In 2004, GM will be building around 150,000 pickups with what they call Displacement on Demand. Eaton Automotive has developed a type of hydraulic lifter that can be "turned off" so that the valve does not open. Under load the motor will be a V8, at cruise it will be a V4. No word which motor will get this feature (?) or which models. I'll be getting a new truck then & I don't want to be a guinea pig. Besides, they say it won't be like the fiasco they had with the Caddies & the V8-6-4. Yeah right. And I know of a few other lies too!

I had that in '82 with the first year of the THM700R4. What a POS! It was recalled before it left the plant, then 3 years later in lost the 3-4 gear clutch pack twice in a month and a half. Then 2 years later it started slipping again. Had it yanked out for good & a Turbo 350 put in. I could have put in a 400, but that would have been a lot more bucks.

I will definately agree with you that those caddies were a big pos.I can see the headaches with the system you have described.They will be throwing misfire dtcs and iluminating check engine lights every other day http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif I can just see them trying to develop pcm software so it will only recognize misfires under certain conditions.Those early 700r4's were not all that great but the later ones beefed up are a solid tranny as there gearing is far better than a 350 or 400 and better milage is obtainable, but i won't have to worry about either as
i'm a dodge guy http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

OH NO not another 4 6 8 Cadilac *http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

rev,my wife works for Eaton http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

I think I read in Popular Science that ths has been in development since at least 2000. *By the time it hits the market it should be pretty well refined.
Here's my worry, though--say your power requirements are pretty low (like the engine is in a GMC Yukon that is only driven by Mom from the suburban house to the suburban grocery store or the suburban soccer field) so the engine is running as a 4-cylinder like 70% of the time. *So those 4 cylinders would get over 3 times as much wear from being the primary power suppliers. *Imagine what this would do to engine balance (in terms of maybe compression) for V-8 mode after even 30,000 miles.
But who knows. *Maybe the engineers thought of this and will make it run 4 one day and the other 4 the next day or something, to maintain even wear.

I wonder how improved the gas mileage really will be.

Its a 3.8 supercharged. *
But its not the engine leaking. *Its the rear lights. *The interior and fit and finish is not that great. *But to give it credit the engine belts out the power and It has a nice ride.

Its still way better then a import. http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Sorry zzzz1 you must have a newer one.

My service writer has a 99 GTP.Its a nice ride and really hauls.He had to warranty both front headlight assembleys,they were taking on water. http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sleepy.gif

Guess what happened to the Gm Pontaic grand prix today.

At 65000 the front wheel bearing goes and it cost over 1000.00 to fix.

Machzzzz1,
* You can change a front wheel beasring yourself quite easily man. You'll probably need a press to press the old bearing out and the new one in withou having to worry about damage.. It should only take a couple hours if that.
Caleb

dude, I changed wheel bearing on my Beretta once--can't be that much different than a GPrix, both GM--took about an hour. *Easy.

A bit off topic, but Machzzzz1, I have a bonnie with the 3.8L supercharged engine(same as yours) and have had no problems with it at all in 5 years accept the tranny going out. *I will say the stock trannys' in those are crap and very cheap, but mechanicly(sp?) it is the best V6 money can buy IMO. *107,000 miles and counting with no mechanical problems(knock on wood) http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
I also know several other people with Grand Prix (super and non) and Grand AMs that have had no probs as well....

The Buick V6 has been around since the early 60s. They sold all the tooling to AMC for use in Jeep CJs. GM bought the stuff back around '78 & it's still going strong. Look how long the small block Chevy V8 was built '55 to '00. *http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Guess what. *Today my pontiac died on the road. *When you start it it idles for 3 secs then stalls. *It wont rev or go into drive. *Something else is seriously wrong. *Its at the dealer.

At the same time however my friends 2000 jimmie just broke a tranny and crank bearing. *All just a little past warrenty. *

I also know someone with the v6 on demand buick i think. No problems. *gets real good milage.

That sucks machzzzz! http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif * How many miles do you have on your car?
Ski-dood, By off topic I meant my post in this topic, "Gm's displacement on demand", not which forum it was in or anything. *Thats all... http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif



Last edited by phazerhater at April 26, 2002, 10:05am

Machzzzz1: does your car have a mass air flow sensor?
the other thing that will help is a service box you can by at Canadian tire for about $20. it plugs in under the dash and when you turn the key to the on position the service engine soon light flashes a code for whats wrong.

I,ve worked on cars for 15 years.They all have probs.

Jap cars are very well put together and high in quality.

I just cant get myself to buy one.Nothing like good old American power http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

I use to feel that way but anymore i have too look across the ocean.
bean counters like dodge are having more and more of there parts built in mexico. so whats worse. A mexican assembled north american car or a north american assembled jap car?

Ps heres one for Performancex:
You ship the lemon gm's to canada, we ship the lemon Bombardier's to you.

The 3.8 GM V6's are great motors. We had one one that went 178,000 miles and still going strong til my sister made it into a horseshoe around a tree (she was ok thank God). We replaced her car with another one just like it and its got 140,000 on it. And I have a 1995 Bonneville and its got 90,000 on it. No trouble at all and hums along at 85 on the expressway getting almost 30 mpg. Pulls my snowmobile around great too. I was impressed.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * Ryan

Well the dealer thinks its a fuel pump but not sure yet. *I think its has somthing to do with the pass key security thing.

The service engine light is not light making it even harder to find out whats going on.

The car has 64000km thats 4000 over the warrenty and im convinced that the dealer is responsible for this problem since it was in there the day before this happend getting the front bearing replaced.

Gm is a good make but i like dodge. *I have had dodges go 130000 with 0 trouble. *

I would never go overseas. *I only bought imports up untill 1999 when i got my first domestic. *Will never go back.

I had a nissan pathfinder that had the tranny go on a boat launch (Very bad situation.) *My 4 runner by toyota was a disaster. *Head gaskets at 60000km and heater broke at 34000km. *Very poor quality. *

Both americans and domestics have problems but its easier to work on our own.

Fair trade I guess, SKI-DOOD

Machzzzz1 I can not see why your dealer thinks it is the fuel pump either it is or it is not. * They should be able to check if it is making the fuel pressure the motor needs to run properly with in 15 mins tops. *If the pump doesn't make enough pressure it needs a pump easy as that. *As a GM tech I think the shop you deal with is making #### up. *A fuel pump is very easy to diagnoise and cannot see what their *problem is. And as for the check engine light being on when *your fuel pump gets weak almost never happens unless it sets a misfire code. *Also the codes that your check engine gives does not pin point any problems it *just gives you an idea where to check and more diagnoises is needed, *it does not say well fix this and the problem is fixed. *You have to check related parts to the system related to the code the GM tech 2 gives you. *It is not as easy as every one thinks, *they all think the computer tells us techs what to do, *it does not it just makes it a little easyer and gives a good starting point.

THe car is fixed. *I still dont understand compleatly what it is but i think i heard him say it was a fuel pump relay. *

Anyway its fixed now but $1340.42 Later. *

Now my Camaro Needs a clutch so that will probably cost an other grand.

Holy crap! *$1340 to diagnose and put in a RELAY!?!?!!?

perfx, that was for a front hub assy. also. Remember that is Canuck buck too.