PontiacBonnevilleClub.com

HurstGN wrote::sad5: 9:55 am, August 22, 2008 marks the end of an era. This day, the last 3800 engine was produced at the GM Powertain Flint North plant in Flint Michigan. There are some pictures of the local Buick club visiting the plant to witness the last engine made...the cars they brought, and the last engine itself. The warehouse is the final production run stacked and stored till these motors are called into service. http://www.buickclub.org/buicktown/3800_tribute1.htm

There are 2 local news stories about the engine and the plant here http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/story?secti ... id=6345195

This engine was first built in 1988, and scheduled for retirement in 1999. It was such a reliable engine for GM that it's production run got extended 9 years. It's final downfall was the fact it is old technology and cannot keep up with tightening pollution standards. The GM Powertrain Flint North plant produced 36,241,516 engines.

Resurrecting and old post here. I know the basic structure of the Buick V6 dates back to the early 1960s, it was sold off to AMC and bought back in the 1970s, reworked several times before ending up as the 1988 and up version. Over 36 million produced? I'm impressed. I wonder how that compares with the production volume and lifespan of other engines? I'd bet the SBC in its various forms takes first place. Anyone want to hazard a guess as to other engines with big production numbers and lond lifespans? I wonder how many were made in its earlier forms? Certainly a very successful and highly regarded engine for all but dyed in the wool V8 afficianados. A shame the transmissions weren't as tough though. A 90 degree V6 would have all sorts of balance problems, yet GM managed to make it a smooth reliable and long lived engine. Just shows what can be done if enough effort and resources are put into development. Especially considering some of the duds GM have produced, the Olds diesel being a prime example.

Roger.

Roger.

I do know that the Series II 3800 was the most popular variant, and was produced the most out of any 3800. As for other engines with similar production numbers, the ones that I can think of....maybe the original VW Beetle engine? Maybe the old Ford 5.0? I honestly don't know.

The 3800 in its more "modern" form, from the Pre-Series I up until the Series III, lasted 30 years, with little change to the engines and their design. I think it is very difficult to find an engine throughout history that lasted as long, were as reliable as they were, and really didn't change too much throughout its production.