3100 V6 Longevity

[NDL]

Assuming that fairly regular maintainance was performed, how long can/will the 3100 V6 run? Is 200k miles unrealistic? Thanks in advance

[Sixty8panther]

Not at all. As an ex-car salesman (Chevorlet, Pontiac, GMC) I've seen a few with 200K plus.

[BuickEight]

Assuming that fairly regular maintainance was performed, how long can/will the 3100 V6 run?  Is 200k miles unrealistic? 

Thanks in advance

[post="15981"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Not at all. I've seen Century's with over 250k. It seems like most Chevy and Buick motors will run a very long time.

[aaaantoine]

We have an Olds Achieva with over 150,000 miles on its 3100 power plant. It's seen better days, sure, but it still runs good.

[NDL]

Hey, thanks all! I have a '95 Century, that I want to keep for as long as I can. Just wanted to get a feel for how long these cars will run, hence my question. Right now I have 150k on mine, and it runs well, sans a bad EGR valve that's affecting it's idle, etc. Finally, do you think that changing the EGR valve, and O2 sensor, will make great differences in my fuel usage? Right now I am getting around 15/16, around town... Thanks again!

[Sixty8panther]

95 Century... that sucker will run forever. Well built cars. I'm no fan of FWD as anyone here wil tell you but a '95 Century is a reat alternative to a Camry if you want a car that will go the distance.

[daves87rs]

i'm hoping for the same there...my 3.1 is at 132k right now....runs pretty good, though it is goinf to need a few things..a MAP sensor, fuel filter (even though the other one isn't that old).. The thing that worries me a bit is the fact that I can smell Antifreeze after driving for a while. Oil looks fine (aside from the fact it will be due for an oil change) and its not leaking it, nor is it down at all. My guess is I might have a leaky hose starting somewhere... If these can all get fixed right(no surprises), I'm hoping my wagon will get to 200k....

[aaaantoine]

95 Century... that sucker will run forever. Well built cars. I'm no fan of FWD as anyone here wil tell you but a '95 Century is a reat alternative to a Camry if you want a car that will go the distance.

[post="16196"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Isn't that the old A-body?

I dunno... I know someone who is the 4th or 5th owner of a horribly dilapidated 95 Century. I'm sure if you take good care of it, you can continue to run it for a long time to come... But I've seen this thing, and couldn't even believe it was a 95 model.

[CARBIZ]

It is interesting though that the Century or Olds Calais would be a better used car buy than the Lumina or Grand Am of the same era, not because the cars were any better but because of the demographics of who bought them and cared for them. Odds are, someone older bought the Buick and would have driven it easier and spent the money on maintenance. The Chevy would have a greater chance of having been abused and not serviced as well by the owner.

[Satty]

Yeah, that A-Body Century will run forever. I dont remember how many miles mine had before I traded it in, but it was nearing 200k. The only problems with it were the damned taillights that burnt out one at a time and the mysterious shimmy that developed over 70mph that nothing, even pretty much re-building the front end, could fix. And they're a bit un-cool looking. But super easy to work on and parts are available anywhere for next to nothing.

[Paolino]

Assuming that fairly regular maintainance was performed, how long can/will the 3100 V6 run?  Is 200k miles unrealistic? 

Thanks in advance

[post="15981"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

What are you kidding? Don't you remember Rosario's?

[Paolino]

Yeah, that A-Body Century will run forever.  I dont remember how many miles mine had before I traded it in, but it was nearing 200k.  The only problems with it were the damned taillights that burnt out one at a time and the mysterious shimmy that developed over 70mph that nothing, even pretty much re-building the front end, could fix.  And they're a bit un-cool looking.  But super easy to work on and parts are available anywhere for next to nothing.

[post="16602"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

That's not only the Century--I believe it's all cars with that body style/engine. I had a friend with an Olds (can't remember which one), same exact prob. (oh, and pardon my ignorance if I'm completely wrong on the whole topic of A-Bodies and such in this time period--I didn't really get into cars until the mid-90's, so all this info is still fuzzy to me).

Now, my Century has the 3300... and surprisingly, without the a/c on, the 13-year old engine is super-smooth at 80-85 (not that I do it often, I just noticed it today when I didn't pay attention to how fast I was going).

Now, not to take away from the point of this thread, but can anyone explain to me why (and it's been since I've gotten the car at 38,500 miles), I get a rough feeling under the brake pedal when braking and the engine downshifts into first? No matter how gentle I am, I still feel this. Is it common?

But the 3100 is a great engine... I know TONS of people who have or have had cars with it and they've never had a problem--clearn into 150,000 miles. But the rest of the cars fell apart around the engines, so they got rid of them. Edited September 19, 2005 by Paolino

[NDL]

Thanks again everyone, for the heads up. I guess the 3100 isn't a mediocre motor, after all.

What are you kidding?  Don't you remember Rosario's?

[post="16757"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

I'm surprised that you remember Rosario's car; an '86 Century with the 2.5L Iron Duke. I think that the car died after 180k...

[Paolino]

Thanks again everyone, for the heads up.  I guess the 3100 isn't a mediocre motor, after all.
I'm surprised that you remember Rosario's car; an '86 Century with the 2.5L Iron Duke.  I think that the car died after 180k...

[post="17005"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Oh that's right... I forgot it was the older generation. Didn't realize his was the 4 though.

[Sixty8panther]

Speaking of crazy longevity: I once almost traded in a 1984 Cavalier sedan 2.2/auto at Chevrolet of Lowell. The car was gold with very minor rust issues, tan interior MOSTLY intact and everythign there including the original radio. It had 288K miles on the clock and ran like a Civic at 190,000. Even the GM enthusiast in me was amazed. Truly incredible.

[daves87rs]

Speaking of crazy longevity: I once almost traded in a 1984 Cavalier sedan 2.2/auto at Chevrolet of Lowell. The car was gold with very minor rust issues, tan interior MOSTLY intact and everythign there including the original radio. It had 288K miles on the clock and ran like a Civic at 190,000.

Even the GM enthusiast in me was amazed. Truly incredible.

[post="17011"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

It's funny you say that...There was a 86 Coupe around here I saw driven
by an older couple that had 212k on it...and it was in pretty good shape...


I went to school with two friends who beat the piss out of their Cavaliers,
and both of those cavs ( 89 sedan w/2.2 91 coupe w/3.1) got around
200k....(i think the 89 got over, but have to double check of that one)

[daves87rs]

Thanks again everyone, for the heads up.  I guess the 3100 isn't a mediocre motor, after all.
I'm surprised that you remember Rosario's car; an '86 Century with the 2.5L Iron Duke.  I think that the car died after 180k...

[post="17005"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

I remember those...you had to run them into a tree to get them to stop running...
:P

[NDL]

Oh that's right... I forgot it was the older generation.  Didn't realize his was the 4 though.

[post="17009"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Same car though. But the thing was unstoppable; we used to do New York to Philly runs, every weekend - sometimes twice in the same day. At the same time, the car amazed us with all it could hold.

And since you have the 3300, I'd bet that your car could do the same too :)...

[NDL]

I remember those...you had to run them into a tree to get them to stop running...
:P

[post="17096"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Ain't that the truth :). Reliable, economical, and cheap to fix.

[I hope GMRULES again]

A few weeks ago I noticed an old 1979 Pontiac Parisienne and I stopped to check it out and the owner and I started chating about cars. He also had a 91 Pontiac 6000 in the driveway and he told me to go have a look at the odometer. The car had 533,000 KM on it which would be about 340,000 miles!! I could not believe it! He told me it was the best car GM ever made. There is no doubt that the Century,Cutlass Ciera, and 6000 were excellent cars. I don't know if it was the original motor or if major things had been done to it (he said no but maybe he was full of crap) but I was just surprised to see a car with that high milege on it, especiallly with the winters we have around here. I also know a taxi driver with a 92 Cutlass Supreme and he put almost 400,000KM before ditching it last year for a 96 Lumina.

[Bluesman]

I'm currently driving a 96' Chevy Lumina 3.1 with 223,500 miles...and it still runs fine! I hope to keep going well into the spring of 2006.

[mjdecker]

I like what I'm seeing here.. My 97 Achieva has just under 125k miles on it. Runs pretty strong with general maintenance done to it.

[ponchoman49]

Yeah, that A-Body Century will run forever.  I dont remember how many miles mine had before I traded it in, but it was nearing 200k.  The only problems with it were the damned taillights that burnt out one at a time and the mysterious shimmy that developed over 70mph that nothing, even pretty much re-building the front end, could fix.  And they're a bit un-cool looking.  But super easy to work on and parts are available anywhere for next to nothing.

[post="16602"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

I have owned several of those old A-bodies and believe me, everyone of them had that damned front end shimmy. I was told by a GM dealer once that it is related to the axles binding up with age and not perfecty balanced tires. Everything has to be perfect for these things not to vibrate. I never tried replacing the axles but I did get improved results replacing the 185/75R14 tires with perfecty balanced 195/70R14's. As for the 3100's, watch out for sudden coolent useage when they start getting miles on them. I have seen many a person lose one of these engines due to intake manifold gasket failure which affects all 93-05 vin code "m" and "j" 3100's and 96-05 vin code "e" 3400's. So keep an eye on the coolant level when the miles rack up.

[I hope GMRULES again]

As for the 3100's, watch out for sudden coolent useage when they start getting miles on them. I have seen many a person lose one of these engines due to intake manifold gasket failure which affects all 93-05 vin code "m" and "j" 3100's and 96-05 vin code "e" 3400's. So keep an eye on the coolant level when the miles rack up.

[post="67492"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

What surprises me about the intake manifold gasket and head gasket problems on these motors is that the problems continue right up to 05 as your saying. Don't they know there is a serious design flaw that has caused many people to lose and engine and GM to lose tens of thousands of customers? Just yesterday my friend at work got bad news about his 97 Trans sport with the 3400 needs a head gasket job. He's got 140K on the motor and he did the intake manifold gasket repair at around 100k. He's been asking around at different garages about getting it repaired and everybody he talks to gives him the same story that doing motor jobs on these vehicles is paying their mortgages. One garage said they just did a motor job on a 2002 last week. You would think GM would have the brains to advise owners about what to look out for on these vehicles and to extend the warranty on them. I thought they came out with a revised gasket about 5 years ago but if they did why are late model vehicles still having this problem.

[2005 EquinoxLS]

What surprises me about the intake manifold gasket and head gasket problems on these motors is that the problems continue right up to 05 as your saying. Don't they know there is a serious design flaw that has caused many people to lose and engine and GM to lose tens of thousands of customers? Just yesterday my friend at work got bad news about his 97 Trans sport with the 3400 needs a head gasket job. He's got 140K on the motor and he did the intake manifold gasket repair at around 100k. He's been asking around at different garages about getting it repaired and everybody he talks to gives him the same story that doing motor jobs on these vehicles is paying their mortgages. One garage said they  just did a  motor job on a 2002 last week. You would think GM would have the brains to advise owners about what to look out for on these vehicles and to extend the warranty on them. I thought they came out with a revised gasket about 5 years ago but if they did why are late model vehicles still having this problem.

[post="73577"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

As bad as the intake manifold gasket issues are on the GM minivans it is still better than Chryslers transmissions. Which dont seem to be improving either. I thought the 2004 and later ones had a redesigned gasket to try to solve this problem. I may never know since I leased my Equinox and will likely be giving it back before this would happen.

[bluecon]

My friend has a 3.1l where the valve seat came out of the head and damaged the pistons and head. Is this a common problem with the 3.1l?

[ponchoman49]

My friend has a 3.1l where the valve seat came out of the head and damaged the pistons and head.  Is this a common problem with the 3.1l?

[post="89162"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

We just had a 1998 Lumina do that but in all fairness it does have 170K miles!

[76ChevyTrucker]

The Chevrolet designed 3.1L and 3.4L engines are well designed engines, with no major reliability problems, the Intake Manifold Gasket problem isn't as wide-spread as it seems to be and I have not heard of a head gasket problem with the cars, unless you run them hot, then that aluminum block and head might warp a little, which I have seen them do. My parents had a '96 Buick Century that ran for 75,000mi until it was traded for their '03 crew cab S10, former girlfriend had a '95 Lumina with the 3.1 and it ran forever and a day till it met a 10-point deer. I had a 99 Grand Am with the 3.4 and it gave me no problems at all. As far as fixing the intake manifold gasket problem, Victor Rienz (Federal Mogul) makes an improved design gasket that's available at your local CarQuest Auto Parts, or anywhere that sells FM gaskets.

[PurdueGuy]

I had a '94 corsica w/3100 and it ran great. Tranny went out out of state & we didn't get it fixed, but the engine still ran awesome - 180K miles.

[ponchoman49]

I almost was considering the purchase of a 1994 Ciera wagon with the 3100 and 4T60 trans. It was from PA and in pretty good shape and would have made a good hauler. What changed my mind straight away was when I pulled the dipstick and saw that the oil was way overfull and milky white. Yikes another intake gasket failure. It was funny because the engine didn't knock and seemed to be running ok. But seeing the shape of the sides of that intake pouring out oil and the antifreeze in the oil this engine was on it's last legs and the people selling it knew this. The car had 122K miles on it. My friend who sells PA cars says eveytime he gets a 3100 or 3400 in with higher miles he automatically puts a new intake gasket on it because he is sick of getting stung with angry customers bringing cars back. I sure hope GM fixed this problem on the 04 and up 3500 and 3900 engines.

[NDL]

Thanks for the heads up, I hope GMRULES again!