I'm going to agree with most of the guys on here. While I've never owned a 3400, I have worked on them (as well as some of other 60* family). I've always preferred the 3800 because of the torque and I've never had an issue out of the many that I've owned. I had to replace the LIM gasket on one that I've had over the years. I haven't had a single one that averaged less than 30mpg on the highway, and I've had a couple in the mid 30s with the only mod being exhaust.

I've also seen some stupid high mileage totals on them as well. 300-400,000 miles in a 3800 is something I've seen more than once. Knowing the 4T65E, you might go through a few transmissions along the way, but I even saw a late 90s Buick once with 625,000 miles on the original motor. I think he was on his fourth or fifth transmission, but it was the original motor and it purred like a kitten. Properly taken care of, you'll have to replace the body before you have to replace a 3800.

Now that's not saying there's anything wrong with the 3400, but there's just not the aftermarket and I'm one of those people that can't leave an engine alone.


FYI drivernumber3, the 3.4 in the 5th gen Montes was a DOHC design, and completely different from the 3400 that went in the 6th gens. That was an interesting motor though and made decent power as well. More power actually than the later 3400.

 

LQ1s arguably have more power than the 3800s of that time.

 

IIRC, they had more horsepower than the L36 (I think the LQ1 had 210hp), but slightly less torque.

 

[QUOTE

The 95-97 Monte Carlos had the 3400 in them, most of them had minimal issues but the big complaint I had heard about was the location of the alternator and it took more labor to pull and replace.
I agree with all the other replies your gonna get a bad one now and then.[/QUOTE]

Wrong. The 3.4 in the Z34 was a quasi-DOHC abortion. Different engine almost entirely.

 

I had a 3.4 in my '93 Camaro. It started emitting white smoke after 5 years. It was summarily traded in.

Then there was the 3.4 in my ex-wife's '96 Trans Sport. The top end went out at 130K miles. There went $2000. A year later, it threw a rod. Another $2000. (Replaced the 4T60-E twice, as well.)

You could not pay me to drive any wehicle with the 3.4.

 

Different 3.4 again. 3400 had some fairly substantial differences from the RWD 3.4 from the early 4th gens, especially on the top end. Still a pushrod motor, still same displacement, but very different.

Fyi, I already covered the LQ1 from the 95-97 Montes in one of my earlier replies

 

The madness, it doesn't stop lol!!!
I just hope your trans can keep up!

Completely agree. And both of those are good observations (I have said the same myself).

I think the 60* platform spent a lot of years with limited to no options. I believe when the '99+ Grand Ams came out and had a 3400 in them, that grabbed some attention. Plus people with the older 3100 began messing with things like 3400 top swaps or complete 3400 engine swaps. I had spent a good amount of time with my '94 Grand Am and few to no fun mods existed for it. I'll admit, since I got my 04 Grand Am, I have found some nice cheap mods for the 3400 engine as well as suspension stuff for N-body platform itself.

Unfortunately, sometimes you can just get bad luck and never know why. My friends, family and myself have had bunches of 3100/3400 60* GM engines over the years. The 3100 in my '94 Grand Am still ran perfect at 215K miles when I sold it (I had to change head gaskets at 180K miles). My step brother had a '00 3400 powered Grand Am that only got regular oil changes, still running when he traded it in at 257K miles (no head or intake gaskets). Personally, I am amazed he never had intake gaskets on that fail (but some people get lucky).
I have had lots of good experiences with these engines (and I am not typically easy on them either lol).
I completely understand with the history from early models of the 3400 why you would not want to touch one again.

 

Maniac, I've always wondered about those Grand Am GTs. If I had more room in the stable (gotta get the Camaro back on the road first and would like to get back into the 3800 world too) I've always thought one of those would be fun to play with.

 

Now there's a strange choice of words for my Z34's engine. I mean, it's not exactly in the greatest of health right now, but still...!

 

Didn't the Grand Prix have them from 94-96 or something as well? I nearly picked up a GP with one a few years back. I forget why I didn't actually buy it.