Is my Z34 anything special?

[kyobukan]

I read on this forum that in 1991 they only made 30 Z34's with a 5 gear tranny.

Is this true?

I just bought one for next to nothing.

My uncle worked at the Oshawa plant that made Lumina from 1990 - 1997 but was a white collar worker. He is retired and I'm trying to get info from him about the Lumina.

Anyway --- please tell me about this whole "they only made 30" business.

thanks a million

[schamsy]

Do a little searchin...

http://www.60degreev6.com/showthread.php?t=35683

[SappySE107]

I was told the cutlass was the least popular with the 5 speed, and there were 109 of those in 91. Z34s were the most popular for 5 speeds with the grand prix in the middle.

[Baldeagle242]

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Lumina_Z34"


Engine of the Z34
The Twin Dual Cam V-6 is the most respectable upgrade in the Z34. GM's engineers used the same block as the 2.8-3.1 60 degree V-6 for this four cam achievement. They did this to get the performance of Japanese four cam engines while keeping prices reasonable. The TDC engine incorporates racing engine technology with its valve configuration to attain a 7000 RPM redline. Aluminum heads in a pent-roof design and valve clearance notches in the pistons also uphold the high-rever's capacity. To keep manufacturing new parts to a minimum, the TDC shares the same stroke (84mm) as the 2.8-3.1's. The connecting rods and crankshaft are shared although the metallurgy has been altered to handle the additional horsepower of the 3.4L engine. Cylinder walls were thickened and bearings were reinforced and polished to handle the increased load. Improvements have also been made in the cooling system, ignition, and oiling system to accommodate more moving parts. For example, the Z34 has oil reserves in the valve train to reduce wear at start up, an oil to water cooler, and a windage trey to avoid foaming. This simplistic and reliable design puts out 210 horsepower at 5,200 RPM, an impressive 215 ft/lbs. of torque at 4,400 RPM, and a compression ratio of 9.25:1. Upwards of 5,200 RPM the fuel delivery is cut off and the valves float to avoid engine damage.

In order to accommodate the extra horsepower, transmission improvements were needed. The standard MG2 used in Luminas was upgraded to the Getrag 284 five-speed transmission with a final drive ratio of 3.67:1. The Z34 was geared for fast driving producing a remarkable 7.5 second 0-60 mph time and a 15.8 in the quarter mile. These figures are impressive for a 3,400 lb., front-wheel drive car. The four-speed automatic was also stepped up the Hydra-Matic 4T60-E from the ME9 but is half a second slower 0-60 and loses 10 horsepower.

Small changes in the exhaust system reduce backflow pressure in the Z34. Both the Lumina and Z34 have a single catalytic converter but the Z34's exhaust utilizes two mufflers to release its gasses. A Y-pipe after the converter separates the rear-mounted mufflers producing a low rumble.

Because Chevrolet engineers realize that a performance car must not only go fast, tune-ups in braking, suspension, and steering were necessary. The FE3 sport suspension used in the Z34 incorporates a 34mm front stabilizer bar, a 12mm rear stabilizer bar, MacPherson struts, and leaf springs. The steering was also improved from that of the Lumina with a 14:1 steering ratio resulting in a 39 ft. turning radius. The Goodyear GT+4 225/60/16x6.5 tires also brought the Z34 to pull 0.79g's. Four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes were standard stopping the car from 60 mph in 153 ft. Overall, test drivers were impressed by the consistency of the Z34 and its surprisingly well-rounded performance characteristics.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Lumina_Z34"

[SappySE107]

upwards of 5200 rpm the fuel is cut? wtf. valves float? nope, sorry, that isn't true.

[DEI37]

Yeah, I noticed that, too. Has to be a typo...7200 maybe...but even a 3.1 doesn't float valves at 5200!

[kyobukan]

I never trust wikipedia

[z34phoenix]

the 96 and 97 Z34 cuts fuel at 6600 rpm

spark is cut at 7k also for both

[MADz34]

I have had my stock Z34 at least to 6000 rpm in first gear and it was steal climbing but it shifted to second..