I think I am going to stop reccomending the 3.8L f-body to people...

[josh98bird]

Re: I think I am going to stop reccomending the 3.8L f-body to people...

**** the ls1

hatred is the first sign of fear

[99BlackW68]

Re: I think I am going to stop reccomending the 3.8L f-body to people...

yea most of that stuff is because you have abused it or didn't keep it up.

speakers...playing them too loud
window motor....use ac more (only $30 fix though)
radiator....probably mixed up different coolants causing it to mud up

other stuff is all common for other cars as well. The engine itself is a brute and something that can take a beating...

I have 110k on my car, stock foglights, headlights, power steering, speakers, cat, radiator, etc. So it depends on the care and use of the car. But to say that you are not recommending 3.8l cars is just stupid as the engine is great

agreed. sure there are some common problems like the p/s window motor going bad, but there are ways to fix it. just treat your car well and it will all be good. the 3800 is a beast of an engine, as said before it was once rated as one of the world's top engines. treat her well and she'll treat you well

[DAS BOOT]

Re: I think I am going to stop reccomending the 3.8L f-body to people...

I have no issues with the 3.8L itself, just evertything attached to it....




and bibber, not ragging on lt1s but I don't care what anyone says they are not a pinnacle of reliability.... but reliablity and performance.... they are a top dog.

[96_Fbird]

Re: I think I am going to stop reccomending the 3.8L f-body to people...

My car has been a huge money pit. I think the owner before me didn't take care of it but they have cost me more than my car is worth in repairs. I put 850 just this summer into it.

[TealV6]

Re: I think I am going to stop reccomending the 3.8L f-body to people...

hold the bus... what year is your car?

Second, there is a thing called "maintenance" for ANY vehicle. Even one that sits and gets wiped with a diaper.

I've owned enough cars to know that the more I drive it, it's going to damage something. It's going to wear out no matter how much I want it not to.

Knowing what to do to prevent problems or extend life helps, but you'll never have a "problem free" car. Not a Lambo, not a Vette, not a Pinto. Start adding aftermarket add-ons and it's just asking for more debate.

I've driven and beat on both F-bodies and Jeeps. (My favorite cars) There are weak links in both, based on motor/trans/options/etc. Have I put more money into either than say a stock honda accord? HELL YES I have! I can't leave anything stock (stock sucks!) but I took that responsibility when I started changing things.

I don't think it's fair to say that you can't recommend the 3.8 or an F-body because you have had to spend money on it. We wouldn't be on this website if we didn't spend money on them.

[josh98bird]

Re: I think I am going to stop reccomending the 3.8L f-body to people...

hold the bus... what year is your car?

Second, there is a thing called "maintenance" for ANY vehicle. Even one that sits and gets wiped with a diaper.

I've owned enough cars to know that the more I drive it, it's going to damage something. It's going to wear out no matter how much I want it not to.

Knowing what to do to prevent problems or extend life helps, but you'll never have a "problem free" car. Not a Lambo, not a Vette, not a Pinto. Start adding aftermarket add-ons and it's just asking for more debate.

I've driven and beat on both F-bodies and Jeeps. (My favorite cars) There are weak links in both, based on motor/trans/options/etc. Have I put more money into either than say a stock honda accord? HELL YES I have! I can't leave anything stock (stock sucks!) but I took that responsibility when I started changing things.

I don't think it's fair to say that you can't recommend the 3.8 or an F-body because you have had to spend money on it. We wouldn't be on this website if we didn't spend money on them.

well put ... :tup:

[02camaro3800]

Re: I think I am going to stop reccomending the 3.8L f-body to people...

sooo...ive noticed....all dasboot dose is complain like a little ***** about everything

[DAS BOOT]

Re: I think I am going to stop reccomending the 3.8L f-body to people...

I know the car isn't new... thats why I said, probably won't be reccomending it to people anymore. By default the car is going to be 6+ years old. Hell I think I'd reccomend an LT1 over it.... an average 3.8L may be a little bit less problematic... but will still need work. If thats the case might as well get a lt1 or something.

LOL I am not saying that I am oblivious to the fact that a car needs maintenance... but come on.... My car has 80k, and I need to go through the entire cooling system? Did I neglect it? nope... changed the fluid, even changed the thermostat....

My car is well maintained, more so then most...

What should I have done to maintain my cooling system more?

sooo...ive noticed....all dasboot dose is complain like a little ***** about everything

sooo... ive noticed....most people from texas are ****ing gay and really do not get along with me :)

[josh98bird]

Re: I think I am going to stop reccomending the 3.8L f-body to people...

[TealV6]

Re: I think I am going to stop reccomending the 3.8L f-body to people...

IMy car has 80k, and I need to go through the entire cooling system? Did I neglect it? nope... changed the fluid, even changed the thermostat....

My car is well maintained, more so then most...

What should I have done to maintain my cooling system more?

Recommend the opti-crap... come on. Let's be real, ok.

What the manufacturer recommends and what really should be done, are two different things. They SAY, you can go 100K miles without a tune-up. Anyone ever go that long??? Didn't think so.

Coolant is changed every 2 years and in the Jeep, it gets a new thermostat every year (fussy little monsters). If done in the garage, it's all of about 30 bucks every 2 years. I call that cheap. Also, I don't know anyone using that eco-tree-huggin-coolant. As long as you properly dispose of the green stuff, I'm fine using that. The eco stuff and dex-cool (or whatever it's called) isn't all that friendly.

[LETZRIDE]

Re: I think I am going to stop reccomending the 3.8L f-body to people...

I know the car isn't new... thats why I said, probably won't be reccomending it to people anymore. By default the car is going to be 6+ years old. Hell I think I'd reccomend an LT1 over it.... an average 3.8L may be a little bit less problematic... but will still need work. If thats the case might as well get a lt1 or something.

LOL I am not saying that I am oblivious to the fact that a car needs maintenance... but come on.... My car has 80k, and I need to go through the entire cooling system? Did I neglect it? nope... changed the fluid, even changed the thermostat....

My car is well maintained, more so then most...

What should I have done to maintain my cooling system more?





sooo... ive noticed....most people from texas are ****ing gay and really do not get along with me :)

What happened to your coolant system thats so bad? The guy I bought my car from had an intake gasket leak and oil got in and i didnt know and it destroyed my hoses, and that piece the hoses feed into (forget what its called)...I had to go through and flush it like 8 times to get all the **** out...and i still have a bit left... and it didnt cost that much to fix... other then that ive replaced the alt and I have a tiny leak in my differential (seal only). My car is a 1996 with 174,000km on it...not a spot of rust on the body, and it has been driven in the winter since new (im second owner)... Id say my car is damn reliable...1st owner only had regular maintenance on her to, brakes, oilchanges, battery, etc...I have all his bills :D

[DAS BOOT]

Re: I think I am going to stop reccomending the 3.8L f-body to people...

Recommend the opti-crap... come on. Let's be real, ok.

What the manufacturer recommends and what really should be done, are two different things. They SAY, you can go 100K miles without a tune-up. Anyone ever go that long??? Didn't think so.

Coolant is changed every 2 years and in the Jeep, it gets a new thermostat every year (fussy little monsters). If done in the garage, it's all of about 30 bucks every 2 years. I call that cheap. Also, I don't know anyone using that eco-tree-huggin-coolant. As long as you properly dispose of the green stuff, I'm fine using that. The eco stuff and dex-cool (or whatever it's called) isn't all that friendly.

It is reccomended to be changed every 5 years, 150,000 miles... I changed mine roughly 2.5 years, 40k miles.

I have changed
-plugs ~4 times,
-wires once(looking into doing it again, but they are dong fine)
-Fuel Filter 4 times
-PCV 2-3 times
-powersteering fluid twice
-Tranny fluid twice

and a bunch of other stuff... I am actually a little anal about car stuff...

I agree, I want the greenstuff if I can get it in again, I wanted to do it last time I changed it but I was a little against it. Because its a nightmare(similar to the one I have now... if it mixes)


What happened is 2 things, either electrolysis, or air still in my system that under pressure caused the corrosion... Not sure if you guys know the issue with this.... To fix this and not be worried about it again... I will have to...

Change radiator, change heater core, some even reccomend pulling the lower intake to flush the block.






Is a Lt1 more reliable then a 3.8L, nope.... but it makes up for it with hp/tq... whats the tradeoff for a not so reliable 3.8L? Lackluster performance? Mediocre gas mileage?


your Jeep at least gives you offroad capabilities...



Being a car guy... I get asked lots of car advice... I used to say get a 3.8L, fun little cars with ok gas mileage, some pep, and pretty relialbe... Just don't seem reliable anymore. And performance wise... alot of stuff out there that is faster...

[LETZRIDE]

Re: I think I am going to stop reccomending the 3.8L f-body to people...

[QUOTE=DAS BOOT]

What happened is 2 things, either electrolysis, or air still in my system that under pressure caused the corrosion... Not sure if you guys know the issue with this.... To fix this and not be worried about it again... I will have to...

Change radiator, change heater core, some even reccomend pulling the lower intake to flush the block.

QUOTE]

How the hell did that happen? Ive never ever heard of that before...Did you not fill it properly or what?

[DAS BOOT]

Re: I think I am going to stop reccomending the 3.8L f-body to people...

What happened to your coolant system thats so bad? The guy I bought my car from had an intake gasket leak and oil got in and i didnt know and it destroyed my hoses, and that piece the hoses feed into (forget what its called)...I had to go through and flush it like 8 times to get all the **** out...and i still have a bit left... and it didnt cost that much to fix... other then that ive replaced the alt and I have a tiny leak in my differential (seal only). My car is a 1996 with 174,000km on it...not a spot of rust on the body, and it has been driven in the winter since new (im second owner)... Id say my car is damn reliable...1st owner only had regular maintenance on her to, brakes, oilchanges, battery, etc...I have all his bills :D

YOu want the list?

-New clutch, hydraulics, flywheel @ 7k miles
-New tires, plugs/wires @ 35k
-Cat died at 35k
-powersteering pump died at 40k
-power window motor died at 40k
-clutch/flywheel.slave replaced at 55k(also did master just because)
-60k tailshaft broke on tranny, put new tranny in
-Rear end roaring @ 50k
-Replacement rear end is currently whining.

and now... Radiator clogged, sprung a leak, sludge, through entire cooling system.



My car is a 2k with 82k miles.

[DAS BOOT]

Re: I think I am going to stop reccomending the 3.8L f-body to people...

What happened is 2 things, either electrolysis, or air still in my system that under pressure caused the corrosion... Not sure if you guys know the issue with this.... To fix this and not be worried about it again... I will have to...

Change radiator, change heater core, some even reccomend pulling the lower intake to flush the block.

How the hell did that happen? Ive never ever heard of that before...Did you not fill it properly or what?

there are class action suits about it... Its a big problem with Dexcool(red coolant)

I new the troublew of dexcool when I did the coolant swap at 40k...

I drained it, put in a 160* stat, mixed and added the coolant/distilled water 50/50 combo. Bled the system until coolant came out, for a few seconds. Then closed the valve.

Fast forward 40k miles... It corroded and turned to mud/gel, clogged the radiator and caused it to puke. Good chance same issues is going to happen in the heater core, and known to clog and screw up the block as well.

Once it starts, its hard to get rid of.