I don’t think you could be more wrong. An engine that eats gaskets/has crappy gaskets isn’t good for anybody. The most important thing to 95-98% population is reliability. That OHV 3.4L is the main reason people stopped buying GM minivan and mid-size cars.

Everyone that I know with one, and I know quite a few, are happy with them. I've heard of the gasket failures, and advised some of them about it, but none so far.

 

Everyone that I know with one, and I know quite a few, are happy with them. I've heard of the gasket failures, and advised some of them about it, but none so far.

I've heard a lot of gasket failures locally, it is the only real problem with this engine, but it is a very big problem. Especially because mechanics seem to enjoy saying "it's the head gasket!" and charging thousands to repair.

 

Sounds like he just got a rough car.

I had a '97 Intrigue with the 3.4L and had no problems the 3 years I owned it.

I have owned mainly GM products since, uhh, going back to the mid-1980's. And each has treated me well, with limited problems.

 

My friend has replaced his LIM about five times in his 3.4L Grand Am engine.

We've done it twice. I'm still beefed this was never a recall.

 

Yeah now Im driving my sister's 1995 monte carlo Z34. Same exact car as my black one i was talking about earlier in the thread. Im in the process of switching over the shocks and struts, because the ones on my black mote are better. I swtiched over a few other things. I soon will be done with that car... I never want to see it again.

Funny thing is, the red 95 monte im driving now, we bought at the same time, this one has 174,xxx miles on it, everything looks to be origional. The only problem we've had with this car is its starting to leak oil from the oring that goes bad on the oil pump. I put some stop leak in it (JB stopleak....great stuff) and am hoping for the best. Otherwise i'll have to tear the intake and head off..... Yuck!

I will be putting some lucas oil trans tune in it as well, just to make sure i get a good life out of the tranny I hope this car lasts another 5 years for me and i can get it over 200,000 miles without having to do anything but regular maintenece!

 

Everyone that I know with one, and I know quite a few, are happy with them. I've heard of the gasket failures, and advised some of them about it, but none so far.

I’d like to know how many years old and how many miles the vehicles you are talking about have on them?

I've heard a lot of gasket failures locally, it is the only real problem with this engine, but it is a very big problem.

Unless something else goes wrong with the engine like it’s been overheated. The intake gasket should never fail. And by that I mean they should last out last the piston rings. They like head and oil pan gaskets are the gaskets that should only have to be replaced because the engine is being rebuilt.

 

well the reason the intake gasket goes, is becasue the intake and heads/whatever below cool at different rates, or so ive heard. Can't confirm it though.

 

well the reason the intake gasket goes, is becasue the intake and heads/whatever below cool at different rates, or so ive heard. Can't confirm it though.

There are different cooling rates between the intake and the head, but the same thing can said for all engines. These differences are supposed to kept in mind when engineering the engine and picking gasket material.

The OHV 3.4L V6s were crap and GM lost a massive amount of market share because of them.

 

Sounds like he just got a rough car.

I had a '97 Intrigue with the 3.4L and had no problems the 3 years I owned it.

I have owned mainly GM products since, uhh, going back to the mid-1980's. And each has treated me well, with limited problems.

Do u mean Alero cuz AFAIK the Intrigue had the 3800 and switched over to the 3.5 "shortstar" a year later. I dont think the intrigue ever got the 3.4

 

Do u mean Alero cuz AFAIK the Intrigue had the 3800 and switched over to the 3.5 "shortstar" a year later. I dont think the intrigue ever got the 3.4

You are right in that it shouldn't have been an Intrigue...cause they weren't out until MY1998...with the 3800 series II as only engine...then 1999 the 3800 was base...with the shortstar 3.5L DOHC optional...the 3800 was dropped from the intrique for MY 2000. Alero had the 3400 (optional w/ I-4 standard) though...but wasn't introduced until MY 1999. Olds cultass had the 3100...which had some intake gasket issues....and was made during the MY of 1997.

 

Holy thread revival Batman!

 

there's newer thread on the Twin Dual Cam...I kinda want to test drive one, 5 speed of course, just to know what it's like to have all that rotational mass working to produce not-that-much power

 

Read the thread mines tuned! You have no clue Buick dude! 24 valves more air, more fuel, more bye bye Buick! Post not much good if you've never driven one duh!!:lmao::tdown:::blah::brick:drive:

 

I drove my ex-gf's Monte Carlo Z34...it's nothing compared to the 3800 SC i have now. Still cool due to its high revving nature though.

 

My recollection is that the Twin Dual Cam (terrible name, that!) made something north of 275 hp in development. The issue was that GM Powertrain did not have a FWD transmission at the time that could cope with the high hp (and high rev torque) this engine was capable of dishing out.

The engine was heavily detuned to match the available transmissions, but at that point it was an expensive engine that made no more power than the cheap and available 3800.

If GM had had a transmission that could deal with the potential output of this engine, perhaps it would have been viewed in a different light.

I also wonder whether the OP is talking about 265 hp at the wheels ... if so, this engine is likely making north of 300 hp at the flywheel, which would make for one quick Lumina, although that's a huge jump in output from more fuel, and a high-flow air cleaner and exhaust (and, yes, a computer tune). That would only make sense if GM really strangled the engine in those areas to "detune" it.

 

Yes they did drasticly detune the dohc the test engine @265hp had mild factory port and polish. Mine is fully port and polished and has a none restrictive 3.5in cat because I still need to pass inspections. The stock cat was only 2.5in. Trany had to be over hauled with a tow kit and better clutches. The stock trany actually spit out the right inboard cv joint which then proceeded to rip out the inside tie rod on that side too. Luckily I was just doing a burnout in my own lot when it scattered. Also the test engine was makeing more hp then the tuneported 5.7L v8s Hard to sell TAs and Z28s if the family coupe is pounding on it!

 

Why the hell are you people having issues with your new(er) engines, when my HT4100 Cadillac engine, in all its 200,000 mile glory, seems to be doing fine? AND THIS IS MY SECOND 1980'S CADILLAC WITH THIS FWD DRIVETRAIN!!!
My first was given to my brother with 220,000 on the odo.
In either car, tehre was no O2 sensor problems No camshaft locator problems. No vacuum line or intake gasket problems. The only issue with me was the DIC lighting that went bad at 198,000 miles, which I replaced myself (burnt out light/10-minute fix)
Is there a reason for this supposed catastrophic failure of the engine?

I just can't figure out why you ppl are having a difficut time with you newer powerplants!

 

haha wow this thread is back?

This thread was constructed due to the black 1995 monte carlo z34 that I once had. Damn that car....to hell. We (family) bought 2 of them actually, one for myself and one for my sister (though I paid a lot for mine). We sold the Black one last winter, and I have been driving the red 1995 monte carlo z34 since, basically. This one was manufactured in Canada, it has more miles on it, and it seems as though this car was basically put together better. I've done routine maintenece on it, plugs wires all that fun stuff. The belt shot off about 2 weeks ago, and I had the idler tensioner replaced (kinda hard to do it myself here at college). This car has been great to me, other than the oil leak that does happen with these motors. I get around 24-26 mpg highway, which isn't great, but hey its not 12.

 

I love my 3.4 :drive:

 

I stand corrected that's pretty impressive numbers It must have been pretty pricey getting the parts and the materials for some of those "one off parts you made in your shop. I'm actually studying to be an automotive technician when I'm not behind the lens shooting test cars for BP GMI and Fomoco news. Anyway sorry for my initial doubt Again i stand corrected

 

Ive had it, this is the last straw (this is going to be a rant, just to let you know.) Im a college student at the age of 21, Ive had my pickup (God bless that thing) since I could drive. I got this 1995 Monte Carlo 3.4L DOHC this past summer becasue i needed better fuel mileage, truthfully my mom bought it without my consent or checking it out, so I was hosed, and now im out $1500.00. What a great wrapup to 2006 and a sh*thole start to 2007 :

Ive replaced a camshaft sensor($95), 2 O2 sensors($50, second one was under warranty), 3 vaccum lines ($5), an intake gasket($20), a fuel regulator($50), PROM chip(#75), and an injector($90). This car has been nothing but trouble.

Ive been battling an idel issue with this car that is known with this engine. I solved the problem today, after 3 months of testing it. The O2 sensor went bad for the second time, and I had to update the prom chip. From what Ive read online and through many forums I am a member at, I am the only one whos solved this problem, for that I am very proud. But today a plate in the tranny went out. I cannot afford nor do I want to put any more money into this car. I was planning on getting it running and selling it this summer.

The 3.4 engine is the worst engine GM has ever built, and the T4 transmission paired with it is the weakest too. This car does not deserve the bowtie. Im so sick of this POS monte carlo.

I am a huge GM/chevy fan, I have a bowtie wrapped in barbed wire on my arm, but this series car/motor/tranny is the wost I have ever come across.

Im attending college right now, i have no money, i cant afford a new car. I have to drive the truck, at 11-13mpg im going to take a hit in gas during the school year and in summer when i drive 40miles a day roundtrip to work. 2007 is becoming 2006, a horrible year. My parents are going through a divorce, its dragged on for a year, the house is going to be sold.

this is an old thread, but let me say you are totally WRONG about that. You're problem is, you don't have any money, to drive any car and repair/maintain it.

The 3.4 DOHC was the BEST V-6 engine that GM ever made, up to the time they released their "new" DOHC V-6 engines recently. I drove my 1995 GTP to 180,000 miles and just sold it for $1800- and it would run rings around the 2001 Monte SS I bought to replace it with. The 3.4 DOHC is way better than the POS 3800 series II engine, which I consider a DOG. There are a few issues that need attention with a 3.4 DOHC, i.e. change the timing belt and fix the distributor plug oil leak- but beyond that, the 3.4 DOHC is a powerhouse. If I could find another one with low miles I'd buy it and sell this Monte SS.

 

Wow really? What planet are you from? Ask anyone around bud...... the reliability of this engine is..... terrible. The power on the other hand... is good.

I dont have any money to fix it? Sorry that I don't want to throw money at my car, I shouldn't have to other than regular maintenece.

I have been driving the other 1995 Monte Caro Z34 that we have. (I've become the owner.) This car has been pretty good. A water pump and idler pulley at 188,xxx. I put a cold air intake on it, and made a custom hot air deflector for it. The car is pretty decent. It gets around 24mpg (in the winter.) This particular car was manufactured in Canada. I think that may make a difference.

The 3.8L engine is one of the best engines GM has ever made (IMO.)

The 3.4L is a nightmare to work on. I've done so much to it, I know so much about it. It took myself and a buddy 4 hours to change the plugs/wires!!! I had to unbolt the intake plenum and run the wires underneath! Are you kidding me? Yikes.....

 

Sounds like someone has issues and decided to join GMI to take care of them. Better cool it, bud, or you won't be here long.

 

Chevrolettough: you are right and he's wrong.
IMO ANY engine derived from the 2.8L is probably gonna be crap.

 

being a employee of gm for 15 years I have to tell you that your wrong. the block used for the 3.4 is the same as the 2.8, 3.1, and 3.3. the stroke is the same and the bore is different

 

The block isn't necessarily the problem with the car. The design is poor, the connection between the upper plenum and block don't cool at the same rate, and can cause cracking/cooling issues. I haven't had either of these cars for such a long time. I have my 2004 silverado that has been nothing but a treat to drive and maintain.

Trust me, I'm one the biggest Chevy fans around, but I will curse the 3.4L DOHC engine until my death.

This is such an old thread....

But let me refresh. The issues I had to work on with those 2 cars were by far the hardest/worst. Its a fairly common car, with a fairly poor engine layout. The rear spark plugs all sucked to remove, the PROM chip I did upgrade but never resolved the idling issues. I even checked the spark of each plug from the coil pack with the reisitor tester. I still remember doing all of this work. I traced wires, clamped onto other to verify they were working. I had a cam shaft sensor go, the transmission in both cars blew up (i don't drive my vehicles hard, i promise. if you don't believe me, you obviously dont' know how well i take care of my truck.) Anyway I will attest to this being probably one of the worst engines that GM has ever put out. I'm glad to see it didn't continue in that manner.

 

My personal history of buying used-I went 50/50 with my daughter on a Honda Civic (3 yrs old-20,000 miles) and she went off to the great state of Alabama for grad school (6 yrs ago). She is now married and has traveled over the USA with that little hummer which now has 140,000 miles and, until now, has needed nothing more than oil changes, a battery, tires,....the usual maintenance stuff. It has a tiny, tinny feel versus my 2004 Monte but I can say nothing bad about their reliability. And, no matter what every else says, realibility only is defined by what you experience (unlike my 79 Iron Duke Sunbird that needed a motor rebuild at 50K miles and of which the trans would not ship as delivered from GM. But like my 89 Caravan which was solid for the first 110,000 miles).

 

The Twin Cam 3.4 was an awesome engine for the enthusiast; it sounded great, was very smooth, and loved to wrap out. Unfortunately it was rather high maintenance.

The 3800 was a great engine for a soccer mom or the elderly; it had good low end torque, good mileage, and decent long term reliablty. Unfortunately it ran like an old porch dog.

 

The 3800 was a great engine for a soccer mom or the elderly; it had good low end torque, good mileage, and decent long term reliablty. Unfortunately it ran like an old porch dog.

I love the 3800, but towards the end of its life, it became, well, geriatric.

 

Wow. This thread has been going for nearly as long as I've been a member here.