Hi everyone, Im new to the forum, but not new to Bonnevilles, Since i have had my car, i have been working non stop on this car trying to find one certian problem, I have a 94 Bonnie, SE, with 211,000 miles on it, and it appears to me after lots of money spent, (i knw guys "never throw money at it") that the motor on this car is just plain wore out, and i cant really find anyone in my area that is knowledgeable about the 3.8 V6'*, all the shops tell me is, " those are good motors because i have never worked on them", at that point i just get in the car and drive away, instead of waisting my time. the biggest problem is that the car runs rough, with not alot of power, also i can rev up the motor and look on the ground under the tail pipe and there is oil under it where it sprays out the pipe, not alot, but enough to see it on the concrete. i have since parked the car and drive it on rare occasions, im borrowing other peoples cars untill i decide what to do with it, i have a friend with a 87 buick with the 3800, 38,000 miles on it that he will sell me, but it has a problem with dying, and aparently you have to leave it sitting for fifteen or so min, before it will start again, other then that the motor is exel. or i can sell the bonnie for 1700 and buy my friends dads roadmaster, so i dunno what the world to do, any advice, pointers, anything like that would be most apreciated, ill be back online here later today i have to go to wk at 11am, but should be home before 1pm, then ill be checking this off and on all day.. hope yall have a good one!

1, are parts from a 92 3800 v6 inerchangable on a 94 3800 v6, parts are as follows ( injectors, idler pulley, TPS, MAF, IAC, EGR, Power Steering Pump)
2. Motor Swap From 87 3800, to a 94 bonnie. Will the 87 (just the block, we are keeping all of my electrical comp, on the 94 as is, we just want to use the actuall mechanical engine from the 87....will it wk? (feel free to take a break to put in some eye drops, i know this was long. so many questions.... so little time hahah...)

What has already been done to try to fix the problem? Check engine light on? If so, what code? When was the last tune-up including wires?

the years for motors and or parts only are not interchangeable. Except for very few and limited pieces.

Are you sure you get oil from the muffler and not water with carbon in it? Reason I ask is oil would have to come through the rings and get burnt (coming out as bluish smoke).

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Thanks for the reply, in awnser to your question, no its not water with carbon, i can take my car out on the highway and take it for a two hour drive, at 70 mph, and when i get out i can go to the trunk of the car where the tail lights are and take my finger across it and it comes back black with oil that has come out from the tail pipe, also i put my hand under the tail pipe as the car was running and with someone inside giving it gas. as i pull my hand away there is spackles of oil on it. but.. i am not noticing any smoke.

check engine light comes on and goes off by itself, everytime i go to have the codes read the shop charges me 50.00 so i try to stay away if i can, i have had this done thre times already. as for what has been done to it.. hang on tight...
Bought with 200.080 miles on it, i have now just under 211.000 miles on it,. in roughly 11,000
miles this is what has been done,,
1. harmonic bal. with crank sensor replaced w/ new parts
2. TPS w/new parts
3. trans mount. all motor mounts replaced. w/new parts
4.vaccum modulator. w/ new parts
5. vaccum lines
6. fuel filter twice
7. injector cleaner multiple times
8. all reg oil changes, along with trans fluid flush
9.new spark plugs and wires, twice
10. new coils
11. MAF sensor
12. IAC sensor
13. injectors cleaned
14.coolent temp sensor
15. coolent sending sensor
16. rad. rebiluld
17. new thermostat
18.EGR valve gasket
19. throttle body cleaned
20. new throttle body gasket
21.new CAT CONV.
22.now on the way to the junk yard to get the right belt tensioner assy. the one that i have on it came from a 92 before i knew they were not inerchangeable.. i was wondering why the belts kept coming apart lol

I'd change the PCV valve - it'* about $5.
I see you've changed the plugs a couple times. How did they look & what type of plug & wires are you using?
Might be time to do a compression test.

The reason I asked was that for oil to get into the exhaust..it would take a LOT of oil as in quarts. And it wouldn't pass through the catalytic very well either.

If you get black..that would be carbon. However if you actually have oil as well.. looking very much the same as when you pull the dipstick out...

Well...that'* downright odd and nearly impossible.

On the tensioner...that MIGHT be one of the only interchangeable things.

[quote="Technical Ted"]I'd change the PCV valve - it'* about $5.
I see you've changed the plugs a couple times. How did they look & what type of plug & wires are you using?
Might be time to do a compression test.[/quote
]

Hi im back from the junk yard.. found the only one that they had a 94 3.8, i have looked all over this area.. it was the only one i found. shame its about to be scrapped. well anyway. i found what i was looking for, got the tensioner and assymbly and the metal hose from the EGR to the UIM, the one that is on my car now came from a 92 that i had to mold into a custom fit type thing, and im sure that it needs to be changed back to the original, as for my PVC Valve, i forgot to post it earlier but it too was changed with a new one, im sure that there is a few more things i forgot, as there are so many things that have been replaced. the oil thing, i have looked down on the passenger firewall under the hood and noticed alot of caked on oil, so i think there is a oil leak and it splashes up on the back of the car. but yes you are right about the carbon thing, i change my oil every 3000, and by the next day my oil is as black as it was when i changed it. this car has been running bad every since the day i purchased it. I was under the impression that all it needed was a tune up, boy! he sure stuck it to me hehehe

It would be time to do some diagnostics rather than guessing what parts are needed. What were the codes when they were read? As Technical Ted mentioned, what did the plugs look like when they were changed? Were any fouled or look strange? Which ones? What plugs and wires did you put in it? Does it run rough at all RPMs? Was the O2 sensor changed? What does the air filter look like? These things would be a start.

Also, just for future reference, most major auto parts stores will have the equipment to read the codes from the check engine light.

Autozone does for sure, and every Oreillys Ive ever been in does as well. Neither place has ever charged me for doing this. I know Autozone does it for free.