Is the L61 considered a strong engine?
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Is the L61 considered a strong engine?
I'm new to the GM 4 cylinder. I mainly bought my Cobalt simply because I needed a car that would be good on gas, as well as reliable. Not just reliable, but have some strength as well. I already can tell it's good on gas, but I haven't owned it long enough to determine it's reliability and strength. Can I drive it without worry about blowing an intake gasket or head gasket? Can the engine endure the occasional spirited driving without the driver worrying about whether or not he's breaking something? Sorry for asking this, but most of the GM cars I've driven were all V6's; and while they make good power, they seem to wear down quickly when put under pressure. I need to know if the L61 is considered a strong engine.
#4
then you should be fine, ive heard of blown engines due to mods because of internal stuff but you shouldnt have any problems. just keep up with normal maintenance ie oil change, fuel filter, air filter and stuff.
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yea,
if you are keeping it completely stock or even lightly modded (intake,exhaust, tune etc.) than the l61 is extremely reliable. it has been perfected since the cavalier started using it in 2002. spirited driving really isnt going to kill your engine life but the base model is kinda slow and the handling is horrible so i dont see how driving with spirit would be any fun. expect breaking 100,000 miles without any issues.
if you are keeping it completely stock or even lightly modded (intake,exhaust, tune etc.) than the l61 is extremely reliable. it has been perfected since the cavalier started using it in 2002. spirited driving really isnt going to kill your engine life but the base model is kinda slow and the handling is horrible so i dont see how driving with spirit would be any fun. expect breaking 100,000 miles without any issues.
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yea,
if you are keeping it completely stock or even lightly modded (intake,exhaust, tune etc.) than the l61 is extremely reliable. it has been perfected since the cavalier started using it in 2002. spirited driving really isnt going to kill your engine life but the base model is kinda slow and the handling is horrible so i dont see how driving with spirit would be any fun. expect breaking 100,000 miles without any issues.
if you are keeping it completely stock or even lightly modded (intake,exhaust, tune etc.) than the l61 is extremely reliable. it has been perfected since the cavalier started using it in 2002. spirited driving really isnt going to kill your engine life but the base model is kinda slow and the handling is horrible so i dont see how driving with spirit would be any fun. expect breaking 100,000 miles without any issues.
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gm took away a good thousand rpm's off the l61's true redline. it's always really that last lil bit of rpm's that's the risk area. with it set @ 6500, the engine really ain't pushed to the extent you'd think. then you combine that with lower flowing parts gm included to really drop power off @ 5500, they knew nobody would really wind it out so often. aka they made a great reliable econobox
that's why with things like the 2.4 mani and such, the engine is brought back to life and making the power they could have released it with. only prob is, we then get to actually push the engine into those riskier rpm's and we're makin power there so we feel rewarded revving it out lol.
that's why with things like the 2.4 mani and such, the engine is brought back to life and making the power they could have released it with. only prob is, we then get to actually push the engine into those riskier rpm's and we're makin power there so we feel rewarded revving it out lol.
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gm took away a good thousand rpm's off the l61's true redline. it's always really that last lil bit of rpm's that's the risk area. with it set @ 6500, the engine really ain't pushed to the extent you'd think. then you combine that with lower flowing parts gm included to really drop power off @ 5500, they knew nobody would really wind it out so often. aka they made a great reliable econobox
that's why with things like the 2.4 mani and such, the engine is brought back to life and making the power they could have released it with. only prob is, we then get to actually push the engine into those riskier rpm's and we're makin power there so we feel rewarded revving it out lol.
that's why with things like the 2.4 mani and such, the engine is brought back to life and making the power they could have released it with. only prob is, we then get to actually push the engine into those riskier rpm's and we're makin power there so we feel rewarded revving it out lol.
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yeah gm made a few lousey v6's, especially the 3.4L, normal/ spirited drioving will have no adverse effect on the l61 as long as you keep up with the matence and be reasonable with it
#11
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there was a saturn that had 436k miles replaced the battery alternator and fan. he finlay gave up on it when his head finaly cracked.. also was on stock clutch.. it was a delivery car but he drove it and treated it nice.
#13
GM actually lost money from that motor because of how reliable it was and they never got any repair done to it...and yes the l61 r pretty much bullet proof unless u mod it up way out of its element
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well. the only thing I worry about at the point im at are the rods. I've been driving it for about 2k miles @ 10psi on a crapy tune and its still running strong. We shall see how long this lasts. 2.2 = extremly reliable
#15
speaking from experience, the OTHER GM 3.4l, the Twin Dual Cam v6, was fun, but sucked as far as reliability. dropped a timing belt on that one at about 45k. had a small leak that would have required tearing the manifold and other parts off, just to get at the plug in the block where the distributor used to go. it was a perfect example of why you don't take an OHV block (based off the 2.8/3.1l designs) and convert it to a DOHC configuration.
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