4.2 L Vortec
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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
Hey all, I'm a Ford guy, not big on late model chevy stuff. My wife wants this '03 Trailblazer with a 3rd row seat, yada yada. Anyways, its got the 4.2L DOHC inline 6, and I'm wondering if they are any good? I know the 300 straight six was/is in Ford trucks. What type of issues do these engines have? I searched here and didn't find anything. Also, what should I be concerned about with the rest of the vehicle? It is an automatic, only has 116,000 miles on it, $9900 at a dealership, which is cheaper than alot of them around apparently. This thing is selectable 4x4, but its never going to see offroad, except for the gravel roads to take us to and from town. Basically a glorified minivan, lol. Thanks in advance!
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For that milage I found several up here going for around $5K, so I'd keep looking. We paid $13K for an 07 rental return with 48K kms on it (~30K miles) with a trade on an 04 Cavalier in late 08. I'd say keep looking for a better deal myself.
Haven't put enough miles on it to really have that much of an opinion, but it's been mostly trouble free. Some corroded wiring caused a headache, but that's it. Decent milage, good power (DD is a TDI, so anything is a power horse to me).
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I really liked the 4.2L in my family's TB. It too was an '03. In the right gear that torquey I-6 could really throw your head back for a factory vehicle. The head lights impressed the hell outta me too. Our TB was a great vehicle to pack up the family in during long road trips for away games during hockey season. The 4wd works well, but sometimes it was a little finicky getting out of 4wd. Sometimes I'd have to role forward a few feet and try switching from 4HI to 2HI after the first attempt failed. The orange light will flash for a few seconds and if the T-case doesn't switch, a solid orange light will remain lit at the 4HI spot. This only happened a select few times. On a side note, I preferred the 2HI mode over the Auto 4wd mode for predictability reasons.
We sold our TB in '05 just three years or so after we bought it for around $14-15k with 36k miles. I'd imagine now being 5 years later and triple the miles you should be able to find a TB below $7-8k.
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Discussion Starter · #4 ·
The ones I have seen around here are $14,000 down to $9900 for this one.
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The ones I have seen around here are $14,000 down to $9900 for this one.
Jebus...I found an 04? with about the same mileage and a dead battery for $6900 at a stealership, and they were willing to lower the price to get it out the door. Like I say, I paid the upper end of that and got the balance of the factory warranty as well.
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The 4.2L will get shitty mileage best I got out my wifes was 18mpg the 5.3L in them actually got better MPG.
Thats a high price for one with 100k miles and 03.
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Only 3 concerns really
1. The air pumps suck. They're electric and fill with water (condensate), freeze, and fail. They are expensive and the diagnostic procedure is to replace it and see if that fixes it.
2. We have had a few come through the machine shop with exhaust seats pounded out of them. Don't let this scare you as it has been very few. It's just the ones that we have seen have been for the same reason.
3. They're a bigger pain in the ass when it comes to changing the oil than the average GM. You're guaranteed to get at least 1 quart of hot oil on your arm when you remove the filter and another quart stuck in the various plastic pieces underneath. And...they hold a full quart more than the V-8's. Of course you already admitted that you're a Ford guy so pain in the ass oil changes should be second nature to you. GM wasn't nice enough to design a trough that guides the oil from the filter right into your face like Ford did, but it's close enough... :flipoff2:
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The 4.2L will get shitty mileage best I got out my wifes was 18mpg the 5.3L in them actually got better MPG.
For a mid sized SUV I didn't think our TB got that bad of mileage considering we had 265/75R16 BFG Mud Terrain tires on it and dual exhaust (ya I know dual exhaust on an I-6 is dumb, wasn't my idea). The HUD read an average ECON of 20-21 on long trips with the family packed in.
I do agree though the 5.3L would get better MPG and be more fun to drive. Too bad the extended TB's look "off".
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friend just picked up a 05 - 06 with 55k miles and 4 new tires. super nice shape. paid just about 9k off a dealers lot. upstate ny area.
your 03 with 116k miles for that price keep looking.
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Discussion Starter · #10 ·
I forgot to mention that this is the extended third row seat version. I went and looked at it today, and it just isn't my thang. LOL. I want a '99-02 4x4 Diesel Excursion w/ 7.3L Powerstroke, since I know everything about them. I would buy a 'Burb, if they still had diesel engines and solid front axles in them, but they don't, and that high pinion solid front axle is the primary reason I choose Ford trucks. That, and GM can't seem to build a truck front end that stays together to save their life. I really don't like anything less than 3/4 ton, and really, 1 ton as long as its SRW. If I could get the early 2000's GMC doghouse, with a newer Duramax/Allison combo and a Super 60, or even a high pinion AAM front axle, in truck or SUV, I'd be all over it like stink on shit. I've been on build teams with damn near 800hp from a D'max, and we were at over 500 without touching the engine other than bigger exhaust! Oh well, I don't think I'm gonna get this T'blazer, its big enough inside, just not enough beef for my taste. Thanks for the responses and insite guys. Hell who knows, maybe I'll get some vacation time and parts accumulated and build what I want.
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If you are interested in a trailblazer or envoy you need to check out the trailvoy forums. These trucks have many common problems. That forum has a subforum for "factory issues" which are issues so common you are almost guaranteed to get them.
We have an 06 TB that we bought a few years back with very low miles for my wife's DD. We have babied that thing and it is still a PITA. It is a nice enough truck when it is running well and it hasn't left us by the side of the road (yet) but it does have/has had many of the common problems. That truck has totally ruined me on newer GM vehicles and I have been a GM man my whole life. I won't go in to details because there is lots to read on the trailvoy forums about them.
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3. They're a bigger pain in the ass when it comes to changing the oil than the average GM. You're guaranteed to get at least 1 quart of hot oil on your arm when you remove the filter and another quart stuck in the various plastic pieces underneath. And...they hold a full quart more than the V-8's. Of course you already admitted that you're a Ford guy so pain in the ass oil changes should be second nature to you. GM wasn't nice enough to design a trough that guides the oil from the filter right into your face like Ford did, but it's close enough... :flipoff2:
lol I used to be a lube tech at a local Chevy/Cad dealer here and the TB is no doubt a big PITA changing the oil. I just pull the whole skid plate (which is laughable, as it's really just a thick splash gaurd) and let the oil filter soak the little diversion thing. It was always a chore...
Common things that "go out" on these were the TCCM and the cam actuator solenoid, though not often.
BTW, I don't recall who's list it was off hand, but from its' introduction in 02 til about 06? it was one of the top 10 engines from all manufactures.
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If you are interested in a trailblazer or envoy you need to check out the trailvoy forums. These trucks have many common problems. That forum has a subforum for "factory issues" which are issues so common you are almost guaranteed to get them.
We have an 06 TB that we bought a few years back with very low miles for my wife's DD. We have babied that thing and it is still a PITA. It is a nice enough truck when it is running well and it hasn't left us by the side of the road (yet) but it does have/has had many of the common problems. That truck has totally ruined me on newer GM vehicles and I have been a GM man my whole life. I won't go in to details because there is lots to read on the trailvoy forums about them.
Perhaps they could rename the forums the "Entrail" forum....
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i picked up a clean 4x4 06 ls today. 111k miles for $4700.. just someting to judge by. Had fun driving it today.
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I think they are pretty reliable engines I only have experience on the 4.3l v6 but I bet its good
Source: https://www.pirate4x4.com/threads/4-2l-dohc-straight-6-reliability.883410/
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