3.8l

[Cookiekid]

I hace a 3.8l grand prix and I want to stay with that engine heard people say these engine can give a lot of power but also they say its a dog...does anyone have a 3.8l with power im trying to give my gp a little more of power or what do you recomend i live in cali but I’ve seen a lot of gbodys with ls swaps without a problem.

 

[fleming442]

Nope. It be what it be, unless you can sneak a turbo past the emission nazis.

 

[olds307 and 403]

He may be able to use the 85 only SEFI FWD fuel injection set up on his 3.8. A few more hp and torque. Add a 2004R and 3.42 or better gears. That will make it faster and better on fuel. Either that or cringe, a LS being California.

 

[jiho]

He may be able to use the 85 only SEFI FWD fuel injection set up on his 3.8. A few more hp and torque. Add a 2004R and 3.42 or better gears. That will make it faster and better on fuel.

Nope, them coals has been thoroughly raked over. FWD stuff won't fly in a RWD car. Everything between the heads and the catalytic converter must be factory stock for the emissions control system -- in this case meaning the FWD motor -- and there is no way to adapt FWD exhaust to a G-body. If not for that it would be an interesting solution for the turbophobe -- just turn the intake around, or even use the intercooled turbo intake (which would be legal, oddly enough).

Anyway, that's how a Referee Supervisor explained it to me one time.

 

[olds307 and 403]

Then LS it is. Anything stock looking, 2bbl and crappy factory exhaust mean no performance, don't bother if that is the criteria. So no 4bbl and intake off a factory 4.1 V6 RWD? I believe they were 81 to 85, CCC and EGR. Your factory ECM should run it no problem. I would start with a 2004R and upgrade the gears to 3.42 plus.

 

[ck80]

Then LS it is. Anything stock looking, 2bbl and crappy factory exhaust mean no performance, don't bother if that is the criteria. So no 4bbl and intake off a factory 4.1 V6 RWD? I believe they were 81 to 85, CCC and EGR. Your factory ECM should run it no problem. I would start with a 2004R and upgrade the gears to 3.42 plus.

Realistically it's not worth the effort.

When the engines were new the difference between a 3.8 and 4.1 was negligable.

3.8 - 110hp, 190 ft lb
4.1 - 125hp, 205 ft lb

It wasn't a case of shorting the ratings for isurance companies either, just never was a firebreather.

You've also got to account for the fact that the 4.1 gained some of that additional power from the extra 21 ci displacement.

Neither on the street nor on the butt dyno will you see anything appreciable or particularly noticeable from the intake/carb but will see a lot of work doing it.

A maintained 3.8 runs forever. I like the motors for what they are. However, it wont get you there very fast. The fast 231 were the grand national motors that shared little but the block and sometimes head castings with the naturally aspirated ones.

 

[jiho]

So no 4bbl and intake off a factory 4.1 V6 RWD? I believe they were 81 to 85, CCC and EGR. Your factory ECM should run it no problem. I would start with a 2004R and upgrade the gears to 3.42 plus.

Nope. Cannot mix and match parts between different motors. Here it's all about CARB* certification for each motor. Each motor was CARB* certified from the factory, or allowed in under some kind of quota.

There are kits available that put the GM TBI setup on the RWD Buick V6, like off the 4.3L and V8s. But none of them are CARB* certified, so none of them are legal here.

Only the factory and aftermarket companies can get stuff CARB* certified for a motor, mere citizenry cannot.

*California Air Resources Board

 

[jiho]

I might add, motors that were allowed in under a quota but never California certified, are NOT legal to swap into a car that was California certified from the factory. Not a legal swap in California, that is.

 

[jiho]

A maintained 3.8 runs forever.

Heh. Like some people say about a Mercedes diesel, it might last longer than you'd like.

 

[olds307 and 403]

I imagine G bodies are cheap in California. Who would want to own one, especially a 3.8L version.