Bjorn218 Posted September 4, 2014 Report Posted September 4, 2014 Hello, Bjorn here. I found this forum by way of 60degreev6.com forums and decided to register to expand my knowledge on these cars. Not that I am a great fan of any American 4 wheeled vehicle post 1974. Especially American FWD anything. I'm not trying to make that sound off handed, but I came here because my daughter owns a 1993 Pontiac Grand Prix STE with the 3.4 DOHC (which is a pretty darn cool car) and I am her mechanic (unless it is absolutely beyond my capability due to tools). I just for the life of me cannot understand why all the American auto engineers insist of shoving large engines into cars with zero engine bay real estate, then decide to turn the engine 90 degrees. They must have some seriously good drugs at GM corporate they put those guys on. You know they were laughing when they designed the 3.4. Even more so when the new breed decided to glue hinges to rear hatches on their 03 SUV's that the glue wasn't temperature tested for integrity over 125 degrees and then sold the hell out of them in southern states, for a $600 replacement window when a hinge lets go at 90 mph down the interstate. gauge clusters that require replacing whole cluster assemblies at $900 a pop... I digress, this isn't my car... Nor was the SUV, that was the Wife's. My daughter bought the car a couple of years ago from an elderly couple that had garage kept it, had ALL receipts for any work done to it since 1992 when they originally brought it home from the stealership. It had just under 34k original miles when we bought it. I figured it was a good enough find in that it was a well cared for car at the price point she could afford at the time. Since her purchase I have become intimately aquainted with the 3.4 DOHC alternator, brake system, removal of the intake to the block, cleaning of same, plugs, plug wires, the oil leaking fix, TWICE!!, all vacuum lines, mystery coolant disappearing trick this car does(found this one finally tonight, hose off the cap to overflow tank had a pinhole under the clamp), idiotic coil pack placement, etc... You guys heard it all before I am sure. Well this lovely piece of highly fine tuned American engineering of an engine decided to what sounds like spin a bearing, so now it comes down to finally a rebuild of the engine. My first since 1994(MOPAR 440 into a Satellite). So I am trying to become familiar with this engine to I will feel confident to see this job through. I tried to convince the kid to do an engine swap, but you know how females can get when they own things they worked and purchased and worked on themselves. It has to be as they got it, or improved, but the same car.... So I would like to thank you all for being fans of these 1990 era of American automobiles. You seriously do help guys like me learn some new things. I commend you all. Quote
amistydj Posted September 4, 2014 Report Posted September 4, 2014 Welcome to the forum Definately not fun at all working inside the hood with the engine layout, especially changing spark plugs Quote
Leadfoot Posted September 4, 2014 Report Posted September 4, 2014 Welcome to the sight. Where in Texas are you? The engine bays on these cars are tight, but not really tighter than most other FWD cars made in the last 20 years. I have worked on some that are worse. It's the hazard of trying to package what people (and the govt) want in the size cars they demand. Quote
Psych0matt Posted September 4, 2014 Report Posted September 4, 2014 Welcome aboard! You may hate the 3.4 now, but if you're anything like me and some of the other guys around you'll end up with at least 1 more Quote
Euro Posted September 5, 2014 Report Posted September 5, 2014 Welcome! You sound like a good friend of mine, despises anything FWD and anything that isn't a full framed american rwd beast Quote
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