3.8 vs. 3.1 {Again Please}

[Texas River Pirate]

Hi everyone. I just found this forum while doing a search on Lumina's.
I have been considering buying a used car, but have allways driven a chevy truck, but with gas prices high, I watch my gas gauge more than the speedometer.

After reviewing tons of cars on different sites I have narrowed it down {in my prize range} to maybe a Lumina or a Buick lesabre, like a 96, 97, or 98.
I have never been big on fast sporty cars, but do like some power to pass with, but am seeking good gas milage.

I read the post that was made yesterday or so on the 3.8 and the 3.1 engines and have read great reviews on both.

What I need to know is, does the 3.8 experience the same intake problem as the 3.1? Does everyone that owns one of these cars have to
change out this costly gasket? At what mileage do they go out at. I will probally go with one with 80,000 or so miles on it.

Also, the transmission. Does the Lesabre have the same tranny "the 4t60E" as does the Lumina? Do these tranny's have a good track record?

Also, if I was to buy one of these cars with either engine, at what mileage do you think this intake gasket has been previously replaced at? How long will a new one last?

Buying a used car is kinda scary. It would be my luck, that the gasket or the tranny would go out a week after I buy it.

Thanks to all that can reply.

Texas River Pirate

[quaddriver]

oddly, the NEWEST 3800s with the plastic intake have had cases of leaking, but the older 3800s leak like after 47 trillion miles.

the 4t60/e models are the same in either and while neither are as reliable as the 440T4 they replaced (technology is wonderful!) they are good-uns to have. keep the fluid changed and drop on a huge cooler.

Bigger cars will wear longer simply because older buyers tend to take better care of them and dont thrash them. If the car has 'SS' or 'GT' or whatever anywhere on it, heck, if it even has those fake factory ground effects on it, then you can bet that the buttcheese that owned it abused it.

[Texas River Pirate]

Thanks quaddriver. What about the 3.1 motor. When does the gasket go out on them?

The cooler that you refer to is a transmission cooler right? Looks like a radiator.

Sounds like the 3800 has proven itself like the 350 in my chevy truck. Takes a licken and keeps on ticken!!

[quaddriver]

the 3.1 (years you are talking about they now call this the 3100, its properly called a gen3 3.1) intake goes when it feels like it. the 'new' design (94-present) uses a molded rubber port seal for each item, all held in place by a plastic frame that sorta snaps into place. problem is the plastic gets brittle and cracks and the rubber seal then tears - game over. they can go at any time and there really is no fix for it. I have seem em crack by 30K, I have seen em go 70K.

just add another tranny cooler in front ofthe vehicle radiator, get one at least a size larger than the minimum and put it inline with the radiator tranny cooler for maximum effect. cool fluid + regular changes is the ONLY thing that keeps an auto tranny alive - the minute you put one in gear it starts wearing, they ALL will fail, nuttin you can do about it.

[Texas River Pirate]

Thanks for the info.

Can you get the 3800 in a Lumina LS, or is it only in the LTZ models?

What did you mean by not being able to fix the 3100?

[cadgear]

No fix meaning that there's no real preventative measures to take. It'll go when it goes, and all you can do is clean up and start over. If you catch it early enough, you can save the motor. If you let it go too long, pretty much everything will be broken down inside the block. Dex-cool isn't the smartest coolant to come along, but supposedly its better than green stuff. I don't have a preference.