Worst GM engine ever made?
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 521
Likes: 1
From: Southern New England
2.8L V-6. I had a S-10 Blazer with that engine. The noisiest, most underpowered piece of crap ever conceived. It lasted 50k. That's when I traded it in for a '93 Jeep GCherokee. (By the way that was the last new GM product I will ever buy). The 4.0L Jeep engine by comparison is probably the best six cylinder ever made modern times.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,562
Likes: 2
From: Southern MD
The absolute worst GM engine EVER - the 350 gasoline engine converted to diesel.
Bar none. Baaaaaaaaaaaaaddddd.
Second worst - 1st generation Vega aluminum 4 banger. You didn't change the oil every 3,000 miles. You replaced the block.
The Cosworth engine was pretty good for making power.
Wasn't there problems with the earlier Wankel (sp?) engines, too? Seals, I think. Maybe rotor seals.
Bar none. Baaaaaaaaaaaaaddddd.
Second worst - 1st generation Vega aluminum 4 banger. You didn't change the oil every 3,000 miles. You replaced the block.
The Cosworth engine was pretty good for making power.
Wasn't there problems with the earlier Wankel (sp?) engines, too? Seals, I think. Maybe rotor seals.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 482
Likes: 0
From: Colorado
I had a Vega with the 2300 cc, the car burnt alot of oil at 40,000 miles.
I had a budy at a machine shop pot crome moly sleves in the block and shave the head. I built a set of split headers and put on 500 cfm holly 4bbl. This was before tunner cars and 4 bangers but when I was done I could run 17 second 1/4 miles on street tires and this little 4-bangerr was un-stopable stop light to stop light
I had a budy at a machine shop pot crome moly sleves in the block and shave the head. I built a set of split headers and put on 500 cfm holly 4bbl. This was before tunner cars and 4 bangers but when I was done I could run 17 second 1/4 miles on street tires and this little 4-bangerr was un-stopable stop light to stop light
Last edited by rellik74; Aug 18, 2005 at 08:52 PM.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 482
Likes: 0
From: Colorado
I had a Vega with the 2300 cc, the car burnt alot of oil at 40,000 miles.
I had a budy at a machine shop pot crome moly sleves in the block and shave the head. I built a set of split headers and put on 500 cfm holly 4bbl. This was before tunner cars and 4 bangers but when I was done I could run 17 second 1/4 miles on street tires and this little 4-bangerr was un-stopable stop light to stop light
I had a budy at a machine shop pot crome moly sleves in the block and shave the head. I built a set of split headers and put on 500 cfm holly 4bbl. This was before tunner cars and 4 bangers but when I was done I could run 17 second 1/4 miles on street tires and this little 4-bangerr was un-stopable stop light to stop light
Butt-Head
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 9,428
Likes: 2,913
From: Reed Point, MT
Originally Posted by Dariand1
How good is the 'Iron Duke' motors? I hear alot of good comments about the motors, they may not have alot of power but they are pretty indestructible.
I can [could] easily reach 90 MPH with mine. It consistently gets 30 MPG with the 125C (3T40) transmission, and all on 3.5 cylinders. I say "could" because I have to remove it this weekend and rebuild. It finally pooped the bed. It still runs, but I think I have a broken piston. It's got 160K on it and I think more crankcase vapors come through the breather than exhaust out the tailpipe. My air filter lasts about 2K miles before it's completely soaked.
I'll get it put back together and see what she does. She was a neglected, worn out pile when I got her for free anyways.
Bad GM engine? 2.8/3.1/3.4/new 3.5
Cody
Moderator
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 8,210
Likes: 1,225
From: San Antonio, TX
I had the Olds 350 diesel in an 80 chevy half ton. As a prior owner I cant testify to what a POS it was.
Another bad idea was when they put the integrated intake manifold/cylinder head on the 250 straight six. They took a great motor and ruined it. I haven't seen one yet that the head didn't crack on, the one I had included.
Another bad idea was when they put the integrated intake manifold/cylinder head on the 250 straight six. They took a great motor and ruined it. I haven't seen one yet that the head didn't crack on, the one I had included.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Ford Trucks Coming to Mecum Indy 2026
Brett Foote
5 Best / 5 Worst Ford Truck Wheels of All Time
Joe Kucinski
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 740
Likes: 2
I've forgotten all about the Cadillac 4-6-8 engines, those were horrible engines.
Originally Posted by dono
I see no one mentioned the short-lived Cadillac 4-6-8 engine, a good idea that was too far ahead of available technology.
Dono
Dono
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 18,423
Likes: 9
From: iowa
I personally would have to agree with many on here that the 2.3 vega engine would have to be the worst, some mentioned the 350 diesel but it atleast had some redeaming qualities, basically forged steel crank, very good rods, and 4 bolt main block so you could take the heads off, change the pistons, and build a respectable race engine out of the bottom end. As far as I could ever tell the vega engine only had one redeeming quality it was light so not hard to throw away, and bieng alum you could actually get some scrap value out of it.
Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 11,697
Likes: 3
From: Marengo, Iowa
Originally Posted by Dariand1
I hear alot of good things about the Oldsmobile 307's, weren't they also used on Chevrolet's back in the late 60's/early 70's?
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
From: vancouver bc
i personaly despise the olds 307, less power than your average v6, same milage as your average 350. some people say their super tough, i dont belive that, im on my second and its blowin blue smoke with only 100 000 kms. and they all came with the feedback quadrajet that never worked right. the quad 4, the 350 diesel, and the vega 4 cyl are crap piles but thats a given
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
From: vancouver bc
i personaly despise the olds 307, less power than your average v6, same milage as your average 350. some people say their super tough, i dont belive that, im on my second and its blowin blue smoke with only 100 000 kms. and they all came with the feedback quadrajet that never worked right. the quad 4, the 350 diesel, and the vega 4 cyl are crap piles but thats a given
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 8,140
Likes: 4
From: Oak Harbor, OH
I'm hearing a lot of negative on the olds 307. We had one in a 1982 Delta 88.. Mated to a 2004R trans. This thing would eat supercharged bonenvilles light to light.. I know I was there when the little brother did it... The thing pinged like hell all the time (base timing was 25 degrees or thereabouts), and got ~28mpg on the road... This was all with 183k miles on it.. Little brother totalled the car at ~190k, but it still ran good. The Chevy 305 gets my vote for worst, it was a weak engine. The 350 diesel was a good engine as long as you didn't drive it in town much.