Lean-burning engine... (what vehicles have them?)

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by Phantom

I am able to read and edit the US ECUs for the 3800 but no luck with finding one for a Holden Commodore. I guess that the next step is to source the whole unit from a junk yard and work it from there.

I would estimate you would be considered a hero by anyone owning a 3800 based engine, the main trouble would be getting roms that would work with every year.

That would truly open the thing up. Too bad I got rid of my buick, front end was falling apart, now to a Cobalt XFE

Cheers
Ryan

[mpgx2]

You'll have no trouble buying a commodore ECU. I
just saw a pile of them at a wrecker and they sell
for $100 each.

On this whole topic of leaning, I've got it in my
mind that I can modify efi pulses on the fly to
accomplish leaning out of the motor without the
ECU having to know about it or get involved.

Just read the pulse widths and shorten them.

Yes I know there is a few extra chips you have
to add to take care of the changing current load.

I'm thinking of making a pcb with a male and
female socket that the injector leads will plug into.

Then intercept these signals with an arduino and I
will put the code up on the internet so that it can
be shared.

Most of the code is already done by the genius
who did the mpguino.

[Arragonis]

Originally Posted by sid

One reason the same cars in the US get poorer fuel economy than in other countries is that we have different pollution standards. Our standards are optimized to reduce smog and carcinogens.

The main reason for the difference in economy is smaller engines, linked to the fact that slushboxes are rarer on most models. e.g. S1 Focus went up to 2.3 litres in the US which was not sold in Europe where you could get a 1.4 manual. The Saturn version of the GM Vectra came to the US with a V6 as the base engine, you could have a 1.6/1.8 petrol in the EU. The old 1980s Escort was also a world car, you could get one in the UK with a 1.1 engine and the 1.9 sold in the US was never sold in the EU.

Originally Posted by rmay635703

Also all Euro GM vehicles had lean burn, if you can find an ECU rom image from the euro version of your paticular motor you can gain lean burn,

You can probably get a remap for an Ecotec, don't think it will get you lean burn though. When the EU mandated the use of cataclysmic converters in the late 80s the original plan was to exclude any car under 1.4 litres for performance reasons. Europeans had visions of their engines currently getting 60-80 bhp/litre being strangled like most US engines at the time and getting much thirstier.

A lot of manufacturers including GM and Ford invested in 1.4 litre lean-burn engines. Ford especially made a big thing of a 1.4 CVH which came with a head designed to give better combustion and use lean burn, gave good economy and could do 105+ in an Escort, GM stretched and refined their 1.4 OHC unit and got similarly impressive results.

Then the EU changed their mind because of the idea of makers coming up with highly stressed 1.4 turbos (ironic given the >100 bhp / litre 1.4s from VW and GM now being sold) and mandated cats for all cars regardless of engine size, effectively killing off the lean burn engine. All EU cars have cats now from the factory and have the same issue of lean burn not working with them.

Originally Posted by rmay635703

too bad no europeans have the tuning fixation americans have

*(looks at Practical Performance Car (PPC) magazine, a monthly publication aimed at real car enthusiasts, with real-world cars., scratches chin) Which europeans would that be ? We likes our speed we does. Before coming here I was planning to take my TDi engine to 180hp

Originally Posted by rmay635703

as I have never found a new gm/buick 3800 euro tune rom even though I know that powerplant ended up in europe under different names certain years.

I don't believe the 3800 engine was used in Europe in a European model. GM used the straight-six powerplant from Opel (up to 3.6 litres) until the early 90s and then the narrow angle V6 (3.2 I think) after that.

It may have come in when GM imported some US models (SUVs mainly) but they didn't sell very well due to chronic thirst. No European models listed here : Buick V6 engine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[texanidiot25]

What inline 6 are you talking about? The only one US-GM has used in recent years was the Atlas 6er in the Envoy/Trail Blazer.

[Arragonis]

Opel had a stright 6 CIH (Cam In Head) engine which I think was original used by Fred Flintstone

It got stretched to 3.6 for the Lotus Carlton twin turbo thing and then went when the early 90s Omega came along, I think you got it as a mini Cadillac or something ?

See Opel Senator - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and Opel Omega - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Edit - Mini caddy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_Catera

[texanidiot25]

The Catera only came as a V6 as far as I know, Opel V6 though. However, Cadillac techs like to call them Crapterras, they absolutely hate them. They were unreliable and difficult to work on. Shame, because when running, they were quite good cars.

I actually don't know if the Carlton was sold in the US.

The last I6 in the US to my knowledge was the GM I6, for the TB/Envoy, if we exclude the Cummins Diesel.

[Arragonis]

Edit - yep the Craptera used the narrow angle V6.

No, the Carlton was a Euro only model - a cut price Opel Senator with 4cyl engine instead of the 6cyl (except for the Lotus one), mainly sold as company cars as perks for upper-middle managers. Nice old cars, reliable and the estates (Station Wagons) were huge and useful but they rusted surprisingly quickly so very few survive.

Still can't find a European GM with the 3800 though.

EDIT - Only one I can find http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontiac...uropean_market

[texanidiot25]

The L67? 2.8/3.1/3.4 is a different motor from the 3800.

[Arragonis]

No 3800s in Europe then.

[Phantom]

Yes the Buick 3800 was in some European cars just look to the Ecotec 3.8 V6 in the Commodore. That is the 3800 Series II with a few small part changes.