Under the valve cover 2005 Buick 3800.

[ls1mike]

Did the valve cover gaskets on the Buick today, 152,000. Still runs so good. Here you go.
Car has had a steady diet of conventional 5W-30 since new. 4000-to-5000-mile oil changes. I have Valvoline in it right now.

 

[pghvolvo]

Got to say the Series II 3800 V6 was one of GM's best motors. Plus parts are reasonable as well as plentiful for that motor.

 

[ls1mike]

Got to say the Series II 3800 V6 was one of GM's best motors. Plus parts are reasonable as well as plentiful for that motor.

Yep, this is a series III. Has all the good updates to the engine and the 4T65E.

 

[JGmazda]

I have a 2001 with the 3800. Fantastic engine. Yours looks great. I use 10W-30 all year here in AZ. I'm fairly certain these engines will last forever.

It's the "other" parts connected that are the problem. Best engine GM ever made IMHO.

 

[ls1mike]

I have o

I have a 2001 with the 3800. Fantastic engine. Yours looks great. I use 10W-30 all year here in AZ. I'm fairly certain these engines will last forever.

It's the "other" parts connected that are the problem. Best engine GM ever made IMHO.

Owned 5 different 3800 and never had problems with the stuff attached to it. The S/C ones were hard on the transmission, and I have done a s
Steering rack on one of them, but all the other stuff has always worked as advertised.

 

[JGmazda]

I have o

Owned 5 different 3800 and never had problems with the stuff attached to it. The S/C ones were hard on the transmission, and I have done a s
Steering rack on one of them, but all the other stuff has always worked as advertised.

That's good! I was referring to the common stuff - Plastic coolant Elbows, Intake gaskets, some other parts. Engine itself is wonderful.

 

[redhat]

Looks nice and clean.

Those are the same rocker arms as an LS aren’t they?

 

[ls1mike]

Looks nice and clean.

Those are the same rocker arms as an LS aren’t they?

You can use ls stuff

 

[Gyro Gearloose]

My mom had a 2001. The oil fill cap said 10W30. Never understood why since every GM engine I had seen since the early 80's said 5W30.

 

[ls1mike]

My mom had a 2001. The oil fill cap said 10W30. Never understood why since every GM engine I had seen since the early 80's said 5W30.

My two 98s said 10W-30

 

[redhat]

My mom had a 2001. The oil fill cap said 10W30. Never understood why since every GM engine I had seen since the early 80's said 5W30.

Possibly back then a 5W-30 cost more than a 10W-30 and to prove a lower TCO than other comparable segment cars?

 

[ls1mike]

Possibly back then a 5W-30 cost more than a 10W-30 and to prove a lower TCO than other comparable segment cars?

To be honest I don't know. The 3800 does not care.

 

[JGmazda]

My mom had a 2001. The oil fill cap said 10W30. Never understood why since every GM engine I had seen since the early 80's said 5W30.

I don't think anyone knows for sure. I believe by 2003 GM went to 5W-30. There's really not much difference (at room temps) between the two oils. Having noted that, if I lived in Wisconsin and the outside temps were below zero-degrees, I'd use the 5W. Otherwise, use whichever floats your boat. This engine and it's specs for oil don't really care too much.

 

[ls1mike]

3800 only cares that it has oil.

 

[himemsys]

Car has had a steady diet of conventional 5W-30 since new. 4000-to-5000-mile oil changes. I have Valvoline in it right now.

Where do you find conventional oil these days? I almost never see it on the shelves at any auto parts stores or WM.

 

[sw99]

Looks fantastic!

 

[CorvairGeek]

GM went to 5W30 clear back in '86, IIRC. I have assumed the 3300/3800 V6s were an anomaly because of the gearotor oil pump they started using with the redesign of the Buick V6 for 1988. They did eventually get spec'd to 5W30.

 

[ls1mike]

Where do you find conventional oil these days? I almost never see it on the shelves at any auto parts stores or WM.

Autzone.

 

[Lubener]

Looks very good to me....

 

[JGmazda]

Where do you find conventional oil these days? I almost never see it on the shelves at any auto parts stores or WM.

Not many (if any) "conventional oil" these days. Almost all are a synthetic blend using modern refinery chemistry. Most of the difference is in the additive packages.

In other words - The 3800 isn't finicky about oil or what grade. Obviously, you would want to use a decent oil, but expensive 100% synthetic is way more than this engine requires. Better off changing every 4-5k miles than try to get by with a 10k OCI. Just my $0.02cts