The Most Reliable Engine EVER! GM series 2/3 Supercharged 3800 Tear Down

Join me as I tear down one of GM's most reliable engines made in the late 90's to early 2000's! This engine was considered a “no start” i wonder why??

[@wardeng04t]

My Pontiac just reached 350k mikes yesterday, family bought it new and it runs as if it only had 3k miles. Definitely the BEST and MOST reliable engine we’ve ever owned

[@stevensapyak7971]

10.17.23. Tip: before you loosen the rocker arm bolts, turn the crankshaft so each cylinder is at TDC on its compression stroke. That way there’s no tension on the rocker arm bolts & the threaded holes in the head. It’s especially important to do that when working on the aluminum head V6 3100/3400⚠️motors, a lot of those engines had stripped out aluminum threads in the head do to, not placing them at top dead center on the compression stroke. Or buy & use the Lisle 4800 rocker arm tool. (Good video)

[@stevegordon5243]

Up until 2013 I had a 1996 Buick Park Ave Ultra with a Gen 2 Supercharged 3800. Had well over 100,000 miles on it and still purred like a kitten and used no oil. For a stock car it was quick and would really squall the front tires. It was fun to drive and super comfortable. The car itself kept developing more and more electrical issues so I decided it was time to send it down the road

[@mr.doinstuff8466]

Had one without the turbo in my 1986 Buick LeSabre. Red with velour interior. Beautiful car.

[@derekfelber743]

@@mr.doinstuff8466 that sounds awesome!

[@keithcharboneau3331]

I would bet that the reason it would not start was the spark plugs, they looked terrible, and just from the video, they were nowhere close to being correctly gapped, I was working at a shop onece when a dodge caravan V-6 came in on a tow truck and it suddenly would not start, after troubleshooting, I pulled 1 plug and it looked almost as bad as those, 3 of the 6 plugs looked that bad, I installed properly gapped new plugs and it fired right up, customer was happy for the quick and inexpensive repair.

[@ItsaRomethingeveryday]

My 03 ultra has a supercharged 3800 in it that has 320k on it and it runs perfectly still, these truly are a bullet proof engine if they are maintained properly

[@stanleyroberts6669]

Good Breakdown," I have a 02 pontiac firebird V6, 3800 series 3, i'am working on it runs fairly well but needs repairs as i'am doing now. Thanks for your video. SCR

[@eggnogsalad6730]

Dope video, keep up the good work !

[@mghuertas]

It looks pretty decent thanks for sharing

[@akabruno1]

You have a good voice, and your video is watchable. Good luck, and I hope you go far !

[@derekfelber743]

Thank you for the kind words! I appreciate it!!

[@akabruno1]

@@derekfelber743 Yep, no problem

[@christophercrahen9302]

I have a 2000 Regal GS. 3.8 supercharged. My daily driver with 180+k. I HATE having to swivel entire engine up to access rear plugs, but that's Buick design and not the engine's fault. At about 170k I swapped the plugs but also did compression tests on every cylinder. All almost identical and like a newish car. This engine is as bulletproof as the i-6 Ford 300 in my F-150. Yes, this might piss off GM people, but the 3800 and 300 straight 6 by Ford are tied as the best effin 6 cylinders around (proof is that there are zillions still around). True, true, true, S.A.E. and metric. Only knock on a legendary motor.

[@ItsaRomethingeveryday]

I was able to change mine using a few swivels and extensions, without having to swivel the engine forward and did it from topside

[@richardleroux8100]

Used many 3800 na and sc in fieros. Great motors.

[@aaronnavarro6083]

Hello! Gretings! Excelent job

[@devanfelber5553]

I wonder how many motors rust out from "no start negligence"

[@derekfelber743]

Probably too many unfortunately

[@bennybando2233]

Daytona 500 Owner myself! Diesel Mechanic as well, thanks for this brother!

[@derekfelber743]

Nice! Do you have a 98 Daytona or a 2000 Daytona?! I have one of each

[@lewisbrown5003]

Nice work

[@derekfelber743]

Thank you!

[@stevegordon5243]

My daughter had a 1998 Buick Lesabre with the Gen 2 3800 and we junked the car because the front arm rusted off the frame and couldn't be repaired. Other than the rocker panels (which had been repaired once before) the rest of the car looked good but man oh man was it a rust bucket underneath. I had to repair the brake lines several times and finally ended up just replacing all brake lines with new. A couple weeks after that was done was when the arm rusted off and it was no longer driveable or repairable so we junked the car with a perfect running 3800

[@edsmachine93]

The engine looks great. Bearings are outstanding. Good teardown. Thanks for sharing. Just subscribed to your channel. Take care, Ed.

[@derekfelber743]

Yea i was pleasantly surprised how nice it was overall. Lots of good parts for me! Lol

[@derekfelber743]

Thanks for subscribing also!!

[@doitrightthefirsttime8952]

@@derekfelber743 do you build engines on the side? Good video

[@derekfelber743]

No not really, i dont mess with the rotating assembly

[@doitrightthefirsttime8952]

@@derekfelber743 oh ok I got the series 2 I’m thinking about rebuilding

[@user-qc7dr3cd3q]

Crank sensor most likely. I changed my 2006 Lucerne at 102k.

[@PHILLY214]

I didn’t realize these were balance shaft motors !

[@maiantears9368]

May this legend rest in peace. 🙏

[@cocodog85]

i love the 3800 and if you look after it. the motor will always out last the body.

[@timbowalk]

The best engine ever comment almost made choke on my beer

[@derekfelber743]

Because you agree or disagree?? Lol

[@anthonyhfe6450]

ICM (ignition control module) could have died. It would cause a crank no start scenario. Easy to replace and only $100 part. Could have also been the crankshaft position sensor. Also a straightforward job and party costs around $30. What a shame to disassemble a close to perfect 3800. Somebody would have bought it in its entirety. Great video to see the insides of the greatest V6 engine. I love to see the offset cylinders in these motors. So cool and purposeful. Most people don't even know they're offset like that. What a s

[@derekfelber743]

They definitely are cool engines, its a shame that gm didn’t do more with them, like maybe redesign the heads or make them direct injection. The rotating assemblies were absolutely bulletproof!

[@anthonyhfe6450]

Agreed.

[@lesklower7281]

In Australia these engines are very familiar because they used these engines were used in the V6 Holden Comadore and this happens to be one of the most reliable engine ever made anf there are 10 20 and 30 year old Comadores driving around and the Comadore was rear wheel drive and l have driven a couple of Comadores myself after looking at one particular you tube channel l never realised what very good engines these are along woth a couple of very reliable engines and the Holden Comadore will be around for many many years

[@derekfelber743]

I would love to have a rear wheel drive 3800 in my life haha

[@lesklower7281]

@@derekfelber743 Move to Australia there are plenty of Holden Comadores for sale

[@Dylan_Mulvaney_OFFICIAL]

Lol it's commodore.

[@Dylan_Mulvaney_OFFICIAL]

You're not even Australian, no way.

[@jplperformance9073]

Cool video, more3800 content

[@derekfelber743]

There will be in the future! Gunna top swap my brothers car in a few months!

[@Tutankhamun1333]

Looking at this and i see the exact same motor in our General Motors Holden (GMH) Holden commodores in the 1995 VS to 2004 VY down under here in Australia.

[@derekfelber743]

Thats cool, they are called ecotec’s down there right?

[@Tutankhamun1333]

@@derekfelber743 Correct they were Ecotec up until mid 2004 then it changed to alloytec for the 3600 all alloy engine.

[@derekfelber743]

@@Tutankhamun1333 I’ve always wanted the rwd version of the supercharger so that i can put it on a Camaro or firebird. That was our only rwd 3800 vehicle we got over here in the states. Very jealous lol

[@snoopy5736]

Do u remember where the ac Delco was? I know #6 is pretty hard to get to at least in my car

[@derekfelber743]

I want to say it was one of the fronts, i wish i paid more attention to that lol

[@snoopy5736]

@@derekfelber743 to get to #6 i need to remove the alternator or get to it from underneath i think. I just replaced 5 and left #6 in recently

[@derekfelber743]

@@snoopy5736 yea the back 3 are tough for sure! I have pretty good luck with a swivel head ratchet and a 3” extension. I know a lot of guys will remove the front dog bone motor mounts and use a ratchet strap to rock the motor forward and open up some space to get in there

[@snoopy5736]

@@derekfelber743 my 3800 series 2 is a 1998 Buick Riviera, they don't have dog mounts on that one. My grand prix did have that option tho.

[@derekfelber743]

@@snoopy5736 ahhhh, yea that is true. Bonnevilles are the same way, just gotta grow an extra elbow or wrist haha

[@peted5217]

Ya. Was GMs most highly developed engine. From it's 'Skake N Bake' odd fire beginning to it's glass smooth powerhouse finale over 3 decade's. Now, GMs LS series will keep pushrod design around til 2100. Ford's 7.3 Godzilla Big bore LS clone will also help make sure compact,easy to fit, hi output engines R in vogue

[@HowardJrFord]

The LS bottom end is actually a copy of ford's mod engine that came out in 1990 . It copied the deep skirt and cross bolted mains , as well as the head bolts extending into the block webbing and the front crank mounted oil pump . Ford screwed up with the OHC top end design though . The Godzilla came too late , they should have built it in the first place instead of the OHC crap .

[@derekfelber743]

I mean i always have a hard time believing that it was a “copy” but it’s possible. I guess the way I thought of it was there are only a certain amount of ways to do something and eventually someone will figure out all the ways. Maybe im just a ls fan boi and dont want to accept that it is a copy hahah. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@HowardJrFord]

@@derekfelber743 I'm a Mopar guy , but the gen 3 Hemi also shares those bottom end features that date back to the mod engine .

[@TonyBasuro]

LS stands for Lost Saab, says my mechanic. He thinks they look like Saab motors, and GM had gobbled up Saab engineering by then. especially the head and valve covers.

[@joelsinga]

You're brave taking those plugs out with an impact.🤷😁

[@derekfelber743]

Haha yea being that this was for parts i felt like the gamble was worth it 😂🤷🏻‍♂️

[@mrvoyagerm]

I would still argue that the old Hilux diesels might actually be the most reliable engine ever. No one really knows because they are all still running :)

[@derekfelber743]

Haha yea those were some tough engines!!

[@peted5217]

A boon to 3rd world power needs

[@mr.doinstuff8466]

Once torn down, what do you do with the parts?

[@derekfelber743]

@@mr.doinstuff8466 i sell some and keep what I wanted for a future project

[@mghuertas]

You are going to rebuild it?

[@derekfelber743]

Not this engine. I needed parts to rebuild the original engine for my 98 Grand Prix pace car!

[@thedirtybubble9613]

I have to ask are the GM 3500 and 3900 engines based off of the 3800 engine?

[@derekfelber743]

@@thedirtybubble9613 no, those i believe are based off the 3100 amd 3400 v6’s. They are all 60 degree v6’s while the 3800’s are 90 degree v6’s

[@thedirtybubble9613]

@@derekfelber743 Why did GM go with a 60 degree design in newer cars? The 3800 with it's design was almost perfect.

[@derekfelber743]

@thedirtybubble9613 im not sure honestly. My best guess would be packaging. The 60 degree layout is a bit smaller and was used back in the late 80’s and early 90’s in some of the smaller cars like barettas and corsicas. Id have to do some research as to why they actually did

[@thedirtybubble9613]

@@derekfelber743 I just read on Wikipedia the 60 degree engines reduce vibrations and because they are FWD engines that makes sense. I can't understand why GM used such an old technology up until 2011 when most everything was going VVT and turbo.

[@derekfelber743]

@thedirtybubble9613 well thats interesting! Good to know!!

[@danielnation9123]

If the plug was on the backside, they probably couldn’t reach it. Maybe home hobby guy

[@Prisonmike89]

The engine is great sure, it's the 4T65E that I wonder about lol.

[@derekfelber743]

Yea the 4t65e definitely has its issues, i have had pretty good luck with them over the years tho

[@davidb7180]

I've always been paranoid about tearing down an engine over a certain point. Watching this made me a little more at ease. Although I did rip out the 4T65E out of my 02 Grand Prix GTP and tear that down and rebuild it with help from youtube. And I didn't think twice about that.

[@cocodog85]

@@derekfelber743... just change the tranny fluid and filter every 25k miles and the t4 65e will last forever too. i put some big magnets in the tranny pan as well. if you live in a very cold climate the tranny fluid needs to warm up so go slow for the first 5 miles. going on the hwy with cold fluid killed a lot of trannys.

[@samih0007]

i need help with my ls swap

[@derekfelber743]

What are you swapping?

[@infallibleghost]

16:42 ("º _ º)

[@freedomisntfree_44]

Ford 300 holds the crown.

[@derekfelber743]

I’ve never had one or worked on one but i hear great things!

[@nbowling10trio]

I think your buddy asking for blown engine😂. Putting blower and heads on an na bottom end?. These are awesome engines, even better when converted to turbo. I had an 00 buick ultra and a grand prix with the L67 both had around 200k hard miles when I sold them. Still ran and shifted fine

[@nickc9224]

I know you don't make much content since this was the last one in a while. just asking if you could do a 3800 teardown of a Lesabre or park ave? I would find that interesting as i'm sure others would!

[@derekfelber743]

Well the 3800 in the lasabre and park ave is actually the same as what i did with this one. Only real difference is the intake manifold. The short block is essentially the same

[@derekfelber8097]

Wow pretty good stuff 3800 are awesome rock solid engines😅

[@derekfelber743]

They sure are, except when you overheat them lol

[@daisybogado1437]

Woow just woow, a regular person won’t be able to put that back together,never ever…..