3800 series II? any good?

[supa_c 5,000+ posts]

my pops had a 91 riveria with the series I.

I think that car got into the 300,000 mile range and we just gave up on it. The engine still ran but the ****** was shot.

 

[dcole18 5,000+ posts]

i just sold the bonnie i used to drive for $1000... had 360k on it //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wow.gif.23d729408e9177caa2a0ed6a2ba6588e.gif only major engine work done to it was a transmission rebuild, once...

Edit: t'was a 97 wit teh 3800 II

 

[bigbirney420 10+ year member]

I've done plenty intake gaskets on these motors.
In my opinion, junk.

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/sick.gif.b1847c8dabbfeeddbcf1a78052249e10.gif Wow, so if a gasket goes on the motor its junk. At 100k you should expect gaskets to be repaced and some minor issues, but internally they are golden. And this coming form a guy with a Thunderchicken.

 

[CaliforniabOY5 10+ year member]

i actually have an excessive amp alt for this motor for sale //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif
made for a 96 bonneville. 250 amp

wish i still had my camaro, i woulda bought this off you.

Thats a common problem on them, bad gasket material + dexcool = bad

This is very true, unless the car was designed for Dexcool and depending on the car even if it was dexcool f'ups gaskets.

My 3.4L went dead @ 77K and it was babied........"F" GM.

3.4 is not 3800? . . . 3800 = 3.8?

 

[Max_Power 10+ year member]

IMO, other than the 350, its GM's best engine

 

[Safe-N-Sound215 10+ year member]

I love my 3800. It has a lot of power and plenty of mods available. Can anyone say "13 sec sleeper buick"?//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/naughty.gif.94359f346c0f1259df8038d60b41863e.gif

Yes,........ I can. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[Silver 10+ year member]

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/sick.gif.b1847c8dabbfeeddbcf1a78052249e10.gif Wow, so if a gasket goes on the motor its junk. At 100k you should expect gaskets to be repaced and some minor issues, but internally they are golden. And this coming form a guy with a Thunderchicken.

dont be banging on my thunderturd. no car payment and no major overhauls for 4yrs straight, the mn-12 is a well built car.

like i said my opinion. you dont like it **** off.

.. im working for gm now. i already have a gm veh. in plan.

68k for 2grand is a offer that i couldnt pass up. plus i have 140k on the motor and i have not had 1 problem with this car untill last week when i snapped a 1-2 accumlator spring in the 4r70w.

plus i have the 4.6L. the 3.8's are junk well know head gasket blowin mofo's.

 

[bigbirney420 10+ year member]

Any Ford motor is pretty much shit, and even the 4.6 is slow. I dont have a car payment either. The 3.8 Fords were a lot worse than GM 3.8's. Your opinion is idiotic and without merit. I have had 3 different 3800's 2 were NA and current has SC and many mods with 100k and my DD Bonneville had 200k, I havent had any gasket issues on all 3. Plus if you ask most mechanics with a brain they will have nothing but good things to say about GM 3800, I know many personally.

 

[Silver 10+ year member]

I'm sorry but maybe its my expirence with them. The 4.6 is slow. Check your head. Seriously.

You sound like a GM tree hugger thats all.

I like both, recently our gen of fam have switched over to ford. All they had with GM's were problems.

I just work for a GM dealership bec. I was offered enrollement in a good automotive program. I like alot of GM cars too, I just dont like any of the 3xxx series. My uncle has a monte with 68k with the 3800 that I just replaced the head gaskets on. His ***** is on its way out too. Both maintained within spec.

My buddy has a Grand Prix with a bunch of mods. The base 3800 series 2. He put in new springs, rockers, cai, pcm burn, ect. My car stays with him the whole way. All my car has is a intake and polished plentum. J-modded 4r70w and 373's. Thats with 80lbs of shit in the trunk and all of my shit packed in suitcases heading up to school on I-75.

Shut the **** up. Seriously.

 

[jiggy2dmax 10+ year member]

I think what the poster meant when he referred to the head gasket was that its a extremely well known issue that GM has done nothing to rectify. We've had quite a few cars go my family and I don't consider the head gasket "regular maintenace". The 3.8's are strong but the ****** is far from as reliable as the engine IMHO.

 

[bigbirney420 10+ year member]

I'm sorry but maybe its my expirence with them. The 4.6 is slow. Check your head. Seriously.
You sound like a GM tree hugger thats all.

I like both, recently our gen of fam have switched over to ford. All they had with GM's were problems.

I just work for a GM dealership bec. I was offered enrollement in a good automotive program. I like alot of GM cars too, I just dont like any of the 3xxx series. My uncle has a monte with 68k with the 3800 that I just replaced the head gaskets on. His ***** is on its way out too. Both maintained within spec.

My buddy has a Grand Prix with a bunch of mods. The base 3800 series 2. He put in new springs, rockers, cai, pcm burn, ect. My car stays with him the whole way. All my car has is a intake and polished plentum. J-modded 4r70w and 373's. Thats with 80lbs of shit in the trunk and all of my shit packed in suitcases heading up to school on I-75.

Shut the **** up. Seriously.

I own a Chrysler 300 as welll so Im not a GM hugger by any means. Your buddies GP obviously isnt Supercharged, but I hope you can stay with him since you have 2 more cylinders. Mine eats Mustang GT's Regularly and can hang with many Cobras so I am sure I wouldnt have any trouble. Your entitled to your opinion, and you havent had good experiences, but I have.

 

[bigbirney420 10+ year member]

We all know there are no FI Ford 4.6s doing better than low-13s //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif

Not many NA without quite a few mods are low 13's to high 12's. It takes a few mods on a Cobra 4.6 With Eaton MP112 to make it into high 12's consistently. I was talking about his 4.6 VS NA 3.8. I hope you can hang with something with 2 fewer cylinders and almost a cubic liter difference. theres always going to be something you can race thats faster, but that wasnt the point.

So you might as well not chime in unless your gonna read the whole thread.

 

[Silver 10+ year member]

I own a Chrysler 300 as welll so Im not a GM hugger by any means. Your buddies GP obviously isnt Supercharged, but I hope you can stay with him since you have 2 more cylinders. Mine eats Mustang GT's Regularly and can hang with many Cobras so I am sure I wouldnt have any trouble. Your entitled to your opinion, and you havent had good experiences, but I have.

Well I would hope with the list of mods you have done to your 3.8 it would eat them and stay with a Cobra.

The GTP is a fast car by no means. If I was going to get a 3.8, I would go with the GTP motor without any doubt, but like I have been saying...

My buddies car impresses me.

Trust me though, by no means is my car fast, but it is not slow either. If it wasn't so old and just "old". I'd be doing the tight fit 5.4 =).

My turds on its way out though. I am stuck between a GTO or a G8 when they hit.

Hell I may even go with a GTP and beef it up. I don't know lol.

 

[bigbirney420 10+ year member]

Well I would hope with the list of mods you have done to your 3.8 it would eat them and stay with a Cobra.
The GTP is a fast car by no means. If I was going to get a 3.8, I would go with the GTP motor without any doubt, but like I have been saying...

My buddies car impresses me.

Trust me though, by no means is my car fast, but it is not slow either. If it wasn't so old and just "old". I'd be doing the tight fit 5.4 =).

My turds on its way out though. I am stuck between a GTO or a G8 when they hit.

Hell I may even go with a GTP and beef it up. I don't know lol.

Totally agree, I would love a G8, or a 6.0 GTO

 

[93 saturn sl2 10+ year member]

I Mine eats Mustang GT's Regularly and can hang with many Cobras

SN95 and new edge Cobras I presume..