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102-515: The 3800 made the Ward's 10 Best Engines of the 20th Century list and made Ward's yearly 10 Best list numerous times. It is one of the most-manufactured engines in automotive history, with over 25 million produced. The engine originally derived from Buick's 215 cu in (3.5 L) aluminium V8 family, which also went on to become the Rover V8 , manufactured from 1960–2006. The 3800's block

204-478: A V6 engine or V8 engine , but longer than straight-four engines , V6s, and most V8s. Straight-six engines are typically produced in displacements ranging from 2 to 4 L (122 to 244 cu in), however engines ranging in size from the 0.7 L (43 cu in) Benelli 750 Sei motorcycle engine to the 6.7 L (409 cu in) Cummins B Series engine pickup truck engine have also been produced. Due to its well-balanced configuration,

306-429: A "split-pin" configuration to create an "even-firing" version. The crank pins associated with the opposing cylinders were offset from each other by 30°. The relatively small offset did not require flying arms to be incorporated, however a 3 mm (0.12 in) thick flange was built in between the offset crank pins to prevent the connecting rod big-ends from "walking" off the crank pin bearing journal and interfering with

408-626: A 1.8 L flathead petrol engine used by the Opel 8/40 PS . The displacement of this engine was expanded as it was used in later models such as the Opel Kapitän and Opel Admiral , with later versions switching to an overhead valve (pushrod) design. In 1968, the straight-six versions of the Opel CIH engine were introduced, initially using a single overhead camshaft (SOHC) with some later versions using double overhead camshafts (DOHC). Production of

510-529: A 300 hp (304 PS; 224 kW) factory rating. The turbocharged 1987 Buick Regal Grand National GNX was called America's quickest automobile, and the model continues to be collected and appreciated today. A smaller version of this engine was produced in 1978 and 1979 for the Century, Regal, and Chevrolet Monza . The bore was reduced to 3.5 in (88.9 mm), resulting in an engine of 196 cu in (3.2 L) piston displacement. The RPO code

612-531: A V6 engine replaced it. The Nissan TB overhead valve engine was introduced in 1987 and produced alongside the other straight-six engines. The six-cylinder versions of the Prince G engine were introduced in 1963 and remained in production until 1969, three years after Prince's merger with Nissan. The 1969–1973 Nissan S20 dual overhead camshaft engine (used in the Nissan Fairlady and first generation of

714-623: A base price limit, which increased progressively from US$ 50,000 for the 1995 list up to US$ 65,000 for the 2020 list; this limit was eliminated for future competitions following the announcement of the 2020 winners. During a 2-month testing period, Wards editors evaluate each engine according to a number of objective and subjective criteria in everyday driving situations – there is no instrumented testing. The selection takes into account power and torque output; noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) levels; technical relevance; and basic comparative numbers. Each engine competes against all others. For

816-402: A crank pin in, as do many V8 engines. The uneven firing pattern was often perceived as roughness, leading a former American Motors executive to describe it as "rougher than a cob." The off-center design continued up until the 1988 LN3 version of the engine, when the left-hand bank of cylinders was moved forward relative to the right-hand bank. Although the actual bore spacing between cylinders on

918-581: A larger supercharger inlet and throttle body. Thus, the Gen3 utilized a 2.85-inch (72 mm) pulley versus the 2.55-inch (65 mm) pulley on the Gen2. The easiest way to spot the difference between the Gen2 and Gen3 is the smaller pulley and the ribs on the side of the Gen2 extend all the way down the sides, while the Gen3 ribs are on only the top. They perform slightly differently, and interchanging one without tuning may cause engine problems. Redline on Gen3 engines

1020-533: A lower-cost version of the Oakland six, powered by the Pontiac Split-Head Six flathead engine, which used two cylinder heads. This engine was replaced by the 1941–1954 Pontiac flathead six . The unrelated Pontiac OHV 6 overhead valve engine was produced in 1964–1965, based on a Chevrolet design. Pontiac's final straight-six engine was the 1966–1969 Pontiac OHC 6 overhead camshaft engine, which

1122-412: A residual 6th-order-and-up inertial torque oscillation compared with the four-stroke design being imbalanced at 3rd-order and up. Crankshafts for straight-six engines usually have either four main bearings (i.e., a bearing in between each pair of crankpins and one at each end) or seven main bearings (i.e., a bearing between every crankpin): The first production straight-six engine was introduced in

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1224-455: A single overhead camshaft engine in 1979 and upgraded to dual overhead camshafts before production ended in 2008 (with the 1G-FE being the final variant). Nissan's first straight-six engine was the 1950–1952 Nissan NAK flathead petrol engine, which continued in various forms until production of the Nissan P engine ended in 2003. The 1963-1965 Nissan K overhead valve petrol engine was used in

1326-597: A straight six version of the Chrysler flathead petrol engine. This was replaced by the 1959–2000 Chrysler Slant-6 overhead valve straight-six petrol engine, which was so named due to the 30-degree angle used to reduce the height of the engine (with the trade-off of a wider engine). The Slant-6 was released in the Dodge Dart economy car and used in many models until a V6 engine replaced it after 30 years. The Chevrolet Stovebolt overhead valve straight-six petrol engine

1428-415: A straight-six was the 1961–1969 Alfa Romeo 2600 executive car before the company switched to V6 engines. Mercedes-Benz's history of straight-six engines began with the 1913 Mercedes D.I aircraft engine. The first automotive straight-six engine was the 1924–1929 Daimler M836 3.9 L petrol engine. Following World War 2, Mercedes resumed production of straight-six engines with the 1951 introduction of

1530-672: Is a popular choice for aftermarket modification thanks to its very strong internals and impressive power gains from basic upgrades. The engine was built in Flint, Michigan , and was certified LEV in 2001. The Series III engines include many changes. The upper and lower intake manifold is now aluminum on the naturally aspirated models. Intake ports are mildy enlarged; 1.83 in (46.5 mm) intake valves (instead of 1.8 in (45.7 mm) as on Series II) and 1.52 in (38.6 mm) exhaust valves were introduced in 2003 engines, just before switching to Series III. Electronic throttle control

1632-495: Is added to all versions, as is returnless fuel injection . Stronger powdered metal sinter forged connecting rods are used in 2004+ supercharged, and 2005+ naturally aspirated engines, instead of the cast iron style from Series II engines. Emissions are also reduced. In 2005, it was the first gasoline engine in the industry to attain SULEV (Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle) emissions certification. Also note that Series III engines are

1734-527: Is at 6000 rpm, but the ECM will shift at 5400 rpm without performance shift enabled. Introduced in 1995, the Series II is quite a different engine. It is also by far the most popular of the 3800 family for its power, smoothness, fuel efficiency, and reliability, although the stroke for the 3.8 liter engine remained at 3.4 in (86 mm), and the bore remained at 3.8 in (97 mm). That said,

1836-574: Is cast iron and all variants use iron, two-valve-per-cylinder OHV heads. The engine, originally designed and manufactured in the United States, was also produced in later versions in Australia. It was the first six-cylinder engine designed exclusively for Buick products since the Buick straight-six was discontinued in 1930. In 1967, GM sold the design to Kaiser-Jeep since they no longer felt

1938-452: Is due to the crank throws being arranged in three planes offset at 120°, resulting in the non-sinusoidal forces summing to zero for all free forces until the sixth order. The engine balance characteristics of a straight-six engine compare favorably with the more common straight-four engines and V6 engines , which experience significant secondary dynamic imbalance, resulting in engine vibration. As engine reciprocating forces increase with

2040-664: Is the Series III version of the 3800. It is still a 3.8 L (231 cu in) design. Compression remains at 9.4:1 as with the L36, but the aluminum upper and lower intake (2004+) and stronger connecting rods (2005+) are the primary physical changes. The powdered metal connecting rods were meant to be introduced in 2004 along with the L32, but the GM plant in Bay City, Michigan that supplies

2142-464: Is the German brand BMW , which has always used a straight-six layout for its six-cylinder engines. Since 2017, the trend of switching to V6 engines has reversed due to the ability to create a modular engine family of straight engines sharing many components. Examples include the 2017–present Mercedes-Benz M256 engine , the 2019–present Jaguar Land Rover Ingenium engines (AJ300 and AJ300D versions),

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2244-557: The 3800 LN3 would later be loosely considered the Pre-Series I , although the older 3.8 SFI (LG3) was still available that year in some models. The LN3 was a major redesign, with a change to on-center bore spacing (created by moving the left-hand bank of cylinders forward relative to the right-hand bank) and the addition of a balance shaft . Other features included a 3×/18× crank-trigger system and multiport fuel injection . This generation continued in use in several GM products into

2346-570: The BMW M337 (produced until 1958). Production of straight-six engines resumed in 1968 with the BMW M30 single overhead camshaft engine, built for 27 years and used in various models. The 1978–1989 BMW M88 engine was a double overhead camshaft design that was introduced in the BMW M1 mid-engine sport car. BMW's introduction of turbocharged straight-six engines (aside from the low-volume variants of

2448-522: The Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac (BOP) bellhousing pattern, an oddity of both the front-wheel drive (FWD) and RWD 3800 V6 is that although it is a 90° V6, it uses the GM 60° V6 bell housing (Metric Pattern). For use in the FWD applications, the bellhousings on the FWD transmissions are altered slightly. This engine has the cylinders numbered 1-3-5 on the left-hand bank (front bank for FWD applications) and 2-4-6 on

2550-696: The Chevrolet division, and the tooling was sold to Kaiser-Jeep . In 1965, Kaiser-Jeep began using the Buick 225 in Jeep CJs . It was known as the Dauntless V6 and used a much heavier flywheel than the Buick version to damp vibrations resulting from the engine's firing pattern. Buick sold the tooling for this engine to Kaiser in 1967, as the demand for the engine was waning steadily in an era of V8s and muscle cars . When American Motors (AMC) bought Jeep,

2652-508: The Duramax Straight-6 turbocharged diesel engine has been available in several General Motors SUV and light truck models since 2020. On March 25, 2022, Stellantis announced their new turbocharged straight-six engine, called Hurricane. Two outputs are available, a standard 400 or 500 hp (298 or 373 kW; 406 or 507 PS) high performance rated at 450 or 475 pound force-feet (610 or 644 N⋅m) of torque. The turbos on

2754-534: The Ford 240 I6 from 1965 through 1972. The Ford 300 cu in (4.9 L) version of the straight-six engine was built from 1965 until 1996, with notable uses in trucks, SUVs, and vans. However, Ford straight-sixes were replaced by V6 engines in passenger cars during the mid-1970s. In 1908, the Oldsmobile Model Z was powered by a flathead straight-six petrol engine, which was produced until 1912 (in

2856-674: The Ford Falcon large sedan was introduced with a locally-built version of the American Ford Straight-6 overhead valve engine. In 1998, these engines were upgraded to a single overhead camshaft design. This was followed in 2002 by the Ford Barra dual overhead camshaft engine in 2002, which was produced in both naturally aspirated and turbocharged versions. The Ford Barra engine remained in use until Ford Australia ceased local production in 2016. The Chrysler Valiant

2958-686: The Mercedes-Benz M180 overhead camshaft engine. In 1985, the Mercedes-Benz OM603 3.0 L diesel straight-six engine was introduced. In 1996, the company replaced its petrol straight-sixes with a series of V6 engines, although it continued producing diesel straight-six engines. Production of petrol straight-six engines resumed in 2017 with the introduction of the Mercedes-Benz M256 turbocharged DOHC engine. Opel began production of straight-six engines in 1927 with

3060-659: The Nissan Cedric Special 50 luxury car. Using a similar design, the Nissan H30 engine was used in several luxury cars from 1965 through 1989. In 1966, Nissan began production of the six-cylinder versions of the Nissan L single overhead camshaft engine, which was produced until 2009. The 1985–2004 Nissan RB engine , used in the Nissan Skyline and several other cars, was produced in single overhead camshaft and dual overhead camshaft configurations until

3162-721: The Nissan Skyline GT-R ) was based on the Prince G engine. Mitsubishi produced six-cylinder versions of the Mitsubishi KE engine from 1963 to 1970, as well as the rare six-cylinder versions of the Mitsubishi 6G34 version of the single overhead camshaft "Saturn" engine from 1970 to 1976. The 2000–2006 Daewoo Magnus (also called the Chevrolet Evanda, Chevrolet Epica, Holden Epica, or Suzuki Verona)

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3264-531: The Oldsmobile Limited luxury car) in displacements of 453 cu in (7.4 L), 505 cu in (8.3 L) and 706 cu in (11.6 L). Oldsmobile's next straight-six engine was introduced in the 1913 Oldsmobile Six luxury car, initially with a displacement of 380 cu in (6.2 L), followed by a displacement of 177 cu in (2.9 L) for the 1917-1921 Oldsmobile Model 37 luxury car. The later generations of

3366-536: The Oldsmobile Straight-6 also used a flathead design from its introduction in the 1923 Oldsmobile Model 30 luxury car until it was replaced in 1950 by Oldsmobile's V8 engine. The 1913–1929 Oakland Six luxury car was powered by a flathead petrol engine produced in displacements of 177 cu in (2.9 L) and 334 cu in (5.5 L). In 1926, the Pontiac Six was introduced as

3468-542: The VIN code for the engine is E . The LN7 is a multiport fuel injected version of the LK9 . It was introduced for 1985 and used the VIN code: L . It was replaced in 1989 with the 3.3. In mid-1984, the 3.8 liter LD5 engine was modified for transverse-mounting in smaller, FWD vehicles, and equipped with multi point fuel injection (MPFI). 1984-1985 models used a distributor and a distributorless wasted spark ignition system

3570-474: The crankshaft . A straight-six engine has perfect primary and secondary engine balance , resulting in fewer vibrations than other designs of six or fewer cylinders. Until the mid-20th century, the straight-six layout was the most common design for engines with six cylinders. However, V6 engines became more common in the 1970s. By the 2000s, V6 engines replaced most straight-six engines. In terms of packaging, straight-six engines are almost always narrower than

3672-458: The 140 cu in (2.3 L) OHC aluminum inline-four engine used in the subcompact Chevrolet Vega and a 250 cu in (4.1 L) straight-6 used in smaller Chevy, Buick, Oldsmobile and Pontiac models, whose design roots dated back to the 1962 Chevy II (Nova). LD5 was the RPO for engines with chassis code "A", LD7 was used for the 1977-only VIN code "C" engines. One quick idea

3774-675: The 1938 Jaguar 3½ Litre sports saloon/coupe and the 1948 Jaguar Mark V luxury car. The 1927 Rover Two-litre luxury car introduced the company's IOE straight-six petrol engine. This engine was used in various Rover models until the Rover P5 was discontinued in 1973, and in various Land Rover models from the 1961 Land Rover Series IIA until 1980 Land Rover Series III . The 1928 Austin 20/6 luxury car introduced Austin's flathead straight-six petrol engine. The 1938-1939 Austin Twenty-Eight used an enlarged version of this engine. This

3876-459: The 1998–2006 Volvo S80 ) used the uncommon design of a transversely-mounted straight-six engine. Production of Volvo straight-six engines ceased in 2015. BMW's first product was the 1917 BMW IIIa straight-six aircraft engine. The company began production of automotive straight-six engines in 1933 with the BMW M78 petrol engine, a 1.2 L overhead valve design that evolved over the years into

3978-400: The 2020 competition, the name was changed to Wards 10 Best Engines and Propulsion Systems . Number of times the following makes have received the award (excluding the special 20th century awards): Inline-six engine The straight-six engine (also referred to as an inline-six engine ; abbreviated I6 or L6) is a piston engine with six cylinders arranged in a straight line along

4080-569: The 2021–present Stellantis Hurricane engine and the 2022–present Mazda Skyactiv-X and Skyactiv-D engines. Alfa Romeo's first production straight-six engine - 6.3 L flathead petrol engine - was introduced in 1921 in the Alfa Romeo G1 luxury car. An overhead valve design was introduced in the 1922 Alfa Romeo RL sports car, and an overhead camshaft design was used in the 1927 Alfa Romeo 6C sports car and various racing cars from 1927 until 1954. The last Alfa Romeo model using

4182-507: The 3800 Series II L36 and appeared in 1996, one year after the naturally aspirated version. It uses the Eaton Generation III M90 supercharger with a 3.8 in (97 mm) pulley, a larger throttle body, different fuel injectors, different cylinder heads, and a different lower intake manifold. The L67 and L36 do not share pistons. L67 pistons are heavier and have a different height to lower compression. Both engines share

Buick V6 engine - Misplaced Pages Continue

4284-488: The 3800, however, it used a batch-fire injection system rather than sequential injection, as evidenced by the lack of a cam position sensor. It also did not have a balance shaft. Power output was 160 hp (119 kW) at 5,200 rpm and 185 lb⋅ft (251 N⋅m) at 2,000 rpm with a 5,500 rpm redline. The LN3 was replaced by the 3,791 cc (3.8 L; 231.3 cu in) L27 in mid-1990 and produces 170 hp (127 kW). The slight power increase

4386-535: The Buick V6 was produced for GM's 1980s front-wheel drive cars. Introduced in 1982, it was a lower deck version of the 3.8 designed for transverse application in the new GM A platform cars such as the Buick Century and Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera . It shared the same bore size as its larger sibling, but featured a smaller stroke of 2.66 in (68 mm). It used a Rochester E2ME 2-bbl carburetor and

4488-478: The Detroit 71 series , marine engines, and outboard motors. Some of the 120 possible crankshaft configurations have useful properties. Still, all of them have a rocking imbalance that may or may not require a balance shaft, depending on the application. The six pistons with six unique phases cannot be "paired" as in the four-stroke case. The Detroit engines used a configuration that, once the primary rocking couple

4590-629: The Dutch Spyker 60 HP racing car in 1903. Straight-six engines increased in popularity in the years after and by 1909, approximately 80 manufacturers were using them (including 62 in the United Kingdom). Prior to the 1950s, V6 engines were rarely used, due to the poorer engine balance of V6 engines compared to straight-six engines. Since the 1980s, however, the shorter length of V6 engines has seen most manufacturers replace straight-six engines with V6 engines. An exception to this trend

4692-565: The Flint, Michigan plant could not achieve the desired production dates in time for that engine year. The L32 is a supercharged Series III . Introduced in 2004, the main differences between the L67 and the L32 are the L32's electronic throttle control, slightly improved cylinder head design, and updated Eaton supercharger, the Generation 5 M90. Power output is up to 260 hp (194 kW) in

4794-539: The Grand Prix GTP. As with the L67, premium fuel (91 octane or higher) is required, but the PCM can compensate for lower octane fuel at the cost of lower power output. The use of below 87 octane fuel can cause detonation that eventually leads to engine damage and failure. Ward%27s 10 Best Engines#20th century Wards 10 Best Engines is an annual list of the ten "best" automobile engines available in

4896-739: The Hurricane Standard Output deliver a peak boost of 22 psi, while the Hurricane High Output turbos deliver 26 psi of peak boost. The 3.0 L Hurricane is produced at Stellantis’ Saltillo Engine Plant in Mexico. Toyota's first straight-six engine was the Toyota Type A , produced from 1935 through 1947. The Type A was an overhead-valve petrol engine based on the Chevrolet Stovebolt engine. This

4998-459: The LN3 is all one piece. A smaller 3.3 liter 3300 was introduced in 1989 and produced through 1993. It was effectively a lower-deck version of the 3800, with a smaller bore and stroke of 3.7 in × 3.16 in (94.0 mm × 80.3 mm) for 3,340 cc (3.3 L; 203.8 cu in). Like the 3800, it used a cast iron block and heads, push rods, and hydraulic lifters. Unlike

5100-671: The LN3 was also replaced by the L27 by Holden who used the engine in their series 2 (1991) VN Commodore range. However, the Australian L27 retained the LN3's one piece upper intake and lower plenum. Power was still boosted to 127 kW (170 hp) for the Holden L27, before being boosted to 130 kW (177 PS; 174 hp) in the revised VR Commodore in 1993. The L36 made its debut in 1995. The Series I Supercharged engine went through two supercharger revisions (Gen2 and Gen3) and

5202-505: The M30 engine in the 1980s) was in 2006 BMW N54 and the production of naturally aspirated engines ceased in 2015. As of 2022 , the BMW B58 turbocharged straight-six engine remains in production, along with its higher performance BMW S58 variants. Rolls-Royce's first straight-six engine was a 6.0 L IOE petrol engine, which was used in the 1905 Rolls-Royce 30 hp luxury car. This car

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5304-504: The Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser and Buick Sport Wagon. 1964–1965 models featured a single barrel Rochester MonoJet, producing 155 hp (116 kW). In 1966–1967, the 1-barrel was replaced with a 2-barrel Rochester 2GV, giving the engine a 5-horsepower boost to 160 hp (119 kW). The V6 was dropped after the 1967 model year in favor of a conventional 250 cu in (4.1 L) inline-six engine built by

5406-667: The Opel CIH engine continued until 1993, when a V6 engine replaced it. Volvo began production of straight-six engines with the 1929–1958 Penta DB flathead petrol engines. The company resumed production in 1969 with the Volvo B30 overhead valve petrol engine, followed by the straight-six versions of the Volvo Modular Engine introduced in 1995 and then the Volvo SI6 engine introduced in 2006. Several models (such as

5508-401: The U.S. market, that are selected by Wards AutoWorld magazine. The list was started in 1994 for model year 1995, and has been drawn every year since then, published at the end of the preceding year. Engines must be available in regular-production vehicles on sale in the U.S. market no later than the first quarter of the year. Eligibility has also been based on availability in a vehicle below

5610-559: The V6 was replaced with AMC straight-6 engines , but the ownership of the V6 tooling remained with AMC. The 1973 oil crisis prompted GM to look for more economical engines than the V8s of 350, 400, and 454/455 cubic inches that powered most General Motors cars and trucks during that time. At that time, the only "small" engines generally offered by GM were built by the Chevrolet division including

5712-425: The adjacent big end. The 3 mm (0.12 in) thick flange effectively caused the connecting rods on the left-hand bank of cylinders (forward bank for FWD applications) to move 1.5 mm (0.059 in) forward and the right-hand bank to move 1.5 mm (0.059 in) rearward, but the engine block remained unchanged compared to the odd-fire engine. Since the cylinders center-lines were no longer centralized over

5814-430: The aluminum-block Cadillac HT-4100 V8 introduced in 1982. It was also the standard powerplant in the front-drive Riviera and Oldsmobile Toronado from 1981 to 1984. Additionally, the 4.1 block was used unsuccessfully at Indianapolis for racing. Its only weakness was the intake valve seals. This was the first naturally aspirated GM V-6 to feature a 4-barrel carburetor. A small 181 cu in (3.0 L) version of

5916-525: The architecture of the '215' less two cylinders. In initial form, it had a bore and stroke of 3.625 in × 3.1875 in (92.08 mm × 80.96 mm), for an overall displacement of 198 cu in (3.2 L). It weighed about 35 lb (16 kg) more than the aluminum engine, but was far cheaper to produce. Dubbed the Fireball V6, it became the standard engine in the 1962 Buick Special . In their test that year, Road & Track

6018-435: The base for any 3800 produced for the 2004 year and up. This means the same block, heads, and connecting rods apply to any remaining Series II engines made after 2004 also. The difference is that Series III engines received the new superchargers (Generation 5 – Eaton M90 – if equipped), intake manifolds, fuel systems, powdered connecting rods, as well as larger intake valves, drive by wire throttle body and electronics. The L26

6120-515: The crank pin bearing journals, the connecting rods were re-designed with the big-ends offset from the piston pin ends by 1.5 mm (0.059 in). The engine in this configuration became known to have "off-center bore spacing". In 1978, GM began to market the 231 as the 3.8 liter as metric engine sizes became common in the United States . The RPO Code was LD5 , though California-emissions versions were called LC6 . Starting in 1979,

6222-419: The cube of piston bore, the straight-six is a preferred configuration for large truck engines. An even-firing six-cylinder two-stroke engine requires ignitions at 60° intervals, or else it would run with simultaneous ignitions and be no smoother than a triple in power delivery. As such, it also requires crank throws at 60° – . Such designs appear to have been limited to diesel engines such as

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6324-509: The early 1990s. It produced 165 hp (123 kW) of power and 210 lb⋅ft (285 N⋅m) of torque. The LN3 is very closely related to the Series I L27 and Series I L67 Supercharged. In fact, supercharger -related hardware can be fitted to an LN3 without changing the cylinder heads. However, the ECM would have to be reprogrammed. The L27 has a two piece, upper plenum intake and lower intake,

6426-403: The engine architecture was vastly changed. The deck height is shorter than the Series I, reducing weight and total engine package size. This required that the piston connecting rods be shortened 1 in (25.4 mm), and the crankshaft was also redesigned. A new intake manifold improved breathing while a redesigned cylinder head featured larger valves and a higher compression ratio. The result

6528-482: The engine was made cheaply at the same factory with much of the same tooling. This engine carried the RPO code KH for the 1964 model year and LH for 1965. In 1966, the code was MH and was renamed the Wildcat V-6 . For 1967, the code was NH . This engine was used in Buick's intermediate-sized Special and Skylark models from 1964 to 1967 and Oldsmobile's mid-sized F-85/Cutlass models for 1964 and 1965, including

6630-476: The engine was used in the front-wheel drive Buick Riviera , though still with a longitudinal mounting. Larger valves and better intake and exhaust boosted the power output for 1979. A turbocharged version was introduced as the pace car at the 1976 Indianapolis 500 , and a production turbo arrived in 1978. The turbo 3.8 received sequential fuel injection and a wasted spark Distributorless Ignition System in 1984. In 1986, an air-to-air Garrett intercooler

6732-446: The engines on August 12. With production back within GM, Buick re-introduced the V6 that fall in certain 1975 models—a move made possible by the fact that foundations for the old V6 machinery were still intact at Buick's engine assembly plant in Flint, Michigan, so it was easy to put the old tooling back in place and begin production at least two years ahead of the normal schedule that would have been required to create new tooling. The bore

6834-507: The horsepower improved between initial launch and the time that the Series II L36 was introduced. The M62 supercharger was manufactured by Eaton , for the GM 3800 SI engine. HP was rated at 205 for 1991–1993 engines (Gen2 supercharger) with a 2.55-inch (65 mm) pulley, and 225 for 1994–1995 engines (Gen3 supercharger). All of the additional horsepower for 1994–95 Gen3 supercharged engines was gained by using epoxy (not Teflon as commonly believed) coated supercharger rotors to improve efficiency,

6936-430: The need to produce a V6, considered an unusual engine configuration in North America at the time. The 1973 oil crisis prompted the company to re-acquire the design from American Motors (AMC), who had purchased Kaiser-Jeep in 1970, in early 1974. The descendants of the early 231 continue as the most-common GM V6, as it developed into a very durable and reliable design. Though the pre-3800 rear-wheel drive (RWD) V6 uses

7038-400: The rest of the engine compartment. GM fitted the affected vehicles with redesigned spark plug wire retainers. These engines were noted for having problems with the plastic upper intake manifold cracking around the EGR passage. The engine would then hydrolock . The lower intake gaskets and upper intake manifolds were revised, correcting all these issues. The L67 is the supercharged version of

7140-415: The right-hand bank, the number 1 cylinder being the furthest from the flywheel end. The firing order is 1-6-5-4-3-2. The engine was produced at the Flint North plant in Flint, Michigan , with engine blocks and cylinder heads cast at the Grey Iron plant (now the GM Saginaw Metal Casting Operations plant) at 1629 N. Washington Avenue in Saginaw, Michigan . The first engine in this family, RPO code 6I ,

7242-407: The same bank remained unchanged at 4.24 in (108 mm), the LN3 and later engines became known to have "on-center bore spacing". The Buick Division, concerned about high manufacturing costs of their innovative aluminum 215 V8, sought to develop a cheaper, cast-iron engine based on the same tooling. It was given the RPO code JL . They settled on an unusual 90° V6 layout that was essentially

7344-442: The same engine blocks, but compression is reduced from 9.4:1 in the L36 to 8.5:1 for the L67. GM listed the engine output as 240 hp (179 kW) and 280 lb⋅ft (380 N⋅m) of torque. Final drive ratios are reduced in most applications, for better fuel economy and for improved use of the engine's torque in the low RPM range. Like most 3800 V6s, the engine is well known for its reliability and low maintenance costs. The engine

7446-441: The straight-six can be scaled up to substantial sizes for heavy trucks, locomotives, industrial and marine use. If an appropriate firing order is used, a straight-six engine has perfect primary and secondary engine balance . The primary balance is due to the front and rear trio of cylinders moving in pairs (albeit 360° out of phase), thus canceling out the rocking motion present in a straight-three engine . The secondary balance

7548-453: Was LC9 . Initially this engine produced 90 hp (67 kW), but in 1979 it received the same improvements in the cylinder heads as did the LD5, and therefore power increased to 105 hp (78 kW). In response to rising gas prices, a larger 252 cu in (4.1 L) version of the 3.8 liter LD5 V6 was produced from 1980 through 1984 and marketed as an alternative to a V8. The bore

7650-448: Was 205 hp (153 kW) and 230 lb⋅ft (312 N⋅m), better fuel economy, and 26 lb (12 kg) lighter overall weight (to 392 lb (178 kg)). This 3800 weighs only 22 lb (10 kg) more than the all-aluminum High Feature V6 that currently dominates GM's six-cylinder applications, despite being an all cast-iron design. The new intake manifold greatly improved airflow. To meet emissions standards, an EGR tube

7752-444: Was accompanied by more torque in the mid-range, all thanks to a new, two-piece intake manifold with longer runners. Other improvements over the LN3 included wider connecting rod bearings, a new timing chain tensioner, dual-wall exhaust pipes, new heat shields for the exhaust manifolds, and sound absorbing, composite molded valve covers. This engine is referred to as the Series I 3800, or 3800 TPI (Tuned Port Injection). In Australia,

7854-557: Was added and the RPO Code became LC2 . The LC2 engine has a bore and stroke of 3.8 in × 3.4 in (96.5 mm × 86.4 mm). The horsepower ratings for 1986 & 1987 were 235 and 245 hp (238 and 248 PS; 175 and 183 kW), respectively. The limited production GNX benefitted from additional factory modifications such as a ceramic turbocharger, more efficient Garrett intercooler, low restriction exhaust system and revised programming which resulted in

7956-624: Was added for all engines produced in 1986 and later. In 1986, it received sequential fuel injection (SFI) and it was initially produced in two forms, the LG2 with flat lifters (tappets), and the LG3 with a roller camshaft and lifters. The latter was offered in various models through 1988. From 1986, the 3.8 had a revised, crankshaft-driven oil pump which eliminated a longstanding problem with pump housing wear and loss of prime. Power produced by this engine was: Introduced in 1988 and initially designated VIN code C,

8058-412: Was balanced out, was also perfectly balanced at all other rocking couples until the 6th order. Mercury came to use a configuration that canceled only the primary rocking couple and was run without a balancer. The reciprocating masses of all configurations are still imbalanced at only 6th-order and up in their plane of motion. Still, the balance of kinetic energy exchange between pistons has improved to

8160-461: Was enlarged to 3.8 in (97 mm), identical to the Buick 350 and Olds 307 V8s, yielding 231 cu in (3.8 L) displacement. 78,349 units were installed in Buicks for 1975. Due to difficulties with the new fuel economy and emissions standards, the engine produced just 105 or 110 hp (78 or 82 kW), depending on fitment and year. In 1977, Buick redesigned the crankshaft to

8262-421: Was enlarged to 3.965 in (100.7 mm), yielding an output of 125 hp (93 kW) and 205 lb⋅ft (278 N⋅m). This engine was used in many large rear-wheel drive Buicks, and in some models from each of GM's other divisions, including Cadillac which offered the "big" Buick V6 in several models from 1980 to 1982 as a credit option to the troublesome V8-6-4 engine used in 1981 and early versions of

8364-469: Was followed by an IOE version in 1916. The 1951 Hudson Hornet introduced a 308 cu in (5.0 L) flathead straight-six engine. These engines dominated dirt track and NASCAR racing at the time. Production of the Hudson I6 continued after the 1954 merger forming American Motors Corporation and was eventually replaced by a new Rambler V8 after 1956. In 1924, Chrysler began production of

8466-589: Was followed by the AJ6 and AJ16 engines, produced from 1984 to 1996, before being replaced by a Ford-derived V6 engine. The 1948–1959 Lagonda straight-6 dual overhead camshaft petrol engine was used in various Aston Martin and Lagonda cars. This engine's successor was the Tadek Marek-designed straight-six used in the DB4 (1958), DB5 (1963), DB6 (1965) and DBS (1967). The Ford Zephyr 6 overhead valve engine

8568-412: Was followed by the 1962–1988 Chevrolet Turbo-Thrift engine (also using an overhead valve design), which was replaced by various General Motors V6 engines. The 1952 through 2006 AMC Straight-6 petrol engine initially used a flathead design before being upgraded to an overhead valve design in 1956. A new I6 design with a short stroke and seven main bearing crankshaft was introduced in 1964. The engine

8670-423: Was followed by the first generation Toyota F overhead valve engine, which was produced from 1949 to 1975, which in turn was followed by the 2F version from 1975 to 1988 and the fuel-injected 3F / 3FE version from 1988 to 1992. This was replaced by the dual overhead camshaft Toyota FZ engine , produced from 1993 until 2008. Produced alongside these engines was the single overhead camshaft Toyota M engine , which

8772-442: Was impressed with Buick's "practical" new V6, saying it "sounds and performs exactly like the aluminum V8 in most respects." The bore was increased to 3.75 in (95.25 mm), and stroke increased to 3.4 in (86.4 mm), increasing displacement to 225 cu in (3.7 L). Since the engine was similar to the popular small-block Buick V8—now with a cast-iron block and displacement of 300 cu in (4.9 L),

8874-531: Was introduced in 1929 as a replacement for the brand's straight-four engines and was produced in displacements of 181 cu in (3.0 L), 194 cu in (3.2 L) and 207 cu in (3.4 L). The second generation of this engine family - often referred to as the Blue Flame engine - was produced from 1937 to 1962 in displacements of 216 cu in (3.5 L), 235 cu in (3.9 L) and 261 cu in (4.3 L). This

8976-516: Was introduced in 1961 for the 1962 model year Buick Special with Buick's 198 cu in (3.2 L) engine, the first V6 in an American car (the GMC V6 was used earlier in trucks). Because it was derived from Buick's 215 cu in (3.5 L) aluminum V8 , it has a 90° bank between cylinders and an uneven firing pattern due to the crankshaft having only three crank pins set at 120° apart, with opposing cylinders (1-2, 3-4, and 5-6) sharing

9078-407: Was introduced in 1965 and produced over seven generations until 1993 (with the 7M-GTE being the final version of the M engine). The M engine was replaced by the dual overhead camshaft Toyota JZ engine , which was produced from 1990 to 2007 and is arguably known as Toyota's best straight-six engine. Toyota's third line of straight-six engines was the 2.0 L Toyota G engine , which was released as

9180-670: Was introduced in the Willys Jeep Station Wagon . At the time of its introduction, the Tornado engine had the lowest specific fuel consumption of an American gasoline (petrol) engine. The Tornado engine was replaced by the AMC I6 engine. In 2001, General Motors resumed production of straight-six engines with the Vortec 4200 dual overhead camshaft petrol engine. This engine was used in various SUV models until 2009. Also,

9282-426: Was placed in the intake manifold to reduce combustion temperatures. The 3800 Series II was on the Ward's 10 Best Engines list for 1995 through 1997. GM recalled 1.5 million vehicles with this engine on April 14, 2009 due to risk of fire from engine oil leaking under the valve cover gaskets onto hot exhaust manifolds. The fire could spread to the nearby plastic spark plug wire retainers on the valve cover and then to

9384-527: Was powered by a 1.3-1.6 L overhead camshaft straight-six petrol engine. The 1931–1932 MG F-type tourers, 1932–1934 MG K-type sports cars, and 1934–1936 MG N-type sports cars were powered by an overhead camshaft straight-six petrol engine. During the mid-1930s, the Riley MPH sports car and Riley Kestrel 6 saloon were produced in small numbers and were powered by dual overhead camshaft straight-six petrol engine. The 1947 Bristol 400 luxury car

9486-613: Was powered by an overhead valve straight-six petrol engine based on the design of the BMW M328 engine. This engine remained in use until the Bristol 406 was discontinued in 1961. The dual overhead camshaft Jaguar XK6 engine petrol engine was produced from 1948 to 1992 in the Jaguar XK120 sports car. Introduced as a 3.4 L, it was used in passenger and racing cars, produced in displacements of 2.4 to 4.2 L. The XK6 engine

9588-516: Was powered by the Daewoo XK6 straight-six petrol engine, which is one of the few straight-six engines to be used in a transverse engine front-wheel drive car. From the 1950s to the 2010s, many cars produced in Australia were powered by a straight-six engine. Holden's first car, the 1948 Holden 48-215 sedan, was powered by the Holden 'grey' motor , an overhead valve petrol engine. This engine

9690-419: Was replaced by Chevrolet's straight-six engine and Buick's V6 engine. a The overhead valve Buick Straight-6 petrol engine was introduced in the 1914 Buick Six luxury car and was produced until 1930. Buick did not make another six-cylinder engine until they introduced a V6 engine in 1962. The 1916 through 1926 Hudson Super Six was powered by a 289 cu in (4.7 L) straight-six petrol engine. This

9792-605: Was replaced by the Austin D-Series engine , an overhead valve engine initially designed for trucks, which was used in passenger cars from 1947 until 1968 (along with several Jensen Motors models from 1946 to 1962). The overhead valve BMC C-Series was used by various BMC brands from 1954 to 1971, followed by the 2.2 L version of the BMC E-Series overhead camshaft engine, which was produced from 1970 until 1982. The 1930–1936 Wolseley Hornet six lightweight car

9894-532: Was replaced by the Holden 'red' motor , which was produced from 1963 to 1980 and in turn followed by the 1980–1984 Holden 'blue' motor . The final locally produced Holden straight-six was the 1984–1986 Holden 'black' motor , which was initially replaced by the Japanese-built Nissan RB30 engine before Holden switched to a locally-built V6 engine. Ford produced straight-six engines for the longest time of any Australian manufacturer. In 1960,

9996-479: Was replaced by the 1906–1926 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost , which switched to a flathead (side-valve) design for its straight-six engine. In 1906, the Standard Six luxury car was introduced, powered by a 20 hp (15 kW; 20 PS) I6 petrol engine. Standard's engines were also used in several cars built by SS Cars and its successor Jaguar, such as the 1932 SS 1 sports car, the 1936 SS Jaguar 100 and

10098-467: Was rugged, reliable, and became noted for longevity. A turbocharged racing engine based on the AMC Straight-6 engine block produced 875 hp (652 kW) and competed in the 1978 Indianapolis 500 race. The final application for the AMC Straight-6 engine was the 2006 Jeep Wrangler (TJ) , after which a V6 replaced it. The 1962 through 1973 Jeep Tornado overhead camshaft straight-six engine

10200-458: Was tried by Buick engineers—taking an old Fireball V6 picked up at a junkyard and installing it into a 1974 Buick Apollo. The solution worked so well that GM wanted AMC to put the engine back into production. However, AMC's cost per unit was deemed as too high. Instead of buying completed engines, GM made an offer to buy back the tooling and manufacturing line from AMC in April 1974, and began building

10302-575: Was used in several of the company's sports cars. The 1906–1908 Ford Model K luxury car used a 405 cu in (6.6 L) straight-six petrol engine and was the only Ford six-cylinder passenger car engine until the 1940s. The Ford flathead I6 was produced from 1941 until 1951, followed by the Ford OHV I6 overhead valve engine from 1952 through 1964, then the Ford Thriftpower Six overhead valve engine from 1960 until 1982, and

10404-742: Was used in the Ford Zephyr executive car and several other models from 1951 to 1966. The Triumph I6 overhead valve straight-six petrol engine was produced from 1960 to 1977 and debuted in the Standard Vanguard Six sports saloon. The Leyland PE166 engine was loosely based on the Triumph design and was produced from 1977 to 1986. The 1972–1977 TVR 2500M sports car was powered by the Triumph I6 engine. Then, from 1999 to 2007, TVR's own TVR Speed Six dual overhead camshaft engine

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