BUICK'S V-6 HERITAGE SPANS DECADES
FLINT, Mich. -- Buick Motor Division, an engine trailblazer from its beginning in 1903, has had a leading role in the development of one of the world's most popular, most efficient engine configurations -- the V-6.
The latest V-6s, the 3.8-liter 3800 Series II and supercharged 3800 Series II, were both named among the 'Ten Best Engines of 1996' by Ward's Auto World. The naturally aspirated version was also recognized by Ward's in '95.
Buick's reputation as an engine innovator dates to its development of the powerful and efficient "valve-in-head" powerplant, even before it began to produce automobiles in 1904.
Later, Buick won acclaim for its "Fireball" straight-8 and V-8 engines.
But for 1962, Buick successfully shifted direction. The first V-6 mass-produced in the U.S. appeared in the 1962 Buick Special -- and the car was named Motor Trend magazine's "Car of the Year." Buick's 1979 Riviera S-Type, with a turbo V-6, was another winner of this prestigious award.
The evolution of the V-6 began around 1960. General Motors engineers were finishing work on an advanced aluminum V-8 for a new line of small cars, which would include the '61 Buick Special. Paradoxically, it was the V-8 development work that would spawn the new V-6.
"It became apparent that this new V-8 was going to be quite expensive," recalled Clifford G. Studaker, who was an engineer in Buick's Advanced Engine Design Group at that time. "However, the economy was sluggish and people wanted lower-priced cars."
Joseph D. Turlay, director of Buick powerplant activities, who had led the development of the Buick V-8 of 1953 and prepared the aluminum V-8 for manufacture, had an idea. He told Buick General Manager Edward D. Rollert that he could quickly produce a successful V-6 for the '62 Special. When Rollert questioned him about feasibility, Turlay confidently said he had worked it all out on paper.
"So we started in 1960 developing a V-6," said Studaker. "We took the new V-8 and left two cylinders out. Of course, we made up a new camshaft and crankshaft, and worked out a new firing order. It turned out to be a good engine."
The new V-6, made out of cast iron rather than the more expensive aluminum, first appeared in the 1962 Special, which had a modest base price of $2,101. This first-generation Buick V-6 displaced 198 cubic inches (3.2 liters) and was rated at 135 horsepower using the upbeat rating methods of the day.
The 1962 Buick V-6 was an "odd-firing" engine -- the placement of the crank pins meant the cylinders fired at uneven intervals. "It had a personality of all its own," Studaker recalled of its idle characteristics. "It did a little dance."
Though the efficient new V-6 was successful, its thrifty benefits were soon left behind by the booming economy of the mid-1960s -- and by the feverish horsepower race that swept through the car business in those years. Customers often wanted big-block V-8s displacing 400 cubic inches or more, not thrifty V-6s. Following the 1967 model year, tooling for the Buick V-6 was sold to Kaiser, which moved it to Toledo to build engines for Jeeps -- the Buick V-6 thus became a casualty of the muscle-car era.
Then came the oil crisis of 1973, bringing fuel shortages, soaring fuel prices and long lines at the gas pump. Suddenly, fuel economy was a hot topic and in big consumer demand. Said Studaker: "I got a call from my boss, and he wanted to know where our V-6 tooling was. He wanted to know if we could build V-6s again."
To see if reviving the V-6 made sense, Buick engineers found one of the original V-6s in a junk yard, refurbished it, and installed it in the then-current small Buick, the Apollo. "We drove it," said Studaker, "and we thought it did a pretty good job."
Buick repurchased the engine production equipment early in 1974 from American Motors, which by then owned Kaiser. Employees at Factory 36 in Flint (now GM Powertrain's Flint V-6 plant) located the foundations of the old V-6 line and chipped away the concrete that had been poured over them. Workers then reinstalled the engine tooling on the same foundations it had been removed from seven years earlier.
A revitalized V-6 first appeared in the 1975 Buick Skyhawk. It displaced 231 cubic inches (3.8 liters) and was rated at 110 horsepower.
To make the engine more acceptable, engineers developed a smoother, even-firing version, then added a new motor mount system designed to further isolate passengers from engine shake. The six was further refined year after year. Ultimately, fuel injection replaced the carburetors, roller lifters and other friction-reducing technology were incorporated, and a balance shaft was added to nullify the last traces of engine shake.
The first even-firing version of the 3.8-liter V-6 appeared in the 1977 Buick LeSabre. In 1978, all 3.8-liter V-6s switched to the improved even-firing design. "That made it a very good engine," Studaker said.
The 1978 model year also saw the first production turbocharged 3.8-liter V-6 (derived from the 1976 Indy 500 pace car), a program that culminated in 1987 with the 245-horsepower turbocharged V-6 for the Buick Regal Grand National and a more powerful 276-hp turbo version for the limited-edition GNX (some sources have unofficially estimated the GNX engine's output at more than 300 hp).
Among production cars, the Grand National and the GNX were often described by auto writers as the quickest American cars of those years. And by the late 1980s, the "3800" V-6 (the new designation for the 3.8 beginning in the '88 model year) was being continually improved by GM Powertrain, which by then had taken over responsibility for engine design and manufacture.
By the early 1990s, the Buick V-6 had evolved into one of the best engines in GM's powertrain lineup, used by four GM divisions in mid-size cars, full-size cars, luxury cars and minivans.
A 205-horsepower supercharged 3800 first appeared late in the 1991 model year in Buick's flagship sedan, the Park Avenue Ultra, and became Ultra's standard powerplant for 1992. Improvements to the engine in '94 boosted output in the supercharged version to 225 hp.
By '95, the normally aspirated 3800 Series II engine was making as much horsepower -- 205 -- as the '91 supercharged 3800. Today's supercharged 240-horsepower 3.8-liter engine is standard in the 1997 Ultra and optional in the '97 Riviera. This latest version, the 3800 Series II V-6, continues its evolution into the future.
The legacy of impressive performance on the street is derived from a winning tradition on the race track. Between 1908 and 1910, Buick's racing teams won more than 500 trophies.
In 1976, the Buick Century that paced the Indianapolis 500 was the first such pace car with a V-6 -- a turbocharged version that led to production turbo V-6s two years later.
A naturally aspirated 4.1-liter V-6 powered the 1981 Indy 500 Buick Regal pace car and a highly sophisticated twin-turbo V-6 was used in the Riviera convertible that paced the '83 Indy 500.
Buick-powered racers have twice won the Indy 500 pole position in record times with stock-block V-6s: in 1985 (Pancho Carter at 212.583 mph, with Scott Brayton second in another Buick V-6) and 1992 (Roberto Guerrero at 232.482 mph). And Buick V-6 engines in recent years have filled as many as 12 of the 33 Indy 500 qualifying positions (1992) -- with a third place in 1992 by Al Unser Sr., the best-ever Buick finish to date. Buick V-6s today power all Indy Lights race cars, and some Indy-cars competing in the Indy Racing League (IRL) are still powered by supercharged "stock block" Buick sixes.
BUICK 90-DEGREE V-6 ENGINE HISTORY
1960 --- Started development of 90-degree V-6 concept derived from 215-cubic inch aluminum V-8.
1962 --- First production year -- 198-cubic-inch cast iron V-6 in 1962 Buick Special (Motor Trend "Car of the Year"). First application of cast connecting rod in GM. First mass-produced V-6 in the U.S.
1964 --- Displacement increased to 225 cubic inches with larger bore diameter.
1967 --- Terminated production at end of model year because of growing demand for high-performance engines. Tooling and design for the V-6 sold to Kaiser.
1973 --- Arab oil embargo created urgent need for fuel economy. Buick reconsiders V-6.
1974 --- Repurchased engine and tooling from AMC (which had bought out Kaiser).
1975 --- Re-introduced V-6 engine in the 1975 Skyhawk. Displacement increased to 231-cubic-inch with larger diameter bore.
Featured cap-screw-style connecting rod, updated valvetrain and new emission controls.
1976 --- Provided turbocharged V-6 for Buick Century Indianapolis 500 pace car. Naturally aspirated V-6 installed in full-size LeSabre.
1977 --- Developed and introduced even-firing 90-degree V-6 with split-pin crankshaft.
1978 --- Offered turbocharged V-6 engine option in Regal Sport Coupe.
Provided 3.2-liter small-displacement version with smaller bore diameter.
1979 --- Increased power with larger, free-breathing heads and valves.
First front-wheel-drive Buick is 1979 Riviera. The S-Type Riviera, equipped with a Buick turbo V-6, is named Motor Trend "Car of the Year."
1980 --- Added larger displacement 4.1-liter, 4-barrel carbureted engine for Electras and Rivieras.
1981 --- Naturally aspirated 4.1-liter V-6 powers Buick Regal Indy 500 pace car.
1982 --- Developed 3.0-liter version for intermediate vehicles.
1983 --- Twin-turbo V-6 powers Buick Riviera convertible Indy 500 pace car.
1984 --- Introduced first domestically built multi-port fuel injection V-6 engine.
Also introduced direct-fire ignition on turbocharged V-6.
1985 --- Provided reduced package size V-6 of 3.0-liter displacement for intermediate vehicles. Features crank-driven gerotor oil pump, single-belt accessory drive, lower deck-height block, precision block machining, and direct-fire ignition.
Buick Motorsports V-6 wins pole position at Indy 500 (Pancho Carter sets stock-block record of 212.583 mph; Scott Brayton second in front row in another Buick V-6.)
1986 --- Upgraded 3.8 V-6 features roller lifters for friction reduction and sequential fuel injection.
Intercooler now used on turbo V-6 in Regal Grand National and Regal T-type.
1987 --- Specially engineered turbo 3.8-liter V-6 powers limited edition GNX (aftermarket edition of Regal Grand National). GN and GNX both clocked in under five seconds in unofficial magazine tests for 0-60 mph acceleration.
1988 --- Introduced updated 3800 engine with balance shaft, direct-impingement fuel injection targeting, lightweight, low-friction pistons, reduced ring tension, high-resolution quick-start ignition and digital exhaust-gas recirculation monitoring.
Holden introduced 3800 V-6 engine in Commodore; selected "Car of the Year" in Australia.
1989 --- Introduced new 3300 low-deck design, replacing 3.0L engine. Retains small engine packaging size with low-friction roller lifters, low-friction pistons, flangeless head gasket, direct-impingement injectors, no need for exhaust gas recirculation, and improved starter.
1990 1/2 --- Introduced 3800 with tuned port injection, improved manifold tuning, composite rocker covers and several reliability improvements. Increased torque and horsepower. Horsepower up 5 to 170; torque up 10 lb-ft to 210.
1991 --- Introduced 205-hp supercharged 3800 engine in late 1991-model Park Avenue Ultra. It becomes standard engine in 1992 Ultra.
1992 --- Roberto Guerrero wins Indy 500 pole with Buick Motorsports V-6; 12 Buick V-6s in 33-car field; Al Unser Sr. finishes third, which is best-ever Buick Indy 500 finish.
1993 --- Introduced 3800 V-6 with increased compression ratio, roller rocker arms, composite upper intake manifold and reduced piston ring tension.
1994 --- Introduced 3800 Series II V-6 as standard in 1995 Buick Riviera. Supercharged 3800 in 1994 Park Avenue Ultra (optional in 1995 Riviera) boosted 20 hp to 225 hp. Torque increased 15 lb-ft to 275 lb-ft at 3200 rpm.
1995 --- Introduced supercharged 3800 Series II for 1996 models. Horsepower boosted to 240 hp. Torque increased to 280 lb-ft. Normally aspirated and supercharged versions both named among of the "Best Engines of 1995" by Wards' Auto World.
1996 --- Both 3800 Series II engines are again named among of the "Best Engines of 1996" by Wards' Auto World.
