I have a stock 1979 Malibu with a V6. The sticker under the hood says it is a 3.3 l. Im going to assume that it is a 3.3 but i just want to know some more info about it. The motor is completely stock i have done nothing to it. I thought that 3.3 V6 never existed i thought it was a 3.8. If anyone has a link to where i can find out more info about this motor help me out here. Thanks.
1979 V6 Malibu
- Thread starter FrIeDTiReS55
- Start date
The Cheverolet 3.3L V6 (200cuin) is one of Chevy's first V6 engines. Like the Buick, Chevy based the architecture of its 90 degree V6s on its small block V8. The 3.3L is effectively 3/4 of a Chevy 267cuin V8. It has a nearly square boreXstroke (3.50X3.48). It was offered in the Malibu in '78 & 79 but was replaced by the 3.8 (229cuin 3/4 of a 305cuin V8) in 1980. The Chevy 3.8 was replaced by the 4.3 (262cuin 3/4 of a 350cuin V8).
The odd thing about this engine (and the Chevy 3.8 that replaced it) was that all production engines were built in a "semi even fire" configuration. The crankshaft's connecting rod pins were split and offset, as they are in an "even fire" 90 deg V6, but to a lesser degree than in a true 90 degree V6. Someone at Cheverolet figured that this would produce less vibration than a true even fire configuration. Experience must have convinced Cheverolet otherwise, the 4.3 is a true evenfire engine.
While I have occasionally seen modified 4.3 V6s and have seen a few modified (Chevy) 3.8 V6s I can't recall ever seeing a modified 3.3 90 degree V6. Anybody familiar with the Chevy 267 V8 may understand why.
The odd thing about this engine (and the Chevy 3.8 that replaced it) was that all production engines were built in a "semi even fire" configuration. The crankshaft's connecting rod pins were split and offset, as they are in an "even fire" 90 deg V6, but to a lesser degree than in a true 90 degree V6. Someone at Cheverolet figured that this would produce less vibration than a true even fire configuration. Experience must have convinced Cheverolet otherwise, the 4.3 is a true evenfire engine.
While I have occasionally seen modified 4.3 V6s and have seen a few modified (Chevy) 3.8 V6s I can't recall ever seeing a modified 3.3 90 degree V6. Anybody familiar with the Chevy 267 V8 may understand why.
