Thread: Are all 3800 heads created equally?

I am going to change the head gasket on my 2004 GTP comp G and want to get the heads done before I tear into it. I am going to go to my local pick-n-pull and get some heads but wanted to make sure that all 3800 heads are the same. Can I just pull any head from a Pontiac or Buick that has a 3800 engine and have them done? Does the car have to be supercharged? Are there certain years that are beter then others? Thanks in advance for your reply.

Well thank you for your rapid reply but unfortunately for me my head gasket has gone out…… I wish that the NEVER that you said was the case on my vehicle. I am open to ideas if you can tell me what else it could be other than the head gasket. I changed the LIM even though that would not allow exhaust to get into the coolant but after the change the hydrocarbon coolant test shows that exhaust is getting into the coolant. If it isn’t the head gasket then it could be a cracked head (the reason that I want to have a redone set here when I tear into it). I guess you should change your NEVER to almost never. Do you know of anything else it could be?
Anyway…… can someone please answer my original question about which cars will work for me and which cars wont?

Originally Posted by 2003 SSEi

Also the later 04's and 05+ have larger Valves

...really?

Ever so slightly.

But the casting is still the same?

1.83" intake valves (instead of 1.80" as on Series II) and 1.52" exhaust valves were introduced in 2003 engines, just before switching to Series III.

As per wikipedia.

Man, I keep learning new stuff all the time. Love it.