Best and Worst GM Engines
Senior Member
Joined: 05-05-2008
Posts: 128
From: tampa
ANy gm 3800 v6 , family had 4 cars with that motor in them. The vorteck v8 in the tahoe. 2.4 ecotec.
NOw the bad
THe lsj or my motor in the cobalt, had a lot of problems, just little bs stuff but, alot so
NOw the bad
THe lsj or my motor in the cobalt, had a lot of problems, just little bs stuff but, alot so
Senior Member
Joined: 03-16-2008
Posts: 662
From: Cleveland, Ohio
What's interesting about the 3800 is that it makes both the best and worst lists, depending on how far back you want to trace its legacy. The Buick 231 V6, positive review above notwithstanding, was generally considered to be POS by the people who had to work on them. It couldn't idle smoothly if you held a gun to it, didn't have any power to speak of, and the oil pumps ate into the blocks, causing untold oil related issues. I had one leave me stranded in the Delaware Water Gap as it mercilessly dined on a lifter.
The wholsale redesign of this motor got it the 3800 designation and turned it into the best pushrod V6 ever made. Its power, reliability, and longevity are legendary since they upgraded it. I had one in a 91 Park Avenue and you could balance a dime on the air cleaner at idle. Enough power to light up the tires on a 6 passenger gunboat, and 26 MPG highway at 70 with the A/C on. It doesn't get much better.
The wholsale redesign of this motor got it the 3800 designation and turned it into the best pushrod V6 ever made. Its power, reliability, and longevity are legendary since they upgraded it. I had one in a 91 Park Avenue and you could balance a dime on the air cleaner at idle. Enough power to light up the tires on a 6 passenger gunboat, and 26 MPG highway at 70 with the A/C on. It doesn't get much better.
Senior Member
Joined: 11-20-2006
Posts: 931
From: Peoria, IL
What's interesting about the 3800 is that it makes both the best and worst lists, depending on how far back you want to trace its legacy. The Buick 231 V6, positive review above notwithstanding, was generally considered to be POS by the people who had to work on them. It couldn't idle smoothly if you held a gun to it, didn't have any power to speak of, and the oil pumps ate into the blocks, causing untold oil related issues. I had one leave me stranded in the Delaware Water Gap as it mercilessly dined on a lifter.
The wholsale redesign of this motor got it the 3800 designation and turned it into the best pushrod V6 ever made. Its power, reliability, and longevity are legendary since they upgraded it. I had one in a 91 Park Avenue and you could balance a dime on the air cleaner at idle. Enough power to light up the tires on a 6 passenger gunboat, and 26 MPG highway at 70 with the A/C on. It doesn't get much better.
The wholsale redesign of this motor got it the 3800 designation and turned it into the best pushrod V6 ever made. Its power, reliability, and longevity are legendary since they upgraded it. I had one in a 91 Park Avenue and you could balance a dime on the air cleaner at idle. Enough power to light up the tires on a 6 passenger gunboat, and 26 MPG highway at 70 with the A/C on. It doesn't get much better.
Senior Member
Joined: 03-31-2008
Posts: 179
From: So Cal
OK, very surprised that no one listed the Cadillac V8-6-4. The first displacement on demand engine in a mass produced vehicle. Remember the engine fires? I do! Cylinders that didn't completely "shut off" like they were supposed to. Terrible performance as the engine tried to keep up with the changes between cylinder usage. Just bloody awful. But boy, did they tout that engine as a fuel saver and a real innovation!
Anyway, worst is probably the Vega 4 cyl. Seen the damage internally a few times. THere is a reason so many were swapped with an SBC.
The best has to be the current LS engines, particularly the L92/LS3. VVT, AFM and over 400 hp, YUMMY!!
Senior Member
Joined: 03-31-2008
Posts: 179
From: So Cal
What's interesting about the 3800 is that it makes both the best and worst lists, depending on how far back you want to trace its legacy. The Buick 231 V6, positive review above notwithstanding, was generally considered to be POS by the people who had to work on them. It couldn't idle smoothly if you held a gun to it, didn't have any power to speak of, and the oil pumps ate into the blocks, causing untold oil related issues. I had one leave me stranded in the Delaware Water Gap as it mercilessly dined on a lifter.
The wholsale redesign of this motor got it the 3800 designation and turned it into the best pushrod V6 ever made. Its power, reliability, and longevity are legendary since they upgraded it. I had one in a 91 Park Avenue and you could balance a dime on the air cleaner at idle. Enough power to light up the tires on a 6 passenger gunboat, and 26 MPG highway at 70 with the A/C on. It doesn't get much better.
The wholsale redesign of this motor got it the 3800 designation and turned it into the best pushrod V6 ever made. Its power, reliability, and longevity are legendary since they upgraded it. I had one in a 91 Park Avenue and you could balance a dime on the air cleaner at idle. Enough power to light up the tires on a 6 passenger gunboat, and 26 MPG highway at 70 with the A/C on. It doesn't get much better.
Senior Member
Joined: 11-11-2007
Posts: 364
From: Sheboygan WI
Get an '01/02 Formula Firebird -power and good gas mileage. My '02 Camaro averages 26mpg. The LS series engines may well be the best 8s yet, they are a little noisy, but there's a few with 250000 miles on them, and highly tunable too.
Member
Joined: 06-22-2008
Posts: 87
From: BC Canada