Thread: Are my pistons screwed?

Originally Posted by Thinkmoto

So if your DD is a GTP and you drive it like grandma(my ex) and you still run into this problem? Not trying to be a dick but there has to be a reason outside of detonation.

There could be many, many reasons for this or none at all. Hell you could even have just had a fluke bad motor...who knows. How many miles were on this when it happened just out of curiosity? How long have you owned the car. It could have been from a previous owners driving habits if you didnt buy it new.

if you drive your car normally this usually doesnt happen. i think its a case of bad luck, honestly. i beat my car like it owed me money and have torn it down on more than one occaision to find out all the pistons were there in good condition.

If it was bad due to poor assembly(your claim of a monday/friday car) I doubt it would have held on for over 100k

Originally Posted by Thinkmoto

100K miles isn't **** in this day and age.

yes...exactly...that is why if something will fail due to being assembled poorly it should fail way before that. If it is due to a freak metal compound bad then it could at any time depending on how far it is off from proper specs. It could be due to anything...you will never know bottom line. Sorry it happened to you, it could happen to anyone, but you are in the vast minority. The 3800 is known to be one of if not the longest lasting engines in general if taken care of properly. It just happens to be that you are in the minority, but no engine is perfect for everyone forever.

Wouldnt the ECU detect knock and then retard timming from keeping the engine from detonating when running 87 OCT???
Cause i know with my SRT-4 the ECu will lower boost and take some timming away when anyone runs 87 OCT. I only run 91+oct........

It will only pull timing after it all ready knocks. knock sensor it detects knock when it happens then pulls timing. So you engine has to be knocking for it to kick in.

Wow, then it doesnt take much for these motors to go then cause ive have 14 counts of knock on my neon and it is still running fine... I mean a bad tank of gas on a stock car shouldnt be enough to have the motor go.... I have more research to do about the GTP UGH

Yeah im keeping the srt-4. theres no way im getting rid of it. I want to get the GTP as my daily driver.... The srt-4 is my track car.... but i just want to get the GTP up to the 13's and ill call it a day for a little while lol......

they take quite a bit of abuse, but any motor would go away under some of the conditions we put them under. the entire platform was never intended on being a race car.

it would be awesome. that roots blower would have made for a mean car with a manual.

Originally Posted by Bio248

it would be awesome. that roots blower would have made for a mean car with a manual.

Friend of mine had a 10 second 3800 in his cutlass, got a bad gear set from zzp and it ended up frying so much **** he took the engine out and dumped the cutlass. Come spring he's swapping that engine into a GP and putting a 5 speed manual in it. Can't wait to take that thing for a drive.

Was the 3800 built when it ran the 10?

zzp makes 500 hp on a stock gt bottom end with twin turbo's.

cant say how long it actually last tho...

Originally Posted by blowfishRus6

zzp makes 500 hp on a stock gt bottom end with twin turbo's.

cant say how long it actually last tho...

Im sure the GTP stock motor could run a 10 then lol