Thread: SE, GT, OR GTP Motor Debate

turdy eight hundo.

Originally Posted by burgundybullet

02 had an option for a 3800 too I'm pretty sure.


And OP 3800 would be your best bet. If you are looking for a car that you don't need to always run 91 in you could settle for the GT. If you are looking for something that has more power and don't mind spending more money at the pump everytime you fill up then the GTP would suit you fine. If you don't plan on modding at all but still want to get something quickish get the GTP for sure. You know what? Just get a GTP because if you don't do it know you will spend the rest of your life wondering why you didn't like I am. lol. Plus you will probably like the supercharger whine as well.

You show me a 01+ gp Se with a 3800. AFAIK after 01 the 3800 was only available in the gt and gtp.

Sent from my H866C using Tapatalk 2

Originally Posted by slick2500

You show me a 01+ gp Se with a 3800. AFAIK after 01 the 3800 was only available in the gt and gtp.

Sent from my H866C using Tapatalk 2

One of my managers at my last job had an 02 with the 3800. Or at least she said it was an 02. Maybe someone swapped it in there after the old one blew up possibly?

Is the SE motor just garbage or what?

The 3100 (the Chevy version) is an excellent example of an average motor from the 1980's. Cars never used to last more than about 120k miles so that was the design point.

What do you think, is the 3800 a better motor..why or why not?

I know the 3800 is a better motor. In the lobby of Buick Factory 36 there was a WALL covered in awards for the 3800 motor, worldwide awards since the 3800 was assembled overseas as well as the source plant in Flint Michigan.
In all manufacturing processes quality is checked at various intervals, sometimes once an hour, sometimes once a day, and sometimes once a year just before the quality audit is done. On the 3800 line quality was never taken for granted which is why the wall was covered in awards. At the Factory 36 reunion there are retirees with over 400,000 miles on their 3800, on their way to 500,000 miles. That is PRIDE in a job well done.

There was supposed to be a Series 4 3800 with around 300 HP without a blower. About 60 were built. Imagine what might have been.

Originally Posted by mystic231

There was supposed to be a Series 4 3800 with around 300 HP without a blower. About 60 were built. Imagine what might have been.

Where are these engines???? They need TVS right nao.

They were scrapped. The Corvette at the time had 315 HP. There was no way in **** that the Company was going to allow a non-Chevrolet motor to upstage their plastic wundercar, especially a V6 non-Chevrolet motor.
GM was originally set up on Division lines rather than platform lines like they are now. The Series 4 came at the tail end of the Division era so it was cancelled because Chevy didn't want it.

That is interesting...do you have any information on the series 4?

Now would be a good time to bring the 3800 back into production, I mean why not it was 1 of the top 10 ten engines of the 20th century.

They won't, they have the 3.6L direct injected that makes around 250hp. Per wikipedia it can be expanded to 4.0L.
Which means technically they could bore/stroke the 3.6L and make a new 3.8L down the road.
Having owned both a 3100 Monte and my 3.8L GP, I vote 3.8L.

Yes, exactly. The next generation after the LFX should be expanded to 3.8L and called the 3800 series 4.

Wouldn't it just be awesome if they decided to make the twin turbo v6 3.8L and stick it in the new Grand National?

Would love to see more about this 3800 S4.

And definitely go 3800. Mine has been to hell and back. Never gives up.