Hey all,

Ive been looking for a new car since i sold my truck and have decided to go the v6 route this time around for gas an insurance reasons. Anyway I was talking to a good friend of mine about what i was looking for and he swore up and down the 98 up f bodies had problem after problem with headgaskets going on the 3800 V6, and i should stay away. I asked if he ment the older 3.4 and he said no? I found a real nice 1998 with just over 115k on it but really dont want to invest money in a problem engine. from what i knew the 3.8 was one of the better gm engines aside from the intake gaskets, hence why theyve been used in all the GP, monte's, impala's etc?

Thanks for any input

 

I haven't heard of head gaskets being a major issue on the 98+ 3.8s or even the 3.8 in general. The intakes, as you well know, are a different story.

 

the Buick 3.8 does have a tenancy to blow the head gasket luite late in life, but as 2000gtp said above the intake is usually the problem with the maro/fbird

if your buying one with 115K and want to keep the car for a while it can't hurt to put in new gaskets for preventative maintenance as it is an easy job and probably cost less that $100 in parts (think intake is about $30 and head is $20 / side).. but that’s just my 0.2

 

not had any trouble out of our 98 head gasket, nor have I heard of any real major troubles...

the intake gasket on the other hand... pretty sure thats where mom's coolant is going at this point!

 

nor had I, i know people with well over 200 on the 3.8's with no problems. Another friend of mine has an 01 GTP that sprays and has 177k on it. That car has lived a hard life, but still no head problems. So i dont know, i searched and searched and can find no reputable proof that this is a legit concern. Thanks guys

 

Think in what I wrote above the emphasis should be on “late in life” and I don't think the head gasket is a major problem if the preventative work is done to keep the fluids right and what not, but if not then that’s another story. And, the 3.8 is a realy dependable engine as when I've talked to people in the used car / machine shop business they reave about it. I have heard of a few, but not common, cases on very high mileage 3.8 engines of the gasket (not so sure of exact year but I’d expect at earliest mid/late nineties to rack up the mileage)


personally mine blew at 140K (on a 97 fbird which is series II… the 98 is still series II right??) anyways mine was due to bad maintance; I bought the car at 70K and it turned out that a young girl drove it before and never fixed anything; so when I got it the radiator was muddy to say the least.. so I flushed it and flushed it. But, the damage was really already done and eventhough I tired to baby it the head gasket went at 140K (can't complain as I got the car for dirt cheap)

 

Same here, my GTP has led a pretty hard life as well. The car still runs like a dream as it nears 90K on the odometer. I have had no problems with the motor other then replacing the belt tensioner for the supercharger.

 

i have a 98 3.8 camaro and the only problem i have ever had is with the alternator and shes got 111,000 on her

 

My head gaskets have survived with a turbo @ 18psi for over a year now. I don't know anyone else who has had a problem with them either.