Buick 3800 Engine series is a large and powerful engine at the time but it also faced backlash due to several problems, In this post we’ll look after the 3800 Engine series 2 problems
Despite being so popular for such a long time, Buick 3800 Engine Series 2 problems began to emerge after the Series II Design was installed in various cars, resulting in a large recall of many vehicles.
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What Were Buick 3800 Series 2 Problems?
The main problem with the 3800 series was that You may notice an intermittent hesitation or struggle while cruising on the highway or accelerating lightly. It occurs when the intermittent operations of the automatic TCC (transmission torque converter) do not set fault codes or when the check engine light does not illuminate.
1. Coolant Leaks in the Intake Manifold
The Buick 3800 Engine series 2 V6 is a fairly reliable engine, but coolant leaks have been a problem on Series II 3800 engines with the plastic intake manifold. After 60,000 miles or so, the OEM intake manifold gasket tends to deteriorate in the area that seals the cylinder head coolant passage to the manifold. The intake manifold gaskets must be replaced.
Intermittent stuttering while accelerating or cruising, After 60,000 miles or so, the OEM intake manifold gasket tends to deteriorate in the area that seals the cylinder head coolant passage to the manifold.
2. Driving with Intermittent Misfire
An intermittent misfire while driving could be caused by a faulty coil or worn spark plugs. The 3800 V6’s distributorless ignition system is a waste spark system with three ignition coils. A common ignition coil is shared by each pair of cylinders.
Another way to determine if a misfire is caused by a bad coil is to swap two of the coils on the coil pack. If the misfire spreads to the new cylinders, the coil is the culprit. If the misfire persists in the same cylinders, the coil is fine and the problem is with the wires, plugs, injectors, or compression.
3. Noise at High speed
A flaw found in nearly 15 different car models, including the Buick Century, Chevrolet Monte Carlo, and Pontiac Bonneville, all of which use the Buick 3800 engine, is the occurrence of a chortling noise when the drivers try to accelerate or drive at high speeds. This problem bothers them the most because they frequently drive on highways.
Because there was no check engine light or diagnostic trouble codes, it was initially assumed that the problem was caused by an unsteady performance of the automatic transmission torque converter clutch.
4. Cranking Issues
Another major issue with the engine was that it had problems while cranking the engines. Because the Buick 3800 Engine is known to have a problem with the CKP sensor – and the sensor has been replaced – a relearn procedure using a reliable scan tool is required. This ensures that the engine’s computer becomes acquainted with the sensor signals.
5. Fuel Issue
Fuel issues on these engines are the same as they are on any other engine. Injectors can become clogged when using gasoline with low detergent levels. To keep the injectors clean, GM recommends using “top tier” gasoline with higher levels of detergent.
2. Diagnosing The Issues
Buick had various issues regarding the engine and many had quick fixes and some required mechanical help to do so, here are some of the fix that we find
1. Lagging Issue
However, the faulty input is the sole cause of this issue in engine-3800. The engine’s TPS (throttle position sensor) sends incorrect data to the PCM computer (powertrain control module computer). This issue in engine-3800, however, can be resolved by replacing the throttle position sensor (TPS).
2. Misfires
The ignition module’s faulty coil can be easily replaced. However, if any of the bad coils are not found, the problem will persist. To avoid such problems on the road, Shop Carmel recommends replacing all of the coils if your engine has a high mileage or is weak.
3. Cranking Issue
The crank sensor in your vehicle can be diagnosed by examining the engine wiring diagram. To find the fault, you must first test the voltages of the circuits for the ignition module and many crank sensors. Furthermore, when you turn the key on, 4-8 volts must be found between each crank sensor. If it fails the tests, replace the crank sensors.
Conclusion
The Buick 3800 Engine is a dependable engine. However, some issues do arise, and caused Buick 3800 Engine series 2 problems we can assist you in this regard. We’ve identified some of the most common issues with this particular Buick engine.