Not Bike GM Motors

[Yammer Dan]

I have a old 93 Buick that has been one of the best all-round cars I have ever owned. I got this thing with 30k on it and it now has 210k on it. 3300 engine doesn't use oil. Have done a lot of work to it but question is. I found a Buick with a 3100 engine and the car looks like it left the showroom about last year. It is a 96. Only 38k. I would buy this old thing for a driver but have heard a lot about intake gaskets in the 3100's?? The 3300 as far as the engine can't be beat.

[Freebird]

I personally think that the 3100 is a terrible engine. You can almost rest assured that it is going to need an intake gasket right away or very soon. My favorite in the later GM engines was the 3800. I had one in a Bonneville and that was a really good engine. Great gas mileage. I bought it new and put about 130,000 miles on it and it was never in the shop for any reason. It also got in the high 20's on the highway.

[Monty]

I am not a fan of GM products, but I think the 3800 is one of the best engines ever made. I don't like the 3100 either.

[Guest seuadr]

i had an 85 park ave with a 3800.. finally decided i didn't feel like working on it ( was 19 at the time ) anymore at 225k. needed to replace the headgasket. these buick motors will eat pavement for quite a while. if you do your own work, the 3100 intake isn't that bad. you could even replace it for peice of mind with a felpro (good stuff)

 

everything i have read indicated the problem started about 95. The problem is apparently the low torque requirement will cause the bolts to come loose and then a leak occurs. Then, to fix the leak the person will tighten up the bolts and usually ends up overtightening and cracking the outer edge of the gasket and coolant seeps out the crack.

 

check wit your local napa guys, they are usually pretty knowledgable the felpor should have steel re-enforced rings in the area of the problem bolts tht, combined with some loctite should keep you problem free for a long time.

[Venturous Randy]

In 1987, I believe the quickest American production vehicle you could buy had a 3.8 engine in it. It was the Grand National Buick. It had quicker quarter mile times than the Corvette. The GNX version is highly sought after.

RandyA

[Eddie]

In 1987, I believe the quickest American production vehicle you could buy had a 3.8 engine in it. It was the Grand National Buick. It had quicker quarter mile times than the Corvette. The GNX version is highly sought after.

RandyA

 

with the help of a turbo charger, I had a new Mustang Gt back then and these cars used to tee me off. I would always pull them off the line but when that turbo would wind up they'd get me.

[Redneck]

We had a 91 lumina with a 3.1 wolfie drove it 200k we replaced the alt 3 times put 2 sets of spark plugs in it and changed the oil and filters. It was one of the best cars we have ever owned. the mileage was in the mid 20s to low 30s.[/size]S"]

[Yammer Dan]

A real nice 96 with 38k but 3100 engine for $4,000. Not a bad deal in a way. Lot of money for 12 yr old car but if it had 3300 I would grab it. How bad is the Gasket change?Replace with newer gaskets. Any other major problems with 3100? I really like the car.

[Guest seuadr]

A real nice 96 with 38k but 3100 engine for $4,000. Not a bad deal in a way. Lot of money for 12 yr old car but if it had 3300 I would grab it. How bad is the Gasket change?Replace with newer gaskets. Any other major problems with 3100? I really like the car.

it's not too bad really, if you've ever done anything like it before. could do it in an afternoon probably.

 

if i recall correcntly, you can remove the fuel rails, emissions crap, plenium and intake without touching the rest of the front of the engine, nor the heads. it's been a while so i may be missing something. I did it on a 3300 ( 31,33,34 and 3800's share a basic block setup ) and removed all the fuel stuff (mass air, injectors ( be careful with these! emissions crap) and then the intake. gaskets are, of course, right below. took me and a buddy about 3 hours?

[wes0778]

Still driving my '83 Caprice Classic that I bought for $2500.00 in 1987. Had 56,000 miles on it then and has 293,000 on it now. Working on the 3rd 700R4 transmission, but the :bowdown:305 small block is still original. It is burning a quart of oil between 3000 mile changes. I still gets 20mpg on a trip.

[SilvrT]

It is burning a quart of oil between 3000 mile changes.

 

sounds like a "selling feature" ... it changes it's own oil .... drive it for 12000 miles and that's 4 qts of oil... an oil change!

[Yammer Dan]

I l;ove the oldc Buicks but am scratching my head on this one.

1996 with 38k 4400 bucks?? Looks Great would have a lot of miles if that 3100 would hold up.

[midnightventure]

I had a Lumina van with the 3.1 and it did ok. I have never heard of the 3.8 not getting great gas mileage. I have a 95 Trans Am with 30000 miles and the LT1 engine and it gets 25MPG. My wifes Sunfire with a 4 cylinder only gets 31.

[BOO]

Yep the 3800 is a great engine, my wife has had three Bonneville's with that engine it and they are great, one of them had a little glitch in it but they changed the gear in the tranny and the computer chip and it ran great after that.

Highway always in the upper 20's and very often 30 or 31. I know one thing it can go farther on a tank of gas then I can on a cup of coffee.

The current car has 120,000 miles on it and she wants a new one but she can't find a car she likes better then the old Bonnie. But she will, she will.

BOO

[Redneck]

Cars are dirt cheap right now 4k is to much for that car heck you can buy an erly 90s vett for that kind of money right now.

[BuddyRich]

Yea, KBB on a 96 century is 2100. \