I'm looking at buying a 99 camaro with a 3.8 liter v-6 and was wondering if problems exist with this motor as they do with the 3.1 v-6 from earlier generation camaros? Example, 3.1 runs today and tomorrow it runs when it wants to or will just idle, bad fuel injectors etc.......
I already have a 91 rs witha 3.1 that I cannot keep running. Don't want to get burned twice. any and all feedback is welcome

 

the 3800 has a fairly long and well earned ticket for all around dependability. the 3800 block, ( in different variations), can be found in every thing from the turbocharged Grand nationals to grandma's buick to your neighbours supercharged SSN to your camaro.

they take some bolt on mods quite nicely and return decent power for a v6. your 99 has the Series II 3800. 200 Hp/225 Torque. nothing to laugh at in a 3300 lb car.

if you can't afford the v8, the v6 is a nice compromise between getting that v8, or getting no camaro at all

 

The 3800 and 3100 are two completely different engines... That's like comparing an 346 LS1 to a Ford 302...

If this makes you feel better... My car had 152k miles on it with zero problems. I replaced the motor only because I had one sitting around with 80k on it.

 

I have the 3800 II in my '99. Runs like a champ and has plenty of power for an extremely light car.

Drive conservatively and it gets good gas mileage...drive like a maniac...and it's still pretty good.

 

Like anything else, just don't buy the car if it's been abused. There are two 3.8 V6 Camaros in my family (one being a '99 the other a '96), and both are excellent.

 

Thanks to Jiffy lube I had to put a new engine in my 99 with a 3.8L. The engine ran well and strong for 3000 miles after being started with no oil and spinning a bearing. The bearing spun again at the 3000 mile mark and I lost all my oil again but this time I had to drive the car a little ways before I could shut it down. That took out a rod bearing, but the engine still ran good just with some noise. This engine survived what most engines would have seized up over.

I have had quite afew 3800's in my time and I love them all. My Mom's 88 LeSabre had well over 150K on the meter before we opted to remove the engine in favor of a L67 SC 3800.

This engine has been listed as one of the 10 best engines of all time, it has been through several variations, all with great success. It started its life as a Buick V8, That engine was not very cost effective, some of the engineers started messing around with it and removed 2 cylinders, but left the crank and cam at 45º firing, this gave the engine odd firing characteristics for a V6 so they eventually became the odd fire 231's. Eventually the crank and cam were redesigned for 60º firing which became the even fire 231's. The RWD engines used the BOPC bellhousing mount, and the FWD engines used the Chevy 60º V6 bellhousing mount. In 87 there were major changes to the heads but the block was the same as older FWD. In 88 the 3800 was born in both FWD and RWD flavors sharing heads and internals but nothing else. Mid year 1995 the 3800 Series II was born and there is no difference now from the FWD and the RWD blocks or heads. The Series II engine ran from 95-05 generating 200HP /225 Ft/lbs torque in both FWD and RWD applications. This engine can get in the upwards of 30MPG and run well over 300K if taken care of. The Series III engine ran from 03-08, it has a shorter deck to allow for lower hood lines and better aerodynamics, a Series III engine can be used in our cars with slight modification.

All and all this is one of my favorite engines and it is one of the best engines ever built.

Massey