My name is Jason and I'm from Phoenix AZ.

I have an '04 n/a 3800 series II Monte Carlo Super Sport, and am looking for a web forum that is knowledgeable on this engine as well as other General motors vehicles/blocks.

I'm a huge American Muscle fan, specifically GM cars, having owned a 78 Camaro, an 85 Mustang GT, a 91 Olds Cutlass Calais International, and most recently this '04 Monte Carlo. It's more of a cruiser, but it gets the job done, and is my baby.

Good to meet you all, I hope I can learn something here.

Copied and pasted that from the intro page, so I apologize if you've read this already.



FIRST question of the day from yours truly, I see a lot of SS'es from what looks like my year rolling around with the "Monte Carlo SS" badge on the side panels, but my vehicle only has "SS", no M.C. Were there some cars produced like this, or did the previous owner do a bit of badge shaving?

Welcome aboard.

I myself have worked with several L36's in the past, turbocharging them, doing an L67 top-swap on a few, building them out for N/A performance, you name it, I've probably done it.

In fact, I've done quite a bit with the W-body platform. I've taken the 5th-generation Monte Carlo further than the 6th-gen platform could hope to go via a turbocharged 3.4 liter (GM3400) V6 in a 1999 Monte LS on a 4t65HD transmission. That car, however, is no longer with us. A drunk driver took it clean out. I walked away with little more than a bruise from the seat-belt, and a bruise on my hand from punching the guy a few times.

I then moved on to a 1996 Monte LS, which I bought in piss-poor condition to abuse for the length of my college career. I've since moved on from the W-body platform for an infinitely more capable, P-body platform. :)

And no the "Monte Carlo SS" is a bit of custom work.

Hmm. We should talk.

I've been wanting an L67 in the cruiser, but The need for new fuel maps and the worry about non-forged internals giving out has kept my lead-footed desires at bay.


EDIT: What do you know about internal capacitor plugs? Worth the money?

Well - the L67 top-swaps have been relatively fine on the L36's for the longest time. Forged internals or not, they hold up rather well, all things considered. As long as you don't use a 2.5" pulley instead of the stock, you should be fine. But a 2.5" pulley is pushing it on the L67 as well.

Best recommendation, however, is to not worry about doing the L67 when you have an L36, instead, just turbo the L36. Wider powerband, less parasitic loss, more easily tuned, can run low boost for the streets to gain better fuel economy while using 87-89 octane, then higher boost on the track using 91+ octane to get optimal power. It's a much more versatile setup.

As for the internal cap plugs... honestly, I've never seen them give any benefits to anyone. Some people claim amazing results, but I've never personally known anyone who's had any positive results at all. Could be simply because I don't know the right people, however. As far as I'm concerned, they're as effective as those "split-fire" plugs, or basically any plug that has more than one electrode. (See also: worthless.) Honestly, if you want a good set of plugs, get yourself a set of NGK Iridiums. I've never had a problem with them.

I can rebuild your transmissions all day long for those cars ...They are hard to keep from blowing up in extreme duty like city police cars.Those guys are hard on em.I've seen everything from blown up grenaded planetaries to bands that had the apply struts literally sheared right off.(Rolling backwards and throwing into Drive)The OEM, EPC solenoids are also problematic,and every one i've built needed every clutch pack tightened up.Anyways..if you have any trans problems..look me up.4T65E baby.Typical parts list:Banner OverHaul kit with steels,Filter,EPC solenoid,Drive Chain,Bushing kit,Thrust washer kit,2nd gear bonded piston,4th gear clutch hub,Sonnax input drum shims,input drum steel piston,remanufactured torque convertor.Thats one with NO hard parts damage,just a soft overhaul.They are like rebuilding TH350's to me...easy easy easy..i like em.

This is good because I dont know the first thing about automatic transmissions. I'm solely schooled in underhood.

I really want to rig up a stick shift for it, that'd make my day

welcome to CF

I really want to rig up a stick shift for it, that'd make my day

Many have tried... very few have succeeded.

So I have been told. Now that it's been expressed that a top swap would work though, I'm REALLY considering it. It'd a be a ton less work than Turbo'ing.

Would I just need to replace the ECM for the fuel management? Bigger injectors maybe?

Actually - the turbo may be less work. ;) Look up the cartuning performance kit. With the top-swap, there's a lot of work involved. The Cartuning Performance kit may be a little more pricey (about 500 bucks more) but it'll knock you into the 11's on an L36 as long as you make sure to beef up the tranny to handle the power if you up the boost to hit 11's.

Yep,all the clearances in the trans will need tightening up,end play,clutch pack clearances, new high energy bands and clutch plates.You could even install a higher stall convertor for a little more launch.Kolene steels are available too,which take alot more heat and abuse.These transmissions REALLY need all new bushings too on a rebuild,as they wear quite a bit just with normal use.

T65 or T60e? The 65 has been known to handle quite a bit of abuse with no problems.

Not really looking for TOO much oomph, maybe 4 lbs of boost, just to make it skippier in daily driving. That kit looks great, thanks for directing me to that site. Will I need to get an aluminum intake manifold? I'd think the plastic one would melt under boosted heat.