Please, help this guy.

[nitrous]

Ok, please answer this non-biased.

One of my classmates is arguing with me that the 3400 is the best motor GM ever made. "It will smoke your 3800 anyday."

He's now saying that the 2.2L is the most reliable engine ever made...

:eek:

[Prince Valiant]

Ok, please answer this non-biased.

One of my classmates is arguing with me that the 3400 is the best motor GM ever made. "It will smoke your 3800 anyday."

He's now saying that the 2.2L is the most reliable engine ever made...

:eek:
non-biased answer?

Stop talking to the kids in the special ed classes.


No, seriously. The 3.4 is at best, an okay engine...it does it's job and gets a vehicle moving to highway speeds. It isn't particularly powerful, effecient, nor durable...but it's not at the bottom of the spectrum in those regards either. It's as about a vanilla an engine as there is...the 3.8 is WORLDS better. As lame as it may seem, a simple point to make would be to point out how in the 93-97 camaros, the 3.4 was the standard engine, while the 3.8 was the optional engine...and much faster when equiped as such, with NO penalties for fuel mileage.

and the 2.2 OHV chevy motor is again...a so-so engine. No great iterations that I can think of. Like most engines that are underpowered, they tend to thus become "over-engineered" and can be quite reliable. I don't know that they are anymore reliable than other similar four-bangers though.


This kid feels the way he does simply because he hasn't experienced a real car yet...probably his mom or dad has a car that he rarely gets to drive with a 3.4, and has a daily powered car with a 2.2...hence his "these are the greatest motors EvAr!" sentiments.

[WilliamZ]

The 3400 is not the best. They have always had piston slap and intake manifold gasket leaks. I did beat up on 3800 GP's with my 00' Grand Am GT, and hung right with stock GTP's. As far as design and engineering the 3800 is a much better engine. I also thought that the 2.2 quad motor was notorious for going through head gaskets...

[nitrous]

This is what I have been trying to tell this guy.


This kid feels the way he does simply because he hasn't experienced a real car yet...probably his mom or dad has a car that he rarely gets to drive with a 3.4, and has a daily powered car with a 2.2...hence his "these are the greatest motors EvAr!" sentiments.

The funny thing is, he told me his mom has a minivan with the 3.4 in it. His exact words, "That engine sounds awesome!"

You're not in my class are you? :rolf

One of my co-workers used to have a Z34 and had more problems with that thing in 2 weeks than I did with my ex. Guess what he owns now. A Grand Prix GT.

[Nix]

3.4=Boatanchor
this is the same way that I feel about GM's 305.

3.8 hands down is wayyyy better, I dont need to say anymore than this as I see everyone else who has posted has said what I can. :banana1:

Sorry Mike but I believe that your Z34 back in the day had the 3.4.

[Flight_740]

Sorry Mike but I believe that your Z34 back in the day had the 3.4.


I think they are talking about the pushrod 3.4. My Z had a DOHC 3.4. I loved that car. It was a blast with that motor and a 5 speed.



Did you get my PM?

[TransAm12sec]

Just tell him the obvious reasons stated above why it's not, then play some vid with a mean cam in it.

I have this one right now
http://www.madbeems.com/First%20Pass%20New%20347.wmv

[Al]

The 4.3 is the best motor by GM.

It is well known that they can reach 200,000 miles w/o problems.

The engine in my first car, a 1989 GMC Safari, had 389,000 miles on the short block.

It seems the only way to kill it is to deprive it of oil.

[Cryptic]

I've have several mechanics tell me the 3800 is bullet proof / one of the best motors GM has made.

After 100k on mine I have no complaints... The next 200k is what really matters my mind, we'll see how it goes :headbang

[Nix]

I think they are talking about the pushrod 3.4. My Z had a DOHC 3.4. I loved that car. It was a blast with that motor and a 5 speed.



[QUOTE=Blown_Gtp]Did you get my PM?

indeed Mike I did get your pm, sorry man my dumbass hasnt been with it latley with all the wedding garbage going on along with many family issues. Its one after another around here. :alcoholic

[theavenger333]

just don't talk to the kid anymore gabe, i have had to do this at work for the last 3 years, just not talk to people about cars, even though thats my favorite subject

[Lash]

I also thought that the 2.2 quad motor was notorious for going through head gaskets...

I think you mean the 2.3 quad motor...lol



And I dont think the 2.2 motor that he was refering to was the OHV motor...it's probably the newer ecotec motor which happens to built pretty tough and is very reliable.

Also...there is a pretty big difference in the older 3.4 motors and the newer 3400 series motors. They are not the same. The new 3400 = junk IMO. My wife has one in here Alero. They have their fair share of problems...along with the weak ass tranny's they mounted to them. No contest in the 3800 vs. 3400 category. I've seen what both can do. I have yet to see a 12 sec. or faster 3400 on any of the Grand Am or Alero boards. But I've seen a bunch of 13 sec passes with Boost (S/C) AND spray :chair: Although I do believe ther is a guy with a 2nd Gen cavalier around here who has a 3100/3400 motor swap which happens to be pretty quick :shades .

[pOrk]

My 3.8 walks all over my aunts 3.4

[1quickgtp]

if he was talking about the 2.2l ecotec, then he is partially right, they are very reliable and powerful ( they love boost )

gm racing team is using a STOCK block on there 1200hp drag car :thumbsup

but even from the factory, guys are running 16Ibs out of there turbo kits and running high 12's, low 13's and still daily driven, and for a economy car, I think thats pretty good

also you gotta remember, gm built that motor to last, if they didnt they wouldnt have the wide range of GMperformance parts for the ecotec ;)

now the 3.4 and 3.8....hehe what a retard.

ive heard some stories about the 3.4, but Im starting to like my 3.8, Its gone to hell and back and hasnt blown up yet... so I claim it to be the most reliable / made :) ( knock on wood )

[Prince Valiant]

gm racing team is using a STOCK block that's been extensively moddified on there 1200hp drag car :thumbsup
corrected...

that block had it's original sleeves machined out and new, much thicker steel sleeves added. That plus it had to be machined for O-ring gaskets, on top of having extra head bolt provisions machined in to keep the heads from seperating from the block...

it's not really a stock block...it started out as one, but at around 350hp, they found that the stock sleeves were failing. At 500hp, they had to use the O-ring gaskets. I don't know at which HP they felt they needed the extra head bolts.

Seriously, if this kid is talking about the 3.4v6 as being the "best engine GM has ever made", then I GARUNTEE YOU, that he's not driving around the 2.2 ecotec engine, otherwise THAT would have been titled "the greatest".

I'm certain he's driving a OHV 2.2

[nitrous]

Thank you for pointing that out Prince. It certainly not a "stock" bottom end. 1200HP that will cost you hundreds of dollars to get to the grocery store and back. :P

He is driving around a bronze 2.2L OHV Cavilier with black painted stock wheels. He lives in West Allis. Oh yea, and if you see him on the road, watch out, he told me he just put a catback on it this weekend.

[1quickgtp]

well I thought you guys would get what I meant, but its ok, I read this website that had the whole build up of the gm drag car engine. quite interesting non the less

but it doesnt have stock internals and such as I know

what I do know that it used a stock block and...I beleive crank! ( reworked crank, but yet stock ) could be wrong. I look for that website now!

and the 2.2l ohv is a TURD ( they down like 80-90hp to the wheels stock! theres guys turboing those pos and running like same times as a STOCK Z24 ( 2.4l) LMAO

and I think a catback on the 2.2l ohv is like 1 whp :)

[Lash]

^ lol
He's probably got the 3 speed auto too! Watch out...he might run high 16's!!!!!

The quickest OHV 2.2 that I know of ran a best of 13.2 (turbo'd) this year...not much if any of the motor went untouched.

[1quickgtp]

high 16? hehe RIIIIGHT thats a factory freak with EVER BOLT ON possible for the 2.2 ohv WITH 50 shot hehe

they run like 18's stock

[Lash]

at around 350hp, they found that the stock sleeves were failing.


The Hahn Racecraft Sunfire (who has been seen at GLD a few times) put down 403 whp & 410 wtq with only these internal mods:

JE Pistons
Eagle Rods
Ferrea Vavle Springs


....so I dunno. It's seen MANY 1/4 passes too and it's still holding up. 11.44@124.53 aint too bad for a little sunflower.http://etaserver.com/jamesk/norwalk/adam.wmv

2590 with Adam in it, 2425 without. Still fully street legal, licensed, etc. All of the interior is there except for the upper back seat (won't clear the rollbar), No AC or PS ...not you're stripped out street racer :headbang

[Prince Valiant]

....so I dunno. It's seen MANY 1/4 passes too and it's still holding up. 11.44@124.53 aint too bad for a little sunflower.Hey, I was only pointing out what was reported by the guys who built the 1200hp engine...and that the block wasn't stock.

[Lash]

:thumbsup :haveabeer

[nitrous]

^ lol
He's probably got the 3 speed auto too! Watch out...he might run high 16's!!!!!

The quickest OHV 2.2 that I know of ran a best of 13.2 (turbo'd) this year...not much if any of the motor went untouched.

He does :D

[WilliamZ]

I think you mean the 2.3 quad motor...lol

oops

[jbiscuit]

I had a carbed 3.8L originally in my 82 Caprice that had 178K on the ticker when it was pulled in favor of a hopped up 350

[SLONOMA]

I've seen plenty of 3.8L motors, no matter which series, make it well over 200k, and have listened to many 3.4L, and 3.1L motors with some nice piston slapping before 150k. Plus many 3.8 motors get just as good, if not better gas mileage than the 3.4, and 3.1's. 3.8 takes the cake.