Some of the 1995-’99 Buick 3800 VIN K cores are showing up with the keyway in the snout of the cam all wallowed out. When this happens, the cam gear rotates back and forth on the snout which not only ruins the cam, but also changes the valve timing and leads to abnormal combustion. We have seen valves that are bent because they collided with the pistons and heads that are cracked from the excessive heat.
Watch for bad cams, bent valves, broken guides and cracked heads on these engines and anticipate the additional cost of parts and repairs when pricing them.