how to deal with a non running 3.4

[blakngold4life]

I wouldnt mind spending a little more money/time if I can get more power, though I would rather not spend a fortune and would need the car running by the end of the summer. I know each person has his own views, but im looking for HO of what people would consider doing if they were in my situation.

[Psych0matt]

i bought a used 3.4, ~60k miles on it for $250 (although it was without the intake). Slapped my intake on it and it was good to go

[Andrew]

well the 3.4 makes decent power, would be easier to swap in another one than a L67, not to mention far cheaper. so i say fix what ya got or replace it with a good pull.

[logikf1ve]

Anything you can do to get away from the DOHC is a step in the right direction.

[Psych0matt]

Anything you can do to get away from the DOHC is a step in the right direction.

 

well that's a fairly narrowminded comment

 

 

It's going to cost a lot more money to do any kind of swap whatsoever, and probably a lot more to change engines, unless you go with a 3.1 or 3x00, but then you're getting even less power. a 3800 swap or an L67 swap would be a good place to start, but if you want it done fairly quick and inexpensive, I think another 3.4 is your best route

[ismellrealbad]

Anything you can do to get away from the DOHC is a step in the right direction.

 

While i agree with that statement, the quickest, easiest and cheapest option for you would be to put in a used 3.4. swapping in anything other than what was originally in there is going to cost you more in time money and headaches.

[gp90se]

truth be told, any 60v6 will drop in and be pretty much plug and play. the dohc is a fun engine, but does take some upkeep. if you want easy reliable and good mpg, 3.1 mpfi. if you want a lot more power and a 100% direct swap, find a used LQ1 and toss it in. It really doesn't sound like your in much of a situation to be rebuilding or turboing anything if money is an issue. buy a used engine, put a new belt on it, test the alternator and install.

[IRONDOG442]

I dont see an LX-5 in that set of choices?!?!?! lol Buy another 3.4 from a junk yard and put it in, the other options cost too much.

[blakngold4life]

Thanks for the responses, i'd really like to put an L67 in but from what I have read there is a lot of rewiring to be done and im not up to date with the available junkyards in my area. I am planning to invest around $2000 to whatever I do. If I did do the L67 would I have to switch the entire car over to OBD II? how much pulling of wires is this? I'm leaning away from a used 3.4 because I how that engine has been treated, I am the second owner of mine after an older couple, if the rebuild looks like its out of my price range I may just do a partial rebuild just to get it moving again.

Thanks

[IRONDOG442]

If you had a predetermined answer whats with the poll? Also are you Tony's lost brother or something?

[Psych0matt]

in all honesty, I don't do any more maintenance to my 3.4 than I have with any other car/engine I've had. I give it regular oil changes, and Ive had a few things go wrong (timing belt, tranny, blew up the engine ) but aside from the Tbelt, those things all would have happened weather it was a 3.4 or not. So really, I don't know why it would be any different.

[Schurkey]

Anything you can do to get away from the DOHC is a step in the right direction.

 

the dohc is a fun engine, but does take some upkeep.

 

Bought my first one in November, '92. Still running fine. Zero internal problems. I've needed two alternators, an intake gasket, and a couple of timing belts. The spark plugs go ~40K plus; I change oil at 6K.

 

Bought the second one about two years ago, similar odometer mileage to the first one. Ive installed a timing belt and fixed an oil leak at the "distributor" shaft o-ring.

 

Yeah, it's a terrible engine design.

 

in all honesty, I don't do any more maintenance to my 3.4 than I have with any other car/engine I've had.

Yup. So true. No worse than most, better than some.

 

I would rather not spend a fortune and would need the car running by the end of the summer.

 

Have you figured out WHY the engine doesn't run? Is repairing the fault an option?

[blakngold4life]

I am pretty sure its a spun bearing, I know this could be fixed semi easily, but the car has 160k on it and I would rather rebuild it now while I dont need it everyday so I hopefuly wont have to pull it again for a while, and I would also like to gain more power.

[gp90se]

Schurkey: 2 alternators and the dist o-ring oil leak are both awful GM designs. The reason you needed 2 alternators is where it's located (most likely)

 

spun berring could be from a bunch of issues, you would be better off with a junkyard running engine, throw a set of gaskets in it (rings too if you're feeling frisky) and go.

[Schurkey]

Schurkey: 2 alternators and the dist o-ring oil leak are both awful GM designs. The reason you needed 2 alternators is where it's located (most likely)

I absolutely agree. The alternator is a total piece of junk in ANY application; the rear bearing is undersized and the back of the alternator runs HOT. It's worse on a 3.4 in part because it's so hard to get to.

You think it's worth stuffing in a non-DOHC engine just to re-position the alternator? I don't.

 

The O-ring is hateful; the GM dealer I bought mine from told me "We sell a lot of those..." and what's worse, I didn't actually replace it--I wasn't about to pull the rear head, and the "distributor" shaft assembly won't come out unless the head comes off first--which I didn't know when I bought the stupid O-ring. So the temporary solution was to pack a batch of Permatex #2 under the flange of the shaft assembly, and bolt it back down. So far, so good.

 

If I ever do pull the head and the shaft; I'm going to use a Viton O-ring as they're resistant to compression set; it should stay sealed nicely after that.

 

Do you think a defective O-ring is enough to swap engines? Or to condemn an entire engine family? I don't. And any other 60 degree V-6 is going to use the same crappy O-ring; so what does he really gain by stuffing in a 3.1?

 

Now that I know there's a genuine problem with his bottom end; sure, get a different engine. As for me, I'd stuff in another 3.4.

[gp90se]

I put the alternator where the the AC compressor was since I lost the original compressor. It takes 4 minutes to remove the alternator from the front of the engine and stays very cool.

 

I can condem the 60v6 set of engines for a number of reasons, but with that said, that's usually all I will buy for a daily driver.

 

the oil leak can be fixed with copper RTV and a can of brake clean without having to remove or file the head.

 

all car's suck, its just what you want to be replacing in the long run

[Psych0matt]

I put the alternator where the the AC compressor was since I lost the original compressor. It takes 4 minutes to remove the alternator from the front of the engine and stays very cool.

 

[me=Psych0matt]is interested to know how to do this as well[/me]

[ManicMechanic]

[me=ManicMechanic]is NOT...[/me]

 

Gotta have my A/C here.

[z34duck]

yes do tell on the alt. relocation

[logikf1ve]

Anything you can do to get away from the DOHC is a step in the right direction.

 

well that's a fairly narrowminded comment

 

 

It's going to cost a lot more money to do any kind of swap whatsoever, and probably a lot more to change engines, unless you go with a 3.1 or 3x00, but then you're getting even less power. a 3800 swap or an L67 swap would be a good place to start, but if you want it done fairly quick and inexpensive, I think another 3.4 is your best route

 

I just really dislike the 3.4 DOHC. Decent performance in stock trim, and it's a pretty good looking motor when you open the hood and see every inch of the engine bay crammed with that big hog... I agree, it may not be cheaper right off the bat to get rid of it. However, if you plan on keeping the car for awhile and don't want to deal with the list of problems that comes with owning a DOHC car, it will be cheaper in the long run if you were to swap it out.

 

If I had any interest in fixing my '95 DOHC Z34 (plauged by the typical problem of the 3.4...leaky o-ring), I would be swapping it out with a 3100 from a '95. However, since I don't, I'm going to part it out and sell it for scrap.

[gp90se]

one of these days I'll do a full writeup with pics, it's not pretty, I cheated and it hasn't let me down yet

[Schurkey]

However, if you plan on keeping the car for awhile and don't want to deal with the list of problems that comes with owning a DOHC car, it will be cheaper in the long run if you were to swap it out.

WHAT "list of problems" and just exactly how debilitating are they? My experience is that the stinkin' engine is a jewel. No, not perfect--but--none of 'em are.

 

If you want to talk about brakes, you'll light a fire under me and I'll happily piss and moan and shovel and rake with you for hours. But I can't complain about Mr. Engine.

[Psych0matt]

less space to work on, but aside from that it's not really that much different. some things are placed dumb, and the spark plugs are more of a pain to get to in back, and you have to check the tbelt every 40k or so. Not all that hard IMO. I do understand why some people dislike it, but I think it's worth the extra power, especially in my ~3800 pound car

[toms92gpse]

Anything you can do to get away from the DOHC is a step in the right direction.

 

well that's a fairly narrowminded comment

 

 

It's going to cost a lot more money to do any kind of swap whatsoever, and probably a lot more to change engines, unless you go with a 3.1 or 3x00, but then you're getting even less power. a 3800 swap or an L67 swap would be a good place to start, but if you want it done fairly quick and inexpensive, I think another 3.4 is your best route

 

I just really dislike the 3.4 DOHC. Decent performance in stock trim, and it's a pretty good looking motor when you open the hood and see every inch of the engine bay crammed with that big hog... I agree, it may not be cheaper right off the bat to get rid of it. However, if you plan on keeping the car for awhile and don't want to deal with the list of problems that comes with owning a DOHC car, it will be cheaper in the long run if you were to swap it out.

 

If I had any interest in fixing my '95 DOHC Z34 (plauged by the typical problem of the 3.4...leaky o-ring), I would be swapping it out with a 3100 from a '95. However, since I don't, I'm going to part it out and sell it for scrap.

 

Yeah, Lets see, in the 80k i've driven my 3.4 Dohc, I 've had 2 alternators and that has been it. I got my Tbelt changed as preventative mataince at 117k. I just started getting an oil leak around 160k and its not my oring is coming from the back of the motor above the exhuast manifold. Now compared to other vehicles I've owned it has been just as reliable. On my old 72k5, I replaced and alternator, battery, had about 8 different oil leaks, trans leaked like hell and it threw a rod around 180k it had a 4barrel 350 in it. My 1994z71 had its motor replaced at 177k and the transwent at 190k, it has had an alternator, starter, and battery in the 30k i've had it and Ive replaced everthing on the freaking tbi unit and all the vaccum lines and sensors, injectors, to try and fix a idle issue, I think its the fpr but haven't had the 50 bux to throw at it lately. My old station wagon Reliant K car I had to put a head gasket on it, and the trans leaked but other then that, and no ac it was an ok car for the year that I had it. If i were to go by my experience I would say SBC motors are less reliable even though I love the modability and torque of a 350 motor.