KevinB

I'm new to the site/boards and have all ready read some useful info on here. When the next fall semester starts I'll be going to college and I need a reliable engine in my Camaro. I drive a 1991 RS Camaro with a V6 3.1 liter in it. It has over 274k miles. I'm concerned that the engine is about to go in the next year or so. So I was wondering, would it be better to swap out the engine for the V8 (possibly 305) or just bored it 30 over and buy a rebuild kit? Any help/ideas would be great.

firstfirebird

iTrader: (3)

Considering you got that many miles out of the v6, why not rebuild it? Better economy. Go with the v8 if your looking for performance.

KevinB

I'm not really looking for performance right now. I just need a reliable engine to get me to Nashville for college and back for weekends and what not.

firstfirebird

iTrader: (3)

Is it knocking?

KevinB

Nope. If you want to talk about it more right now my AIM is SocialBurn140

jensen73110

iTrader: (4)

Its been good to you, and you aren't looking for high performance, so I'd save a ton of time and effort and rebuild it. A total refresh, plus an aftermarket cam would make for a car that is reliable, gets decent mileage and is way more fun than before.

firstfirebird

iTrader: (3)

If it's not knocking, your lower end might be good enough to replace bearings and hone the cyl. Prob don't even have to bore .30 over. My 3.1 has 88k on it and I can still smoke the tires! Only mods are cat-back and K&N filter. (check out my garage)

Turbo on the way

battman

iTrader: (2)

I have a good running 3.1 out of a 92 with 120,000 miles I will sell for $200.00

BlkBird408

If performance is not what your after I agree just rebuild the V6 and keep the gas milage for driving to school. You can build the performance engine down the road.

firstfirebird

iTrader: (3)

Since your rebuiling anyway, use forged parts and you can put some serious forced induction in later...

zrated57

MrDude_1

you're not looking for performance, you're in school so moneys probly somethign to keep in mind, and you need it reliable above all else.


hotrodding, modifying, ect, is a BAD idea unless you've been doing it long enough to know exactly what you're doing to keep it reliable, AND your capable of fixing it yourself WHEN something happens.


if i were you, i would just rebuild the V6. i wouldnt put money into performance upgrades during the rebuild either.. that would just be a waste of money.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

If I was you, I'd just leave it alone and drive it.

Make sure to keep on the regular maintenance though; oil changes, tune-ups, cooling system, etc. About 99.999% of all "found on road dead" incidents are due to SOMETHING BESIDES what you'd be replacing in a "rebuild"; in other words, "rebuilding" the short block, does NOTHING WHATSOEVER toward improving the overall vehicle reliability, in statistical terms. Things that WILL improve the reliability would include lubricants, filters, belts, hoses, thermostat, water pump, and so on. Note that bearings, rings, pistons, etc. are ABSENT from the list.

What makes you think that's it's "about to go" ("go" where? ) in that particular time frame?

To put it in perspective, I'm driving a Cheep Bland Cherokee 4.0L 6-cyl as my DD these days; it has 245,000 miles on it. My wife drives a 91 Caddy with the 4.9 V8; 280,000 miles. I drive about 40-50 miles a day, she drives sometimes over 100 miles a day. The last time either of our cars left us just SITTING somewhere without warning was over a year ago; it was the Cheep, she happened to be driving it at the moment, it decided that it wanted a new crank position sensor RIGHT NOW. Would "rebuilding" have "improved" this vehicle's reliability? Hmmmmmm.......

Won't improve yours either, in all likelihood.

MrDude_1

this is another good point.
im under the assumption that your engine is using oil from the rings, and you KNOW its going south.
if all is well, just keep it that way.
my other car is a 95 S10... 200 something thousand miles on it... and id drive it from the parkinglot here to the other side of the country and back... most likely without any issues. (other then it being woefully underpowered with its 2.2L 4cyl...)
i purchased this truck for $200 because the guy was going to scrap it... he was told it "needed a new motor".... because he popped the headgasket on it.

after fixing the headgasket (the effect), the coolent temp gauge (the reason the hint to the problem wasnt seen) and the waterpump (the original problem).. this truck has served me over 10,000 miles in the last 9 months.

firstfirebird

iTrader: (3)

May want to work out a deal PM me....
Thanx, firstfirebird

Sonix

iTrader: (1)

I read all those posts wondering "why is he talking about rebuiling a V6, thats STILL RUNNING?"
Then sofakingdom posts.

If you just want to get around, do the regular maintenance, including the "rare" maintenance that most people don't really do. Like tranny fluid, brake fluid. Most guys who don't know a lot about cars, just don't do that stuff, since it isn't going to break (quickly) if you don't.

Also, keep $300 under your pillow as an "emergency car fund". Best thing my dad ever taught me. It'll only fail on a friday afternoon, and when you just put all your cash into beer and other university based funstuffs, so... $300-400 is enough to fix most of yer basic "can't get from A-B" failures, alternator, starter, battery, rad leak, etc.

Then when you're swimming in money, and are ready to soup up the car, you haven't blown any of your hard earned cash rebuilding a 3.1L V6 (don't even get me started on that hairbrained idea...), and you can throw some cash into a respectable V8.

Then again, I blew $5000 on my car during university

brandoz28

iTrader: (1)

I have a '96 chevy lumina with a 3.1 in it with a touch over 207K on it. I have autocrossed this car and thrashed it hard on the drag strip. It is original motor and trans, and it just made the 8 and a half hour trip to the IHRA div. 5 finals where it ran in two races, was consistent enough to win one, and be runner up in the other. If you keep up with regular maintenance stuff you'll do fine.

hectre13

iTrader: (4)

i totally agree with you guys, my dad has a 2000 cavalier that we keep regular mantainence on, and try and keep nice, hes a touch over 200k on that puppy, and its still running strong. as long as the motor isnt knocking or running bad, i dont think you have much to worry about... yet.

-Jeremy

Camaro_nut

If it ain't broke, DON'T FIX IT!

Drive it til it's dead. Even if you DO get stuck somewhere,
most cases you SHOULD have the basic stuff on hand to
get you back on track: Jumper cables, flashlight, spare
tire, jack, wrench, etc. and it would help if you have
a cell phone. Maybe invest in AAA?

Point is, even a BRAND NEW car will break down and
could leave you stranded. It does happen.

Keep up on the maintenance and always make sure
to do a complete car check over for anything like
brakes, tires, body rot, loose or broken parts, fluid
leaks, dryrotted belts, hoses, etc.

FYI: the V6 is not any better in MPG compared
to the V8. Its a fact. Google the MPG info on
the thirdgens, you will find out that the V6
averages only about 2-4 MPG better overall.

I had the 3.1L v6, then swapped in the V8.
There's not a lot of difference. Just goes
much faster and outperforms it.

IMO,It's not worth the time and money to hotrod a v6.
That's why I stopped doing that and went to
the V8 drivetrain.

BTW: A rebuild MAY actually help you in the long run,
if that's what you decide to do. And it will help on
keeping it reliable. Think about it.... a motor with 200-
300K miles on it...when was the timing chain done?
Does it burn or use a lot of oil? Is it leaking from
every gasket known to man? Maybe it is time to
go in and do the basic rebuild. BUT, only if the
reasons are there and...You have the time to have the
car down for a while. You have the money to do it.
You want to keep the car for a long time. You
want to keep it's resale value up.

There's a huge number of reasons why to do it
or NOT to. DON'T just go by us typing info,
go by what you think is right. Use our opinions
and suggestions as a guide, and come up with
your own wise decision.