Guest Posted January 24, 2001 Share Posted January 24, 2001 If you have a GM car with an 88 model year 3800 you need to get a 89-and up thermostat goose neck housing. The previous design allows coolant to leak past the thermostat therefore the engine won't get hot enough to burn up condensation effectively: YOU WILL HAVE very BLACK OIL. The dealer doesn't have this part, go to a junk yard and find a wrecked 3800 from '89 and up and fix the problem. GM discover the problem and fixed it in '89 and up.<P> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
---- Posted January 25, 2001 Share Posted January 25, 2001 Water(condensation) and oil don't mix, so how could you have "very black oil"? As far as I know the blackness in oil comes from carbon from combustion. And anyways, how much extra coolant could flow through a mis-desinged thermostat housing to prevent an engine from reaching operating temperature? You could run an engine without a thermostat at all and it would reach operating temperature (it would just take quite a while). Just my thoughts, correct me if I'm mistaken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest elk93001 Posted January 26, 2001 Share Posted January 26, 2001 If coolant is flowing past the thermostat, and the engine takes a while to warm up, the sensors will tell the computer to run a richer mixture (until warmed up)....this creates more carbon, causing the oil to become black. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 26, 2001 Share Posted January 26, 2001 Blackness carbon, excess water is white goo. When the engine doesn't warm up enough and you change the oil it's like washing your dirty hands with cold water they just don't come clean. Second the O2 sensor tells the computer the engine is warm if the exhaust stream is hot enough, which by the way is partly ignored if you put the car in gear right away after start-up or anytime the car is in gear. Besides go to this and read for yourself: <A HREF="http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m3102/5_118/54681075/p1/article.jhtml" TARGET=_blank>http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m3102/5_118/54681075/p1/article.jhtml</A> <BR>OR find an '88 3800 w/temp gage and see how it barely moves off 100! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
---- Posted January 26, 2001 Share Posted January 26, 2001 Sorry. Good article to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 29, 2001 Share Posted January 29, 2001 Wasn't trying to be mean. But is corrective action should be done even if your '88 3800 has 150,000 miles on it. The engine is bullet-proof and indestructable. Question the thought the 3800 could only be used on FWD (with the exception of F-body) I have seen the VIN C FWD used on RWD applications on GM's Australian cars!! I don't understand it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 65sky Posted January 30, 2001 Share Posted January 30, 2001 this promblem must go back to 86 3800 engine then?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 30, 2001 Share Posted January 30, 2001 Yes Holden uses the 3800 in RWD applications, but it is FWD only(except for the F-body). I'm assuming that the problem is 88 only because my 87 has the thermostat in the radiator hose on the intake. GM redesigned the 3.8 in 88, but offered both new and old versions that year, so it should be noted that this would apply only to "3800s" and not "3.8s"<P>------------------<BR>-Keith<P>'87 Lesabre T-type (The T without WHOOSH)<P>'86 Regal w/350 (still in progress)<P>http://members.nbci.com/lesabrettype/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 30, 2001 Share Posted January 30, 2001 In '86 they didn't make the 3800! AND AS NOTED BY THE TOPIC "88 3800's" Please don't confuse the 3800 and the 3.8L they aren't even close to being the same.<P>Read this: The 3.8 SFI 3800 V6 block was redesigned to precisely align all components with the split-pin, even firing crankshaft. The left bank <BR>of cylinders were relocated 3.20mm (.126") forward in the block, while cylinders two and four in the right bank were moved 2.74mm <BR>(.108") to the rear. Bore is unchanged at 96.52 mm(3.800"), and stroke is the same at 86.36mm (3.400"). The lifter bores were all <BR>relocated to maintain valve geometry. <BR>A lightweight piston assembly is used to decrease the mass of reciprocating parts. The piston, piston pin, and rings are 26 percent <BR>lighter than the assembly found in the previously designed 3.8L V6, and oil ring pressure was reduced from 12.5 lbs. on the 3.8L V6 <BR>to 10.0 lbs. on the 3.8 SFI 3800 V6. <BR>The cylinder heads are revised to fit the new block. Spark plugs are centrally located in the combustion chambers, and the <BR>compression ratio is 8.5 to 1. <BR>The one-piece intake manifold is all new. To match the shift of the cylinder block, the bank to bank stagger of intake manifold <BR>branches was increased by 5.94mm (.234"). This results in a direct fuel spray impinging on the back of the intake valve, reducing <BR>"wall wetting", a common occurence in engines. <BR>Benefits of reduced wall wetting include improved combustion, which significantly reduces emissions, improved fuel efficiency, and a <BR>better performance feel. <BR>An "O" ring seal intake gasket with a nylon carrie is used for improved sealability between the intake manifold and the cylinder head. <BR>It requires a very low eight foot pounds of bolt tension to seal. <BR>A Single belt is used to drive all accessory components. It is a Poly-V belt, running on crowned and Poly-V pulleys. This serpentine <BR>belt system uses an idler pulley and spring tension to keep constant pressure on the belt, eliminating the need for adjustments. <BR>The exhaust manifolds are free flowing tubular welded assemblies. <BR>Output is rated at 165 horsepower, and 210 pounds feet of torque. <BR> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86 2dr.ltd Posted January 31, 2001 Share Posted January 31, 2001 Now thats what Im talking about.<P>Some information!<P>Dude you should register!It dont hurt one bit!I tried a few times but kept getting rejected,the program eraces your application and you dont know what you did wrong.Wound up being I was putting 2 . and 2 spaces,no can do.Otherwise I would have been registered last spring.<P>Many of us would be happy to have someone with interest in Buicks since 86' aboard.<P>1986 is now 15 years ago! Think about it!Scarry or what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
---- Posted January 31, 2001 Share Posted January 31, 2001 That is kinda scary... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 5, 2001 Share Posted February 5, 2001 As far as the loose fitting T-stat goes, there was a bulletin that addressed this problem! GM makes a rubber ring that goes between the t-stat and housing to correct ('89 also had the same problem) <P>------------------<BR>Denmech@hotmail.com<BR>65 Riv GS<BR>69 Skylark conv.<BR>87 GN<BR>ASE cert., BEST '97&'98 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 7, 2001 Share Posted February 7, 2001 That's not true in '89 it was fixed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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