Z284ever

YES! I do. I drive an M6 3.6 every day. It doesn't feel any different at 4500 RPM than it does at 6900. In other words, why even bother revving it out, there is no satisfaction to be gained.

I had a chance to drive a 3.0L for afew days, and man, what a completely different personality. It just wants to zing to redline, and it likes it too. Really a much livelier and satisfying motor.

Threxx

So you guys honestly think GM powertrain engineers would say the same thing about the 3.6 vs the 3800 or is this just some nostalgia kicking in? You think that GM went to the effort and expense to develop and build this new engine strictly so that the automotive press and import gear heads would get off their case about using OHV? The 3.6 makes significantly more power and offers better fuel economy and lower NVH. About the only thing I can see people here legitimately missing is the more satisfying torque profile off the line.

My 4.3L V6 Silverado felt the same way except it was really pointless to rev it anything over 2500 rpm. From there on the improvement in acceleration was marginal.

I'm surprised the 3.0 feels that much different. I was under the impression that they were nearly identical motors, just different displacements.

JakeRobb

Yep, and that's 95% of the engine's part in the fun-to-drive factor.

96_Camaro_B4C

The 3.6L makes more torque, except for the first few hundred rpm. By around 1000 rpm or so, they are about even, and after that it is all 3.6L.

Here's the DI 3.0L and the non-DI 3.6L (in reference to the change in base engine for the CTS)

http://img72.imageshack.us/f/ctsbaseengine.png/
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Here's the N/A 3800 V6 (2005):

http://media.photobucket.com/image/G...powercurve.gif

mdenz3

I :heart: my 3800'.

I would have loved it if GM had built an all aluminum version, there would be one in my Camaro.

For those that knock it for its lack of high rpms, and power, it still had plenty of grunt to embarrass a GT500 and several other cars this past weekend at CMP.

Threxx

You have a 3.8L f-body that embarrassed a GT500? That's a serious driver mismatch.

teal98

I've seen the same claim made for the Nissan VQ. The 3.0 loved to rev and was very smooth, but the 3.5 (and even more the 3.7) is noisier and less refined. Perhaps the larger bore and stroke and heavier crank are harder to keep smooth.

A 60 degree V6 is not an ideal configuration either, though it's better than a 90. The ideal configuration for 6 cylinders would either be flat or inline.

Indelibility

Explain please

Chrisz24

I made that same mistake with the borla Sounded good at startup, but awful up top

In regard to MPG's, I constintly got 22-24MPG CITY with mine, I find the new V6's dont get near that real world number.

96_Camaro_B4C

In what applications?

SSCamaro99_3

I love my 1998 Regal GS. Supercharged 3800 is a great engine for a moderately fun daily vehicle. I average 20.6 mpg currently. I had a 1992 Lumina Z34 that the previous owner put Flomaster mufflers on. It sounded aweful. However, for some reason that car was fun to drive despite its glaring flaws.

R377

I also think that with smaller displacements, manufacturers are inclined to optimize the top end of the rev range a bit more to gain back some of the peak horsepower. And it doesn't hurt that a smaller engine can be made smoother while doing it.

I recall being pretty impressed with the revvy nature of some of the last 3100 V6s that GM made. I almost liked that engine better in the Grand Prixs, at least as rental where I didn't mind beating on it. The 3800 might've been torquier and more fun for the first 20 feet, but the 3100 gave you some grins all the way to redline.

91_z28_4me

The GT500 was probably parked during the 'race'.

SRFCTY

Maybe he was in a Grand National.

My wife's 2000 Impala has the 3.8, and while it's a fine engine, it always has an episode once a day where it will stall a few times, then once it's going it will be fine for the rest of the day. Other than that it does the job.

R377

IIRC those engines are prone to carbon build up in their intakes and IAC.