tie to the Skyhawk; they only date a code the two cars share. No source read ties an option, package, paint or trim code to the Skyhawk with a year, so none is listed.

    Codes

    Engines

    Code Description Years Models/Notes Confidence
    L46 1.8 L (112 cu in) L4, OHV, 2-barrel carburetor (VIN G) 1982 the standard engine, 88 hp; Wikipedia's Skyhawk and 122 engine articles give it to the Skyhawk for 1982 only; the VIN letter is from the 1982 NICB manual, which prints no RPO codes single-source
    LH8 1.8 L L4, SOHC, throttle-body fuel injection (VIN 0) 1982–1986 the Brazilian-built overhead-cam four, 84 hp, optional in 1982; Wikipedia's Skyhawk and Family II engine articles give it to the Skyhawk 1982–1986; gnttype.org's 1984–1985 Buick VIN tables print it for the Skyhawk, a second source (owner ruling, 2026-11-05: a T3 page that names the code for the Skyhawk, with Wikipedia dating every year) (as O=LH8; the VIN letter is the digit 0, as the 1982 NICB manual prints it) confirmed
    LQ5 2.0 L (121 cu in) L4, OHV, throttle-body fuel injection (VIN P) 1983–1986 replaced the 1.8 L OHV engine for 1983, 86 hp (88 hp for 1986, Wikipedia); Wikipedia's Skyhawk and 122 engine articles give it to the Skyhawk 1983–1986; gnttype.org's 1984–1985 Buick VIN tables print it for the Skyhawk, a second source (owner ruling, 2026-11-05: a T3 page that names the code for the Skyhawk, with Wikipedia dating every year) confirmed
    LA5 1.8 L L4, SOHC, turbocharged, multi-port fuel injection (VIN J) 1984–1986 150 hp; Wikipedia: optional on the T-Type, two-door bodies only, and not with the five-speed manual (1984); Wikipedia's Skyhawk and Family II engine articles give it to the Skyhawk 1984–1986; gnttype.org's 1984–1985 Buick VIN tables print it for the Skyhawk, a second source (owner ruling, 2026-11-05: a T3 page that names the code for the Skyhawk, with Wikipedia dating every year) confirmed
    LT2 2.0 L (121 cu in) L4, SOHC, throttle-body fuel injection (VIN K) 1987–1988 96 hp; Wikipedia's Skyhawk and Family II engine articles give it to the Skyhawk 1987–1988; gnttype.org's 1987 Buick VIN table prints it for the Skyhawk (a second source (owner ruling, 2026-11-05: a T3 page that names the code for the Skyhawk, with Wikipedia dating every year)) confirmed
    LT3 2.0 L (121 cu in) L4, SOHC, turbocharged, multi-port fuel injection (VIN M) 1987 165 hp; Wikipedia's Skyhawk and Family II engine articles give it to the Skyhawk for 1987 only; gnttype.org's 1987 Buick VIN table prints it for the Skyhawk (a second source (owner ruling, 2026-11-05: a T3 page that names the code for the Skyhawk, with Wikipedia dating every year)) confirmed
    LL8 2.0 L (121 cu in) L4, OHV, throttle-body fuel injection (VIN 1) 1987, 1989 88 hp in 1987 and 90 hp in 1989, when it was the only engine (Wikipedia); Wikipedia's Skyhawk article dates it 1987 and 1989; gnttype.org's 1987 Buick VIN table prints it for the Skyhawk; 1988 is left out because the Skyhawk article says the OHV engine was not offered for 1988, the 1989 NICB Buick table prints VIN 1 in its 1988 column, and Wikipedia's 122 engine article gives the Skyhawk 1987–1989; the 1989 Cavalier kit is the second source (a Skyhawk source names the code and dates both years); shared J-body code; cited from the Chevrolet Cavalier kit (1989) ⛭ GM Heritage — 1989 Chevrolet Cavalier, p.22 confirmed

    Transmissions

    Code Description Years Models/Notes Confidence
    MM5 Transmission, 5 speed manual (merchandised order code) 1984–1987, 1989 matched to the unit by meaning: Wikipedia's Skyhawk article names an optional five-speed manual (not with the 1984 turbo T-Type) and a Getrag 282 five-speed in its infobox, but prints no code; 1988 is left out because no listed kit page heads the code; shared J-body code; cited from the Chevrolet Cavalier kit ⛭ GM Heritage — 1984 Chevrolet Cavalier, p.11 ⛭ GM Heritage — 1985 Chevrolet Cavalier, p.35 ⛭ GM Heritage — 1986 Chevrolet Cavalier, p.37 ⛭ GM Heritage — 1987 Chevrolet Cavalier, p.37 ⛭ GM Heritage — 1989 Chevrolet Cavalier, p.22 single-source
    MD9 Automatic transaxle, 3 speed (THM 125C) 1986–1987, 1989 GM engineering code on the Cavalier power-team pages, the unit the order guides sell as MX1; matched to the Skyhawk's unit by meaning: Wikipedia's Skyhawk article names the 3 speed Turbo-Hydramatic 125C in its infobox but prints no code; each page prints its own model year (1986, 1987, 1989); the kit's power-team line for the 2.0 L engine reads "Avail (MD9)" in 1986 and 1987 and "Optional Hydramatic (MD9)" for the LL8 in 1989; 1984–1985 and 1988 are left out because no listed kit page heads the code on a single-condition line for those years; shared J-body code; cited from the Chevrolet Cavalier kit ⛭ GM Heritage — 1986 Chevrolet Cavalier, p.4 ⛭ GM Heritage — 1987 Chevrolet Cavalier, p.4 ⛭ GM Heritage — 1989 Chevrolet Cavalier, p.39 single-source
    MK7 Transaxle, 5 speed manual 1989 the unit behind the MM5 order code, listed as standard with the 2.0 L LL8 (Daikin clutch); matched to the Skyhawk's unit by meaning: Wikipedia's Skyhawk article names a five-speed manual for 1989 but prints no code; the Cavalier V6 unit MG2 (same page group) is not listed because the Skyhawk had no V6; shared J-body code; cited from the Chevrolet Cavalier kit; the page prints its model year, 1989 ⛭ GM Heritage — 1989 Chevrolet Cavalier, p.39 single-source
    MX1 Automatic transmission, 3 speed (merchandising code for the THM 125C) 1984, 1986–1987, 1989 matched to the unit by meaning: Wikipedia's Skyhawk article names the 3 speed Turbo-Hydramatic 125C automatic in its infobox, and its THM 125 article gives the unit to the J-body, but neither prints a code; the 1986 page prints MXI (letter I); 1985 is left out because the kit's option line is cut off after MX, and 1988 because no listed kit page heads the code; shared J-body code; cited from the Chevrolet Cavalier kit ⛭ GM Heritage — 1984 Chevrolet Cavalier, p.11 ⛭ GM Heritage — 1986 Chevrolet Cavalier, p.37 ⛭ GM Heritage — 1987 Chevrolet Cavalier, p.37 ⛭ GM Heritage — 1989 Chevrolet Cavalier, p.22 single-source

    Sources

    Factory documents (T1)

    No Buick factory document for the 1982–1989 Skyhawk is in docs/factory-docs/ or docs/heritage-ocr/. The rows cite the Chevrolet Cavalier Heritage kits (J-body twin) for shared engine and transmission codes only, on the brief's listed RPO pages (owner, 2026-10-03):

    • [HK] chevrolet/1984-Chevrolet-Cavalier.txt — MVMA specifications, 1984, optional equipment weights (p. 11)
    • [HK] chevrolet/1985-Chevrolet-Cavalier.txt — MVMA specifications, 1985, optional equipment weights (p. 35)
    • [HK] chevrolet/1986-Chevrolet-Cavalier.txt — MVMA specifications, 1986, power teams (p. 4) and optional equipment weights (p. 37)
    • [HK] chevrolet/1987-Chevrolet-Cavalier.txt — MVMA specifications, 1987, power teams (p. 4) and optional equipment weights (p. 37)
    • [HK] chevrolet/1989-Chevrolet-Cavalier.txt — 1989 order guide, Cavalier wagon (p. 22), and MVMA transmission specifications (p. 39)

    Other sources