2006 Buick Lacrosse CX 3.8l

[oil_film_movies]

Originally Posted By: slacktide_bitog
Originally Posted By: oil_film_movies
In that car, I'd use SuperTech 5w30 Full Synthetic at Walmart for a great value (Warren Oil Company)

The ST is actually by WD/WPP (Warren Distribution), which is a different company than Warren Oil ("Coastal"). Both are based in NC. Two companies with different names

My bad. I remember now the confusion. Warren Distribution makes Mag1 oil, and probably several "store-brand" oil around the country. Their reputation is decent.

 

[Nitronoise]

THe 3800 is most likely the best engine GM made short of the 283/327 v-8

In my 3800 I run the larger PF 52 filter or a bosch and run 10W30 T-5 rotella with a higher zinc loading for older flat tappet motors

Previous poster was correct on coolant elbows and make sure your intake gaskets are tight , GM had a problem with the intakes being eaten my the old dex cool coolant and allowing antifreeze into the combustion chamber

Pull a sample as you do your first oil change and it will tell the tale

Enjoy the Buick . I just got mime out for the summer

 

[Lubener]

Originally Posted By: WyrTwister
Originally Posted By: bmod305
Replace the coolant elbows. About the only thing on a 3800 that will leave you walking home.

Dave


Is this what you are referring to ?

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/buick,2006,lacrosse,3.8l+v6,1432026,cooling+system,bypass+hose,2155

How many of those are used on the 3.8l engine ?

Planning on replacing the radiator hoses , maybe heater hoses , maybe thermostat / gasket . And coolant ( Dexcool ) . Due to age , not miles .


Thanks ,
Wyr
God bless


Advice, do not get those elbows because I believe those are still plastic and no better than the ones you are replacing.. Get the aluminum ones made by Dorman, order the Delco o- rings and then put those Delco o-rings in place of the Dorman ones and you will have the best combination and likely will never have to worry about them again.. I have read the Dorman o-rings don't last long. You can get those Delco o rings from Rock Auto.
Keep an eye on your coolant level. The troublesone plastic upper intake manifold which would get a hole burned thru from the EGR passage to an adjacent cooling passage going to the throttle body.I believe it was replaced by an aluminum unit in 2005 but I do not know if GM got their act together on the intake gaskets.

 

[WyrTwister]

Originally Posted By: WyrTwister
Originally Posted By: bmod305
Replace the coolant elbows. About the only thing on a 3800 that will leave you walking home.

Dave


Is this what you are referring to ?

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/buick,2006,lacrosse,3.8l+v6,1432026,cooling+system,bypass+hose,2155

How many of those are used on the 3.8l engine ?

Planning on replacing the radiator hoses , maybe heater hoses , maybe thermostat / gasket . And coolant ( Dexcool ) . Due to age , not miles .

Can add those elbows to the list , too .

Thanks ,
Wyr
God bless


Also bought engine air filter , cabin air filter and serpentine belt . Looked at the existing serpentine belt & it looks fine . Will save the new one for some time down the road . Will check the filters some time soon .

God bless
Wyr

 

[dwendt44]

The elbow change isn't difficult according to
youtube. (use the Pontiac Grand Prix video).
The 3.8 is the 6 cylinder version of the 5.0L
Buick V-8 with 2 cylinders chopped off.
To wide (90°) for front drive autos, would be
great in rear drive pick ups.

 

[WyrTwister]

Originally Posted By: carviewsonic
I go by the OLM on our three Buicks (all have the same engine as yours). I can verify that the engines hold up well. Watch your coolant level though, the intake manifold gaskets can be an issue. I change my coolant every two years (simple drain and fill), much more frequent than the maintenance schedule. No intake gasket issues yet on any of them (fingers crossed).

I would recommend doing a trans pan drop and filter now, and every 30k miles thereafter. I certainly will from now on. Our 2003 is in great shape, except the trans is on it's way out. I serviced it every 60k-70k miles, maybe more frequent servicing would have made a difference, fluid and filters are cheap compared to a trans rebuild.


I plan on doing a transmission service soon .

How many miles on your Transmission ? Have you been using Dexron III or Dexron VI ?

How dirty have the filters been ? Wondering about just changing the fluid at 30,000 miles and leaving the pan & filter in place ?

If I do a pan drop , thinking about ordering a pan with a drain plug . Does the transmission come from GM with a magnet ?

Thanks for the help !

Wyr
God bless

 

[WyrTwister]

Originally Posted By: Nitronoise
THe 3800 is most likely the best engine GM made short of the 283/327 v-8

In my 3800 I run the larger PF 52 filter or a bosch and run 10W30 T-5 rotella with a higher zinc loading for older flat tappet motors

Previous poster was correct on coolant elbows and make sure your intake gaskets are tight , GM had a problem with the intakes being eaten my the old dex cool coolant and allowing antifreeze into the combustion chamber

Pull a sample as you do your first oil change and it will tell the tale

Enjoy the Buick . I just got mime out for the summer


PF 52 is a longer filter ? Great to know !

Chevy had a short filter on the cars with the 5.0l and a longer filter on the pickups with the same engine . Trying to stick with the longer filter on our 1991 Caprice .

How many coolant elbows are used on the 3.8l ? One , two , ........

Thanks again !

Getting lots of help on " Bob is the Oil Guy " forums .

Wyr
God bless

 

[oil_film_movies]

Originally Posted By: Nitronoise
In my 3800 I run the larger PF 52 filter or a bosch and run 10W30 T-5 rotella with a higher zinc loading for older flat tappet motors


I like the longer filter idea. Holds more. The Fram Ultra XG3980 is the longer equivalent of the standard oil filter.

The Buick 3.8L does not have flat anything. After 1986, it got roller lifters, and after 1993, it got roller rockers. No need for super-high catalyst-killing high zddp oil.

 

[TmanP]

I have the same exact year as you but with 150k miles. The quietest oil I've used this far is VWB but they've all been fine. It does have an oil life monitor that, depending on the driving you do, will take you out to near 8-9k miles. If I were going to order filters, I'd other the ACDelco PF 47. They're a quality filter. I use those or Wix.

 

[carviewsonic]

How many miles on your Transmission? 160k miles. It is shuddering under acceleration. I tried all the remedies, short of a rebuild, no luck. My Buicks all came with Dex 3 in them, but GM switched to Dex 6 in 2006. From what I have researched, Dex 6 is a better trans fluid. So I use Dex 6 in all of them now.

How dirty have the filters been ? Wondering about just changing the fluid at 30,000 miles and leaving the pan & filter in place ?
I just did a pan drop and filter on my "garage queen" with only 14k miles. The fluid was clean red in color, but I was surprised to see the material on the magnet and gray layer on the pan bottom. Didn't open up the filter to examine. I installed a Transgo shift kit (lots of info on-line), a stronger high temp. magnet from K&J Magnetics (BY0X02SH), and used Dex 6. On your car, I would change the filter this time and install a pan with a drain plug, and maybe a filter every second change after that. My belief is that transmissions have break-in debris in the same way an engine has. The GM pan does have a magnet on the bottom, but GM issued a service bulletin to replace that one with 2 stronger ring magnets. They are available on-line. I haven't tried the Dorman drain plug pan yet, but might in the future when I get tired of undoing all those pan bolts . BTW I use a in-lb torque wrench (not that expensive to buy) on them, 120 in-lbs. Hope this helps...

 

[WyrTwister]

Originally Posted By: carviewsonic
How many miles on your Transmission? 160k miles. It is shuddering under acceleration. I tried all the remedies, short of a rebuild, no luck. My Buicks all came with Dex 3 in them, but GM switched to Dex 6 in 2006. From what I have researched, Dex 6 is a better trans fluid. So I use Dex 6 in all of them now.

How dirty have the filters been ? Wondering about just changing the fluid at 30,000 miles and leaving the pan & filter in place ?
I just did a pan drop and filter on my "garage queen" with only 14k miles. The fluid was clean red in color, but I was surprised to see the material on the magnet and gray layer on the pan bottom. Didn't open up the filter to examine. I installed a Transgo shift kit (lots of info on-line), a stronger high temp. magnet from K&J Magnetics (BY0X02SH), and used Dex 6. On your car, I would change the filter this time and install a pan with a drain plug, and maybe a filter every second change after that. My belief is that transmissions have break-in debris in the same way an engine has. The GM pan does have a magnet on the bottom, but GM issued a service bulletin to replace that one with 2 stronger ring magnets. They are available on-line. I haven't tried the Dorman drain plug pan yet, but might in the future when I get tired of undoing all those pan bolts . BTW I use a in-lb torque wrench (not that expensive to buy) on them, 120 in-lbs. Hope this helps...



Yes , the owner's manual indicates Dex 6 on our car .

I agree with you about " break-in debris " . One of the reason I did a spill & fill on our Chevy Sonic at a little over 30,000 miles . Since the filter on it is not DIY serviceable .

I wonder about these , I have several left over from another project ?

https://www.harborfreight.com/pack-of-2-ceramic-block-magnets-97504.html

Yes , looking at the Dorman pan , also .

I bought a filter & gasket . Think I have read the GM gasket is re-usable ?

Thanks for the torque specification . I have a 1/2" drive and a 3/8" drive torque wrenches / ratches .

Appreciate the assist !

God bless
Wyr

 

[WyrTwister]

Originally Posted By: Nitronoise
THe 3800 is most likely the best engine GM made short of the 283/327 v-8

In my 3800 I run the larger PF 52 filter or a bosch and run 10W30 T-5 rotella with a higher zinc loading for older flat tappet motors

Previous poster was correct on coolant elbows and make sure your intake gaskets are tight , GM had a problem with the intakes being eaten my the old dex cool coolant and allowing antifreeze into the combustion chamber

Pull a sample as you do your first oil change and it will tell the tale

Enjoy the Buick . I just got mime out for the summer


Pull an oil sample or coolant sample ?

Did the problems with Dexcool ever get resolved ? Was it just GM brand or after market ? I think Preston brand is what I have purchased at Walmart .

I see the elbows are available in aluminum , in addition to the plastic . Think I would lean towards the aluminum .

God bless
Wyr

 

[carviewsonic]

I think those harbor freight magnets would be too thick at 3/8", the one I used is 1/8" thick, and rated for high temps. A regular magnet would become weak in high temps. I placed it in same spot as the old magnet, there's not much room in there. Yes the old gasket is re-usable, rubber with a metal core. I have a spare on hand just in case, but haven't had to use it.

 

[WyrTwister]

Originally Posted By: dwendt44
The elbow change isn't difficult according to
youtube. (use the Pontiac Grand Prix video).
The 3.8 is the 6 cylinder version of the 5.0L
Buick V-8 with 2 cylinders chopped off.
To wide (90°) for front drive autos, would be
great in rear drive pick ups.


My 3.8l is in our Buick Lacrosse FWD car .

God bless

 

[dwendt44]

Quote:
My 3.8l is in our Buick Lacrosse FWD car .


Yes but the engine is the same for both cars and the Grand Prix
video is the better choice. There may not be a video if YOUR model auto.