Hi: I am happy to have found this forum. I recently purchased a custom car which I believe has a 1981 Camaro 229/3.8 L V6 engine.
Firstly I need to confirm it is that engine. I believe so as it has the distributor next to the firewall, and has the 8 cylinder distributor cap using only 6 ignition wires.
I believe that is called an "odd-fire"?
I have found a couple of ideas on the internet to determine it's origin with a number on the block, but I have been unable to locate it.
I have confirmed the # on the intake manifold is used in that engine, but that may not be definitive.
In addition I bellieve my choke heater is defective. I have had the choke come on with a warm engine.
I have tried to measure any resistance through the heater, but it reads infinity/open.
I could not run the engine at the moment, but turned the ignition on and did not read any voltage on the plug for the choke heater?
Any help appreciated.
THanks
DougQ
P.S. The custom car is a replice of a 1934 Mercedes 500K, very pretty.

 

The 229 is a very common engine. It is the chevy version of the 3.8. It was used in the Malibu, El Camino, Monza even some of the Caprices. As you know the big tell between the Buick 3.8( 331) an the Chevy 3.8 (229) is where the distributer was located Back Chevy, Front Buick. As for your chock just make up a power wire with a fuse and run direct power to the choke and see if it opens or pops the fuse. If the element is really showing no resistance you would blow the fuse instantly. Since your car is custom I have no ide where that fuse is in the cars. Under hood temp would eventually open the choke. The vacuum choke pull offs are also weak link in the setup.

When everything is working right what should happen. You hit the throttle first thing in the morning the Choke spring will close the choke all the way. You crank the car, once it starts the Vacuum pull off will open the chock some. This is a spec you would need to look up, it will give you degrees and there is a tool called a choke angle gage used to set it. As the spring is heated up by the 12 volts it will start to open and within 2 minutes it should be just about all the way open. From that point on the choke should stay out of your way.

 

Gorn: Thanks for the reply. I did as you suggested for the electrical connection. The old heater was open and the new one reads 2.5 ohms, which will draw about 5 amps.
I have yet to mount it as I am missing retainers, I should have some soon.
Your information on the operation is helpful.

Do you have any thoughts on where I might find identification on the engine?

Thanks
DougQ

 

Sorry, back when I worked on them they where in new cars and I didn't need to ID them as they where under warranty. I do know they all kinds of oddity's back them. I remember the Monte Turbo 3.8 was the Buick. First time I pulled the engine it was the first time I saw a transmission bell housing that could handle a Chevy pattern or a Buick Pattern Bell Housing. Is there a real need to know which car the motor came from? If the motor was newer then 80 someone has already swapped most of the parts off of the motor. In 81 the carburetor and distributer was controlled by a computer and the engines were covered in emission crap. I am not even sure that info is around for the Chevy. The Buick 3.8 was put in a lot of hot rods because you could get all turbo stuff from a junk yard. The 229 Chevy did not get a lot of love. Most of that old info that is around is from people that grabbed it before it was thrown away and scan it into the computer on their own time. Unless its a Pontiac, They kept their records.

Storing these kind of records costs way more then you would think. Storing them for 41 years on a car that was design to last 6-8 years did not make any business sense.

 

Gorn: My only concern with determining the exact year and car this came from is to be able to accurately order any parts I might need.
With the choke heater, I took the old one to a parts store and they were able to identify a replacement. That is hard to do if I want to order parts online.
You mention the 81 would have computer control, which mine does not. That suggests it may be from a 1980 Camaro with the 229 cid odd-fire engine, or is there any other likely candidate for the source of this engine?

Thanks
DougQ

 

The parts that are on it now does not mean that is what came on it. It was very common practice you find non-computer parts and replace the computer ones and junk all the computer stuff and emission. In swapping an engine I have never seen anyone move the computer on a non-fuel injected car.

What makes you think it was out of a camaro? No there is nothing special about the one in the camaro except maybe the air cleaners and the exhaust manifolds. Back in the 80's GM engine compartments where almost always the same. The only thing that changes would be the exhaust manifolds. Do you have automatic with overdrive? The nice part about that is almost all of the parts are interchangeable.

 

Gorn: I concur that I might be guessing a bit about the origin of the engine. My guess is due to the title that I received when I acquired the car.
The title identified the car as a 76 camaro. That is of course impossible as the v6 only came out in 1980.
It is possible the donor chassis was from a 76 and the drive train from a 1980.
The intake manifold part number is apparently from a 80 - 81 229 cid Camaro and newer models.
The car has a 3 speed auto trans, no overdrive.
I am resigned to guessing the engine and trans are from a 80 Camaro and will need to be very careful when acquiring replacement parts.

Thanks for your input, much appreciated.
DougQ

 

Just a FYI. The 3800 SII engine came out in 1995. It uses the standard V6 bell housing. If you can find a 2002 3800 out of a camaro You could get the PCM flashed and have a 200+HP 27 MPG engine that is good for a 1/4 million miles. Parts are very common for it as it is pretty much the same 3800 they put in many of the GM Front wheel Drive cars all the way up to 2009. Also if you can find one with a 5 speed behind it in a little light weigh car it would be a blast to drive.