- May 28, 2014
- 839
I dont know if anyone else knows this and i didn't know exactly where to put it, but the other day i read about the 5.0L Trailblazer and had to know more so here is a list of everything i found if anyone would like to read it
"The Atlas program began in 1995 along with the planning for GM's next-generation mid-size SUVs and pickup trucks. These vehicles were designed around the I6 engine. The I6 version was used in a Baja 2000 racing truck, winning its first race in a class that also included V8 engines. Another I6-powered truck won the truck class at the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb." -Wiki
"The TrailBlazer features a computer-designed carbon-fiber body mounted on a tube frame chassis. It is powered by a race specific all-aluminum 5.0-liter I6 engine featuring dual overhead camshafts and a Hydra-Matic three speed automatic transmission. The Vortec I6 engine produces 600 horsepower at 7500 rpm and 450 lb-ft of torque at 6000 rpm."
-http://www.theautochannel.com/news/press/date/20000717/press020710.html
from what i can gather the engines were specially made by gm and herzog and some say roush designed it too.
I also found a link to a falconer i6 showing they had involvement as well
"This engine was originally designed by General Motors as a thoroughbred racing engine. Its purpose was to prove the reliability and power potential of their production in-line 6-cylinder engines used in various truck and SUV platforms. Dubbed the 'L6', this engine powered the winning trucks at Pike's Peak and in Off-Road desert racing. This engine shares no components with, and bares little resemblance to the production engine."
http://falconerengines.com/falconer_l6.php
incase reading that last bit made you sad to know that the engines that were raced had no resemblance to our i6 then buy one
falconer i6 goes for a base price of $45,000
im sure gm tested something that they used in the races for the final production engines since falconer says it was to prove their production i6. and in gm's vehicle information kit for the 02 TB it states
"a racing version of the powerful inline-six has won both the baja 500 and the Nevada 2000"
-so this engine (or parts of it) was used and tested somewhere in the race trucks but not directly since it says that the falconer engine that won those races had no resemblance to the production i6
if you want more pics of the truck and engine look here
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2024974513676.122040.1523401259&l=c8778989e4
also a short video to hear the engine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0j9wIXGOJnM
also it was a gmc envoy that raced in pikes peak
http://www.barrett-jackson.com/Archive/Event/Item/2004-GMC-ENVOY-RACE-TRUCK-72016
http://www.highperformancetrucks.com/forums/gallery2.php?g2_itemId=3307
but if that sucked reading that the unusual i6 in a suv wasn't actually torture tested in racing then read about the 4.2 trailblazer ss
"We were surprised to learn how little is changed to create this Bullitt Mustang-performance-equaling six, with its twin Aerodyne turbos and air-to-water intercooler. For example, the block, crank, head, head gasket, cams, and valve sizes remain virtually untouched. The extra breathing hardware adds but 45 lb to the engine's mass. The only critical mods were a switch to 8.5:1 pistons (from 10.1:1), the addition of piston-cooling oil squirters, shorter (by 2 mm) connecting rods, thicker piston pins, higher-flow oil pump and fuel injectors, and a freer-flowing exhaust system. As you'd expect, the 4L60-E four-speed transmission's internals required some beefing, and the transfer case was swapped for the ultra-tough all-wheel-drive unit found in the 6.0L V-8-powered Cadillac Escalade."
Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/future/concept_cars/112_0203_chevrolet_trailblazer_turbo/#ixzz3QBTcSZY7
and then in 06 the year the ss came out the i6 has a complete internal redesign including piston oil squirters that the prototype ss 4.2 engine had as well with a 10.1:1 compression ratio up by .1:1 that goes along with the internal redesign, so gm had great plans for this engine but it never came to be, the article above was posted in 2002 showing even more that gm had stocked what became 06 year engines ready for use in the ss so they were serious. im not shure why and will never know why they didn't since these engines don't have any aftermarket support other than a tune,($850 headers don't count) so power pushing add ons aren't here to show the strength of these engines
unfortunately the i5 gets more aftermarket support(sorry Colorado and canyon owners and h3 owners too) than the biggest engine in the Atlas family
https://gmheritagecenter.com/docs/gm-heritage-archive/vehicle-information-kits/Trailblazer/2002-Chevrolet-Trailblazer.pdf?zoom_highlight=trailblazer
"The Atlas program began in 1995 along with the planning for GM's next-generation mid-size SUVs and pickup trucks. These vehicles were designed around the I6 engine. The I6 version was used in a Baja 2000 racing truck, winning its first race in a class that also included V8 engines. Another I6-powered truck won the truck class at the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb." -Wiki
"The TrailBlazer features a computer-designed carbon-fiber body mounted on a tube frame chassis. It is powered by a race specific all-aluminum 5.0-liter I6 engine featuring dual overhead camshafts and a Hydra-Matic three speed automatic transmission. The Vortec I6 engine produces 600 horsepower at 7500 rpm and 450 lb-ft of torque at 6000 rpm."
-http://www.theautochannel.com/news/press/date/20000717/press020710.html
from what i can gather the engines were specially made by gm and herzog and some say roush designed it too.
I also found a link to a falconer i6 showing they had involvement as well
"This engine was originally designed by General Motors as a thoroughbred racing engine. Its purpose was to prove the reliability and power potential of their production in-line 6-cylinder engines used in various truck and SUV platforms. Dubbed the 'L6', this engine powered the winning trucks at Pike's Peak and in Off-Road desert racing. This engine shares no components with, and bares little resemblance to the production engine."
http://falconerengines.com/falconer_l6.php
incase reading that last bit made you sad to know that the engines that were raced had no resemblance to our i6 then buy one
falconer i6 goes for a base price of $45,000
im sure gm tested something that they used in the races for the final production engines since falconer says it was to prove their production i6. and in gm's vehicle information kit for the 02 TB it states
"a racing version of the powerful inline-six has won both the baja 500 and the Nevada 2000"
-so this engine (or parts of it) was used and tested somewhere in the race trucks but not directly since it says that the falconer engine that won those races had no resemblance to the production i6
if you want more pics of the truck and engine look here
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2024974513676.122040.1523401259&l=c8778989e4
also a short video to hear the engine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0j9wIXGOJnM
also it was a gmc envoy that raced in pikes peak
http://www.barrett-jackson.com/Archive/Event/Item/2004-GMC-ENVOY-RACE-TRUCK-72016
http://www.highperformancetrucks.com/forums/gallery2.php?g2_itemId=3307
but if that sucked reading that the unusual i6 in a suv wasn't actually torture tested in racing then read about the 4.2 trailblazer ss
"We were surprised to learn how little is changed to create this Bullitt Mustang-performance-equaling six, with its twin Aerodyne turbos and air-to-water intercooler. For example, the block, crank, head, head gasket, cams, and valve sizes remain virtually untouched. The extra breathing hardware adds but 45 lb to the engine's mass. The only critical mods were a switch to 8.5:1 pistons (from 10.1:1), the addition of piston-cooling oil squirters, shorter (by 2 mm) connecting rods, thicker piston pins, higher-flow oil pump and fuel injectors, and a freer-flowing exhaust system. As you'd expect, the 4L60-E four-speed transmission's internals required some beefing, and the transfer case was swapped for the ultra-tough all-wheel-drive unit found in the 6.0L V-8-powered Cadillac Escalade."
Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/future/concept_cars/112_0203_chevrolet_trailblazer_turbo/#ixzz3QBTcSZY7
and then in 06 the year the ss came out the i6 has a complete internal redesign including piston oil squirters that the prototype ss 4.2 engine had as well with a 10.1:1 compression ratio up by .1:1 that goes along with the internal redesign, so gm had great plans for this engine but it never came to be, the article above was posted in 2002 showing even more that gm had stocked what became 06 year engines ready for use in the ss so they were serious. im not shure why and will never know why they didn't since these engines don't have any aftermarket support other than a tune,($850 headers don't count) so power pushing add ons aren't here to show the strength of these engines
unfortunately the i5 gets more aftermarket support(sorry Colorado and canyon owners and h3 owners too) than the biggest engine in the Atlas family
https://gmheritagecenter.com/docs/gm-heritage-archive/vehicle-information-kits/Trailblazer/2002-Chevrolet-Trailblazer.pdf?zoom_highlight=trailblazer
