-----Both the standard 3100 SFI V6 and the optional 3.4 DOCH powerhouse bring
noteworthy improvements to the new model year.
-----In the 160-horsepower base engine, the cylinder block and the intake
manifold are stiffer to deaden vibration. Roller rocker arms trim friction and improve fuel
economy.
-----New platinum-tipped spark plugs last 100,000 miles. Factor in other
maintenance-saving features--fill-for-life transmission fluid, long life coolant,
distributorless ignition--and it's clear that new Cutlass Supremes are destined to spend
their life on the road, not in the service bay.
-----To meet 1996 onboard diagnostics requirements, three emmisions-related
sensors are new this year: one to sense oxygen in the exhaust, another to measure
the mass of induction air flow and a third to quantify the pressure within the intake
manifold. A new fuel pressure regulator and upgraded evaporitive system help reduce
emmisions levels.
-----The customer benifit is a more durable powertrain and an early warning in the
unlikely event any emmisions-related component begins to drift out of specification. In
conjunction with a SERVICE ENGINE SOON light, fault codes are automatically stored
in the powertrain control computer's memory to aid service technicians.
-----This approach will not only guard against elevated pollution levels, it will also
help avoid cataclysmic breakdowns and expensive repairs throughout the
life of the car.
-----Engineers have also been busy improving the 3.4 DOHC V6 engine's
outlook on life. This premium design exploits four overhead camshafts and four-valve
combustion chambers to achieve extra power output and spectacular high-rpm
performance.