96 Lumina 3.4L engine

[dennis834]

A small percentage of the 96 Lumina production had the3.4L DOHC engine. I understand that the 96 Impala SS also had a similar engine. Does someone here know how similar (or different) thse two engines are?

Dennis

[jeffcoslacker]

The '96 Impala SS had a 5.7 liter LT1 V8 (260 hp)
in a rear wheel drive configuration. Not even close.

But that 3.4 DOHC V6 is 210 hp, I think, and a real PITA to work on, and finicky about timely maintenance. Broken timing belts resulting in valve/piston damage were most common neglect failures.

[dennis834]

Originally Posted by jeffcoslacker

The '96 Impala SS had a 5.7 liter LT1 V8 (260 hp)
in a rear wheel drive configuration. Not even close.

But that 3.4 DOHC V6 is 210 hp, I think, and a real PITA to work on, and finicky about timely maintenance. Broken timing belts resulting in valve/piston damage were most common neglect failures.

Then I was mis-informed - I had been told there was a SS version that used the DOHC V-6.

The book on my Lumina sez 240HP, not 210. I know what you mean about PITA to work on - just replacing the battery requires removing the w-washer tank. And the timing belt is critical - replaced it once at 49K (rather chewed up) and at 77K it should be due again shortly.

But it's a decent, lively car that I've had for 8.5 years now, and a very nice road car.

Thank you for your very prompt reply.

[Steel]

jeff - it was my understanding that the LQ1 is a non-interference engine, and that really the only time the pistons contacted the valves on belt break was at damn near redline, where connecting rod strech would be a factor....no?

[jeffcoslacker]

Originally Posted by Steel

jeff - it was my understanding that the LQ1 is a non-interference engine, and that really the only time the pistons contacted the valves on belt break was at damn near redline, where connecting rod strech would be a factor....no?

Yeah, it's listed as a non-interference engine in all the references...BUT, I've pulled apart a couple after running belt snaps, and found bent valves and dinked pistons, and so too have other mechs I've talked to, so don't push your luck with the interval on one. No telling how hard they were being run when it snapped, though.

As far as the Impala, 94-96 were the three years of the last big body, RWD, full framed Caprice-derived Impala SS. Then they didn't have one (Impala) until '99 or '00, I don't remember, when they brought it back as the FWD mid-size we see now.

This year is the first that they are making an SS again. The amazing thing to me is that the 303 hp V8 is able to get 31 mpg hwy. They do it by selectively shutting down cylinders when full power isn't needed. Like Caddy tried to do with their (horrible) V8-6-4's in the early 80's. Those sucked, they didn't have the computer sophistication to make it work right or reliably. Owners hated them, mechanics didn't want to work on them, dealers didn't want them on their lot.

But that was then, and this is now. I drove one when it first hit the lot a couple of months ago, and damn, it's seamless. You aren't really even aware of the switching.

[tblake]

They call it displacement on demand. How do you know its switching? Is there a guage or light of some sort? I love the new impala's, I have to get an ss sooner or later. Gotta have that small block v8. Is it a 5.3 or 5.0? I wish it were a 5.7. I love the chevy 350's. Also too bad its not rear wheel drive.... or is it?

[jeffcoslacker]

No, still FWD, not sure on the displacement (good question, forgot to look).

they have a dot-matrix flourescent display in the gauge cluster that works as a multi gauge/info center...it says "4 cyl mode", etc...

[jeffcoslacker]

They are nice but you know....at $28,000+ for the new SS, there's a Chevy dealer here that has a 1996 Black SS LT-1 with 16,000 original miles and still has the factory sheets and original sticker on the window...and they are asking $24,500 for it.

If I had the money to blow, I'd be leaving in the '96 and still have enough leftover to put a Powerdyne intercooled supercharger on it ...that'd put it up around 400 hp.

[richtazz]

just for reference, it is the 5.3 liter engine. Too bad the new Impala is so plain and ugly. Doesn't GM see how well the new Mustang and Dodge Magnum/ Chrysler 300 are selling? It's because they have some style to them, not just a wedge blob like most GM cars, (solstice and G-6 excluded). When Bob Lutz came back to GM, I thought the plain vanilla styling was over, but obviously the bean counters still run the place.

[jeffcoslacker]

Originally Posted by richtazz

just for reference, it is the 5.3 liter engine. Too bad the new Impala is so plain and ugly. Doesn't GM see how well the new Mustang and Dodge Magnum/ Chrysler 300 are selling? It's because they have some style to them, not just a wedge blob like most GM cars, (solstice and G-6 excluded). When Bob Lutz came back to GM, I thought the plain vanilla styling was over, but obviously the bean counters still run the place.

Yeah, when they got the new ones in, my first thought was they had mistakenly got a shipment of new Taurus's. They need to do something...

Another thing that irritated the purist in me...the SS can be ordered any way you want it, don't have to get leather or handling package or anything really other than the V8 and the badges. That kinda sucks. Sure, it's probably a smart marketing move, as you can entice buyers with less to spend, but the whole deal about an SS is you are buying an exclusive, limited edition package, not just a motor and a decal.

So really you can just get an otherwise base model, and option up to the V8 with the SS appearance package, and they'll consider it an SS.

[tblake]

sorry to change the subjust, but the shop at my school has a 1996 impala ss, black, beautiful, all the bells and whistles, and get this.... It was donated new by GM for us to "learn on". It only has, here's the killer, 70 miles on it. Probably only dyno miles, since the thing sits in one place all the time, and never ever gets moved. The interior is beat to shit because of asshole fuckers who dont appreciate quality, but the exterior is very very nice, and there isnt one bit of rust on it. Its just basically there for us to "go do the VAT 40 on the charging system of that car" sort of thing, which is totally stupid. The worst thing is, since it was donoated new by the dealer, it would be illegal for the school to sell it, and when it gets old, it needs to be destroyed. We also have a cadillac sls with the high output 32 valve northstar in it. This thing was also a dealer donate, and I would love to have it. But there again, the school has to destroy it when they dont want it anymore. Only a couple hundred miles on this one too. What a bunch of shit if you ask me.

[jeffcoslacker]

That sucks. Like keeping a greyhound in a pen. SS cruelty!

the St Louis police here have a few of them, they are the dedicated DWI enforcement vehicles. Very cool, look stock with SS wheels and spoiler, no visible police lights (all behind grille and in the rear-view mirror pods, and strobes in the head/tail lights) and the STLPD Badge and DWI Enforcement are airbrushed on the side in a very dark maroon, so it's nearly invisible at night (or in the day, for that matter), kinda like ghost lettering. Very cool!

[jeffcoslacker]

It's gonna stretch this thread all to hell because I can't get it to size right, but I'm gonna post a pic of my SS for you all shortly.

I can't resist any longer.

[jeffcoslacker]

Finally! Got it sized right!

[tblake]

thats the one in the shot, to the T. What year is it? a 1996? Do you still have it? 350 in it?