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92-738: The Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera is a mid-size car manufactured and marketed for model years 1982–1996 by the Oldsmobile Division of General Motors — over a single generation. Body styles included a 2-door coupe , 4-door sedan , and the 4-door wagon . The Cutlass Ciera shared the front-wheel drive A platform with the Buick Century , Pontiac 6000 and Chevrolet Celebrity . The Cutlass Ciera and its A-Body platform twins, featured MacPherson strut front suspension, body-color urethane bumpers, flush-mounted glass, front-wheel drive, and on many models, fuel injection. The Cutlass Ciera shared

184-422: A ceramic turbocharger, more efficient Garrett intercooler, low restriction exhaust system and revised programming which resulted in a 300 hp (304 PS; 224 kW) factory rating. The turbocharged 1987 Buick Regal Grand National GNX was called America's quickest automobile, and the model continues to be collected and appreciated today. A smaller version of this engine was produced in 1978 and 1979 for

276-587: A vehicle size class which originated in the United States and is used for cars larger than compact cars and smaller than full-size cars . "Large family car" is a UK term and a part of the D-segment in the European car classification. Mid-size cars are manufactured in a variety of body styles, including sedans , coupes , station wagons , hatchbacks , and convertibles . Compact executive cars can also fall under

368-585: A 1974 Buick Apollo. The solution worked so well that GM wanted AMC to put the engine back into production. However, AMC's cost per unit was deemed as too high. Instead of buying completed engines, GM made an offer to buy back the tooling and manufacturing line from AMC in April 1974, and began building the engines on August 12. With production back within GM, Buick re-introduced the V6 that fall in certain 1975 models—a move made possible by

460-502: A 2.85-inch (72 mm) pulley versus the 2.55-inch (65 mm) pulley on the Gen2. The easiest way to spot the difference between the Gen2 and Gen3 is the smaller pulley and the ribs on the side of the Gen2 extend all the way down the sides, while the Gen3 ribs are on only the top. They perform slightly differently, and interchanging one without tuning may cause engine problems. Redline on Gen3 engines

552-413: A 3 mm (0.12 in) thick flange was built in between the offset crank pins to prevent the connecting rod big-ends from "walking" off the crank pin bearing journal and interfering with the adjacent big end. The 3 mm (0.12 in) thick flange effectively caused the connecting rods on the left-hand bank of cylinders (forward bank for FWD applications) to move 1.5 mm (0.059 in) forward and

644-430: A 3.0 L Buick V6 engine, or a 4.3 L Oldsmobile Diesel V6 engine. Brougham trim added a plush interior with vinyl accents, leatherette interior door pulls, additional chrome trim, and a reading lamp. The base coupe and sedan were initially dropped after 1982 due to poor sales, leaving LS and Brougham trim as the only available from 1983 until 1985, excluding special editions. During the model year, production ended at

736-399: A black and chrome globe in the center. The International Series was available in coupe and sedan body styles. This model came equipped with a standard Buick 3.8 L V6 engine, 4-speed automatic transmission, sporty exhaust system, front bucket seats, and power windows. Composite headlamps were made standard on all Cutlass Ciera models. Sedan models could have the new power sliding sunroof for

828-538: A bore and stroke of 3.625 in × 3.1875 in (92.08 mm × 80.96 mm), for an overall displacement of 198 cu in (3.2 L). It weighed about 35 lb (16 kg) more than the aluminum engine, but was far cheaper to produce. Dubbed the Fireball V6, it became the standard engine in the 1962 Buick Special . In their test that year, Road & Track was impressed with Buick's "practical" new V6, saying it "sounds and performs exactly like

920-469: A center console with bucket seats, and a sports steering wheel. For 1985 only the ES sedan returned, as the coupe had been renamed GT. GT - The GT (RPO W45) was first offered as an option on the 1985 Ciera coupe. It featured blacked-out trim, V6 engine, a center console with bucket seats, fog lamps factory body kit, alloy wheels, and performance suspension. For 1986, it was expanded to the four-door sedan, replacing

1012-527: A distributor and a distributorless wasted spark ignition system was added for all engines produced in 1986 and later. In 1986, it received sequential fuel injection (SFI) and it was initially produced in two forms, the LG2 with flat lifters (tappets), and the LG3 with a roller camshaft and lifters. The latter was offered in various models through 1988. From 1986, the 3.8 had a revised, crankshaft-driven oil pump which eliminated

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1104-436: A larger 252 cu in (4.1 L) version of the 3.8 liter LD5 V6 was produced from 1980 through 1984 and marketed as an alternative to a V8. The bore was enlarged to 3.965 in (100.7 mm), yielding an output of 125 hp (93 kW) and 205 lb⋅ft (278 N⋅m). This engine was used in many large rear-wheel drive Buicks, and in some models from each of GM's other divisions, including Cadillac which offered

1196-500: A longstanding problem with pump housing wear and loss of prime. Power produced by this engine was: Introduced in 1988 and initially designated VIN code C, the 3800 LN3 would later be loosely considered the Pre-Series I , although the older 3.8 SFI (LG3) was still available that year in some models. The LN3 was a major redesign, with a change to on-center bore spacing (created by moving the left-hand bank of cylinders forward relative to

1288-504: A single barrel Rochester MonoJet, producing 155 hp (116 kW). In 1966–1967, the 1-barrel was replaced with a 2-barrel Rochester 2GV, giving the engine a 5-horsepower boost to 160 hp (119 kW). The V6 was dropped after the 1967 model year in favor of a conventional 250 cu in (4.1 L) inline-six engine built by the Chevrolet division, and the tooling was sold to Kaiser-Jeep . In 1965, Kaiser-Jeep began using

1380-496: A special edition Holiday Coupe package, option WJ5, on the Brougham coupe. This package included a unique landau vinyl roof (RPO C10), opera windows , special rooftop trim, and painted pinstripes. The Holiday Coupe package required tinted glass and could not be ordered with standard pinstripes. It was discontinued partway through the 1986 model year when Oldsmobile introduced the updated coupe roofline. All Holiday coupes were converted by

1472-472: A trip odometer and an engine temperature gauge. Six-speaker sound systems were added as were a remote lock fob and improved body acoustics. This would be the last year for the coupe in the United States and Canada, but it would continue on in the Mexican market. For 1992, the coupe was dropped, and the line-up included only sedans and station wagons in 'S' or 'SL' designations. The wagon now competed internally with

1564-708: Is 1-6-5-4-3-2. The engine was produced at the Flint North plant in Flint, Michigan , with engine blocks and cylinder heads cast at the Grey Iron plant (now the GM Saginaw Metal Casting Operations plant) at 1629 N. Washington Avenue in Saginaw, Michigan . The first engine in this family, RPO code 6I , was introduced in 1961 for the 1962 model year Buick Special with Buick's 198 cu in (3.2 L) engine,

1656-621: Is a popular choice for aftermarket modification thanks to its very strong internals and impressive power gains from basic upgrades. The engine was built in Flint, Michigan , and was certified LEV in 2001. The Series III engines include many changes. The upper and lower intake manifold is now aluminum on the naturally aspirated models. Intake ports are mildy enlarged; 1.83 in (46.5 mm) intake valves (instead of 1.8 in (45.7 mm) as on Series II) and 1.52 in (38.6 mm) exhaust valves were introduced in 2003 engines, just before switching to Series III. Electronic throttle control

1748-491: Is added to all versions, as is returnless fuel injection . Stronger powdered metal sinter forged connecting rods are used in 2004+ supercharged, and 2005+ naturally aspirated engines, instead of the cast iron style from Series II engines. Emissions are also reduced. In 2005, it was the first gasoline engine in the industry to attain SULEV (Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle) emissions certification. Also note that Series III engines are

1840-519: Is at 6000 rpm, but the ECM will shift at 5400 rpm without performance shift enabled. Introduced in 1995, the Series II is quite a different engine. It is also by far the most popular of the 3800 family for its power, smoothness, fuel efficiency, and reliability, although the stroke for the 3.8 liter engine remained at 3.4 in (86 mm), and the bore remained at 3.8 in (97 mm). That said,

1932-494: Is that although it is a 90° V6, it uses the GM 60° V6 bell housing (Metric Pattern). For use in the FWD applications, the bellhousings on the FWD transmissions are altered slightly. This engine has the cylinders numbered 1-3-5 on the left-hand bank (front bank for FWD applications) and 2-4-6 on the right-hand bank, the number 1 cylinder being the furthest from the flywheel end. The firing order

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2024-599: Is the Series III version of the 3800. It is still a 3.8 L (231 cu in) design. Compression remains at 9.4:1 as with the L36, but the aluminum upper and lower intake (2004+) and stronger connecting rods (2005+) are the primary physical changes. The powdered metal connecting rods were meant to be introduced in 2004 along with the L32, but the GM plant in Bay City, Michigan that supplies

2116-618: The Cutlass nameplate with the smaller Cutlass Calais and the upscale Cutlass Supreme . Oldsmobile had previously used the Celebrity brand in the 1960s, but GM chose to give that name to Chevrolet. With the Ciera, Oldsmobile established Cutlass as sub-brand for its line of mainstream sedans and coupes. Initially, the Cutlass Ciera and its platform mates were marketed as premium mid-sized cars, above

2208-640: The Cutlass Supreme and Regal respectively, as lower priced alternatives. After 1990, special editions of the Cutlass Ciera were dropped from the American market and by the end of 1991, the coupe was discontinued. Although reduced to two trim levels and two body styles, sedan and wagon, the Cieras remained the brand's best-selling line for 1996. Production began September 28, 1981, at Doraville Assembly in Georgia for

2300-646: The Ford LTD II and the Plymouth Fury . A comparison test by Popular Science of four intermediate sedans (the 1976 AMC Matador, Chevrolet Malibu , Ford Torino, and Dodge Coronet ) predicted that these will be the "big cars of the future." By 1978, General Motors made its intermediate models smaller. New "official" size designations in the U.S. were introduced by the EPA , which defined market segments by passenger and cargo space. Formerly mid-sized cars that were built on

2392-530: The Fremont GM Assembly Plant when that facility closed. The 1983 model year added a new ES trim package for the coupe and sedan models. This would be the last year for the standard 13-inch wheels. During the spring of 1983, a special edition Holiday Coupe was added to the option list as part of the Oldsmobile Road Show sales promotion. For 1984, the line added a new Cruiser wagon, replacing

2484-531: The Oldsmobile Silhouette minivan (based on the Cutlass Supreme's W-platform), offering buyers a choice of wagon or a minivan. The Ciera remained Oldsmobile's best-selling model line, with over 132,000 sedans and an additional 7,793 station wagons produced this year. For 1993, the 2.5 L Tech IV engine was replaced by the 2.2 L "2200" OHV engine with a 3-speed automatic transmission. In 1994,

2576-622: The Ward's 10 Best Engines of the 20th Century list and made Ward's yearly 10 Best list numerous times. It is one of the most-manufactured engines in automotive history, with over 25 million produced. The engine originally derived from Buick's 215 cu in (3.5 L) aluminium V8 family, which also went on to become the Rover V8 , manufactured from 1960–2006. The 3800's block is cast iron and all variants use iron, two-valve-per-cylinder OHV heads. The engine, originally designed and manufactured in

2668-412: The "big" Buick V6 in several models from 1980 to 1982 as a credit option to the troublesome V8-6-4 engine used in 1981 and early versions of the aluminum-block Cadillac HT-4100 V8 introduced in 1982. It was also the standard powerplant in the front-drive Riviera and Oldsmobile Toronado from 1981 to 1984. Additionally, the 4.1 block was used unsuccessfully at Indianapolis for racing. Its only weakness

2760-401: The 'SL' designation was dropped. The 'Cutlass Ciera S', available in sedan or station wagon form, featured a driver airbag as standard equipment, along with anti-lock brakes, adjustable steering column, electric rear-window defogger, automatic door locks, and delay wipers. The 3.1 L, Chevrolet V6 engine with a 4-speed automatic transmission replaced the prior year's 3300 Buick V6. This engine

2852-491: The 1982 model year. In 1984, the Cutlass Cruiser station wagon model moved to the Cutlass Ciera's platform; previously, the nameplate used the rear wheel drive G-body . The Cutlass Ciera came in three trim levels: the base, LS, and Brougham. The standard engine was a 2.5 L four-cylinder Tech IV ( Pontiac Iron Duke ) engine. All models also included standard bench seats and cloth interior. Available on all models were

Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera - Misplaced Pages Continue

2944-459: The 2-barrel carburetor. In compliance with safety regulations, the 1986 Ciera was the first to have a high mount brake light as standard equipment. The Cutlass Ciera nameplate appeared on the rear fiberglass panel, just below the trunk lid. For 1987, the Cutlass Ciera was facelifted again with a new grille, an updated steering wheel had the Oldsmobile logo moved from the right to the very center, and

3036-433: The 2.8 L LE2 V6 engine was dropped in favor of the more powerful LB6 unit. In addition, Brougham and GT models received composite headlamps as standard equipment. The 2.5 L Iron Duke 4 cylinder received minor updates, including a serpentine belt, which replaced the previous engine belt set up, for a boost of 6 horsepower, to 98. Ciera's tail lamps were slightly revised, adding ribs to their lower quarter. For 1988,

3128-459: The 231 as the 3.8 liter as metric engine sizes became common in the United States . The RPO Code was LD5 , though California-emissions versions were called LC6 . Starting in 1979, the engine was used in the front-wheel drive Buick Riviera , though still with a longitudinal mounting. Larger valves and better intake and exhaust boosted the power output for 1979. A turbocharged version

3220-497: The 3800 Series II L36 and appeared in 1996, one year after the naturally aspirated version. It uses the Eaton Generation III M90 supercharger with a 3.8 in (97 mm) pulley, a larger throttle body, different fuel injectors, different cylinder heads, and a different lower intake manifold. The L67 and L36 do not share pistons. L67 pistons are heavier and have a different height to lower compression. Both engines share

3312-423: The 3800, it used a cast iron block and heads, push rods, and hydraulic lifters. Unlike the 3800, however, it used a batch-fire injection system rather than sequential injection, as evidenced by the lack of a cam position sensor. It also did not have a balance shaft. Power output was 160 hp (119 kW) at 5,200 rpm and 185 lb⋅ft (251 N⋅m) at 2,000 rpm with a 5,500 rpm redline. The LN3

3404-625: The A-body platform had long since been monetized, GM was guaranteed a profit off each Cutlass Ciera and Buick Century sold. At the same time, GM was losing money on its other midsized platform, the W-platform . Production of the Ciera ended on August 30, 1996. It was replaced in the U.S. by the N-body 1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass , also built at the Oklahoma City assembly plant . As a result, the 1996 Cruiser wagon

3496-541: The American International Series) with more sporty orientation. Early models were produced with the 2.8 L MPFI V6, and later variants from 1992 got it replaced by a 3.1 L. In 1993, the Cutlass Eurosport received a redesign. The Mexican Cutlass was available in sedan and coupé until their discontinuation in 1996. The Cutlass was only available with a 3 speed automatic transmission and the Cutlass Eurosport

3588-526: The American Sunroof Company (ASC) outside of the factory. Oldsmobile would ship ASC Brougham coupes equipped with tinted glass to modify at their facility. These models have an ASC decal in the driver's side door frame indicating the factory authorized conversion. ES - The ES (RPO W48) sedan was available from 1983 through 1985 model years. These vehicles feature unique wheel covers, blacked-out trim, F41 performance suspension, black sidewall tires,

3680-574: The Buick 225 in Jeep CJs . It was known as the Dauntless V6 and used a much heavier flywheel than the Buick version to damp vibrations resulting from the engine's firing pattern. Buick sold the tooling for this engine to Kaiser in 1967, as the demand for the engine was waning steadily in an era of V8s and muscle cars . When American Motors (AMC) bought Jeep, the V6 was replaced with AMC straight-6 engines , but

3772-512: The Buick Century coupe. These models are identifiable by their revised roofline and updated VIN identification, which replaced the "27" coupe designation used from 1982 until March 1986 with "37". 1986 also saw the addition of the 2.8 L V6 in place of the previously offered Buick 3.0 L V6 in the American market. The 2.8 L engine had previously been offered in Canadian Ciera's with

Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera - Misplaced Pages Continue

3864-531: The Century, Regal, and Chevrolet Monza . The bore was reduced to 3.5 in (88.9 mm), resulting in an engine of 196 cu in (3.2 L) piston displacement. The RPO code was LC9 . Initially this engine produced 90 hp (67 kW), but in 1979 it received the same improvements in the cylinder heads as did the LD5, and therefore power increased to 105 hp (78 kW). In response to rising gas prices,

3956-455: The Cutlass Ciera, as with the rest of the A-body range, was intended to be phased out in favor of the more modern W-body midsized sedans. However, the Ciera, as well as its sister the Buick Century , continued to remain popular nearing the end of their initial runs. Thus, it was decided that the older Cutlass Ciera and Century would instead continue production alongside their proposed replacements,

4048-648: The ES. Following the 1987 model year, it was replaced by the International Series. International Series - From 1988 through 1990 model years, the International Series (RPO W45/W49) was the top performance trim available on the Ciera. It featured the 3.8 L V6 for 1988 and the 3.3 L V6 for 1989 and 1990. Available on coupe and sedan models, it featured a factory body kit, bucket seats with console, FE3 performance suspension, alloy wheels, full instrumentation, air conditioning, JA2 heavy-duty brakes, extra capacity cooling, and unique ornamentation. XC - The XC

4140-552: The Flint, Michigan plant could not achieve the desired production dates in time for that engine year. The L32 is a supercharged Series III . Introduced in 2004, the main differences between the L67 and the L32 are the L32's electronic throttle control, slightly improved cylinder head design, and updated Eaton supercharger, the Generation 5 M90. Power output is up to 260 hp (194 kW) in

4232-530: The Holden L27, before being boosted to 130 kW (177 PS; 174 hp) in the revised VR Commodore in 1993. The L36 made its debut in 1995. The Series I Supercharged engine went through two supercharger revisions (Gen2 and Gen3) and the horsepower improved between initial launch and the time that the Series II L36 was introduced. The M62 supercharger was manufactured by Eaton , for the GM 3800 SI engine. HP

4324-509: The LN3 and later engines became known to have "on-center bore spacing". The Buick Division, concerned about high manufacturing costs of their innovative aluminum 215 V8, sought to develop a cheaper, cast-iron engine based on the same tooling. It was given the RPO code JL . They settled on an unusual 90° V6 layout that was essentially the architecture of the '215' less two cylinders. In initial form, it had

4416-560: The United States, was also produced in later versions in Australia. It was the first six-cylinder engine designed exclusively for Buick products since the Buick straight-six was discontinued in 1930. In 1967, GM sold the design to Kaiser-Jeep since they no longer felt the need to produce a V6, considered an unusual engine configuration in North America at the time. The 1973 oil crisis prompted

4508-722: The X-Body, from which they were derived, and the N-Body Calais, which would follow for 1985. The Ciera and Cruiser replaced the rear-wheel drive G-Body Cutlass models, but strong sales kept the higher trim Cutlass Supreme in production until the 1988 model year when it was replaced by the W-Body models. As such, these front-wheel drive sedans carried the A-Body designation, previously reserved for their rear-wheel drive showroom companions. In order to keep both lines in production, General Motors rechristened

4600-611: The XC package did not include a standard V6, 4-speed automatic, or other higher-end features. These had to be ordered in addition to the XC package. Oldsmobile never officially produced a factory-built convertible of the Cutlass Ciera for public sale, but many dealers made them available via aftermarket conversions. Between 1983 and 1986, 814 Cutlass Ciera convertibles were made by Hess & Eisenhardt/Car Craft . These vehicles were Brougham (1983 to mid-1986) and SL (mid-1986) coupes, modified with leather interior and chassis reinforcement to provide

4692-412: The aluminum V8 in most respects." The bore was increased to 3.75 in (95.25 mm), and stroke increased to 3.4 in (86.4 mm), increasing displacement to 225 cu in (3.7 L). Since the engine was similar to the popular small-block Buick V8—now with a cast-iron block and displacement of 300 cu in (4.9 L), the engine was made cheaply at the same factory with much of

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4784-516: The base Cutlass Ciera received composite headlamps, the new International Series models were introduced, and this would be the last year for the Brougham , which was rechristened the Brougham SL on coupe models. The International Series included the emblem with the flags of various countries in a circular pattern on the front header panel and b pillars with the name "International Series" written across

4876-435: The base for any 3800 produced for the 2004 year and up. This means the same block, heads, and connecting rods apply to any remaining Series II engines made after 2004 also. The difference is that Series III engines received the new superchargers (Generation 5 – Eaton M90 – if equipped), intake manifolds, fuel systems, powdered connecting rods, as well as larger intake valves, drive by wire throttle body and electronics. The L26

4968-424: The company to re-acquire the design from American Motors (AMC), who had purchased Kaiser-Jeep in 1970, in early 1974. The descendants of the early 231 continue as the most-common GM V6, as it developed into a very durable and reliable design. Though the pre-3800 rear-wheel drive (RWD) V6 uses the Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac (BOP) bellhousing pattern, an oddity of both the front-wheel drive (FWD) and RWD 3800 V6

5060-500: The cylinder heads. However, the ECM would have to be reprogrammed. The L27 has a two piece, upper plenum intake and lower intake, the LN3 is all one piece. A smaller 3.3 liter 3300 was introduced in 1989 and produced through 1993. It was effectively a lower-deck version of the 3800, with a smaller bore and stroke of 3.7 in × 3.16 in (94.0 mm × 80.3 mm) for 3,340 cc (3.3 L; 203.8 cu in). Like

5152-452: The engine architecture was vastly changed. The deck height is shorter than the Series I, reducing weight and total engine package size. This required that the piston connecting rods be shortened 1 in (25.4 mm), and the crankshaft was also redesigned. A new intake manifold improved breathing while a redesigned cylinder head featured larger valves and a higher compression ratio. The result

5244-536: The exhaust manifolds, and sound absorbing, composite molded valve covers. This engine is referred to as the Series I 3800, or 3800 TPI (Tuned Port Injection). In Australia, the LN3 was also replaced by the L27 by Holden who used the engine in their series 2 (1991) VN Commodore range. However, the Australian L27 retained the LN3's one piece upper intake and lower plenum. Power was still boosted to 127 kW (170 hp) for

5336-576: The fact that foundations for the old V6 machinery were still intact at Buick's engine assembly plant in Flint, Michigan, so it was easy to put the old tooling back in place and begin production at least two years ahead of the normal schedule that would have been required to create new tooling. The bore was enlarged to 3.8 in (97 mm), identical to the Buick 350 and Olds 307 V8s, yielding 231 cu in (3.8 L) displacement. 78,349 units were installed in Buicks for 1975. Due to difficulties with

5428-460: The first V6 in an American car (the GMC V6 was used earlier in trucks). Because it was derived from Buick's 215 cu in (3.5 L) aluminum V8 , it has a 90° bank between cylinders and an uneven firing pattern due to the crankshaft having only three crank pins set at 120° apart, with opposing cylinders (1-2, 3-4, and 5-6) sharing a crank pin in, as do many V8 engines. The uneven firing pattern

5520-480: The first time. The Cutlass Ciera was updated for 1989, with the sedan receiving a roofline similar to the coupe, revised body side moldings, deletion of hood ornaments and addition of rear seat shoulder belts. Both coupe and sedan models received updated rear-end treatments. The older Buick 3.8 L V6 was dropped in favor of GM's new 3300 V6 engine. The Brougham trim level was discontinued and replaced by an upper-level SL version. The XC trim level became optional on

5612-472: The former G-Body Cutlass Cruiser. A 3.8 L Buick V6 became available and the Holiday Coupe package returned to the options list for its first full year as did a 4-speed manual transmission for diesel models. This transmission was dropped in the fall of 1983 from the option list. For 1985, the Cutlass Ciera received its first facelift with a revised grille, headlamps, taillights, and interiors. The GT coupe

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5704-525: The full-size cars of a decade or so ago ... best sellers include Ford Torino , Chevrolet Chevelle , AMC Matador , Plymouth Satellite ..." The domestic manufacturers began changing the definition of "medium" as they developed new models for an evolving market place. A turning point occurred in the late 1970s, when rising fuel costs and government fuel economy regulations caused all car classes to shrink, and in many cases to blur. Automakers moved previously "full-size" nameplates to smaller platforms such as

5796-454: The mid-size category. The automobile that defined this size in the United States was the Rambler Six that was introduced in 1956, although it was called a "compact" car at that time. Much smaller than any standard contemporary full-size cars, it was called a compact to distinguish it from the small imported cars that were being introduced into the marketplace. By the early 1960s, the car

5888-586: The mid-size market for decades. Mid-size cars were the most popular category of cars sold in the United States, with 27.4 percent during the first half of 2012, ahead of crossovers at 19 percent. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Fuel Economy Regulations for 1977 and Later Model Year (dated July 1996) includes definitions for classes of automobiles. Based on the combined passenger and cargo volume, mid-size cars are defined as having an interior volume index of 110–119 cu ft (3.1–3.4 m ). GM 3300 engine The 3800 made

5980-414: The mid-size market segment as the line of cars themselves kept increasing in size. By 1965, these GM "A platform" mid-size models matched the size of 1955 full-size cars. During the 1970s, the intermediate class in the U.S. was generally defined as vehicles with wheelbases between 112 inches (2,845 mm) and 118 inches (2,997 mm). Once again, the cars grew and by 1974 they were "about as large as

6072-491: The needed structural rigidity that was lost by removing the roof. Throughout much of its history, the Cutlass Ciera was offered in several global markets. In Mexico, local production allowed for unique models under the name Cutlass (by General Motors). Many people were confused by this since it was invoiced as a Chevrolet and they were sold through Mexican Chevrolet dealers, but these models never wore Chevrolet badges. They were available as Cutlass and Cutlass Eurosport (similar to

6164-424: The new fuel economy and emissions standards, the engine produced just 105 or 110 hp (78 or 82 kW), depending on fitment and year. In 1977, Buick redesigned the crankshaft to a "split-pin" configuration to create an "even-firing" version. The crank pins associated with the opposing cylinders were offset from each other by 30°. The relatively small offset did not require flying arms to be incorporated, however

6256-529: The ownership of the V6 tooling remained with AMC. The 1973 oil crisis prompted GM to look for more economical engines than the V8s of 350, 400, and 454/455 cubic inches that powered most General Motors cars and trucks during that time. At that time, the only "small" engines generally offered by GM were built by the Chevrolet division including the 140 cu in (2.3 L) OHC aluminum inline-four engine used in

6348-493: The rear-wheel drive mid-sized platform as the G-Body beginning with the 1982 model year. When the W-Body coupes were introduced for 1988, Oldsmobile reduced the number of options and configurations available. During the model years that followed, luxury and performance options such as FE3 suspension, auto calculator, bucket seats, leather seating areas, sunroofs, and full instrumentation were gradually eliminated. Originally for 1990,

6440-447: The rest of the engine compartment. GM fitted the affected vehicles with redesigned spark plug wire retainers. These engines were noted for having problems with the plastic upper intake manifold cracking around the EGR passage. The engine would then hydrolock . The lower intake gaskets and upper intake manifolds were revised, correcting all these issues. The L67 is the supercharged version of

6532-465: The right-hand bank to move 1.5 mm (0.059 in) rearward, but the engine block remained unchanged compared to the odd-fire engine. Since the cylinders center-lines were no longer centralized over the crank pin bearing journals, the connecting rods were re-designed with the big-ends offset from the piston pin ends by 1.5 mm (0.059 in). The engine in this configuration became known to have "off-center bore spacing". In 1978, GM began to market

6624-485: The right-hand bank) and the addition of a balance shaft . Other features included a 3×/18× crank-trigger system and multiport fuel injection . This generation continued in use in several GM products into the early 1990s. It produced 165 hp (123 kW) of power and 210 lb⋅ft (285 N⋅m) of torque. The LN3 is very closely related to the Series I L27 and Series I L67 Supercharged. In fact, supercharger -related hardware can be fitted to an LN3 without changing

6716-621: The same bore size as its larger sibling, but featured a smaller stroke of 2.66 in (68 mm). It used a Rochester E2ME 2-bbl carburetor and the VIN code for the engine is E . The LN7 is a multiport fuel injected version of the LK9 . It was introduced for 1985 and used the VIN code: L . It was replaced in 1989 with the 3.3. In mid-1984, the 3.8 liter LD5 engine was modified for transverse-mounting in smaller, FWD vehicles, and equipped with multi point fuel injection (MPFI). 1984-1985 models used

6808-442: The same engine blocks, but compression is reduced from 9.4:1 in the L36 to 8.5:1 for the L67. GM listed the engine output as 240 hp (179 kW) and 280 lb⋅ft (380 N⋅m) of torque. Final drive ratios are reduced in most applications, for better fuel economy and for improved use of the engine's torque in the low RPM range. Like most 3800 V6s, the engine is well known for its reliability and low maintenance costs. The engine

6900-654: The same platform, like the AMC Matador sedan, had a combined passenger and cargo volume of 130 cubic feet (3.68 m ), and were now considered "full-size" automobiles. Cars that defined the mid-size market in the 1980s and 1990s included the Chrysler K-Cars ( Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant ), the Ford Taurus , and the Toyota Camry , which was upsized into the midsize class in 1991. The Taurus and Camry came to define

6992-562: The same tooling. This engine carried the RPO code KH for the 1964 model year and LH for 1965. In 1966, the code was MH and was renamed the Wildcat V-6 . For 1967, the code was NH . This engine was used in Buick's intermediate-sized Special and Skylark models from 1964 to 1967 and Oldsmobile's mid-sized F-85/Cutlass models for 1964 and 1965, including the Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser and Buick Sport Wagon. 1964–1965 models featured

7084-472: The station wagon. For 1990, the front seat belts were moved from the B-pillars to the doors. This would also be the last year for the 'International Series' and 'XC'. The 1991 Cutlass Ciera was given a new taillight treatment with body-colored frames to divide the lenses into three horizontal slots at the expense of the Oldsmobile rocket insignias. Interior changes for 1991 included a new instrument cluster with

7176-430: The subcompact Chevrolet Vega and a 250 cu in (4.1 L) straight-6 used in smaller Chevy, Buick, Oldsmobile and Pontiac models, whose design roots dated back to the 1962 Chevy II (Nova). LD5 was the RPO for engines with chassis code "A", LD7 was used for the 1977-only VIN code "C" engines. One quick idea was tried by Buick engineers—taking an old Fireball V6 picked up at a junkyard and installing it into

7268-448: Was 205 hp (153 kW) and 230 lb⋅ft (312 N⋅m), better fuel economy, and 26 lb (12 kg) lighter overall weight (to 392 lb (178 kg)). This 3800 weighs only 22 lb (10 kg) more than the all-aluminum High Feature V6 that currently dominates GM's six-cylinder applications, despite being an all cast-iron design. The new intake manifold greatly improved airflow. To meet emissions standards, an EGR tube

7360-410: Was added as a companion to the ES sedan. In spring 1985 the Oldsmobile designed 4.3 L diesel was dropped due to poor sales. Canadian models added the 2.8 L 2bbl V6 this year. For 1986, the Cutlass Ciera's grille had expanded ventilation sections than the similar 1985 model. The coupe received a revised roofline that was not initially shared with the other GM A-body models, but later migrated to

7452-732: Was available with both the 5-speed manual transmission and the 3-speed automatic. The Cutlass Ciera consistently ranked among the highest-rated vehicles by J.D. Power and Associates; it was ranked the "Best in Price Class" on July 30, 1992, and the "Top-Ranked American-Made Car" on May 28, 1992. It was also named "Safe Car of the Year" by Prevention Magazine on March 6, 1992. [REDACTED] Media related to Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera at Wikimedia Commons [REDACTED] Media related to Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser (A-body FWD) at Wikimedia Commons Mid-size car Mid-size —also known as intermediate —is

7544-455: Was dropped and the car was now known simply as the 'Ciera SL', which continued to be available in 'Series I' or 'Series II' equipment levels. The chrome "Oldsmobile" badge above the driver's headlight was deleted. As Oldsmobile attempted to reposition itself as a European-styled upscale make with new products such as the Aurora , the Cutlass Ciera continued to have strong sales. Because the tooling for

7636-416: Was introduced as part of Oldsmobile's 90th Anniversary celebrations (XC being Roman Numeral for 90) and remained on the option sheet from 1988 until 1990. It was available on coupe and sedan models. Sharing much of its sporty appearance with the International Series, the XC is distinguished by orange body side stripes in place of the typical black and chrome trim. Unlike the similar-looking International Series,

7728-680: Was introduced as the pace car at the 1976 Indianapolis 500 , and a production turbo arrived in 1978. The turbo 3.8 received sequential fuel injection and a wasted spark Distributorless Ignition System in 1984. In 1986, an air-to-air Garrett intercooler was added and the RPO Code became LC2 . The LC2 engine has a bore and stroke of 3.8 in × 3.4 in (96.5 mm × 86.4 mm). The horsepower ratings for 1986 & 1987 were 235 and 245 hp (238 and 248 PS; 175 and 183 kW), respectively. The limited production GNX benefitted from additional factory modifications such as

7820-401: Was often perceived as roughness, leading a former American Motors executive to describe it as "rougher than a cob." The off-center design continued up until the 1988 LN3 version of the engine, when the left-hand bank of cylinders was moved forward relative to the right-hand bank. Although the actual bore spacing between cylinders on the same bank remained unchanged at 4.24 in (108 mm),

7912-426: Was placed in the intake manifold to reduce combustion temperatures. The 3800 Series II was on the Ward's 10 Best Engines list for 1995 through 1997. GM recalled 1.5 million vehicles with this engine on April 14, 2009 due to risk of fire from engine oil leaking under the valve cover gaskets onto hot exhaust manifolds. The fire could spread to the nearby plastic spark plug wire retainers on the valve cover and then to

8004-399: Was rated at 205 for 1991–1993 engines (Gen2 supercharger) with a 2.55-inch (65 mm) pulley, and 225 for 1994–1995 engines (Gen3 supercharger). All of the additional horsepower for 1994–95 Gen3 supercharged engines was gained by using epoxy (not Teflon as commonly believed) coated supercharger rotors to improve efficiency, a larger supercharger inlet and throttle body. Thus, the Gen3 utilized

8096-506: Was renamed the Rambler Classic and while it retained its basic dimensions, it was now competing with an array of new "intermediate" models from General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. The introduction of the 1962 Ford Fairlane was viewed by consumers as too close to the compact Falcon in size and performance as well as too close to the full-sized Ford models in price. It was the introduction of General Motors " senior compacts " that grew

8188-422: Was replaced by the 3,791 cc (3.8 L; 231.3 cu in) L27 in mid-1990 and produces 170 hp (127 kW). The slight power increase was accompanied by more torque in the mid-range, all thanks to a new, two-piece intake manifold with longer runners. Other improvements over the LN3 included wider connecting rod bearings, a new timing chain tensioner, dual-wall exhaust pipes, new heat shields for

8280-471: Was standard on the Cruiser wagon and optional on the sedan. The 2200 I-4 received minor updates, resulting in a 10-horsepower increase. For 1995, the 'SL' designation returned in place of the 'S'. The 1995 Cutlass Ciera SL featured a new shift interlock system that required stepping on the brake pedal before moving the gear shift out of the park position. For 1996, the final model year, the 'Cutlass' nomenclature

8372-450: Was the final Oldsmobile station wagon model produced. Sales of this Cutlass peaked at 53,438 in 1998 and it was discontinued in 1999. The trim levels for the 1989–1995 Cutlass Ciera and 1996 Ciera are in order of price position. Factory specialty models of the Cutlass Ciera included the Holiday Coupe, GT, ES, XC, and International Series models – the latter had a stock body kit. Holiday Coupe - From 1984 to March 1986, Oldsmobile offered

8464-479: Was the intake valve seals. This was the first naturally aspirated GM V-6 to feature a 4-barrel carburetor. A small 181 cu in (3.0 L) version of the Buick V6 was produced for GM's 1980s front-wheel drive cars. Introduced in 1982, it was a lower deck version of the 3.8 designed for transverse application in the new GM A platform cars such as the Buick Century and Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera . It shared

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