Hi; Hopefully I'm posting this in the right spot--I'm new at this. Anyway, I have a question.

Our 2005 Bonneville has a 3.8L Series 2 engine. My son's friend owns a 2005 Grand Prix with a 3.8L Series 3 engine and my son is a little confused. To show how much I know, I figured it was because one car is a Bonneville and the other a Grand Prix, which my guys tell me doesn't matter

My son was wondering if perhaps sometime during the production year it was changed. I told him that the experts here would be able to tell me and I would let him know

And a question of my own--what is the difference between Series 2 and 3?

Bergette

The largest difference between the two is that the S3 is a drive-by-wire engine, with the intake manifold redesigned to reflect this. As far as the long block is concerned, the S3 has better rods and pistons. Physically, the two generations are interchangeable. In fact, the 2005 Bonneville and Impala are actually S3 engines with S2 intake manifolds

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Thanks, I'll pass that along to my guys who will no doubt understand what that means more than I do I'm better at "computer language" than I am at "car language" but I hope to learn more as time goes by.

Bergette

Your gas pedal on the Bonneville uses cables. Direct linked.
The gas pedal on the GP with the S3 uses a feedback electrical system that drives a MOTOR to open the throttle. No direct mechanical link.

The differences between the motors are extremely sparse. They are virtually identical.

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Thanks, I actually understand that I always feel out of my depth concerning all thing mechanical. I'm hoping that if I "hang around" long enough I will be able to understand a little "carspeak" someday. Appreciate the reply.

Bergette

The series III came out in 04 with the Grand Prix, which was equipped with the electronic throttle. The Bonneville kept the Series II because it wasn't worth converting the Bonne to an electronic throttle for 2 model years.

The biggest difference between the motors is the Series III has stronger connecting rods, an aluminum upper plenum, which eliminated the leak point of the Series II, and it had a return-less fuel system setup.

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