Can the 3.8 Kill Rice?

[Geesie]

Don't know what you were doing wrong. I got mine up well past 100 a couple times.

Not tryn to start a fight here or anything but what car did you have that had more then an 85 mph speedo and a 3.8? Just curious. My Monte with it's 4.3 and 323's went better then any na 3.8 I've seen and I could barely do more then 85.

Heh, I figured someone would ask that. The speedo did only go to 85 but when the transmission was rebuilt the wrong gear was put in. I took it on the road a few times with another vehicle to pace me and figure out what the speedometer numbers represented. I got a few data points and plotted a best-fit graph. 85 on the speedo was about 106 real speed, and I got it up to a speed where the needle was bouncing off the pin at the end, so "in excess of 106 MPH".

 

[midwestls]

That makes sense. I wasn't sure.

 

[1986montecarlols]

my 4.3

engine only goes to about 95 or so. It does seem to get to 3rd gear pretty quick though which is around 60. I dont know nothin about the 3.8s though. I expect my 0-60 time would be somewhere around 8 0r 9 seconds, its after that when it gets to 3rd gear is basically dies. lol Its a 3 speed by the way so that also doesnt help.

 

[Geesie]

The theoretical top speed (barring wind resistance) for the three-speed with stock 2.41 rear gears is 170. 3.73 rear end knocks it down to 110.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Aaaah, but remember that the power needed to accelerate to a given speed is an exponential function, not a linear one. Plus, have you ever noticed the aerodynamics of a G body? It has a coefficient of drag only seen today by large SUV's. I think it is 0.45, or more than double a GM EV-1 (0.19 cd), the most aerodynamic car ever made.

 

[Euro]

wow I had no idea the N/A 3.8 in G-bodies was that horrible. I was going to come in here and say my 3.8(3800 wrong wheel drive) is pretty respectable for being in such a heavy car, my 2000 Grand Prix....but that's not what this thread's about :lol:

 

[Blake442]

When I first got my '81 Regal, I thought there was something wrong with it cause it was so slow... Turns out the problem was that there was a 3.8 in it... :lol:

 

[Larryg]

When I first got my '81 Regal, I thought there was something wrong with it cause it was so slow... Turns out the problem was that there was a 3.8 in it... :lol:

I hear that! I want to put on my sexier looking vette wheels with some nice 275/50's but I have a few hills I have to conquer on my rides home. 😛 I pick up that 403 this week and I have to figure out a way to get it installed this summer instead of next year. It looks silly with 14" wire hubcaps.

 

[DelOhio]

"I'm not reading this!" Weather its true or not I REFUSE to admit or accept that a Honda will out run any V6 GBody!

"Live above the influence of that j* Crap!" :shock:

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Meh, I love my Japanese pickup truck. Anything that can see 30-40k a year with little to no trouble and require only minor maintenance for 317,000 miles is a good vehicle.