GM continued to develop and refine the 231 cu in (3.8 L) V6, eventually and commonly referred to simply as the 3800, through numerous iterations.

In 1967, GM sold the design to Kaiser-Jeep since they no longer felt the need to produce a V6, considered an unusual engine configuration in North America at the time.

The 1973 oil crisis prompted the company to re-acquire the design from American Motors (AMC), who had purchased Kaiser-Jeep in 1970, in early 1974.

The uneven firing pattern was often perceived as roughness, leading a former American Motors executive to describe it as "rougher than a cob."

The Buick Division, concerned about high manufacturing costs of their innovative aluminum 215 V8, sought to develop a cheaper, cast-iron engine based on the same tooling.

In their test that year, Road & Track was impressed with Buick's "practical" new V6, saying it "sounds and performs exactly like the aluminum V8 in most respects."

The V6 was dropped after the 1967 model year in favor of a conventional 250 cu in (4.1 L) inline-six engine built by the Chevrolet division, and the tooling was sold to Kaiser-Jeep.

It was known as the Dauntless V6 and used a much heavier flywheel than the Buick version to damp the vibrations resulting from the engine's firing pattern.

The 1973 oil crisis prompted GM to look for more economical engines than the V8s of 350, 400, and 454/455 cubic inches that powered most General Motors cars and trucks during that time.

At that time, the only "small" engines generally offered by GM were built by the Chevrolet division including the 140 cu in (2.3 L) OHC aluminum inline-four engine used in the subcompact Chevrolet Vega and a 250 cu in (4.1 L) straight-6 used in smaller Chevy, Buick, Oldsmobile and Pontiac models, whose design roots dated back to the 1962 Chevy II (Nova).

[1] With production back within GM, Buick re-introduced the V6 that fall in certain 1975 models—a move made possible by the fact that foundations for the old V6 machinery were still intact at Buick's engine assembly plant in Flint, Michigan, so it was easy to put the old tooling back in place and begin production at least two years ahead of the normal schedule that would have been required to create new tooling.

[2] Due to difficulties with the new fuel economy and emissions standards, the engine produced just 105 or 110 hp (78 or 82 kW), depending on fitment and year.

The relatively small offset did not require flying arms to be incorporated, however a 3 mm (0.12 in) thick flange was built in between the offset crank pins to prevent the connecting rod big-ends from "walking" off the crank pin bearing journal and interfering with the adjacent big end.

The turbocharged 1987 Buick Regal Grand National GNX was called America's quickest automobile, and the model continues to be collected and appreciated today.

In response to rising gas prices, a larger 251.9 cu in (4.1 L; 4,128 cc) version of the 3.8 liter LD5 V6 was produced from 1980 through 1984 and marketed as an alternative to a V8.

A small 181.0 cu in (3.0 L; 2,966 cc) version of the Buick V6 was produced for GM's 1980s front-wheel drive cars.

Introduced in 1982, it was a lower deck version of the 3.8 designed for transverse application in the new GM A platform cars such as the Buick Century and Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera.

In mid-1984, the 3.8 liter LD5 engine was modified for transverse-mounting in smaller, FWD vehicles, and equipped with multi point fuel injection (MPFI).

1984-1985 models used a distributor and a distributorless wasted spark ignition system was added for all engines produced in 1986 and later.

Power produced by this engine was: Introduced in 1988 and initially designated VIN code C, the 3800 LN3 would later be loosely considered the Pre-Series I, although the older 3.8 SFI (LG3) was still available that year in some models.

The slight power increase was accompanied by more torque in the mid-range, all thanks to a new, two-piece intake manifold with longer runners.

A new intake manifold improved breathing while a redesigned cylinder head featured larger valves and a higher compression ratio.

This 3800 weighs only 22 lb (10 kg) more than the all-aluminum High Feature V6 that currently dominates GM's six-cylinder applications, despite being an all cast-iron design.

To meet emissions standards, an EGR tube was placed in the intake manifold to reduce combustion temperatures.

The fire could spread to the nearby plastic spark plug wire retainers on the valve cover and then to the rest of the engine compartment.

Final drive ratios are reduced in most applications, for better fuel economy and for improved use of the engine's torque in the low RPM range.

The engine is a popular choice for aftermarket modification thanks to its very strong internals and impressive power gains from basic upgrades.

This means the same block, heads, and connecting rods apply to any remaining Series II engines made after 2004 also.

Compression remains at 9.4:1 as with the L36, but the aluminum upper and lower intake (2004+) and stronger connecting rods (2005+) are the primary physical changes.

Introduced in 2004, the main differences between the L67 and the L32 are the L32's electronic throttle control, slightly improved cylinder head design, and updated Eaton supercharger, the Generation 5 M90.