Complete 2004 Chevy trailblazer i6 g80 for jeep swap

[Me&my86MJ]

Recently acquired a 2004 chevy trailblazer it has 4.20L inline 6, locking rear end (g80), 4L60-E, and stock transfer case. It was t-boned passenger side impact,side runs and drives straight.

 

What I am curious has anyone swapped these components(any or all) into their jeep comanche or cherokee and what were the problems that they encountered.

 

I would definitely like to put the locking g80 rear end under the manche for sure, also the trailblazer's rear end is a coil sprung 5 link, which could be a huge upgrade. Swapping whole drive train would be most ideal, as the i6 is rated around 275 for both torque and horsepower.

 

Thank you guys in advance for anything you might have to say to help or direct me to help.

[desbennett004]

Do you mean it has a 4.3L V6? Don't recall them coming out with a straight 6. Also the chevy 4.3 V6 had the same HP as the 4.0 Jeep Motor, but with less torque.

 

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[Me&my86MJ]

No,not the 4.3l (garbage motor,imo) i6 desbennett004,in a trailblazer, I believe that you are thinking of just a blazer.

 

(The TrailBlazer comes with a 273 hp (204 kW) 277 lb·ft (376 N·m) all-aluminum 4.2 L "Atlas" LL8 inline-six engine standard) from the Wikipedia.

 

Also this trailblazer was my ladies until it got t-boned. Liked it so much, I bought it back and we got her into another one with same i6 4x4. As that is so, I have already done a few things (maintenance wise) getting to behold such a beautiful all aluminum dual overhead cam, with slightly less horse power than the V8 option. I wondered why they didn't have it in more chevy stumbles. It's also very easy to work on and most components are easy to access.

[neohic]

Interested in other's opinions on this. These are really neat engines with pretty good reliability reviews.

[desbennett004]

That's interesting, I hadn't heard of that motor before.

 

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[Me&my86MJ]

Interested in other's opinions on this. These are really neat engines with pretty good reliability reviews.

 

neohic, this tb(trailblazer) was my ladies, she had purchased it about a year ago, herself and I both landed jobs at Mt Hood at one of their skills resorts. It made the Portland to Government Camp, 12 days straight during Christmas, snow, white outs, and any other weather that/situation you could throw at it, it handled it beautifully. Even the storm last year that shut our town down (sad how many people don't know how to drive) didn't stop the tb, over the rivers, snow and through the woods it goed.

 

Ok fast forward to September, it gets t-boned in the passenger side, spinning the tb a full 360 degrees plus,jumping a curb in the process. Damages both front and rear passenger door pushed in and rearward into B pilar,damaging B pilar as well.

 

Fast forward two weeks after accident, I drove it over 500 miles 1 way, and then drove it back with no issues. All the power accessories still work too.

[DirtyComanche]

I think the engine/trans/tcase would swap easily enough.  I didn't check what tcase that is, but if it's anything with a VC I wouldn't bother.  It's generally fairly easy to bolt other NP/NV tcases to a GM tranny.

 

I don't know what that rear axle is, but chances are it's the wrong bolt pattern, wrong width, and you would be farther behind trying to adapt that suspension than to just start with a blank page.  And the 'G80' typically is a clutch pack limited slip (maybe with a bizarre flyweight arrangement).

[gogmorgo]

There's also a five-cylinder version of it because the I6 was too long to put in a Colorado. Lol.

 

My parents have an Envoy XL with the 4.2. I've used it a couple times to haul Jeeps around, my MJ and an XJ on a dolly, and a KJ on a pretty bi car hauler. It pulls pretty good, but it definitely struggles with the extra weight. Without a trailer behind, can't say I'm a fan at all. It drives like it's much bigger and heavier than it is, and I have never ever been able to find a comfortable driving position. And I've driven it as far East as Ottawa and as far west as Vancouver Island.

That said, the engine isn't bad. But it looks like a pretty tall engine. As in possibly too tall for an MJ. I did size it up (mostly by eyeball) when my MJ was in need of a new engine. I also don't think I'd reuse the transmission in an MJ either. Their original only lasted 90,000 miles before it broke the sun gear, which is apparently a pretty common problem. And when it broke it wasn't under much stress, just a highway cruise through north-western Ontario.

[TheDude]

How would do the axle set up?

Most 4.2s had the front diff being part of the oil pan and the diff is all aluminum too.

 

 

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[johnj92131]

You are talking about the GM "Atlas" engines:,

 

Peter Lechtanski "Worlds Fastest Comanche" had a yahoo group about these engines in a Jeep.  As I recall, the Atlas engines are a couple of inches taller than the 4.0 and the 5 cylinder, 3500 version should fit very well in the Comanche engine bay.  The 4200 6 cylinders may also fit, this engine puts out about 270 hp with a very wide torque curve.  Should also be considerably lighter than the 4.0

 

I would expect this engine conversion to cost a considerable amount of effort, but with the entire Trailblazer to start with, you have all the parts.

[Korsch_RS]

From an electrical standpoint, I don't see this being any more difficult than a GM LS swap. If I were doing it I would get in touch with Wayne at 150tunes.com about reprogramming your ECM/TCM to work without the Trailblazers body control module and anti-theft systems. I think he uses hptuners when he does that stuff for LS swaps, and as far as I know it's compatible with almost all GM ECM's. He's in Spokane. Also, get yourself a subscription to alldatadiy.com to get all the electrical diagrams for the trailblazer the engine came out of. 

 

You'd have to fabricate custom motor mounts, and figure out the oil pan. My LS came out of a Trailblazer with a front sump with the differential mounted to the oil pan. I swapped for a rear sump pan from a Truck. Your best bet is probably to find a truck or something else the 4.2 came in that had a rear sump pan, and swap the pan and pickup over. The front sump won't clear the front axle with any reasonable suspension travel.

 

You can adapt the 4L60 to a jeep transfer case relatively easily with Novak parts, or use the stock GM t-case (which is probably electric shift). 

 

To be honest though, you're looking at more work than an LS swap for less power, considering the electrical work is essentially the same, but for the LS you can buy engine mounts off the shelf. Even if you only swap in a 5.3 (50hp more than the 4.2) at first, if that engine ever goes all you need to swap in a larger 6.0 LQ4 or LS2 or whatever is the engine and a new tune. And boosting the LS hp way above 325 will be easy and cheap compared to the 4.2. But if you're happy with 275hp, with the 4.2 should be possible...

[Wiggilez]

I never knew about a gm I6, I knew about the I5 though I also  remember someone saying that they had issues with their #3 cylinder but other then that they were decent engines. 

[Me&my86MJ]

Thank you guys so much for posting, lots of good info here already. Korsch_RS very good info, why this particular 4.2l instead of 5.3,6.0, or anything else, is well i already have all that i shold need minus motor mounts. Second we are also talking about a jeep comanche i am wanting to put it into, 273hp and 277tq sounds like well more than double my i4 at 123hp and 130tq (i believe). I have been looking for pictures of oil pan both with and with out alxes going through and found an 4x4 article about a tb turned rock crawler, sitting on 60s, the article didn't say much besides he crawls it with a hole in the pan (talking about old alxe through holes).

Thw dude not 100% sure how i would set up rear axle until i had it there, probably to keep it simple and cheap weld peaches for leafs uptop, making my jeep SOA.

Please guys keel the comments and info coming it much appreciated,thank you too and have a happy thanksgiving.