[Manitcor]

Co-Author(s): SS Girl


1995 - 1998 1999 2000-2001 Type L36 3800 Series II
L36 3800 Series II
L36 3800 Series II
Configuration OHV 90* V6
OHV 90* V6
OHV 90* V6
Displacement 3.8L (231 ci)
3.8L (231 ci)
3.8L (231 ci)
Engine Block
Cast Iron
Cast Iron
Cast Iron
Bore 3.8in (96.52 mm)
3.8in (96.52 mm) 3.8in (96.52 mm) Stroke 3.4in (86.36 mm)
3.4in (86.36 mm) 3.4in (86.36 mm) Compression Ratio
9.4:1 9.4:1 9.4:1 Firing Order
1-6-5-4-3-2 1-6-5-4-3-2 1-6-5-4-3-2 Fuel 87 octane
87 octane 87 octane Fuel System
SFI
SFI SFI Fuel Pressure
48-55 psi (ignition ON)
3-10 psi loss at idle 48-55 psi (ignition ON)
3-10 psi loss at idle 48-55 psi (ignition ON)
3-10 psi loss at idle Injector Size
22lbs (AC Delco 217-306) 22lbs (AC Delco 217-306) 22lbs (AC Delco 217-306) Cylinder Heads
Cast Iron
Cast Iron Cast Iron Combustion Chamber
64 cc
64 cc 64 cc Intake Valve
1.800 in
1.800 in 1.800 in Exhaust Valve
1.520 in
1.520 in 1.520 in Exhaust Manifold
Cast Cast Tubular Intake Manifold @ TB
Angled Stright Stright Throttle Body
65 mm Hitachi
65 mm Hitachi 65 mm Hitachi MAF AC Delco
AC Delco AC Delco Thermostat 195* 180* 180* Oil 10W-30 10W-30 10W-30 Oil Pressure @ OT
60 psi @ 1850 rpm
60 psi @ 1850 rpm 60 psi @ 1850 rpm Flywheel Horsepower
200 @ 5200 rpm
200 @ 5200 rpm 200 @ 5200 rpm Flywheel Torque
225 @ 4000 rpm
225 @ 4000 rpm 225 @ 4000 rpm
3800 History
Orignal Author: Unknown

The first 3.8 liter Buick V-6's came out in the early 60's,the uneven firing order produced a rough
idling engine, not many were sold, and the design was sold to AMC Jeep in '67(several '67 Jeep
CJ's and other models had the 'new' 3.8 liter V-6), Buick bought back the design in '74,and
punched out the bore to 3.800 inches (thus the 3800 engine was born and 'reintroduced' in
Buick’s in '75), still with it's uneven firing order until mid-year '77(some '77 3.8's were produced as
uneven and some were even) when Buick revised the crank throws. SEVERAL major
upgrades/revisions were done to the engine since then, making it one of the most largely
produced and popular motors in GM (and All of automotive) history
The first 3.8 were offered in 1975 on the Skyhawk, Apollo, and Century/Regal. It was even
offered in the LeSabre in 1976! In 1976 the LeSabre was huge at 227 inches and 4200 pounds!
The 3.8L made 110 horsepower. Buick introduced the first American V-6 for 1962. It was simply
a Buick V-8 with two cylinders chopped off. So, actually the 3800 can be traced all the way back
to 1953 when Buick made their first V-8.

Buick's final turbocharged V-6 was built in 1987 because something better was in the offering.
Engineers had concluded that a supercharged V-6 offers an excellent combination of virtues:
compactness, durability, reliability, fuel efficiency, smoothness, and plenty of power potential.
Efforts to perfect a modern supercharger for automotive use began at Eaton Corp. in 1977
between the first and second energy crises. By 1991, both Buick and Eaton were ready to
introduce what has become the most successful supercharged automotive engine in history.
Since it was reintroduced for the 1975 model year, the Buick 3800 V-6 has enjoyed continuous
refinement:

• Adoption of a split-pin crankshaft facilitated smoother even firing in 1977.
• Larger valves and new intake and exhaust ports raised power in 1979.
• Direct fire ignition and electronic port-type fuel injection were added in 1984.
• Single-serpentine-belt accessory drive was introduced in 1985.
• Reduced-friction, roller-type hydraulic lifters and sequential fuel injection came in 1986.
• Low-drag piston rings, digital exhaust gas recirculation, direct-impingement fuel injection
targeting, and a quick-start ignition were added in 1988. A new counter-rotating balance
shaft eliminated the second-order rocking couple inherent to all V-6 engines.
• Tuned-port induction boosted horsepower and torque in 1990.
• Roller rocker arms, a higher compression ratio, and reduced piston ring tension improved
efficiency in 1993.

In 1995, Buick thoroughly overhauled the successful 3800 V-6 in anticipation of rising customer
expectations. The latest advancements in design, materials, and manufacturing were invested in
the new engine, now designated 3800 Series II V-6.
Key features are as follows:

• A low deck height cylinder block trims 8.8 pounds of weight and reduces the exterior
dimensions.
• Cross-bolted main-bearing caps and a deep-skirt design improves stiffness to reduce
noise radiated from the engine.
• Lightweight pistons with floating pins and low-tension rings in combination with shorter
cast-steel connecting rods reduce reciprocating mass and internal friction.
• More rigidly mounted external accessories (alternator, power steering pump, AC
compressor) are smoother and quieter in operation.
• Replacing the balance shaft's front roller bearing with a pressure-lubed sleeve bearing
reduces noise.
• Cylinder heads with symmetric ports and combustion chambers balance power output,
improving smoothness and reducing emissions.
• Larger valves, less restrictive intake and exhaust ports, a larger throttle body and mirrorsmooth
passages in the molded composite intake manifold improve volumetric efficiency.
Lighter, stiffer valve train components facilitate a 6000-rpm redline.
• More aggressive valve timing improves both low and high rpm output.
• Horsepower, torque and fuel efficiency are improved by a higher 9.4:1 compression ratio.
• The addition of dual knock sensors permits optimum spark timing and protection against
detonation.
• Oil pan, crankshaft, and water pump seals are improved to yield a lifetime leak-free
engine.
• A constrained-layer oil pan design (sound-deadening material between two layers of
steel) quiets noise at the bottom of the engine.
• Exhaust manifolds and connecting pipes are designed to minimize the radiation of both
heat and noise for quiet operation and rapid warm-up of the catalytic converter.
• A foam-lined top acoustical cover mutes injector click and intake system noise.

Nearly all of the Series II refinements invested in the normally aspirated 3800 V-6 were passed
on to the supercharged version in 1996. In addition, the supercharger's internal displacement was
increased from 62 to 90 cubic inches. Driving the blower 1.8 times faster than crankshaft speed
yields a maximum full-throttle boost of 7.5 psi and impressive output: 240 horsepower at 5200
rpm and 280 lb-ft of torque at 3600 rpm.

That's more torque than any other manufacturer offers in a six-cylinder engine, including
Porsche's new 911.

Delivering a supercharged engine that's as smooth, quiet, efficient, and trouble-free as the 3800
Series II is no easy feat. The entire powertrain must be treated as one interrelated system to
meet a long list of demands without compromise.

The air induction tract must be tuned from the mouth of the air cleaner all the way to the intake
valve for quiet operation with maximum performance.

Two Helmholtz resonators eliminate induction boom. Cavities are also positioned in the
supercharger's cast aluminum housing to quiet induction noise. Each rotor has three lobes, which
are twisted 60 degrees along their length to smooth pressure build up and airflow. These
extruded-aluminum rotors are powder-coated with epoxy for lifetime durability.

Since the rotors seal without contact, there is no chance for wear in normal service. An axial entry
port at the rear of the housing and a bottom exit port are carefully configured to hush the siren
sound with no loss of flow capacity.

Sealed lubricant reservoirs at both ends of the supercharger provide lifetime maintenance-free
reliability. During idle and cruise operation, a valve controlled by the powertrain computer
bypasses intake air around the supercharger to minimize drag.

That helps deliver excellent fuel efficiency: The Buick Regal GS achieves 18 mpg in EPA city
driving and 27 mpg in highway ratings. The Buick Park Avenue Ultra and the Riviera both score
18 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. Buick's balance of supercharged performance
and efficiency beats virtually every V-8-powered automobile on the U. S. market.

In summary, the supercharging road is long and winding with side trips high into the sky. But this
much is inarguable: supercharging the 3800 V-6 engine is a marriage made in engineering
heaven.

More on the '95 L36 GM 3800 V6: block is 11 pounds lighter, rods are .64 inches shorter, pistons
are different, the main caps are powder metal, the balance shaft now has a plain bearing in back
instead of a roller, a windage tray has been added, pistons have floating pins, dual knock sensors
are used, new ports and "symmetrical" combustion chambers, lighter valve, investment-cast
rockers.


Chevy Production 90 degree - V6 Engine
Orignal Author: Unknown

In 1962 Buick produced the first V6 engine. The engine was successful but had very limited
popularity and so Buick sold the rights to the engine to Kaiser Jeep, later purchased by American
Motors. The fuel crunch of the 70’s prompted Buick to buy back rights to the V6 engine in 1974.
Buick has used this V6 with various modifications since that time.

In 1978 Chevy introduced its first V6 engine, a 200 cid engine with a 3.50" bore and 3.48" stroke.
The new engine was based on the very successful small block with identical block geometry
having a deck height (centerline of crankshaft to cylinder deck measured along the centerline of
the bore) of 9.025" and a height (centerline of crankshaft to top of engine along the center of the
90 deg. V) of 9.805". Cylinders are spaced on 4.40" centers on each bank and the centers of
cylinders on the two banks are offset to accommodate the two connecting rods on each crank
journal. Cylinder banks are at 90 deg. to each other as in the small block. The V6 - 90 deg. block
is therefore a small block V8 with numbers 3 and no. 6 cylinders removed. Many of the small
block components including valves, rocker arms, springs, piston assemblies etc. are therefore
interchangeable with the 90 deg. - V6. In 1980 the displacement was increased to 229 cid with a
3.74" bore and 3.48" stroke; virtually identical to the 305 cid small block bore and stroke. the 229
cid engine had 1.84" dia. intake valves and 1.50" dia. exhaust valves. All 1978 to 1984 V6’s were
produced in a semi even-fire version.

While the 90 deg. - V8 engine produces a natural even-fire engine with each cylinder firing at 120
deg. intervals the 90 deg. - V6 engine is an odd-fire engine. In the odd-fire mode V6 engines
typically run rough with excessive vibration. The odd-fire V6 operation was improved substantially
by modifying the crankshaft. Each pair of adjacent connecting rods shared a crankshaft throw
with the two journals offset by 18 deg. This offset produced a firing sequence of 132 deg./108
deg. or a semi even-fire sequence throughout the firing order. It also required that connecting rod
lower ends be 0.050" narrower than the small block V8 engines to provide for a thrust bearing
between adjacent connecting rod journals.

In 1985 a 262 cid (3.4L) engine (4.00" bore x 3.48" stroke) was introduced with a true even fire
sequence of 120 deg; the internal block dimensions are identical to the 350 cid small block. This
even-fire sequence was accomplished by increasing the offset between adjacent crank journals
to 30 deg. In order to give the 30 deg. offset the rod journal diameter had to be increased from
2.10" to 2.25" to provide enough overlap between offset journals. Connecting rods in the 4.3L
V6’s are not compatible with any other Chevy engines. The 262 Cid engine had 1.94" intake
valves and 1.50" exhaust valves. Fuel induction systems for the 4.3L engine included quadrajet
carburetors, throttle body fuel injection (TBI) and central port fuel injection (CPI).

As market conditions have required higher horsepower's Chevy has responded by increasing
displacement and in 1996 Chevy started producing the 3.8L (231 cid) engine being used
previously by Buick, Pontiac and Oldsmobile. Production V6/90 deg. engines use lightweight cast
iron blocks, two bolt main bearing caps, nodular cast iron crankshafts and forged connecting
rods.

Below is a table of the main dimensions for all production 90 deg. - V6 Chev engines from 1978
to present :
CID Years Bore Stroke Block Material
Actual CID
Litres Main Bearing
200 78-79 3.50 3.48 Cast Iron
200.9 3.29 2 bolt
229 80-84 3.74 3.48 Cast Iron 229.4 3.76 2 bolt 262 85-94 4.00 3.48 Cast Iron 262.4 4.30 2 bolt 231* 96+ 3.80 3.40 Cast Iron 231.4 3.79 2 bolt* First produced by Buick as a 231 CID engine from 1967 to 1995.

• All production 90 deg. - V6 engines have 2.45" main bearings.
• Production 200 and 229 cid engines have 2.10" rod journals, each pair of individual
journals are offset 18 deg. to produce a semi even firing sequence of 132 deg./108 deg.
throughout the order.
• Production 200 and 229 cid V6 engines have 1.84" intake and 1.50" exhaust valves.
• Production 262 cid engine has 2.25" rod journals, each pair of individual journals are
offset 30 deg. to produce a true even fire engine with 120 deg. between crank journals.
• Production 262 cid V6 engines have 1.94" intake and 1.50" exhaust valves.
• All 90 deg. V6 engines have rod length of 5.70" (same as small block V8’s).
• Competition V6’s use common journal crankshafts producing an odd fire sequence of 150
deg./90 deg.
• Firing order on all 90 deg. - V6 engines is 1-6-5-4-3-2

The 3800 family is a large V6 engine used by General Motors. The series began in 1962 with Buick's 215 in³ engines, the first V6 in an American car. Because it was derived from a V8, it has a 90° bank between cylinders. The block is made of cast iron and all 3800s use 2-valve pushrod iron heads.

There have been three generations of this engine:

Series I
198
231
3.8
4.1
3800
Series II
L36
L67 supercharged
Series III
L26
L32 supercharged

198
The cast-iron 198 in³ Fireball Buick V6 was derived from their innovative aluminum 215 in³ V8. It debuted in the 1962 Buick Special. The bore was increased to match the 340 in³ V8 for 1963, increasing displacement to 225 in³.



Dauntless
In 1965, Kaiser began using the Buick 225 in Jeep CJs. It was known as the Dauntless 225 and used a much heavier flywheel than the Buick version for increased torque. Buick sold the tooling for this engine to Kaiser in 1967, as the demand for the little engine was waning steadily in an era of V8s and muscle cars. When American Motors bought Jeep, they began replacing the earlier engines with AMC designs, so the V6 was no longer needed.

231
The fuel crisis of the early 1970s prompted Buick to buy back the design in 1974 and re-introduce the V6 in certain 1975 models. The bore was enlarged to 3.8 in (thus the 3800 name) to match Buick's 350 in³ V8 for a total of 231 in³ displacement. The engine, as it had since its creation, had problems with roughness due to the uneven firing pattern inherent in the V6 design. In 1977, Buick devised an innovative redesign of the crankshaft, flywheel, and distributor, which greatly alleviated the problem, creating a new even-firing version of the engine. Due to difficulties with the new fuel economy and emissions standards, the engine produced just 110 hp.

This engine was used in the following vehicles:

1975 Buick Skyhawk
1975 Buick Apollo
1975 Buick Century
1975 Buick Regal
1976 Buick LeSabre

3.8
In 1978, GM began to market the 231 as the 3.8 liter as metric engine sizes became common in the United States. Starting in 1979, the engine was used in the front wheel drive Buick Riviera, though still with a longitudinal mounting. Larger valves and better intake and exhaust boosted the power output for 1979. Port fuel injection was added in 1984 and improved to sequential for 1986. A turbocharged version was introduced as the pace car at the 1976 Indianapolis 500, and a production turbo arrived in the 1979 Buick Riviera S Type.

The turbo 3.8 was used in the following vehicles:

1979-1985 Buick Riviera S Type
1980-1981 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
1980-1987 Buick Regal and Grand National
1989 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo

3.0
A small 3.0 L version was produced for Buick's 1980s front wheel drive cars.


4.1
In response to rising gas prices, a larger 4.1 L version of the 3800 was briefly produced. This was found in many large rear wheel drive Buicks and even some Cadillacs.


3800

A supercharged 3800 installed in a Buick Riviera for 1995, the last year of Series I production. Power is 225 hp for this version.
In 1986, the engine was modified for transverse mounting in smaller, FWD vehicles. About this same time, the 3800 designation was introduced, and these engines would later be considered the Series I. This generation continued in use in several GM products, including Australian Holdens, into the 1990s. It was replaced by the L36 in 1996.

The turbocharged 1986 Buick Regal Grand National was called America's quickest automobile, and the model continues to be collected and appreciated today. Later supercharged versions were also produced.


3300
A smaller 3.3 L 3300 was introduced in 1989.


L36
The L36 is the Series II version of the engine. It has a 96.52 mm bore and 86.36 mm stroke for 3.8 L (3791 cc) of displacement. Power is 200 hp (150 kW) and torque is 230 ft.lb (312 Nm). It was first introduced in 1995.

This engine is or was used in the following vehicles:

Buick Park Avenue
Buick Le Sabre
Buick Regal
Buick Riviera
Pontiac Bonneville
Pontiac Grand Prix
Chevrolet Impala
Chevrolet Monte Carlo

L67
The L67 is the supercharged version of the Series II L36. Power is up to 240 hp (180 kW) and 280 ft.lb (380 Nm) of torque. The engine is built in Flint, Michigan. The supercharged version appeared in 1996, one year later than the normally aspirated engine.

This engine is or was used in the following cars:

Buick Park Avenue
Buick Regal
Buick Riviera
Pontiac Bonneville
Pontiac Grand Prix
Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS (04, 05)
Chevrolet Impala SS (04, 05)

L26
The L26 is the Series III version of the 3800. It is still a 3.8 L design.

This engine is used in the following vehicles:

Pontiac Grand Prix
Buick LaCrosse

L32
The L32 is a supercharged Series III.

This engine is used in the following vehicles:

Pontiac Grand Prix