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Best Place to Purchase engine rebuild Kit?

Uno99

Uno99

Donating Users
Well my motor is knocking like crazy so Im gonna pull it. Still not sure exactly what it is but it sounds like it spun a rod bearing. good thing is I was really close to home when I heard it start knocking and limped it home.

Anyone know the best place to get a master rebuild kit for it? Also picked up a VS cam and goodies to throw in as well.
 


Yep. It's either a junkyard or car-part.com. Don't bother rebuilding it. Just get a low mile motor and swap it in. Since I don't know what year you drive I'd say you're looking at anywhere from $400-$600 for a decent used one. Could be less depending on the mileage.

Reason is, these motors MUST have machine work done to the entire bottom end to even think about lasting more than 100 miles after the rebuild. The cost of the machine shop work plus the "rebuild" kit outweighs the cost of a used motor, plus the used motor just swaps in. Pull out the old, drop in the new, move on. Since you have the VS cam while the motor is out would be a good time to replace all the gaskets/seals that are common to leak on these engines as well as swap in the cam.

How did you spin a bearing might I ask?
 
best place to find a rebuild kit?

Answer: JUNK YARD!

by the time you spend the money on machining and gaskets with some smart junk yard searching you would be much better off and cost you less time and money!
 
I don't know if it kicked a rod or spun a bearing but it sure sound like when I spun a rod in my 81 long in low pickup.

As for the machine work I have connections at local machine shop that has done work for me in the past so that not a Huge cost to me.
 
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If thats the case find the lowest mile na engine have your heads done at the shop and put them on the na engine with the higher compression.......
 


Well, if it broke a rod more than likely it wouldn't be running. Most of the 3800 engines suffer at least 1 spun bearing when they start knocking. Have you ever replaced the LIM gaskets on it? Been loosing coolant?

Either way, I'd just find another S/C motor and call it done. As has been stated, you could "top swap" using the N/A short block but you will still have to get new head bolts, head gaskets, etc... Then you have to have it tuned to run properly. If you can't find one from a GP, don't forget about the Buick Regal's and the Bonneville SSEi. Same motor.
 
"This engine was used in the following cars:

1996–2005 Buick Park Avenue Ultra

1997.5–2004 Buick Regal GS / GSE / GSX (SLP)

1996–1999 Buick Riviera (optional 1996-97, std. 1998-99)

2004–2005 Chevrolet Impala SS

2004–2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS Supercharged/Intimidator SS

1996–1999 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight LSS (limited)

1996–2003 Pontiac Bonneville SSEi

1997–2003 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP / GTX (SLP)

1996–2004 Holden Commodore VS (series II), VT, VX, VY

2001–2004 Holden Monaro (V2 VZ) CV6"
 
I bought the car a few months ago and the LIM and coolant elbow where shot so I I took the top all the way down to the heads and did all maintenance from the head gasket up. Hot tanked the heads went thru them. Also rebuilt the snout and had a bit or porting done on the LIM and SC.
 
Another 3800 guy was talking about rod bolt stretch which may have caused a spun rod bearing. Im getting ahead of myself though. I'll post up pics when I pull it apart next week.
 


There's no chance you did damage to the rod bolts are your power level.
You likely got some coolant on the bearing surfaces when you changed the LIM stuff.

Get a good motor from the yard and toss it in.
 
tomtom123 said:
"This engine was used in the following cars:

1996–2005 Buick Park Avenue Ultra

1997.5–2004 Buick Regal GS / GSE / GSX (SLP)

1996–1999 Buick Riviera (optional 1996-97, std. 1998-99)

2004–2005 Chevrolet Impala SS

2004–2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS Supercharged/Intimidator SS

1996–1999 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight LSS (limited)

1996–2003 Pontiac Bonneville SSEi

1997–2003 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP / GTX (SLP)

1996–2004 Holden Commodore VS (series II), VT, VX, VY

2001–2004 Holden Monaro (V2 VZ) CV6"
Click to expand...

Don't think you'll find many Monaros or Commodores at the yard...lol

Seeing your heads were recently done you have the option of just replacing the short block which could open your search to not only l67 cars but to L36/L26/L32 aswell.
 
Im just worried about getting a tired engine from a salvage yard that why im considering a rebuild kit. if I can find a low mile engine I'll definitely consider that option
 
Uno99 said:
Im just worried about getting a tired engine from a salvage yard that why im considering a rebuild kit. if I can find a low mile engine I'll definitely consider that option
Click to expand...

this brings a good question, "What do you guys consider low miles for a 3800........, 100,000 or 150,000, or 75,000?"
 


There are way more vehicle options than that olds intrigue all versions of the gm minivan from early 2000s, pontiac aztec, plus all those listed above for the non supercharged versions that you could just use the short block from. Im sure im missing a few too this engine was in damn near everything midsize fwd from gm at one point or another......
 
id look for 100k or less and yes a l32 short block will work fine. The l36 is also common for people to use because of the higher compression vs. A l67 shortblock.
 
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If your going to pull it yourself look for something that was in an accident and preferably not a GP. Regals and Bonnies are less likely to be hot rodded than GP's. Also look for any clues about the owner inside and outside the car. If you see a monster sticker on the back window and a 4 gauge wire running into the trunk i'd steer clear. On the other hand if you see a bunch of church flyers in the glove box it was probably driven by an old lady or someone who wasn't hot rodding it which is what you want.
 
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