3800 series 2 "bulletproof" eh?

[DBGP]

Hey well ive heard alot about this engine being really reliable and can run forever pretty much....but definitely not me. I am the second owner of this car. I drove it hard when i first got it but the past year and a half i drive like a normal person, but every month or 2 id fool around with the buds and race em but thats about it. At 153***kms, 11pm at night, some middle of no where road i was racing my friends new 04 civic si. First race i raped him, then on the second, i blew my head gasket, engine died and i coasted to the side of the road. (dont worry i still kicked his ass lol.) So i got towed home, then to the shop next day. Turns out my block was cracked,and head gasket was blown. so i dished out the $$ and got a completely new rebuilt block. The car runs like a dream now, and methinks i got it broken in....1200kms on it now.

But i got my ssm90 kit ready to be put on and im just so paranoid now, i dont wana floor it ever again lol. Im almost thinking on ditching the s/c and selling it. Right now i just dont trust my car now. Did i just happen to get a s****y engine? The person before me did very little maintenance on it but i cleaned up all that.

The shop said my UIM was toast and i was running low compression, which makes sense cause id do 0-60 runs and id get upper 9's. So now i wana do some runs and see how much ive improved since its fixed but BLEH i just cant, i just think itl blow up again. CONVINCE ME THAT ITS OK

[biggt]

wanna go fast=$$$$$
beating on your car=$$$$$

so basicly the way you drive is the way your engine will be bad or good,

[gtpinsc]

i think the shop lied to u.

[Sandman]

CONVINCE ME THAT ITS OK

My car is at 140k+ miles (~225 kilometers) with a (maybe 2) chipped piston for the past 10K miles and running faster than it was before. I still beat the crap out of it and have no worries. I don't think that you have anything to worry about on your GT when mine is a ticking bomb waiting to blow.

[Silver GTP]

These cars do have some problems, but are pretty solid. Remember though that engineers design cars and they try to design everything to the minimum of what is required. If you beat on it frequently, you are pushing that design limit and will break things more often. That's where the aftermarket and forums like this one come in. You can learn the weakest points of the car and make them stronger so you can beat on it more safely.

[matt5112]

How in the hell did you manage to blow up an L36?

I mean if the cat is clogged and you beat it like a race car (which these are not) then yes, I can see it doing this.

Otherwise, I'm amazed.

If you have low compression do a leakdown test to see where the leak is, if its past the rings then you need a new engine.

[QUICKSILVER462]

Engine block dont just crack, somthing has to make them crack, like freezing over without proper glycol mixture. Your blwing a headgasket may have caused the crack due to the engine "hydraulic" when water gets into the cylinder it cannot be compressed, somthing has got to give. The 3800 series block is very strong due to it's "y" design, and cross bolted main bearing caps, (best type of four bolt mains).
If your going to be doing any type of hard driving, first on the list of modifications that I think should be done is opening up the top piston ring gap at least .005-.010 for n/a applications, and .015 for supercharged and turbocharged engines, but this number really depends on the type of pistons you are running, and how much heat (power) you plan on making wiht the engine.
Like everyone has stated, fast=money to be spent, and you have to EXCPECT things to break when you drive them hard because eventually somting will let go, no mechanical device is perfect.

[01gpgt01]

My cars had the ssm90 on it for 5 years. Im on a intercooled,e85 3.2 pulley going to a 3.0 pulley. Ive made over 70 track pass's and Beat on the car every time I drive it. Granted mines not a daily driver but I am very hard on the car. Only Issues ive had are the trans is getting weak after 5 years of beatings and ive went thru 2 wheel bearings.

[DBGP]

My cars had the ssm90 on it for 5 years. Im on a intercooled,e85 3.2 pulley going to a 3.0 pulley. Ive made over 70 track pass's and Beat on the car every time I drive it. Granted mines not a daily driver but I am very hard on the car. Only Issues ive had are the trans is getting weak after 5 years of beatings and ive went thru 2 wheel bearings.

Yea that makes me feel abit better

i know about the whole thing on the harder you drive the quicker things break but this seems abit early, especially since i took care of it and didnt beat on it for hte longest time. And i highly doubt my cat is clogged because i have a catted dp from zzp on there and its about 6 months old so it better not be clogged lol. But this car is a daily driver, but if it does break down i have my motorbike to back me up, so its not like im so dead if my car is off the road for a week.

[footballplaya3k]

My cars had the ssm90 on it for 5 years. Im on a intercooled,e85 3.2 pulley going to a 3.0 pulley. Ive made over 70 track pass's and Beat on the car every time I drive it. Granted mines not a daily driver but I am very hard on the car. Only Issues ive had are the trans is getting weak after 5 years of beatings and ive went thru 2 wheel bearings.

Are you still on the stock GT tranny? If so I'm impressed.

[matt5112]

HD tranny had a better diff, lower gear ratio and possibly a different bearing in one spot as far as i know....

not exactly built either.

[OrangeL67]

Man I beat the hell out of my cammed l67 and it has 185k on the original block. Only problems I get are vac leaks, misfires and little minor crap like that.

[Pepino]

The person before me did very little maintenance on it but i cleaned up all that.

I'm pretty sure this would have something to do with your situation.

Also, I think the saying goes...

1. Cheap
2. Fast
3. Reliable
you only get to pick two

[blueguy]

I'll take #2 and #3 please.

I'd rather spend money if it's done right.

[Bio248]

ill do all three and make you all jealous.

[matt5112]

Bikes dont count

[TLSheff]

ill do all three and make you all jealous.

You sold yours, doesn't count

[01gpgt01]

Are you still on the stock GT tranny? If so I'm impressed.

Yep still on the ORGINAL trans

[16MustangVet]

Um why has no one mentioned REGULAR maintenance work!!! This is what is most needed and consistent oil changes ect. Beat on your car use crappy parts or dont keep up with the work at all and I have no sorrow for you at all!!!!

[hockey4lifexx]

i think the shop lied to u.

That's exactly what I thought when I read that lol