Whats the future of GM's 3.6L?
 

I think of the 3.6L as the 3.8L part 2.

Whats going on? I know they are migrating to the DI for all the models now it seems however what is the reason the CTS now uses the 3.0L as the base engine or the SRX/ equinox use the 2.8L and 3.0L? Is it emissions? I dont think it's fuel economy...

What gives? I've enjoyed every car/ suv the 3.6L has been in and find it to be a great engine.

3.6L is in the Camaro, CTS, Enclave, Acadia, Traverse, Lacrosse, and Malibu.

GM has always had multiple V6's. 3.0L with be their new small V6 while the 3.6L is their large V6. Not every vehicle needs a ~300HP engine.

The 3.6L V6 in the Malibu is non-Direct Injection and a completely different engine than the 3.6L Direct Injected engine in the Camaro, right?

They are basically the same engine, just one has DI and one doesn't.

2.8L in the SRX does not have DI either.

Isnt that one turbo charged?

yup, I'm not sure why they are using that over the DI 3.6L. More torque would be my guess.

Doesn't the SRX use the LP9 which is an HFV6?

With Ford's 3.7L making more power in non-DI form than the DI3.6, I can't help but wonder if there's some higher-powered variant of this engine coming down the pipeline.

There was talk of a ~330-350HP n/a V6 not too long ago. I'm not sure what the displacement would be.

Interesting article in Hot Rod Magazine on the new Mustang 5.0. Ford determined that DI saw about a 1% benefit on N/A engines and left if out, but open for adding to future turbo/supercharged versions where it would see real benefits. Perhaps that's why it was left off the 3.7L. Which again, makes you wonder what GM has in store for the LLT. :D

Okay, then why is GM getting close to 20% increase in power with the 3.6DI vs. the port-injection version? Is GM doing something wrong with PI, or is Ford doing something wrong with DI?

Yeah I don't know if I truley belive Ford on that one, DI has been good for a healthy bump in power for every vehicle that has it over the non-DI version plus an increase in MPG in every case I have read about. I doubt my Cobalt would make 230 if it wasn't DI.

The 3.0L gets better fuel economy and has DI , over the standard HF 3.6 the CTS used to have . I dont know this as fact as to the "why's" , but the Turbocharged 2.8 IS an existing Opel/Saab engine combo , and likely why it was chosen and possibly offered more torque down low over the DI 3.6 . And as heavy as the Theta's are , more low end torque would be rather desireable .

I think the small percentage is a gain in fuel economy.

I think Ford is doing something right with PI, getting close to DI levels of power and efficiency.