Automotive Forums .com - the leading automotive community online! Automotive Forums .com - the leading automotive community online!
Automotive Forums .com - the leading automotive community online! 
-
Latest | 0 Rplys
Go Back   Automotive Forums .com Car Chat > Buick > Skylark
Reply Show Printable Version Show Printable Version | Email this Page Email this Page | Subscription Subscribe to this Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 09-16-2019, 04:04 PM   #1
Tom_SF
Buick Owner
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: San Francisco, California
Posts: 68
Thanks: 5
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Skylark Engines

My 1995 Skylark Gran Sport finally gave out. It had 156,000 miles on it and all of a sudden the engine decided to freeze-up when I tried to start it. I have no idea why. The engine ran great for months. No chirping, noise or hesitation.

The mechanic said that he worked with all of the Buick engines for these years (1992 to 1998) and said the 3.1 V6 and 3.4 V6 engines have a problem with water leaking into the engine somehow (I don't recall exactly how he phrased it) and eventually the engine will freeze-up. He said the best Buick engines are the 3800's. They're "bulletproof". Now I find out....

I had this car for 19 years and took care of it.
Tom_SF is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2019, 05:01 PM   #2
Stealthee
Your worst nightmare
 
Stealthee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Smithfield, Pennsylvania
Posts: 6,048
Thanks: 37
Thanked 251 Times in 245 Posts
Re: Skylark Engines

The 3.1 and 3.4 have intake issues, but the 3.8's do too. The 3.8's are not what I'd consider bulletproof, they have their weaknesses too.
__________________
Stealthee is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Stealthee For This Useful Post:
Tom_SF (09-21-2019)
Old 09-17-2019, 06:56 AM   #3
Blue Bowtie
Registered Offender
 
Blue Bowtie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Rural
Posts: 6,513
Thanks: 6
Thanked 341 Times in 336 Posts
Re: Skylark Engines

Agreed. The Chevy 60° V-6 engines commonly develop leaks at the intake-head flanges, and that can be repaired. This can happen with any engine, but they seem a bit more prone than the Buick 90° V-6.

No engine is "bullet-proof" but I would consider the Buick 231 to be "highly-bullet-resistant" compared to most engines produced through its nearly 50 year production history.
__________________
Permanent seat assignment on the Group W bench...
Automotive Forums Survival Guide
Blue Bowtie is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Blue Bowtie For This Useful Post:
Tom_SF (09-21-2019)
Old 09-21-2019, 04:42 PM   #4
Tom_SF
Buick Owner
Thread starter
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: San Francisco, California
Posts: 68
Thanks: 5
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Re: Skylark Engines

Come to think of it, sometimes I would notice the transient smell of coolant but I never saw a leak, nor did I have any overheating. I had the manifold gasket replaced maybe 10 years ago. Do you suppose it could have happened again?
Tom_SF is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply

POST REPLY TO THIS THREAD


Tags
engines , skylark
Go Back   Automotive Forums .com Car Chat > Buick > Skylark

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:29 AM.

Community Participation Guidelines | How to use your User Control Panel

Powered by: vBulletin | Copyright Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
 
 
no new posts