Hello all. I have an 03 envoy in need of a motor. I got a used running 4.2 from a good junkyard near me. When it got delivered I noticed the harmonic balancer and flywheel are different than my old motor. The paper work I got says it was pulled from an 04 but if you run the vin on the same tag it says it's an 02. I looked on the head for a date but i cant find it anywhere on the motor.
Motor swap questions
- Thread starter Welderman8501
- Start date
Please visit the Link below to my "Flickr-Bucket" and observe the 2004 Motor I obtained ...showing the engine just as it appeared upon arrival from the Terminal Shippers on a Wood Pallet... "Un-Opened" in essentially the same condition as yours WOULD have been if it had been removed from a 2004 Vehicle.
Your Suspicions about the Donor Engine NOT being out of a 2004 Do You Credit. There are some Very Disturbing Artifacts present here that can prove that this motor Did NOT come out of any 2004 SUV based upon the following Observations:
(1) The Donor Engine displays the Old, Original Designs for the 2002 Engine Harmonic Balancer and Flex-Plate. THIS is what a "Factory Fresh 2002 GM Atlas LL8 4.2L Engine" Looks Like:
(2) The Flex-Plate and Harmonic Balancer Bolt on the Donor Motor show WAY too much Open Exposure to the Elements, due to the presence of RUST where there should be Little if Any Rust or Corrosion present. Look at the Flex-Plate on your Original Engine.... It remained HIDDEN and PROTECTED from the Elements inside of the Bell Housing for the Life of the Vehicle... and so BOTH of those Engine Flex-Plates should appear in about the Same Condition if the Donor Engine had in fact been Freshly Pulled from a Donor Vehicle. Look at the images of my 2004 and you'll have a second means of comparison of these same conditions:
www.flickr.com
(3) The Aluminum Fascia of the Front Timing Cover likewise show signs of Extreme Aluminum Oxidation from Long Term Environment Exposure to the Elements...in short... THAT Motor was probably pulled out of a Circa 2002 Trailblazer, Envoy or Bravada precisely because of Failed Internals...and has likely been sitting off somewhere in the Open in that same Junk Yard for more than 10 Years.
(4) Make One Phone Call to the Proprietor and explain that he will have to make a Full Refund for this Improper Sale of what he sold you AS ADVERTISED is THE WRONG ENGINE. If he balks at this idea... tell this Yo-Yo that if not... you'll be contacting the Local Better Business Bureau and if necessary... reporting this event as Grand Theft and an Act of Fraud to the Local Authorities (assuming that the Price you Paid for that 'Boat Anchor' was over $300.00 or whatever the amount is that elevates a Petit Theft from a Misdemeanor... to a Grand Theft Felony).
(5) Keep the Motor on the Pallet just as it had been loaded by them and DO NOT TOUCH IT. Make certain to do Screen Prints of ALL THE ORIGINAL ON SCREEN DATA ABOUT THE OFFER TO SELL YOU A 2004 ENGINE and Keep that printed information in a Folder for Future Reference.
(6) Take as Many images of the Donor Engine 'in situ' as you can, especially of the various places having the GM OEM VIN data and Engine Block Identification Numbers stamped into the margins of the metal. If and when you have to return to the Junkyard ... have a Friend attend with you and use a Cell Phone to Record Your Conversation at the Counter with the Proprietor. and Staff. It will make the point that you Really Mean BUSINESS about NOT Getting F****d Over!
(7) Demand a FULL Refund...and then Refuse to Do Business there involving allowing them to 'Trade" for another Engine... Do not agree to doing so or you will NOT have a Legal Leg to stand on. As soon as you can get those Yo-Yos to take back that Engine and once you have your Money Back... BAIL from that Yard ASAP. Then Start Fresh later and find a More Honest and Reliable Vendor... Like LQK... via eBay for example.
Here is a link to all of other GM LL8 4.2L Engine Image Albums. Look at the OTHER Sub-Albums posted on my "Flickr-Bucket" Main Albums Page and view the added Images of my 2002 Engine. Then you can make comparisons in appearance of what an OEM 2002 Engine looks like while still installed as well inside of my 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer. Pay particular attention to any images showing the Old Design and Shape of the 2002 Harmonic Balancer... if mine does NOT look EXACTLY like the one on that Damned Donor Motor from that "JUNK" Yard... I'll Eat My Flat-Hat:
www.flickr.com
Your Suspicions about the Donor Engine NOT being out of a 2004 Do You Credit. There are some Very Disturbing Artifacts present here that can prove that this motor Did NOT come out of any 2004 SUV based upon the following Observations:
(1) The Donor Engine displays the Old, Original Designs for the 2002 Engine Harmonic Balancer and Flex-Plate. THIS is what a "Factory Fresh 2002 GM Atlas LL8 4.2L Engine" Looks Like:
(2) The Flex-Plate and Harmonic Balancer Bolt on the Donor Motor show WAY too much Open Exposure to the Elements, due to the presence of RUST where there should be Little if Any Rust or Corrosion present. Look at the Flex-Plate on your Original Engine.... It remained HIDDEN and PROTECTED from the Elements inside of the Bell Housing for the Life of the Vehicle... and so BOTH of those Engine Flex-Plates should appear in about the Same Condition if the Donor Engine had in fact been Freshly Pulled from a Donor Vehicle. Look at the images of my 2004 and you'll have a second means of comparison of these same conditions:
GM_O4_42L_SWAP_ENGINE
This Album contains Images of a 2004 GM Atlas LL8 4.2L Engine that was originally being Swapped into a 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer LS Vehicle. In the end... a partial tear down revealed the need to completely rebuild this Motor. Those images of that work are being documented in other Albums.
www.flickr.com
(3) The Aluminum Fascia of the Front Timing Cover likewise show signs of Extreme Aluminum Oxidation from Long Term Environment Exposure to the Elements...in short... THAT Motor was probably pulled out of a Circa 2002 Trailblazer, Envoy or Bravada precisely because of Failed Internals...and has likely been sitting off somewhere in the Open in that same Junk Yard for more than 10 Years.
(4) Make One Phone Call to the Proprietor and explain that he will have to make a Full Refund for this Improper Sale of what he sold you AS ADVERTISED is THE WRONG ENGINE. If he balks at this idea... tell this Yo-Yo that if not... you'll be contacting the Local Better Business Bureau and if necessary... reporting this event as Grand Theft and an Act of Fraud to the Local Authorities (assuming that the Price you Paid for that 'Boat Anchor' was over $300.00 or whatever the amount is that elevates a Petit Theft from a Misdemeanor... to a Grand Theft Felony).
(5) Keep the Motor on the Pallet just as it had been loaded by them and DO NOT TOUCH IT. Make certain to do Screen Prints of ALL THE ORIGINAL ON SCREEN DATA ABOUT THE OFFER TO SELL YOU A 2004 ENGINE and Keep that printed information in a Folder for Future Reference.
(6) Take as Many images of the Donor Engine 'in situ' as you can, especially of the various places having the GM OEM VIN data and Engine Block Identification Numbers stamped into the margins of the metal. If and when you have to return to the Junkyard ... have a Friend attend with you and use a Cell Phone to Record Your Conversation at the Counter with the Proprietor. and Staff. It will make the point that you Really Mean BUSINESS about NOT Getting F****d Over!
(7) Demand a FULL Refund...and then Refuse to Do Business there involving allowing them to 'Trade" for another Engine... Do not agree to doing so or you will NOT have a Legal Leg to stand on. As soon as you can get those Yo-Yos to take back that Engine and once you have your Money Back... BAIL from that Yard ASAP. Then Start Fresh later and find a More Honest and Reliable Vendor... Like LQK... via eBay for example.
Here is a link to all of other GM LL8 4.2L Engine Image Albums. Look at the OTHER Sub-Albums posted on my "Flickr-Bucket" Main Albums Page and view the added Images of my 2002 Engine. Then you can make comparisons in appearance of what an OEM 2002 Engine looks like while still installed as well inside of my 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer. Pay particular attention to any images showing the Old Design and Shape of the 2002 Harmonic Balancer... if mine does NOT look EXACTLY like the one on that Damned Donor Motor from that "JUNK" Yard... I'll Eat My Flat-Hat:
Mr. RSM Mr. RSM’s albums | Flickr
www.flickr.com
Last edited:
Mooseman
Moderator
Yep, that definitely is an early production '02. Later that same year, they went with the newer style balancer like on your original motor. They do not interchange if ever you need to replace it so the proper parts would be required like the seal.
That being said, it would work in your '03. However, some of those very early motors had an issue with the cylinder sleeves falling out. Unless that one has extremely low mileage (which I doubt), that shouldn't be a problem. And seeing it's from an '02, it has been misrepresented as an '04 and thus, may have more mileage than a later motor would.
That being said, it would work in your '03. However, some of those very early motors had an issue with the cylinder sleeves falling out. Unless that one has extremely low mileage (which I doubt), that shouldn't be a problem. And seeing it's from an '02, it has been misrepresented as an '04 and thus, may have more mileage than a later motor would.
So it should work as is. Or do I need to swap balancer and flex plate. It's for a friend he got the motor and wants me to install it. I just want to make sure it works
Thank you for your help
Thank you for your help
Mooseman
Moderator