@@1999evo thats the beauty of the atlas 4200. i can walk into my local junk yard right now and see 2 of them on the ground because they were pulled for the transmissions lol
Idk why it deleted my comment but thanks again dude! Great time as always! Thanks to Nivlac57 for helping make it possible! Look forward to the 4200 swapped s14 content down the road!
@car-nivores Agreed, the ecotec engines all have a lot of potential but I feel that they get over shadowed by other more developed platforms. I hope more people start to see the potential and more aftermarket starts making parts for them.
@J-Whit if you didn't know, Nivlac had his newly LT4 supercharged Stude, truck, trailer, laptop, and all cameras and recording gear stolen from him, dude's in a rough spot but just released a video of him putting the 4.2 Vortec into a Camaro SS, so he's trying to get going again, but still that's a huge hit
@@matthewadkins9810 fr I feel like GM especially sandbagged on a lot of cooler cars to keep them in the right market. Like the ls4 Impala ss and the Silverado ss both had stupid cheap set backs that could have made them so much more attractive now. Like honestly.. how much harder would it have been to make the Impala RWD. Which also woulda solved the trans issue.
The most insanely awesome engine sound I've ever heard was from a Kansas City area Chevy Colorado RWD with the 3.7L Atlas inline-5. This was around 2013-2014 and the owner had slammed the truck coilovers from a different vehicle and fitted the engine with 5" horn length ITBs (individual throttle bodies for those not in the know) and he ran 5 individual exhaust pipes the same diameter as the header pipes all the way to the rear with each pipe exiting through the custom rear bumper. I guess you could call them full length equal length headers? He said there wasn't a collector but the exhaust pipes were connected to header pipes via clamps. Sounded like a werewolf howling at the moon. Closest thing to the Porsche Carerra GT or Lexus LFA sound I think you could get without actually coming from those cars. No idea how much power it made but he claimed 75hp and 100 lb-ft over stock. Honestly I wouldn't care if it lost some power because the sound alone would more than make up for that IMO. I'd like to see a similar setup with the Atlas 4.2 to see if it sounds close to a V12 engine.
I inherited one of these from my grandpa, and I spent weeks learning how to tune it. With heavier injectors, a TB spacer, a gigantic pod filter, and some major ECU mods, I got 300 at the wheels and was able (after a lot of work) to run e85 and push it to 305. Fuel economy stayed really flat at 14 even after tuning. Not amazing but it was super fun! I also had nearly zero exhaust on it, it was a pipe and a muffler. And it's NECESSARY to tune these, I don't know why but you just cannot get easy power on an atlas 6 without either short exhaust, or an expensive high flow system. They really struggle to breathe. Well at least my early model atlas did, I hear the head was way more optimized in later versions. The early ones are also super susceptible to blowby, piston slap, and bad piston rings. Cylinder 4 is blown on mine.
I mean....you got this, the amc/jeep 4.0l (doesn't make power for shit but you aren't gonna kill it), the ford 300, and the chrysler 225 slant six. All of them are really good inline 6s.
The atlas isn't just one inline 6. It's actually a family of engines using the same basic architecture, similar to gms ls or small blocks. Other than the inline 6, there is a 4 cylinder as well as a 5 cylinder, and those can vary in displacement depending on the year. It's a shame they didn't utilize these more outside of the GMT335-345-360 chassis, but thankfully the 360 in particular had 6 different brands selling essentially the same suv. You could also get these with v8s, but the 4200 is the most common.
Trailblazers are pretty good cars man. I had one for a few years. I bought it from my dads work for $1800 (lithia Chrysler jeep) he took it in on trade and i was sick of commuting in my badass 2016 mustang gt. It had 240,000 miles. It did blow up at 291,000 miles and it definitely wasnt from neglect. The family who owned it before me took SUPER good care of it and as an automotive fabricator, i took very good care of it as well. It just got a rod knock, literally 10 hours later that rod separated itself from the crankshaft.
This was actually pretty cool to see. Not what I would have expected to see a big turbo in which makes it that much cooler. I'm not sure how it will do on longevity but that would be a fun vehicle to putt around town in.
I remember like 7 years ago, helping a friend with an ignition coil issue on one of these Trailblazers. Her's was black and 2wd. 3 of the 6 coils were smoked. While fixing it, i couldn't help but to think "whoa, i didn't know these came straight 6! And " i should get one, bore it to 5.0, forge the engine out and turbo it"... Sweet truck💪
Just recently purchased my grandmas 2005 gmc envoy with the 4.2 in it. Incredibly well taken care of near mint for the age (some paint chips and a stain in the cargo area that’s it) and I’m completely floored by how much I love it. It’s super smooth, solid power band and I have yet to completely put my foot in it. Not trying to break anything on my “new” car lol. I came from a 4.3l 1996 olds bravada so it was a dog and starting to break all the time. I’m so happy to have something I actually enjoy and just doesn’t stress me out every time I turn the key like the olds.
GM prototyped and tested a twin turbo 4.2 and revved to 7,500. We tested them for years and then suddenly they dumped it. Not shocked these handle boost well. Now that transmission is another story.
Yeah they really don't like taking that kinda power stock. I want to turbo my 5.3 Suburban for shits and giggles (and to add torque) but a trans rebuild or 80e swap would definitely happen first.
@@marvinphillips5514my buddy had a canyon with the 5cyl. He put a flowmaster on it and my god it sounded horrible at every speed other than idle and WOT near redline
As a trailblazer owner and driver its a fun vehicle to drive as a daily, being N/A and having a built transmission brings it to life, especially with just a muffler it sounds so good
The V6 Chevy Trailblazer what's my last vehicle. It was a 2006. It was absolutely my favorite vehicle that I've ever owned. Absolutely bulletproof engine. And I've had cars with smaller engines that got worse gas mileage.
Ive been following Jonathan building this truck to what it is and have been very excited to do the same to my trailblazer. Only now that this video is posted am i worried about the price of regular trailblazers now 😂
I've been waiting for this video. Glad you are still covering these vehicles. I looked into the TB builds in high school! Thought that people didn't stop at the SS. Also, they will forever be a dime a dozen in the Midwest... everybody and their grandma had one up here.
It's 08/13/2024 We just got back from getting the stero fix on my 03 trailblazer ltz 😂,watching this makes me more stubborn of fixing up ,the good old blazer,i love this car ,everyone tells me to junk it , specially after it was stolen, but im fixing it instead, little by little she's coming together
Trailblazers are awesome the 4.2 is super slept on! I love mine it’s great to smoke tons of people on the street in a stock trailblazer lmao! I mean 300hp 300ft lbs stock isn’t bad
I always wanted to swap that I6 into some kind of small shell Prob a Miata or something RWD that can handle that engine cause an ex coworker used to rev his trailblazer and that thing gave me goosebumps, amazing sound and it wasn’t even that big 🔥 I’m still thinking that one day I’ll be able to do the swap just for fun.
The Atlas 4200 is such a fantastic engine, especially for the era they came out in. In a lot of ways its kind of like a Ls based inline six with dohc, if you look at a dyno of a stock one they have an incredibly flat torque curve that actually continues to rise with the hp up untill about 5000rpm where it levels off and the hp keeps climbing. I have a bunch of different project ideas involving this engine and a myriad of different vehicles including a Colorado, s10/blazer, Dodge Dakota, 1st gen Supra, S13 240sx, r32 skyline etc but more than anything i want to build something with this engine that is all wheel drive making around 1000hp and weighing less than a modern Mustang. Its %100 doable and I will make it happen one day.
I had a Saab 97X with this engine, I think the chassis was slightly tuned different because my uncle had a Trailblazer and while they're very much the same the Saab felt a little more tight and snappier. It was a great vehicle and since it was a 'Saab' all the other people who owned Saabs would smile and wave - which are not many left. The engine was buttery smooth, however, when the water pump went out, it was a very difficult job and those pumps are knowning for failing due to their design.
I know that 4l60e is painfully screaming and shouting with every pull. But this thing is so rad man. You don’t see many oddball builds like this anymore. I didn’t even know the Trailblazer had a i6, now I’ve seen one with a big turbo strapped to it
I had a Saab 9-7X 4.2i and I loved it. Literally loved everything about it but how slow it was. Always thought about a turbo especially since it's a Saab and how cool that would be over getting a 5.3i or Aero, but never actually committed to it before getting my 2022 Blazer with a 2.0 turbo. Someday I might literally get another one just to turbo it now especially after this video. 😂
I have a 2006 Trailblazer and I love it. I don't tune it as its my daily deiver and tow rig(That Torque😎). However, i love this build and that this owner is showing that the Atlas 4200 won't be counted out.
I loved my 2 trailblazers 5.3 and 4.2 and my 9-7X 5.3. They are no frills and reliable. For the 9-7x, i only spent $1200 in 100,000 in repairs. If I could find a 9-7x Aero with low miles I'd buy it.
Been talking to calvin nelson quite a bit, these engines are nuts. Not to mention there is also the I5 and I4 variations of this motor. The bottom end is good for 700whp you can oush further but that is where you find that forged rods will get you much further. But these are stupid reliable and easily swappable engines.
I don’t know why I always wanted a 2j suv. I loved the mk4 Supra when I got into cars, single turbo 6cyliners sound perfect. Then I came full circle and fell in love with the is300 because it’s quirky. It’s like a cooler Supra in my opinion. It looks like a Honda civic but it’s a rwd 2jz. You can look like a stock sleeper and blow everyone’s doors off with 4 passengers to witness it. I’d take the atlas at this point, idk I’m torn because if I had the atlas im not doing that much over 120 in a suv it’s just sketch. In an is300 we’re cooking 150 plus easy peezy
I have a 5.3 Envoy and I can use the Trailblazer SS turbo kit on it. Reason I didn't buy a 4.2 Envoy was because there's no off the shelf turbo kit or much support at all.
there were also 4 and 5 Cylinder versions of this engine. the 5 cylinder was available in the Colorado/GMC Canyon and Hummer H3 and the 4 cylinder I believe was the base engine in the Colorado and Canyon.
We have owned 3 tb in the past I had an 08 and it was 295hp stock and it was fast for the time considering my full size 5.3 truck was only 285 I wish gm would of had the option for the 4.2 atlas in the fullsize trucks
I used to have a 2005 GMC Canyon that had the 5 cylinder Atlas. I was planning to turbo that but I wanted something more fuel efficient. So I ended up buying an Audi and building that. It makes about 300whp currently, I have another engine just too lazy to put it in. But the car only weighs 3000 lbs. On E85 I still get about 18mpg city and 25 on the highway!
Watch as this becomes the new engine to swap to for FD, I know the LS is the current one most FD cars use but damn does it just not sound like drifting with all V8's.
I’ve wondered why this engine wasn’t available in the Silverado pickups instead of the v6. Seems like it would have been a good selling point compared to the competition.
It would've made the 4.8L LS pointless and it might've even cut into sales of the 5.3. These inline 6s were HEAVILY detuned from the factory and the factory cam profiles are pathetic too. The 4.8/5.3 were much cheaper to manufacture and shared all parts with each other except for the crank, connecting rods and pistons.
I'm aware that crazy top horsepower is the goal but I would really like to see a video on making an engine like the 4200 bullet proof and last with less power.
Yes, they're a great alternative to the Bara, 1/1.5/2JZ, RB's, and the N/S55/B58/S58's....but in this platform specifically, you might as well just grab yourself the 5.3L LS powered Trailblazer, gap the rings, and throw a turbo, cam, and some fuel onto that as there's more potential there
Years ago I saw a video of someone turbo one of these and it almost sounded like a 2j but I couldn’t find videos of people truly boosting one and always wondered why people don’t look at these more. I’m glad people are starting but sad because a few years ago my pops had an envoy for years and blew the engine on it 😂 now I wish I kept it and boosted it
its not a huge surprise man. Here in latino america especificly in brasil the mf's turn the old ass 4.1 liter GM engine and boosted and make like 1000 hp
