I'm thinking in a few years of picking up a used Trailblazer, or other such sized SUV with this engine. From my reading, I'm finding that it's a fairly advanced I-6 with DOHC and VVT. I was hoping that this engine would prove to be as bullet proof as the 4L Jeep I-6, but don't know that they've been out long enough to make that determination.

Any ideas or opinions? I'm pretty impressed with the fuel economy, I think it's like 18 city 20 highway, with 275HP.

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97 Suzuki GSXF 600
04 Saturn Ion Redline
86 Fiero GT

AIM: phool88fiero

Make sure they kept up on regular oil changes and the engine has never been overheated. These things sludge quickly when ignored, I can't think of how many I have replaced due to loss of oil pressure resulting in severe internal damage or cracks in the block and head from being overheated.

we use trailblazers at work (state police) and the troops tell me that after 50k miles or so they start using about 1/2-1 quart every 5k miles.

that being said if you can find a 5.3L trailblazer or a 6.0L trailblazer SS then you'll end up with a better motor and more power, roughly the same gas mileage.

ive got a 03 explorer eddie bauer 4.6L and id trade it in a second for a trailblazer EXT 5.3L

a friend of mine is selling a 04 trailblazer EXT 5.3L for $8,000 with reconstructed title, it seems to be a great vehicle, i just cant afford it right now, sad to, i think it only has 80k miles.

matthew

We've got an '04 with 108K on it with no major issues. And only a few minor ones, over the years.
(My wife was the principal driver, and it was "grannied". Probably has a bit to do with its longevity.)

Go to http://forums.trailvoy.com/

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Raydar
88 4.9 Formula IMSA Fasback..........................88 3.4 coupe -soon to be something other than red

Read Nealz Nuze! Praise the Lowered!

[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 09-27-2009).]

i rarely get calls on parts for them, and never heard anyone asking for an engine yet...
maybe not too many around here? idk, but no calls for parts is a good thing to me.

I bought a new 2002 Trailblazer for my wife & she put 112,000 before we got rid of it without any problems from the engine. It did however use a couple of quarts of oil between changes (about 5 - 7,000 miles) It started doing this this fairly early, probably 40,000 or so. I kept thinking the oil change change place was shorting it (it takes 6.5 quarts) & started checking it right after I drove out. Sometimes when I wasn't watching closely, it would get low on oil & the check engine light came on. It was a cam shaft timing code as the camshaft has a hydraulic assembly that advances the cam timing at speed & it doesn't like to be low on oil. The belt tensioner was screaming pretty good in frigid weather when we got rid of it & should have been replaced, a pretty costly job at the dealer. I also had a lot of electrical gremlins (tail light circuit boards, wiper, heater fan AC) which I understand were fairly common in this first year model. My neighbor has a 2004 Envoy (same truck) with only 70,000 & the AC quit this summer with some kind of electrical problem. It got about 15 -16 mpg in the city but pretty decent on the highway, 23 -24 on a trip. I'd buy another one but it would have to be a little further up in the model year, probally after 2005. FYI, believe the engine is made in China.