250hp?

[THe_DeTAiL3R]

That's what confuses me; we've got these DUAL OVERHEAD CAM motors, but they only come with 210-215 hp, and wringing much more out of that takes a more work than it probably should. Take a look at some of those foreign, similarly-sized DOHC motors, and there's absolutely no comparison. Is it because there's slim aftermarket for them, or what?

 

Yeah, that and the fact that they are hard to work on makes me not want one. If it was an Infinity G35 3.5L putting out 298HP (or hell just say a good 300HP with an air filter, lol) stock from the factory.. now that is awsome.

[excelsior]

i wonder if that guy is aaron?

[fastbird232]

Who?

[Dannymik]

Who?

 

[5speedz34]

i wonder if that guy is aaron?

 

Why would that be Aaron?!

[streetdreams]

I agree with C-BAD on this, theyre so hard to work on and zero aftermarket. I wouldnt buy any car from a power aspect if it was expensive or challenging to pull 250hp from it.

I mean if my priority in BUYING a car was performance than 300hp is my first goal and if that isnt easily attainable than maybe I'm playing in the wrong ballpark, y'know what I'm sayin?

my 2.8 hell I wouldnt try to make it into somthing its not.I enjoy it for what it is.I FEAR repairs on my car and in a 3.4 it would be even worse.its nice to imagine 300hp motors but you gotta step back and realize this motor just isnt very feasable at 250+hp

just my opinion. theres 3.8's, 3400's, 305's, 350's, 4.3's etc etc et al all on some great platforms.

[Turbo231]

they wanted to get over 300 hp outta these motors orignially, but de-tuned them because the transmissions weren't holding up to that much HP - so rather then making a stronger trani. they made a weaker motor.

 

/rantstart

 

I've always heard that story, and if it was just that simple, they would have slowly ramped up the power as the transmissions got better...but they didn't (more then the 10 HP from 91 to 96). Was it because the engine was expensive to make? Was it because they had other engines that could do it? Or was it because that engine was never intended to make 300 HP?

 

I understand that the DOHC makes it's HP at a much higher RPM then other engines and that's hard on a transmission, but the fact that it got replaced by a NorthStar derived motor might indicate that GM themselves had problems with the engine and decided to head another route.

 

I agree with what has been said here by others on this topic. The 3.4L DOHC is a nice motor, but I'm not going to take it where it doesn't want to go. There are plenty of engine platforms out there that are cheaper and easier to make big HP out of. There are people who love the engine and will take it to the next level, but they do it for love of the engine or it's rarity, not love of horsepower. That's my .02

 

/rantend

 

Ben

 

P.S. Of course, this is a W-body forum, and these engines are in W-bodies, so it makes perfect sense to talk about them here. I just like to keep things in check.

[fastbird232]

Me???

[Prospeeder]

i think he ment like, he wondered if aaron was kevwood? or somthing of the such, some1 with a lumina

[Kevwood]

There are plenty of engine platforms out there that are cheaper and easier to make big HP out of. There are people who love the engine and will take it to the next level, but they do it for love of the engine or it's rarity, not love of horsepower. That's my .02

 

I agree, I have other vehicles that make a ton more power than my Z34, but I love that car. I always felt that there was power in there and yes, keeping the LQ1 in the Lumina was my plan. It is rare and getting more-so, and it is unique. And now I have shared my info about how I got the power, good head work and a solid tune. Everyone has been trying to squeeze out power with bolt ons and I just never bought into it, that is why I built this motor. I had a theory - argued by many, called bullshit by a few, and here in the end it turned out to be right. The first step to making power in this motor is the heads, period. Now is the time that the bolt on's will work well and I plan on adding them one at a time with dyno runs in between so we can see actual gains from specific mods.

 

I in no way claim to know everything about this motor - no one does, but I have been building various chevy engines for over 15 years and the same basic priciples apply. All and all, I'm having a great time with this car and look forward to sharing all my results with you guys in the future. If anyone has a question about this build up I'll do my best to get back to you with an answer.

[Prospeeder]

umm, the LQ1 is far from rare, if u havent noticed, over half this board has a LQ1 or so, then the other half has a 3.1/2.8/3100/3400/ and then a small portion has the LG5, L67 and L36, but yea...

[Kevwood]

umm, the LQ1 is far from rare, if u havent noticed, over half this board has a LQ1 or so, then the other half has a 3.1/2.8/3100/3400/ and then a small portion has the LG5, L67 and L36, but yea...

 

Umm, the 1st gen Z34 5-speed is rare, and as time goes on it's getting more so. I wasn't talking about the engine, but thanks for pointing that out. I remember seeing quite a few Monte Carlo SS back in the mid-late 80's, then by the mid 90's not so many - same thing with the Lumina that I have. There are only a handfull of them around here.

[DaveFromColorado]

getting gobs of power out of a 3.4 dohc engine is like getting gobs of horsepower out of a 3.8 turbo buick, or a 2.3 turbo ford - people do it because they love the horsepower, not because of how few are left/produced.

 

GM wanted to make lots of HP with the 3.4 DOHC engine, but didn't because the trani's couldn't hold up to it, and rather then revising the engine with every trani. revision, they worked on other projects and scrapped the 300 hp DOHC engine for better larger engines - although the 3.4 DOHC engine did mark the path for the next DOHC engine (the 3.6) which isn't even the same animal anymore, but still it just showed DOHC 660's were the way to go.

 

Rant all ya want, I love my LQ1 not because of how rare it is, but because of it's stock horsepower - it's got pleanty to pass on the highway, and it's still fun 'round town.

 

--Dave.

[Prospeeder]

the Dohc 3.6 isnt a 60*v6 tho, so it has nothign to do with the 3.4 mechanicly, but spirtiualy, its the next 3.4

[mihela816]

The DOHC 3.6 IS a 60* V6. You must be thinking of the 3.5 " Shortstar".

[Prospeeder]

oh, it is, i t hought it was some wierd angled one, likei remember some1 saying it was like 57* motor or somthing

[mihela816]

Thats the Opel 54* V6. Can't remember the displacement offhand.

[SoxNation01027]

HI! I'm new here, but have a lil input... for my specific vehicle, it is listed at 215 HP, but when I dyno'd it a few months ago, it was getting 225 HP. There are no mods done, all bone-stock, and in need of a tune-up. If I gave it forced-air, and a bigger exhaust, it would increase to 235 or so. 250 is easy, and 300 just a bit harder... these cars are just so much fun for messing with tuners' heads!!

[manitcor]

just as some intresting info, GM never gave up on the DOHC 60v6 engine platform, as amatter of fact its alive and well, you just wont see it in the US unless you buy a Caddy or a Saab

 

There is a 3.6 DOHC 60v6 which includes all alunimum construction and Variable Valve Timing and puts out over 250hp IIRC

 

Then there is the 2.8 DOHC 60v6 which also sports all alunimum construction and VVT in most applications it is being coupled with a turbocharger to put out something like 210hp na I dont know the turbo numbers.

 

http://media.gm.com/servlet/GatewayServlet?target=http://image.emerald.gm.com/gmnews/viewmonthlyreleasedetail.do?domain=3&docid=6383

 

There are also plans for the 3.2 and a 3.8

[Prospeeder]

the 3.6 VVT has 245hp, dont see the need for it at all, they have the 3900 w/ 5hp less

[Euro]

i knew i recognized this car....it is also listed here.... http://www.sounddomain.com/ride/161525

[manitcor]

the 3.6 VVT has 245hp, dont see the need for it at all, they have the 3900 w/ 5hp less

 

its not all about power rating there are engine charistics as well which are vastly different between a pushrod and an OHC

[Prospeeder]

the 3.6 VVT has 245hp, dont see the need for it at all, they have the 3900 w/ 5hp less

 

its not all about power rating there are engine charistics as well which are vastly different between a pushrod and an OHC

 

DOHC u mean, on just overhead cam, lol, yea, thats true, but i hear the 3900 has alot of high end

[manitcor]

the 3.6 VVT has 245hp, dont see the need for it at all, they have the 3900 w/ 5hp less

 

its not all about power rating there are engine charistics as well which are vastly different between a pushrod and an OHC

 

DOHC u mean, on just overhead cam, lol, yea, thats true, but i hear the 3900 has alot of high end

 

OHC is the generic term for an engine type like saying pushrod or OHV (over-head valve)

 

The 3900 gets its topend from VVT like OHC engines with VVT that use the technology to make up for some lowend loss yet still maintian thier top end the VVT in the OHV 3900 uses it to adjust the timing to make the most power possible up high. This shows in its power ratings as well. Its rated at close to 250hp but its up pretty high like around 4500 or 5000rpm. Not as high as some OHC engines but upthere for an OHV.

[Kevwood]

i knew i recognized this car....it is also listed here.... http://www.sounddomain.com/ride/161525

That was my old auto car, it was written off by a red light runner last year. I salvaged the engine out of it and dropped it into a '92 Z34 5-speed, white. I'll have a car domain site up in the next few months after I get the interior swapped.