What’s Up D.O.H.C?

This Chevy Lumina needs to have it’s heads examined. With free-breathing Dual Over Head Cams (D.O.H.C.), the Z34’s special 3.4 liter V6 stood taller - and so much wider - that other Lumina power plants. But is it true you had to buzz it all the way to 5,200 rpm to get the goods?

[@miked8027]

There is a Snake on passenger side strut tower when Steve opens the hood.

[@buddyg1408]

Good eyeballs

[@marioncobaretti2280]

I predict an animal will attack him

[@andrewarney4222]

Had to rewind the video when I noticed the comment, good catch

[@gregkellow4723]

Missed that the first time. Nice catch!

[@johngranato2673]

That's Shelby using it as a toilet

[@howardscott7521]

That 180 on the speedo looks to be kilometers. Must be a Canadian model. Translates into just about 112 mph

[@Richaag]

Correct! You can also see the water temp is in Celsius and it looks like the oil pressure is in Kilopascals. Definitely set up for a metric country.

[@TheMailmanOfSteel]

All the gauges appear to be metric.

[@razer2981]

If it's a Canadian model, that would make it a Zed034

[@bennyt83]

Yep was about to say the same

[@googleusergp]

Correct, it has a metric cluster.

[@GeedsGarage]

I used to own a 93 Cutlass convertible with that same 3.4 DOHC. It was a fun car, but man was a pain in the ass to work on.

[@LongIslandMopars]

Yep, a nightmare. Right engine, wrong application.

[@robertchristie9434]

Drove a new Z34 coupe GM engineering pool car from the Oshawa Ontario assembly plant to Rochester Michigan. The GM engineer I was with had an extreme sinus headache & forgot his meds. He told me to get home as quickly as possible. No problem. Taking the 401 & 402 which are fabulous e-ways, we made it home in about 3 hours doing well over 150km on the 402. I was pleasantly surprised how well the Z34 was quick, composed, tight & rode very well on the highway. Very impressive car.

[@roberthayes6329]

That car wont do no 150mph.

[@douglasdixon524]

@@roberthayes6329 You didn't read it. 150 KILOMETERS PER HOUR which would be about 93 MILES PER HOUR.

[@tdotw77]

👀👓👀👓🤔🧐Time for the bifocals there bud, and\or reading comprehension 👍🏻👌🏻 Never said 150 mph, it says 150 Kph!

[@mejormatame3947]

the z34 sounds pretty nice goin down the road

[@theloudamerican2193]

My day simply isn’t complete without a junkyard crawl video. Thank you for your time , dedication, care, and support for all things automotive. Your channel is my absolute favorite on KZbin.

[@Boxelder1]

I really like that you bring the magazines and catalogs out when talking about these cars, really takes me back as an aging Gen X'er.

[@Christoph-sd3zi]

I remember going to the Chicago auto show as a kid and coming home with a plastic bag full of the auto manufacturer catalogs and advertising brochures.

[@vet-7174]

Good Morning Gents ! 🇺🇸

[@jeffreycarleton1535]

GoodMorning, uncle grandpa!😂

[@SquirminHermanthe1eyedGerman]

I had a red 2dr '94 Z34 from 1998-2010 & got 325,000 miles out of that baby with almost no issues, great car! ✌💖☮

[@ErrorlVlacro]

Awesome. I just bought a 91 in red. Seems to either have a rebuilt or replacement engine. Well it has numbers written on it for miles with yellow at 55,000 or so. So not exactly sure. Mileage on ODO said 155,000. Doing what I can to keep her alive. My main daily.

[@SquirminHermanthe1eyedGerman]

@@ErrorlVlacro thats great man! The 3.1 I had was an excellent engine

[@BlownL67]

The 3.4 DOHC was also available in the Lumina Euro 3.4 as well.

[@googleusergp]

In 1992 however, I believe he's correct. The 3.4L was only used on the Lumina Z34 coupe, but yes, it was used in other models as well.

[@BlownL67]

@googleusergp it was also uses on the Euro 3.4 coupe and sedan.

[@googleusergp]

@@BlownL67 I know that. The 1992 OEM literature mentions the Z34 coupe being the only one with the 3.4L engine.

[@Matt-nw2pt]

You could get it in the Monte Carlo also

[@martinheredia6124]

I had a 3.4 euro, really nice car and quick. Rare EURO

[@jeffreycarleton1535]

My wife and I got a Chevy Lumina in 2000? It was a very dependable car! I’m glad I got the extended warranty though! The transmission surrendered and thankfully it was replaced! That warranty was the best 1300 dollars I ever spent! It was still a great car in my eyes!

[@MrJayrock620]

2:30 You’ve got a Canuck Z34 there Steve, that Speedo is in KM/H. And I can confirm that they’ll do 180km/h I’ve been in a few that hit it

[@ILOVEBACONBOY2018]

Loved the style of those, same with the berretta's!

[@merr6267]

My friend had this engine in a 1994 Cutlass Supreme that we grew fond of. He got it for a pittance due to the oil pump drive (former distributor) leaking. We did a belt and suspenders treatment with a new o-ring and gasket. He wrecked that car, then bought a '96 that we swapped the 3.4 into. That engine was pretty hot for a an 18 year old kid in the rust belt in the early 2000s. Of course, there were all the drawbacks of it being an early OBDII and being adapted from the 2.8/3.1 platform, but there was something endearing about it. I find it pretty amazing that the average minivan has 50% more horsepower these days.

[@toklat1967]

I bought a car in 94. It was in the shop and the dealer gave me a Lumina Z34 Coupe for 2 weeks. I can barely tell you about the Hyundai that I bought but I remember that Lumina to this day. What a nice car that was.

[@drdean9913]

Get well, Steve.

[@ourkid2000]

I was a teenager when these engines came out and I was really fascinated by it. They were so unusually powerful for the day. Them and the SHO were well into the V8 numbers of the day. There seems to be a special amount of disgust from the mechanics though who had to work on them .....they hated em!!

[@howabouthetruth2157]

Whoever decided to make all vehicles ( except trucks & some sports cars ) front wheel drive, needed to be strung up from a tree. Those were the darkest days in automotive history. Heavy front ends made them dangerous in turns & all that added weight sure wasn't helping the front end components either. Can't work on em.......without cussing & wanting to set em on fire. It was really bad for these cars. Law enforcement agencies even hated them.

[@DanLebron-rv1mz]

The fact that you were excited about this...?

[@dmandman9]

This engine was a nightmare to work on. I replaced the head gaskets on one and promised myself never again! Even replacing the alternator was a nightmare.

[@hadtocheathimtobeathim6549]

@@dmandman9the alternator was buried real low on the engine and was constantly heat soaked. My parents Grand Prix with the 3.4 had its alternator replaced probably 5 times, all under warranty every time.

[@dmandman9]

@@hadtocheathimtobeathim6549 I remember that nightmare as well. I remember replacing an alternator only to have it fail within weeks and had to replace it again under warranty . The parts company gave me another part. But I had to do the repair again for free. They buried the alternator right next to the exhaust manifold. Even with the heat shield, some of them wouldn’t last long. Also, during that era, GM alternators weren’t that good anyway. So when mounted near the exhaust they didn’t stand a chance . I’m glad that that engine wasn’t a great seller.

[@chrisscearce]

HI Steve great video on this Z34. Theae were pretty good rides and definitely Dale Earnhardt helped out on Monday morning at the dealerships. Steve be careful out there even tho that wasn't a poisonous snake they still bite the tar out of you. They also make you hurt yourself getting away from them. I was once under a full-size long bed Ford that had been sitting for quite some time. So while I'm under the truck unhooking the driveshaft. A black snake must have been laying along the frame rail and rolled out across my chest. So inadvertently lowered my arms when it hit my chest.and sort of wrapped him under each armpit. When I realized what was happening I began to beat my head against everything under that truck trying to get out from underneath. When I finally got out from under the truck I was trying to get it off of me with my arms flailing in the air and dance moves only Fred Astaire and MJ could've done. Once the snake was off of me I had a huge egg shaped knot on my eye and a couple of cuts on my forehead. I had the worst case of the heebie jeebies that day also. I'm not afraid of snake per say but I like to see them 1st and they can go on about their business. ~Say, I've got the Heebies I mean the Jeebies Talking about The dance, the Heebie Jeebies Do, because they're boys Because it pleases me to be joy Say, don't you know it? You don't know how; don't be blue Someone will teach you Come on and do that dance They call the Heebie Jeebies dance Yes, ma'am Papa's got the Heebie Jeebies dance Say, come on now and do that dance They call the Heebie Jeebies dance Sweet mama Papa's got to do the Heebie Jeebies dance Woo, got the Heebie Jeebies Whatcha doin' with the Heebies? I just have to have the Heebies~written by the great Boyd Atkins🎷 and sung by the one and only Louis Armstrong 🎺 Y'all have a blessed day 🤙🏼 Namaste 🙏🏼

[@catsaregovernmentspies]

That story is nightmare fuel. Thanks alot

[@jeffreycarleton1535]

I’m sorry you injured yourself! However ,I must confess, that my visual of this episode you endured, gave me fits of laughter! I mean like rolling! 😂 great story! I needed that!

[@markniblett4857]

You are one of the most mind numbingly interesting folks I know. Get better soon (not giving you chioce) Very special people like you are rare. Barrett Jackson did a great job bringing you on board.

[@tanhelmet]

I remember renting one of these , drove from San Diego to San Antonio. Superb driving emotion. I should've bought one, but the I was in love with the White Pontiac Grand Prix. The dealership in El Paso had ran out and decided for a used Mustang LX convertible.

[@JohnnyAFG81]

My friend had one with a 5 Speed! It was able to keep up with the pony cars

[@dubiousf00d]

When i was in college, a friend had a 5 speed model. I had a Taurus SHO. So much fun racing that car. SHO had longer legs and would make good use of them. But that 1st half was a nail biter sometimes

[@MichaelandCathy1999]

Those rims look good enough to grab and clean up/paint/powder paint.

[@superbird24]

Your knowledge of Z34 Lumina is very impressive! 👍

[@lab1042]

I test drove a used red Z34 back in the mid-90's with the 5-spd manual. Don't recall why I didn't buy it. I don't think I've seen a manual one of these since then.

[@tomwesley7884]

Boiler up

[@mcnamarasgarage]

These were neat cars! My buddy had a '91 Euro 3.1, but the Z34 is next level. However, the Taurus SHO of the same era had the Yamaha engine and revved to 7200 rpm!

[@kalebbrown93]

The SHO was marginally faster too. Despite being a 4 door.

[@BuzzLOLOL]

5200 RPMs is actually '65 GTO/442 OHV 2 valve V8 numbers... not that high... earlier Chevy's revved much higher...

[@TorquilMcLeod]

@@kalebbrown93 TL;DR SHO's were quicker. SHO's were quicker especially with the 5 speed, and were about as quick as a 5.0L Mustang LX/GT and even early 4.6L Mustang GT. My Dad had a 94 which I drove a number of times, and while I didn't have the opportunity (or stupidity?) to try this on the street, the butt dyno between the two cars was similar, with the Mustang having a more linear power band of torque that leveled off and the SHO building power through the RPMs. I also test drove 2 used first gens (89-91) and 2 second gens (92-95), having the opportunity to rev them out. I test drove a 91 Grand Prix GTP with the 3.4 DOHC 5 speed, same chassis as the Lumina, and it was not as fast with the torque feeling good but the power band not building like the SHO. That said, the car had a ton of tech with a HUD, a very intricate driver info/trip computer and compass, and rear bucket sets. What set the SHO apart was the smoothness and refinement of the engine, it had a variable intake manifold with a set of long narrow runners for low RPM, a set of short large runners for high RPM, that would switch over at about 4000 RPM, and when you reached that RPM you'd feel a surge in power.

[@johnhill8046]

There was a dodge turbo spirit that came out around this time too that was pretty exciting.

[@shawnsatterlee6035]

And even funnier is furd didn't n couldn't build something on their own! Because furd! Lol

[@Hard_Right]

got my license in a lumina 4dr back in 1996 ... one of my neighbors moms had a 2dr z34 lumina and we all thought it was hot shit , she had a olds cutlass calais with the quad 4 before that and if we'd been smart we would've been drooling over that more

[@CarCrazy12804]

I had the 1990 eurosport coupe version with the 3.1 v6 it had a good nascar like exaust sound and i loved it and by the way my eurosport had the same rear wing too from factory

[@joejackson9172]

My ex girlfriend had a 1996 Monte Carlo Z34 with the 3.4. That car actually ripped pretty good. Steve is correct too....I ran a 15.56 with it.

[@scrappy7571]

Alternator paid like 5 hours to replace, and don't leave the air duct off it. They would last a week without the air duct.

[@adamtrombino106]

Good god I recall doing many of those. We had a crap off brand reman company that supplied us with alts. All of the techs refused to use them because of the lack of quality. Come backs were common. I'll never forget the day when the service writer sold 1 of them, a Sluter, to a Z34 owner and the tech said, he would pay for the new GM alt if the customer pays the labor, or he's not doing the job!

[@jonstapleton76]

When I was younger we had a 93 or 94 Lumina eurosport 3.4 with that engine, it was a 4 door.

[@edwardaustin740]

I was just getting out of high school when these came out. The styling was something different that I thought was cool.

[@gentjim5007]

My mom bought a new red one in 1991. What a great car! Would absolutely melt the front tires, which were big sticky goodyear eagles, Bose stereo system which rocked, and really handled great for a front drive car of the time. And yes, would do 120 + on the highway and great aero as it was a copy of the thunderbird aerocoupe. I wish i had that car now!

[@shawnsatterlee6035]

No it didn't! They shut down at 115. Same as my 89 Z24 cavalier which my sister swore did 125+ in it but didn't! Vehicles were definitely governored back then.

[@johnjones393]

I can confirm the governor. My 92 Z34 hit the 115 limiter in a run against a Supercoupe.

[@ErrorlVlacro]

I have a 91 in red. Doing what I can to keep it alive. My daily. And yes I’ve tested it. It won’t let it go past 115, but it doesn’t shut off like the gov in my 95 S10 it just won’t let it go any more.

[@andrewplantagenet5811]

I had a grey 1993 Lumina Z-34. I loved it.

[@jiggity76]

@andrewplantagenet5811 Gunmetal Gray Metallic is a rare color for these!

[@BoB-yb3wx]

Looks like your channel is starting to gain some steam Steve! I notice your subscriber count has really been jumping lately! Won't be long until you hit 100,000!

[@coyote50585]

The old 2.8 and 3.1 Multi port had a real distinct sound. I remember having a corsica LTZ and it sounded really impressive for a stock V6 exhaust. You knew a Multi port when they took off. The Z24 Cavalier with the 3.1 5-speed are actually becoming a colectable who would think

[@shawnsatterlee6035]

The 2.8 is the king of 60° V6. Everything after is garbage! Especially the 3.1!

[@atom7k856]

My first car was a 2.8 cavalier with a 5 speed with an exhaust, to this day the coolest sounding car Ive ever heard

[@303nitzubishi4]

You're referring to the 2nd gen "splayed valve" 2.8/3.1 from 87/88 and totally phased out by 95 depending on the carline. These are the ones with the very distinct exhaust note. The entire top end on those was completely different from the 1st gen from '80-86 ('94 For F bodies) and completely different from it's successor the 3100/3400 series. I had a '90 Celebrity wagon with the 2g 3.1 and even with the large muffler on a conservative car you could still get a good clap out of the tailpipe under hard throttle, although nothing close to what folks got from their J and W cars with the same engine

[@darrellgordon7456]

I had a 2.8mpi in an 85 Pontiac 6000SE, man that sound was awesome indeed, Fun car too

[@christopherfrier6689]

Pretty sure that they were faster than the Corvettes of the same years.. GM tripped over their dongs on that one.

[@johnnyhawk329]

I have a 93 Euro lumina. I drive it every day. Has 325000 mi. Still runs perfect. Original motor and trans. Body is going to rust out before the power train dies. I love it. So easy to work on.

[@blitzedburgh090]

My neighbor had one of these maroon on red cloth interior. 5speed. I thought that was the coolest thing ever. My other neighbor up the street had a baby blue beretta z26 around the same time. I was a kid then, I attest that era as to why I’m a gear head today. Great vid as always Steve!

[@jiggity76]

@blitzedburgh090 No Z34 left GM with a maroon exterior. It had to have been repainted at some point.

[@charliebonacci3912]

I use to own one of these. The car would float at high speed. Very strong, fast, and comfortable

[@christopherlaflam6383]

I had a 91. What a cool and unique car. So roomy! Loved it. No issues. Man was that engine a screamer! Sold it at 14 years old when it got a engine tick. Plus I fell in love with a Bonneville SSEI...

[@solitaire5142]

Those cars had a very nice exhaust tone.

[@TheSmokie55]

Steve you are my absolute Hero. When you opened that hood and that snake slithered off behind the engine. You did not even flinch. then you are standing in waist high grass. as it slips away under the back of the block. Yur Savage. Keep up the great videos. you hard work and research are amazing. MY FAVORITE. JUNKYARD CRAWLER for sure.

[@SteveMagnante]

Thanks! I'm at Barrett-jackson in Las Vegas right now doing the TV auction broadcast. My NINETEENTH year! Happily no snakes under hoods here. But I'll be back at Bernardston Auto Wrecking within the week where I hear there's a BEAR wandering around. Maybe we'll ask it to sit for lunch. Thanks for watching and writing. -Steve Magnante

[@tdotw77]

It's just a garter snake they're harmless. It wasn't a diamondback or a rattlesnake he's in Massachusetts ya know, not really any dangerous snakes in this(NE)area of the country, it's way too cold in winter here

[@GoTakeADrive]

Always had a soft spot for these, the exhaust had a great sound (especially for a V6) good looking car

[@tomwesley7884]

That exhaust was the sound of the '90's, whatever mufflers GM was using

[@05milmachine90]

Agreed, I will never forget the tone of the GM v6s of that era

[@jayeberle5782]

Thanks Steve for covering that DOHC car, I've had a 96GTP with that engine(in it's final year) and I absolutely love it. They are great cars and it's sad to see one in the junkyard. Keep the videos coming!

[@Perry3377]

Steve don't forget to mention the guy who assembled the 3.4 liter V6... His name was Fred and he only worked on Tuesday and Friday hence the low production numbers. He did smoke cigars during assembly and sometimes even a leftover stogie will be in the valley.... Just sayn'! Dig the channel man!

[@2MasterBuilder2]

Wow. This car brings back so many memories. I was in high school in the 90s; our driver's ed. car was the sedan model and my girlfriend's mom had the Z34. Good times

[@05milmachine90]

That steering wheel is a direct bolt on to an 80's C10 steering column. I ran one for years.

[@jakebob5101]

Actually that 3.4 was available in 4 door sedans with the Eurosport package. My brother had one and I believe it was a '94. I sure did scoot for being a slushbox.

[@jiggity76]

@jakebob5101 So proud of you! Yes, it was called the Lumina Euro 3.4. Many people had no idea they existed.

[@ronaldlebowitz7409]

very illuminating steve!

[@user-if8nz2yo5n]

The things you learn at a ripe old age when it's too late to take advantage of such a prize in its prime. I was tickled to find out you were a friend of Uncle Tony's. I'm an old diy Mopar guy and took advantage of a few of the inexpensive available A, B body Dodges in my youth. Whole cars as well as an abundance of parts cars. So when I discovered Tony's channel it was a time machine for me because I loved wrenching on them because they were so simple and cheap to maintain and upgrade with original parts. I discovered you on Barrett Jackson and loved your reviews of the vehicles on the block. And to discover you collaborating with Tony confirmed his authenticity not knowing anything about him prior to discovering his channel. Thank you for sharing your passion for the auto industry.

[@josephdipalma5989]

These were actually very good-looking in their day. They looked especially good in red. NHRA pro-stock used this body style when they were new. There were quite a few pro-street conversions back in the day, and they looked great with the big tires.

[@Xicor37]

This engine was in the 1990 Fiero prototype. We missed out on an awesome car there.

[@gordonwallin2368]

I just love you guys saying "zee"-it sounds so funny. (My "Zed"-28, with headers, true dual pipes, and a M-21 four speed was a sweet ride. My two daighters loved it when the Secondaries and Cold-Air intake flap opened, and they were pined against the back of the back seat.) Cheers from the Pacific West Coast of Canada.

[@ShortHandedNow]

04:42 That snake noped the heck out when you popped that hood. (Top center of the frame on the passenger strut tower)

[@googleusergp]

No, the Taurus came out for the 1986 (not 1985) model year. No, this is metric cluster and that's 180 kilometers, not MPH. No, those exhaust tips appear to have been replaced. They would likely have a more rectangular outlet style. Correct, this is a "W" body and replaced the Celebrity in the product line up. They were OK cars and were everywhere as rentals and fleet cars (and even some municipal and police cars) for a time. The 2.8L V6 debuted in 1980, not 1982 (although you are correct, it was used in a 1982 Camaro). In the early years, it had the Rochester "Disaster Jet" Varajet carburetor. Correct, the Lumina APV was the "U" body "Dustbuster" minivan which was a cousin to the other GM divisions that also produced a version of it. No VIN, can't win, but easy to figure out, no doubt: 2G1 for Canadian made Chevrolet, WP14 for Chevrolet Lumina Z34 coupe, X for 3.4L V6, then a random check digit, N for the 1992 model year, 9 for Oshawa, Ontario Canada assembly and the rest is the production sequence. The Oshawa plant complex operated from 1953 until 2019, closed for a time and then restarted in 2021. We know it's a Canadian made vehicle because of the blue "Maple Leaf" decal under the certification decal. No SPID, wish you did and no tag, can't brag, but this is code 41 (aka WA8555) Black exterior paint.

[@tomwesley7884]

Good catch on the speedo, Mr. Google. Didn't know anyone with one of these. The stock exhaust is a memorable sound from the '90's, sounded like "turbo" mufflers. I'd say a better looking car than the Taurus.

[@googleusergp]

@@tomwesley7884 They were both good sellers, and they had their time to "shine".

[@jiggity76]

@googleusergp The Z34's did not get a rectangular style exhaust tip, they did indeed get oval ones from factory.

[@googleusergp]

@@jiggity76 The original photos of a 1992 Z34 did not look like those.

[@HowardJrFord]

Steve is a nice guy , but he gives out a lot of incorrect information . I hate when he does it with Mopars .

[@hackfabrication139]

I bought a brand new 2002 Z24 Cavalier back in the fall of 2001. 5spd. Loved that little car. I could get 32mpg out on the highway at posted speeds. High 20's around town. Never had any major issues with the mechanicals, although it did go through a couple blower motor resistors for some reason. Traded it in for a new 2007 Malibu SS, which was a very fun car to drive.

[@markdodd1152]

Both are very cool cars. It be nice to find a survivor of one now

[@TheHelado36]

I own a Z24 and is a super fun car to have !

[@66balsam]

We had a 93 Cutlass convertible with the 2.8 which was a fine engine, also had the transverse leaf spring that developed a terrible squeak at each side where it sat in its pocket- used to spray white grease in there liberally to quiet it.

[@jiggity76]

@66balsam Wrong info there, a 93 vert would have had either the 3.1 or LQ1. Last year for the 2.8 in the W body's was 1989.

[@66balsam]

@@jiggity76 sorry yes, our 89 Cutlas had the 2.8, 93 had the 3.1, thanks

[@toddbob55]

My uncle had one it was a GM flop that thing was always giving him trouble

[@robertkestner1713]

I was a dealer tech back in the 90s and did a fair amount of work on these engines ,they were bad leaders and had many timing belt issues due to plastic pulleys that would melt,fortunately it was not a interference motor and did not bend valves when timing was lost.

[@christopherfrier6689]

and those alternators.....

[@theovallas]

@@christopherfrier6689 What was the deal with the alternators?! I had a ‘96 Monte Carlo Z34 in college and had to have the alternator changed every year…at about $350/pop back then! It broke me and I eventually sold it.

[@christopherfrier6689]

@@theovallas Had to take the subframe loose or out to do them. hey were tucked way in..

[@garyw4211]

My buddy had a Lumina Euro 3.4 Sedan. Yes, they existed. You didnt need to get a Z34 to get that engine. Nice snake by the way! PS: Those are Aussie ROH ZS wheels. Those alone are worth saving... 👌

[@jiggity76]

@garywhitby4211 Incredibly rare car! Many people didn't even know they existed.

[@Blowinshiddup]

Um, yeah, kilometers... Steve's been huffing mildew off those floormats.

[@davidpawson7393]

He'll be on the pot later. You wait and see. Anyone got any TP?

[@TheCarCrazyGuy]

3:54 2000 ft lbs, this car could pull triples!

[@jeffreycarleton1535]

Yeahhhhhhh, three trailers full of wonder bread!!! Better wear a neck brace! 2000 ft lbs? Whoaaa dude!😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 Bounding across the New York thruway! Hauling wonder bread in my Z-34! 😂

[@truckladders4104]

We miss you Steve, I hope you get better soon

[@bennyt83]

Didn't even notice that snake 😂😂😂

[@debbiebermudez5890]

Mr. B. Here ! Morning Mags ! Nice job Steve in Las Vegas ! This vehicle had what some vehicles did not have good looks , Olds , Buicks , Pontic did not have much . Have a good day to all . ☕️☕️🍩🍩. 👁️👁️. 👍👍

[@tomwesley7884]

Morning

[@debbiebermudez5890]

👍☕️☕️

[@rondpert5167]

You had to remove the RS half shaft to replace the alternator.

[@Christoph-sd3zi]

I always thought the styling on these was very nice.

[@paulmandeville]

I had two of those, including a 5 speed. Really screamed. Alternator replacement was a major chore, mounted down below with ducted cooling. Never liked the rubber timing belt.

[@JamesSimon-jm9cn]

I always liked those... Great vid!

[@DeadInsideButStillSmiling]

Had to help swap out the passenger side door on one of those years back. Never would do that again. Took 2 of us to hold the door up while a buddy started the bolts. Good cars otherwise but a pain in the ass to work on. Them and the Beretta's.

[@peterantonopoulos2572]

Morning Steve... owned one, not a bad car.

[@matthewq4b]

Ya they were crap. pretty much disposable cars.

[@nb7466]

A car you don't see anymore is what my brother had. A z26 I think it was Chevrolet Beretta. It was all red and a 5 speed. Nice looking car.

[@chrissmith256]

My wife had a 92. Looked just like this one.That 3.4 ate Mustangs. Believe me. Handled like a living room, though!

[@jamielee8991]

The alternator is a pain to replace as well as it’s located under the engine. Also the lumina was more of a replacement for the Monte Carlo. The 3.4l DOHC was also found in the olds cutlass and Pontiac gran prix in the highest coupe trim packages

[@christopherbero3388]

Love these 90s videos🎉❤

[@danielleclare2938]

Had a 90 2 door with the 3.1 engine. Plenty of punch for me it drove very well and no issues with power. Huge improvement over the 2.8. I am not a front drive fan in any way but that car was a good driver.

[@shawnsatterlee6035]

Lol... The head gasket/ head bolt blowing 3.1 was great huh? 😂

[@danielleclare2938]

@@shawnsatterlee6035 You would know all about blowing bolts so whatever...

[@marcstlaurent3719]

That's a speedy little Garter Snake , I had to go back and look when I saw your comment . Cue Woody's voice "There's a Snake in my boots"

[@LordEvan5]

I passed through that area on my way to the fort at no. 4 got a bit excited when I saw the Bernardston road sign I thought about stopping but the wife and kiddos wouldn’t have understood lol

[@johnjones393]

I owned a 92 Z34 in black with the red interior. It was only 2 years old when i bought it. It was a vague driving experience, even for those days.

[@RonnN-gf8tm]

Lumina's... Cavalier's.. they were building tons of these when I was in high school..Alota those Z-24 Cavalier's were on the road.. great video!!

[@sreginkc]

As America came out of the malaise era of unimpressive cars! Thank you Steve.

[@81cb750fss]

Had the 3.4 in a '92 Pontiac GP SE coupe with a Getrag 5spd. Was a fun quick car in it's time.

[@jiggity76]

@81cb750fss Rare car!

[@81cb750fss]

@@jiggity76 Well, I was told it was ordered for a wife of one of the managers of the dealership. True? Hell if I know, but like another commenter has said, 2nd into 3rd specifically, and then winding third into fourth, it was damn quick at the time. First was short. And sounded like a fury! I beat an '88 or so red BMW M3 that wanted to play one night, I was heavier, and FWD, but I had power and gears, I walked away all the way to three digits +. Dude was very not happy at the next stop a couple miles down the road. I was loving my GP. All I was missing from the GTP was a spoiler on the trunk. At least I think so. It'd run down a Mustang 5.0 GT for a 3.4 V6, but GTs had a bit of power and more torque to get rolling. I miss Pontiacs!

[@mcintyretyler89]

A good platform for the 3800 enthusiasts. 5 speed trans, guys put in fwd grand prixs, monte carlos, impalas. And some guys swap the supercharged 3.8 buick in them z34s

[@sprint6855]

As a Chevy dealer tech in the 90's, I can attest to the DOHC being an absolute pain to change the belt. Good thing was, it is non-interference. Bad thing is, no cam timing marks, so belt changes required pulling the plenum and valve covers to install timing tools.

[@LongIslandMopars]

My God. With all the work that went into those heads, you think they would have had the brains to put timing marks on the cam gears....

[@mikepodorski4272]

How about the oil pump drive (remnant of the distributor) seal that would leak, which would require pulling the head, lol. Not a big deal on the OHV motors. We used to give the customer the option of popping it up and putting RTV on it to buy some time.

[@LongIslandMopars]

@@mikepodorski4272 And to this day you hear stories of nightmarish issues with the 3.6 (spiritual successor to the earlier GM V6s?). We've got a Honda 3.5 V6 in an 2013 Acura RDX with approximately 167k miles. Had the timing belt changed once by the dealer and it will soon be due for a second. I had them change the plugs at 120k miles just to be safe and because I didn't want to do the contortionist routine for the rearward cylinder bank. Knock on wood, the engine never gave us an issue; doesn't leak or burn a drop of oil. There is something to be said for the Honda V6.

[@googleusergp]

Total piece of junk and should have never been built.

[@davidgalinat4257]

@@LongIslandMopars Honda has made that V6 forever. I think its roots date back to the late 80s when it was 2.7 liters. I've had three Odysseys with the 3.5, it is bulletproof (unlike their auto transmissions).

[@there_is_nothing_here]

Those 90-91 lumina models were great cars. I remember my family had the euro 3.1. I learned to drive in that car.

[@josephnash3015]

I had my 86’ Monte Carlo SS stolen when I was stationed in SoCal. So I went to the Ontario Auto Mall, and found a 4-door Cutlass with this DOHC 24 valve engine. It was a sleeper, and pretty fast for the time. When I took it to my next duty station in Minot, ND, I took it into the Olds dealer there for an oil change. When I walked into the service bay, the whole dealership was staring at the engine. I asked if there was a problem, they said no, we just have never seen one of these before.

[@billmanzke758]

That is a KPH speedometer!

[@douglasdixon524]

My parents had a maroon 1982 Celebrity with a 2.8 liter V6. Loved that car.

[@wastingmymoneyonmotorcycles]

Who saw the garden snake slink away when he first opened the hood.

[@bjr2379]

Uncle Tony ran a 10 second quarter mile in a stock Z34.

[@CorentineContent]

I found a 1993 Chevy Lumina 4D for 600 dollars in April. It had just under 50k miles. Was one owner and grandpa driven. And now I’m so in love with these cars. Have a c6 corvette as my previous daily so the lack of power is kinda nice.

[@anibalbabilonia1867]

Man I remember them! I had an 89 cavalier z24, but in 92. I remember when those came out! Not a bad looking performer! And used as a base for the Tom Cruise movie “thunder day’s” in NASCAR they used them luminas.

[@davebarron5939]

Great stuff as always, learning like never before, Thanks Steve.

[@Lestr75]

Thanks for sharing your VAST knowledge, love the junkyard crawl.

[@greg6895]

Thanks for sharing your vast knowledge Steve. I learn alot from you.

[@david929190]

I saw one of these in the junkyard the other day. Cool to see these modern design features that aren't even that powerful but with 90's design styling.

[@gregcarnes80]

These cars were never shade tree mechanic friendly. Thank you for the video!

[@The_sinner_Jim_Whitney]

I had one of the 5-speed Z34s back around 2004-ish. Fun car, and sounded GREAT for a V6. I guess the stickshift ones were pretty rare. It would absolutely vaporize the front tires through second if I wanted it to.

[@reggeckmann3993]

My roommate in college had a nice black and red one. Lots of detailed and color matched items. Pretty interior he took great care of it. Quick too.

[@johnnyghoul8100]

Second and third were my best friends 😂

[@joshcummings2570]

The 5-speeds are super rare, and from what I hear are the strongest of the fwd manuals! Anyone doing any kind of GM fwd build would be looking for one of these transmissions! Wish I could find one!

[@The_sinner_Jim_Whitney]

@@joshcummings2570 I think Getrag made them?

[@tonenuff]

I was a GM tech in the 90s and worked on Lumina’s (and Corsica’s) regularly, and they were shit boxes; the car was over engineered & under built. Nothing on these cars “worked together” in that they just crammed different ideas & tech into, but none of it worked together for a an overall good driving experience. Yes, these motors had some power, but it didn’t come in until high rpm and had so much torque steer you couldn’t use it when it did. They didn’t ride well, the transverse carbon fiber mono leaf spring did not add to ride quality or handle well. The build quality was suspect and the worst part is these weren’t cheap! The Lumina was their flagship midsize car at the time, and they charged for it. Once you added the bells & whistles, you came close to Camaro pricing, which was a much better bang for the buck (4th gen Camaros Z28s were stout.) Of all the cars I worked on while at GM, I can say my memories of the Lumina’s are some of the worst. On a positive note, I love that you keep this history alive, Steve. Your extensive knowledge of the industry is unbelievably important, and thank you for sharing it regularly with the world.

[@christopherpentland5375]

I'd love to see a thunderbird super coupe. Direct competitor to the z34. Motor trend did a write up about them in the mid 90's if I'm not mistaken. As we all know they never make mistakes. Except for one