General Motors 3.1 V6 Engine Specs
by Anne Davis
General Motors began producing 60-degree V6 engines in 1980 with its 2.8-liter engine. Over the years, the company began manufacturing slightly larger engines with larger bores and higher output potential. The GM 3.1-liter engine has six cylinders in a V formation that are opposed at 60 degrees -- each cylinder has two valves.
Displacement
This engine displaces 3,100 cubic centimeters, 192 cubic inches or 3.1 liters. Displacement refers to the total amount of air that is displaced by the pistons moving within an engine's cylinders. This is a general indication of an engine's size and power.
Bore, Stroke and Compression Ratio
This engine has a bore of 3.503 inches and a stroke of 3.3122 inches. "Bore" refers to the diameter of the cylinders within the engine that house and seal a moving ring and piston assembly; "stroke" refers to the distance that those pistons move within the cylinders. The engine has a compression ratio of 8.9 to 1. The higher the compression ratio, the more power an engine is able to produce.
Torque Specifications
This engine has fairly regular torque specifications, including the important specifications for the bracket bolts. The bolt connecting the bracket to the cylinder head screws to 52 foot-pounds and the bolt connecting the bracket to the engine block screws to 37 foot-pounds. The bolt connecting the bracket to the oil pan screws to 43 foot-pounds.
The bolt used in engines from 1995 until 1997 to connect the cylinder head to the engine block screws to 33 foot-pounds; from 1998 until 2001, this bolt screws to 37 foot-pounds; after 2002, this same bolt screws to 44 foot-pounds.
Other torque specifications should be consulted before attempting to rebuild or maintain this engine.
Performance
This engine can produce 140 horsepower at 4,800 revolutions per minute and 180 foot-pounds of torque at 3,600 rpm. "Torque" refers to the amount of work that an engine is able to perform and "horsepower" refers to how quickly it can perform that work.
References
Writer Bio
Anne Davis writes pieces on domestic and international travel, automotive maintenance, education and health. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English and history, and is pursuing graduate study in a related field.
