Wear Rate Of Standard Blocks?

[~JM~]

I'm trying to get an idea of how strong & resistant to wear our engines are. I come from the big block Cadillac world of high nickle blocks. Quite often the cross hatch pattern can still be seen on the Cadillac cylinders/engines with 100 to 150+K on them with no ledge at the top of the cylinder.
How does our V-6 stand up to long term cylinder wear, etc?
What should someone expect to find on a Buick engine with 130K on it?

Thank you
~JM~

 

[aminga]

What should someone expect to find on a Buick engine with 130K on it?

A heavy film of leaked motor oil and road grime?

 

[~JM~]

A heavy film of leaked motor oil and road grime?

Hopefully only on the exterior. Engine had leaky valve covers a while back so has a nice coating of oil down below.

~JM~

 

[Guess]

I pulled mine recently at 140k after the timing chain went. I barely had a perceptible ledge, more like change in texture, but I really couldn't see any cross hatching left. The machine shop is doing .30 over and 10/10 on the stock crank. The only mods up until then were injectors, air intake and TT chip.

There was a little sludge in the oil pan and no sludge buildup anywhere else. Underneath the valve covers had some black buildup on the covers themselves. I was surprised how clean it was except for all the tiny pieces of nylon timing sprocket.

 

[Nick Micale]

I'm trying to get an idea of how strong & resistant to wear our engines are. I come from the big block Cadillac world of high nickle blocks. Quite often the cross hatch pattern can still be seen on the Cadillac cylinders/engines with 100 to 150+K on them with no ledge at the top of the cylinder.
How does our V-6 stand up to long term cylinder wear, etc?
What should someone expect to find on a Buick engine with 130K on it?

Thank you ~JM~

Most GM blocks of that era had high nickel blocks, certainly the Buicks, both V-6 and V8 did.

Unless the car/engine was really thrashed in a GN, you would find about the same wear pattern. At least this is our findings on hundreds of V-6 builds.

 

[bison]

The alloy has less to do with wear than how it was run. If it had a rich mixture it will have a lot more cylinder wear. ive seen them with 150k and minimal wear at the top with honing marks still visible and ive seen them smooth with low miles and a couple thousandths wear at the top. The initial finish and ring used also plays a role. Unless you are looking for a lot of power and are planning on replacing pistons there is little to no power in trying to eliminate the leakdown from a worn cylinder.

 

[Pronto]

What should someone expect to find on a Buick engine with 130K on it?
~JM~

A nylon timing gear that's worn out.