3800 rebuild

I plan on rebuilding my 3.8L series II. I got about 1500-2000 I'm willing to invest in this. I'd like to achieve slightly better horsepower and torque. Maybe +20-30 tops. What all do I need for this rebuild. I'm mean everything, all the gaskets, and everything. I appreciate any help.

all gaskets, brearings, rings, head bolts, valve seats/guides replace any worn out parts like springs and stuff like that. But a rebuild isn't going to gain you any more power that what came stock with the engien to begine with. The only way to gain power is to mod eitehr bore, stroke, cam, or bump up the compression ratio thats the only way you are going to gain any power. But once you stay messing with stuff like that you are going to be well over 2000 bucks. Internal engien mods are not cheap or easy to do. Your going to have to find some one extreamly knowelagble in the field and be prapried to fork over some big bucks.

I don't see any improment in a rebuild 3800. There cheap, easy to find, and the money spend it's worth it for what you "upgrading". Ther is a 4.1L stroker kit put it's not as strong, and fits for a max NA build.
Stock they handle 300-400 whp fine.
I'd just get a good used motor, and get rockers, or a good cam like a ZZP grind. (zzperformace.com )
That will reack you goal easy.

well, I have to rebuild the engine anyway, I figured I'd up the oomph a bit. I have no complaints if I had to leave it stock, without a larger stroke or bore or whatnot. My girlfriend spun a rod when she let it overheat, and happened to crack the block as well. I found a 3.8 for 200 with 200,000 miles on it, but I figured I'd rebuilt it just to be on the safe side.

I'm not too worried about having someone helping me, since the guy who owned the car before me, and my best friend, really wants to see it up and running, and is a student at UTI. But if anyone could take the time and help me make a list of whatever I need, I'd really appreciate it.

hey i have a 97 firebird 3.8l and i have done alote to it if you are planning on spending 2000 then here is some ideas of what you can do like i did to mine frist i would gett some pace setter headers then flowmaster exhaust then get a performance cam ,and some performance pistons you can get all of this at this website http://www.ftpp.net/V6Main.htm its a good one you will have to get the headers off of another website. but if you do all of that you will be pushing close to 400 or more.:eek:

hey i have a 97 firebird 3.8l and i have done alote to it if you are planning on spending 2000 then here is some ideas of what you can do like i did to mine frist i would gett some pace setter headers then flowmaster exhaust then get a performance cam ,and some performance pistons you can get all of this at this website http://www.ftpp.net/V6Main.htm its a good one you will have to get the headers off of another website. but if you do all of that you will be pushing close to 400 or more.:eek:

I don't think adding a turbo charger and all that other crap to it has anything to do with rebuilding a 3800 v6 engine, lol

hey i have a 97 firebird 3.8l and i have done alote to it if you are planning on spending 2000 then here is some ideas of what you can do like i did to mine frist i would gett some pace setter headers then flowmaster exhaust then get a performance cam ,and some performance pistons you can get all of this at this website http://www.ftpp.net/V6Main.htm its a good one you will have to get the headers off of another website. but if you do all of that you will be pushing close to 400 or more.:eek:
Um... let's see what's wrong here...
a) flowmaster on a v6 :barf:
b) overuse of the word "performance" :o
c) ftpp has headers for the 3.8L, dunno why you say he'll need to go somewhere else :confused:
d) 400 or more from exhaust and a cam... definatly not :think: (whether you're talking about price or horsepower)

d) 400 or more from exhaust and a cam... definatly not :think: (whether you're talking about price or horsepower)

Oh please, when you ran that 14.9 just admit you were only giving it 1/4th gas... ;)

Oh please, when you ran that 14.8 just admit you were only giving it 1/4th gas... ;)
That was a few months before the cam as well.

That was a few months before the cam as well.

Thats actually pretty intersting, more info on the car when you ran the time? M5 or A4? Mods?

Why not just do a V8 swap or something like a turbo v6 like in the grand national? Why waste the money on 3800. But it's ur money not mine, just my opinion.

Thats actually pretty intersting, more info on the car when you ran the time? M5 or A4? Mods?
Full exhaust, intake, lsd w/4.10s (M5) 92 degree weather and 90% humidity.

Full exhaust, intake, lsd w/4.10s (M5) 92 degree weather and 90% humidity.

Thats not bad at all, If you're down south where there's no snow and no track closures I'd like to see how it would react to the cold denser air and less humidity with the cam... I'm thinking with traction you might beable to hang with SRT4's? or Stock LT1's being alittle optomistic?

hey i said more then just cam there bud like raceing pistons and cam, headers ,flowmaster ex now i have done all this stuff to mine plus speed chip new igntion system and alote of other stuff and just to say aging i am pushing close to 400 there bub. i had it dinoed.

Thats not bad at all, If you're down south where there's no snow and no track closures I'd like to see how it would react to the cold denser air and less humidity with the cam... I'm thinking with traction you might beable to hang with SRT4's? or Stock LT1's being alittle optomistic?
The other guy who has this cam is running a 13.6 with a stock tune on drag radials. He has a few eight reductions as compared to me and has 3.73s where I have 4.10s. I recently got some drag radials and can't wait to use em. I'm not looking as optimistic as a 13.6 but a 13.99999999 would make me a happy man, lol.

hey i said more then just cam there bud like raceing pistons and cam, headers ,flowmaster ex now i have done all this stuff to mine plus speed chip new igntion system and alote of other stuff and just to say aging i am pushing close to 400 there bub. i had it dinoed.

I guess 200 + 50 HP = 400?

I want to see your Dyno numbers before I believe you, and I would also like to see some 1/4th mile times or I'm calling B.S. ... Pistons do almost absolutely NOTHING to increase Horsepower, unless you're boreing your engine over, Piston's are more for durability and I've seen hundreds of Piston's for our engines yet I've never come across ANY by the name and specification of "racing pistons"... Clerify more information about your Pistons... What kind of Cam are you running and how many miles do you drive your car daily? What size is the flowmaster exhaust? Late model F-Body's investment in Headers is a complete waste of cash... What year is your F-Body? Speed Chip? Our cars from what I last recall don't take chips, try tuning and unless you're running some type of forced induction, Electronic Ignition Upgrades do absolutely NOTHING to increase Horse Power... By the way, How's that nice hiney of a 10 Bolt fairing to that... *cough* 400 HP *cough* ???

The plan I'm going with for my '98 3.8...


Already installed:
Magnaflow 2.5" catback exhaust
SLP "Ram air" intake
Modified intake (removed the air bellow thing)

Sitting in my room but not yet installed:
3.73 gears
Zexel-Torsen Differential
Shift Kit/Corvette Servo

In the mail:
GT2 Cam*

In the future:
Pacesetter coated headers (fttp.net)
Magnaflow high flow cat
105# springs*
Oil restricted pushrods*
Modified retainers*
Texas Speed Tune

*from ZZPerformance.com


Then, when everything's said and done, I'll have a 6.0L '09 Camaro in the driveway. :)

The plan I'm going with for my '98 3.8...


Already installed:
Magnaflow 2.5" catback exhaust
SLP "Ram air" intake
Modified intake (removed the air bellow thing)

Sitting in my room but not yet installed:
3.73 gears
Zexel-Torsen Differential
Shift Kit/Corvette Servo

In the mail:
GT2 Cam*

In the future:
Pacesetter coated headers (fttp.net)
Magnaflow high flow cat
105# springs*
Oil restricted pushrods*
Modified retainers*
Texas Speed Tune

*from ZZPerformance.com


Then, when everything's said and done, I'll have a 6.0L '09 Camaro in the driveway. :)

That sounds about right ;) I had a huge plan for my 3.8 but it kept giving me issues until I just sold it for my 01 Z28, Not trying to discourage you or anything...

Yeah, but I'll get my V8 when I get the '09. :)

I wanted to go all out and get ported heads and a turbo and everything, but with the introduction of the Camaro concept.. ahhhhh..

ahh yes the 09 should make great DD car so i can switch the V6 over to 75# injectors full fast system and 25+ psi of boost :D

hey i said more then just cam there bud like raceing pistons and cam, headers ,flowmaster ex now i have done all this stuff to mine plus speed chip new igntion system and alote of other stuff and just to say aging i am pushing close to 400 there bub. i had it dinoed.

:rolleyes: :lol: Smoke another one man. You're SPENT!

:rolleyes: :lol: Smoke another one man. You're SPENT!
lol word

he used the wrong DYNO then :D :D

if he close to 400 then i should only beat him by a few car lenths

Follow the link in my sig.

I will give you one hint, however... you can net all of your power bump with the right cam.

Matt, I'm a member of the FullThrottlev6 boards. There as prisoncitychevy as well. I figured I'd give up on the wanting more power out of it, and thinking more about gas milage, since I just found out I have a kid on the way.

BTW, I'm not that far from you. Maybe an hour and a half north, in Huntsville. I got to run all over your town not too long ago looking for an escaped convict.

Matt, I'm a member of the FullThrottlev6 boards. There as prisoncitychevy as well. I figured I'd give up on the wanting more power out of it, and thinking more about gas milage, since I just found out I have a kid on the way.
If you want gas mileage, engine mods are going to be tricky. I would stick with weight reduction for gas mileage (although it can be $$$).

I already did a rear seat delete, I dont have a stereo system, I still have the spare tire and jack and whatnot. Anything else I could do? The biggest weight reduction I could do is keeping my fat ass from behind the steering wheel, but that's not an option.

Originally Posted by trickdaddy1133
hey i said more then just cam there bud like raceing pistons and cam, headers ,flowmaster ex now i have done all this stuff to mine plus speed chip new igntion system and alote of other stuff and just to say aging i am pushing close to 400 there bub. i had it dinoed.

how many decals do you have?if he has more than 5 than his horsepower is increased by double!!!!:rolleyes: