The 5 Best General Motors (GM) V6 Engines

The 5 Best GM V6 Engines

The V6 engine is one of the humblest engines, and it’s never been appreciated for its performance and configuration. As compared to V6, V8 engines are preferred.

General Motors (GM) is producing top-quality and high performing V6 engines. Some of their V6 engines are powerful compared to V8 engines.

This article will discuss the top 5 best V6 engines manufactured by General Motors (GM). So, let’s get started!

1. GMC V6 Engine (1960–1978)
2. GM 90o V6 Engine (1977–2013)
3. GM 54o V6 Engine (1994–2004)
4. GM High Feature V6 Engine (2004–Present)
5. GM High-Value V6 Engine (2004–2011)

1GMC V6 Engine (1960 – 1978)

The 5 Best GM V6 Engines: 1960

GMC V6 60 degree was a unique engine produced by GMC trucks, which is a division of GM motors. The engine was released in 1959, and it was discontinued in 1978. GMC V6 engine was produced in both diesel and gasoline variants. The V6 block engine was made in different displacements, including 305, 351, 379, 401, 432, 478, 637, and 702 cubic inches.

All the variants of GMC V6 had a six-throw crankshaft when combined with a 60-degree included cylinder angle. It produced a smooth running without any balance shaft. The spark plugs of the GMC V6 engines were installed in the inner side of the cylinder head, which could be easily accessed from the engine’s upper side. Overall, it was one of the best V6 engines produced by GM at the time.

2GM 90o V6 Engine (1977 – 2013)

The 5 Best GM V6 Engines: 1977

90o V6 engine was manufactured by General Motors in 1977 and was discontinued in 2013. After 2013 the fifth generation of V6 was produced by GM. These engines had V-block with twelve valves, the V-block was at 90-degrees, and valves were activated by pushrod valvetrain. The general motors 90-degree V6 engine was based on a small-block engine by Chevrolet. It was available in the displacement of 3.3L, 3.8L, and 4.3L.

The engine had a power output from 94 HP to 280 HP, and it delivered a torque of 154 to 360 lb-ft. The engine received an upgrade in 2013, and it is still in production today. The fifth-generation V6 engine is known as EcoTec3 or LV3. It has a displacement of 4.3L and delivers the power of 285 HP and 305 lb-ft of torque. It uses the direct injection fuel system and has a compression ratio of 11:0:1. Overall, it is the best engine by GM in V6 space.

3GM 54o V6 Engine (1994 – 2004)

The 5 Best GM V6 Engines: 1994

General Motor’s subsidiary in Europe designed a compact V6 engine, and it had a V-shaped with an angle of 54-degrees. The overhead combustion shaft had 4-valves per cylinder. The 54-degree V6 engine was designed and manufactured at Ellesmere port in England. Hence, it is also known as the Ellesmere V6 engine. The company started the production in 1994, and it was discontinued in 2004.

The early variants of GM 54-degree V6 engines had 4-valves per cylinder, and it was used in both front and rear-wheel drive vehicles. The engine also had oil to water heat exchanger system. In 2000 the engine was redesigned to meet the environmental and emission specifications. The engine was replaced with 2.6 and 3.2 units. The engine delivers a power of 168 to 220 HP and torque of 167 – 229 lb-ft. The reworks and revisions made the engine more modern and one of the best V6 engine by GM.

4GM High Feature V6 Engine (2004 – Present)

The 5 Best GM V6 Engines: 2004

The GM high feature engine or commonly known as HFV6 or Alloytec V6, is one of the modern V6 engines manufactured by General Motors. The series of HFV6 was introduced in 2004 with the Holden Commodore (VZ) and Cadillac CTS. The engine has a 60-degree valve design and features sequential multi-port fuel injection.

Most variants of GM high feature engine include electric throttle control, twin knock control sensors, sinter forged connecting rods, piston oil-jet capability, coil-on-plug ignition, and fillet rod crankshaft. The block and head material of the HFV6 is made from aluminum. It delivers a power output of 201 HP to 464 HP and offers a torque of 182 to 445 lb-ft. All these features make it the best GM V6 engine.

5GM High-Value V6 Engine (2004 – 2011)

The 5 Best GM V6 Engines: 2011

General Motors manufactures the high-value V6 engine; it is a group of overhead valves V6 engine. GM high-value engine features 60-degree V-bank as the other engines from 60-degrees V6 family. The high-value engine featured variable valve timing; it won the breakthrough award in 2006 from “popular mechanics” for their innovation. The 2007 variant of the high-value engine featured active fuel management.

The high-value V6 engine featured sequential multi-port fuel injection, and they had a water-cooling mechanism. The engine features catalytic converter emission control technology. GM high-value V6 engine has a factory power rating of 196 HP to 242 HP, and it delivers a torque of 213 to 242 lb-ft.

The Bottom Line

General Motors, an American multinational automobile company, has produced some of the best V6 engines. The engines mentioned in this list are some of the best V6 engines, which are still being used in different vehicles.

As technology is advancing, GM is innovating its V6 line, and in the future V6 engines will have more features and power.

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