So I recently bought my first camaro (a 97 v6 3.8), and it currently has just under 190k miles on it. I went into this knowing it'd be a project I'd be replacing things soon, and putting in quite a bit of work (it's not in great shape), but I'm pretty inexperienced with these cars (and in general, but learning fast), and was wondering if anyone has any advice on when things start going out in the engine, i.e. head gaskets blowing, valves, pistons seizing, etc. Just trying to get my bearings on about when I can expect to need to replace things before they turn into a grenade. I might end up just getting a low(er) mile engine and swapping it out, but that's not really an option for a while, as I'm budgeted pretty tight right now.

 

A well maintained and nicly driven 3800 can easily put 300K on the clock and still run strong. If you have 190K right now then the problem child intake gaskets have prolly already been changed. Watch your coolant level these engines tend to get a small leak around the plastic elbows that connect the tensioner assy to the intake and water pump. Aside from that if you drive the car nice you should not have any problems. Drive it hard and expect to spin a bearing and blow the oil filter gasket out and be putting that new engine in the car sooner than you want.

Massey