Engine replacement issues and fixes

billzie

Original poster
Member
Aug 20, 2012
86
Athens, OH
Update 11/3/17:
Another week passes with no luck finding an affordable 4.2 for my 06 EXT. so, I've been putting all my energy and limited funds into tryingtoget my 08 Taurus X back on the road, I have the donor trans out and Ive got the T-X ready to pull the eng/trans/K member and rec'd my Rock Auto order today. Now just need my body and the weather to cooperate with each other to get the rest of it done.
Honestly, as much of a pain it was removing the 4.2, a donor motor was my best and easier option for a reliable vehicle on the road. Sigh
Bill
 

mrrsm

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Oct 22, 2015
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If your intention is to continue to seek and find a reliable replacement GM 4.2L Engine... Give eBay a try. Most of them being offered will not pass muster if under $1,000 to $750 ... so don't limit your engine search to just the Trailblazer, as the Envoy and Ranier Engines will work just as well. What you want to find is a vehicle that was RUNNING right up until the SUV was disabled in an accident before being towed to a salvage yard and if possible, try to find one with less that 150,000 miles of wear and tear. If you contact and deal with the Vendors of Reliable Salvage Yards... you can often work out a Palette Drop Ship to your Driveway via Semi-Truck shipping for around $75.00 to $150.00 instead of having to deal with Railway Freight Depot pick up issues and problems.

Also, consider focusing on locating any of the two-wheel drive variants over the four wheel drive flavors... as they tend to suffer a greater amount of stress and damage from over-heating due to strenuous off road use and towing. The 2WD engines will still serve as a direct replacement once your 4WD hardware is bolted up to the replacement motor. If you luck out and find the right one... try to mount the motor on an engine stand first and replace any damaged seals and/or non-working components on it BEFORE installing the engine in the SUV with way too much haste. It would not do to find those seals or bolt-on components leaking or inoperative (Timing Chain Tensioner, Gerotor Oil Pump and Pick Up Tube, Thermostat, CPAS... etc.) just after firing the engine upon being installed and having to repair any or all of them ...after the fact.

Pre-Fill the Oil Filter using a Top Quality Synthetic Motor Oil (Mobil1, Royal Purple, Amsoil) once the engine is completely installed... and be certain to pull the Fuel Pump Relay in order to Oil Prime the R&R Swap Motor until you can see the Oil Pressure Gauge register as the internal engine Oil Galleries will almost certainly be Bone Dry. This will lessen the chance of harsh initial damage to a dormant engine once it starts after the FP Relay is re-installed and it fires up for the first time in your SUV.
 
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Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,262
Ottawa, ON
...Oil Prime the R&R Swap Motor until you can see the Oil Pressure Gauge register...

As all of us know, the oil pressure gauge is FAKE therefore it would not register anything as the pressure would be too low to activate the pressure switch, which is around 12psi.

That being said, all other recommendations are sound and are usual practice for anybody swapping in a used engine. Unfortunately, there is no way to know if the timing chain tensioner or CPAS are defective before installing and starting the engine. The tensioner is a low failure rate item, having only heard of 3 failures, including my own. You could replace it as a preventative measure but it's a bit of work to get to it however much easier with the engine out. The chain itself you can leave in there.
 

billzie

Original poster
Member
Aug 20, 2012
86
Athens, OH
Thanks for all that info, I appreciate anyinput. I have been around the block quite a few times and can shade-tree wrench as well as most I'd say.
I have been looking for the other 06-07 platform variants, just easier to say TB. And a 2wd find in a u pull JY would be great, so much easier to yank, I had a lead on one in the summer but was gone by the time I could get to it. And of course in JYs I look for low miles and obvious reasons the truck would be there like major accident damage. Unfortunately, local JY has a less than stellar reputation about truthful miles on engine
& trans they have pulled
And as for miles and that crap ass oil pressure gauge... mine had less than 140,000 mi, but iirc I mentioned my stupidity in lack of simple maintainence or even check the oil before I started driving it after someone else was driven my it to death for several months and a few days after I got it back it went and the gauge and light never gave any indication oil was the issue but when I checked and added and then drained it turns out to have only had 2-3 qts init when it was returned to me.
Shame on me x2.
My limiting issues have been my health (somewhat improving) and finances (worsening), haven't been able to work in 6 weeks and saving is about done for now, which is why I've been putting the effort and money into the 08 Taurus X awd (with donor 08 Sable awd here) because I need a reliable DD asap to get back to work in the next week or two or else bills won't get paid, ugh.
Bill
 

billzie

Original poster
Member
Aug 20, 2012
86
Athens, OH
Thanks, I've been searching car-part all along, same thing, most of the engines listed are $900-1500 and most are well over 125,000 miles with many nearing or over 200,000 miles.
I think it's ridiculous they are wanting these super high prices for these engines. And it's hard to accept the "market demand" argument as it seems there's many available but all over priced.
I'm trying to research rebuilding it at this point, the few articles here don't give me much confidence however. In- between working on the other car I'm going to tear into the TB eng and see if I can identify obvious mechanical failure and/ or viability of a rebuild.
Row 52 shows a 07 just set a few days ago about 90 miles from me. If I can't find someone able to Scout it out for me I'll head up there to see if its worthwhile to pull.
Good news is im just about done getting all the parts and misc stuff for the Taurus X and should get a lot of progress made through the weekend.
Bad news is I had a cardiac stress test last Friday and I didn't pass so I have to have a cardiac cath to see what heart vessels are affected.
Bill
 

billzie

Original poster
Member
Aug 20, 2012
86
Athens, OH
Thanks @m.mcmillen for the info.
I apologize, I've also sifted through the 5 pgs of @MRRSM $85k thread, and my brain is officially fried on 4.2, SO, I cant remember, do you have a simple list of work done (what shop), parts list, costs? Also, whereabouts are you located?
It's crazy in my area (rural SE Ohio), nearly all machine shops and JYs within 50 miles have closed over the last 10 years. Thank the auto repair gods that my alt/starter rebuilder saw the writing on the wall years ago and closed his in town shop and moved all his work to his home shop, he's still in business and still usually the best option for rebuilds.
Thanks for your help, Bill
 
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m.mcmillen

Member
Apr 29, 2016
554
Wisconsin
I don't really have a list. I will see if I can make one up sometime today or tomorrow. I bought most of the parts from rock auto. I think that the only parts that I bought from the dealer were the connecting rod bolts and the main bearing bolts.

I had a local automotive machine shop pressure test the cylinder head,do a valve job, and make sure that the machined surface of the head was flat. I also had him hone out the cylinders a bit.

The way that I found the machinist was by going by the local Napa store and asked the manager if he knew of a good place. The guy that did my machine work actually builds engine for the guys that race around here and he did an amazing job.

Some shops are not too crazy about working on overhead cam cylinder heads. If you find that to be the case, check out Clearwater Cylinder head. I have bought a lot of cylinder heads from them and I have never had any problems. They have a good warranty and free shipping.

Here is a link https://www.ebay.com/itm/GM-ENVOY-T...799300?hash=item33b3f969c4:g:gfwAAOSwzvlW8srL
 
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m.mcmillen

Member
Apr 29, 2016
554
Wisconsin
Here is a good start on the parts list.

Rock Auto:
CLOYES 90195S (9-0195S) Timing Set $ 154.79
FEL-PRO HS26214PT Cylinder Head Gasket / Head Gasket Set $ 119.79
FEL-PRO CS26213 Conversion (Lower) Gasket Set $ 33.79
FEL-PRO ES71334 Cylinder Head Bolt $ 49.79
MAHLE / CLEVITE MS2224AL Crankshaft Main Bearing
Size: Standard 130.79
MAHLE / CLEVITE CB1882A6 (CB-1882A(6)) Connecting Rod Bearing
Size: Standard $ 43.99
SEALED POWER H889CP Piston
Size: Standard $ 48.89 X6 $293.34
SEALED POWER E969K (E-969K) Piston Ring
Size: Standard $ 111.79

Local Dealership:
11569841 BOLT, CRANKSHAFT BEARING CAP $4.60 each and you will need 14 of these. Also, a note about these bolts. Dorman does sell a set of these but there are only 10 in the kit, I think. I bought the Dorman set not realizing this.

12552947 BOLT, CONN ROD you will need 12 of these.

If you decide to change the cam phaser (which I would highly recommend) you will need these. Just a note, you will need the two bolts listed below regardless.

19179010
ACTUATOR, CAMSHAFT POSITION $189.82

24100263
BOLT, CAMSHAFT POSITION ACTR $8.08

12565425
BOLT, CAMSHAFT SPROCKET $3.61
 
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billzie

Original poster
Member
Aug 20, 2012
86
Athens, OH
@m.mcmillen looks like about $1200 or so in parts , plus however much the machine shop will cost, plus incidentals ie fluids etc.
Oh boy, more than I thought I might be.
But I'm stuck because there are no affordable JY eng anywhere I can find, or any local at any price. Honestly, $1000 plus for a JY eng with >125,000 mi is nuts. I'm more focused on getting my Taurus-X back on the road as now that's where I think my $ and time is better spent, so I can get back to work (after my heart cath 11/29, and my daughter having surgery at children's hosp today).
Bill.
 

mrrsm

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Supporting Donor
Member
Oct 22, 2015
7,642
Tampa Bay Area
Have a look at these images of the other GM OEM Piston Sets from Mahle that will also work ...as long as you select the right flavor from what is available in STD, .010", .020" or .030" oversize sets consistent with your Machine Shop actions. Keep in mind that the Steel Cylinder Sleeves in this motor are only 1.5 MM thick...so the least amount of bore taken for clean up as necessary... the better. I picked this entire set of (6) with Wrist Pins and Cir-clips for around $66.00 on eBay awhile back.

Feel free to research all of the sub-albums on the left column as I have on my Photobucket account (60dgrzbelow0) as I have recorded the parts images and box ends with make-model and part numbers that cover almost everything on the GM 4.2L LL8 Engines:

http://s557.photobucket.com/user/60...RENGINEREPAIR/GMMAHLEOEMPISTONS?sort=3&page=1
 
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m.mcmillen

Member
Apr 29, 2016
554
Wisconsin
It is kind of expensive but it was much cheaper than buying a rebuilt one. The good thing about rebuilding is that you don't have to drop the full amount of money for the engine all at once. You can just kind of buy the parts as you get money/time to work on it.

There's also something else- When I did mine, I was not aware of the warranty that LKQ has on their engines. I changed an engine in a Malibu a while back and the LKQ engines come with an either 6 month or 1 year warranty. I can't remember for sure. I know you that you can pay a bit more and get a longer warranty. The plus side to their warranty was that if the engine needed to be replaced, it paid for the labor also. This worked out good for me since this was a since it was a job that I charged someone for. It covered both me, and the customer.

If there is an LKQ near you, they can get other engines shipped to you besides what they have locally. I just did a quick search and found that they have about 6 engines here all with 120,000 miles or less (the least was 105,000) all for about $735. If I had it to do again, I would probably have done the swap. I had fun rebuilding mine though.
 
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