What say you about the GM 5 cylinder?

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I'm Looking for opinions and any owner input about the 5 cylinder from GM. How is it in terms of power when mated to the 4 or 6 speed automatic transmission? Are there any issues or quirks with this motor? I'm trying to get back into a domestic as my next vehicle and would like an inline motor over a V-6. Thanks for any info.
 
I've heard good things about it in the Colorado. A friend has one and while I've never been in it, he says it's decent on power and gets good gas mileage. Seems like a good compromise between a 4 and 6 cylinder.
 
For the brief while my brother had a Colorado, I thought it had plenty of power. If I had the money to pick up another commute truck, that would probably be up there on the list. I still like their styling, although there weren't many manuals put out I don't believe...
 
I don't know much about the domestics offerings for an inline motor besides the 4 cylinders. The 5 cylinder is all there is I believe. I am looking at the GMC lineup.
 
I can't help you with the 5 cyl, but I have the 4 cyl version in my Colorado and it does get decent mileage. Worst has been 20, best 27 mpg. This time of year is gets low 20s. I guess that's from warm up time, winter fuel, cold air, etc. Haven't had any problems. Check out www.coloradofans.com.
 
I have a friend that has the 5 banger engine and has had no problems with it whatsoever. That thing gets up and goes too.
 
I've had two customers in past three. Months come to my shop and have had blown head gaskets. All low mileage 40 to 50k five cylinders. Both colorados. We pulled them in oil cap had white gunk A LOT of it. And after oil change everytime dipstick was pulled get that same gunk. Don't know if that's a coincidence but I won't ever get one of those after seeing that
 
Ugggg thats no good. Edit: I see they had blown head gaskets. Are these cast iron blocks and heads?
 
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The 4, and 5 cylinder used in the Colorado/Canyon are both variants of the 4.2L Inline 6 DOHC. They are the exact same engine, with literally 1 or 2 cylinders chopped off. There isn't really any difference between them except for that. But the 5 cylinder is supposed to be fairly decent.
 
Those are very isolated problems, probably abused.

It's a standard Iron block/aluminum head. And it runs out pretty good as long as you're not towing and such.
 
Originally Posted By: rudolphna
The 4, and 5 cylinder used in the Colorado/Canyon are both variants of the 4.2L Inline 6 DOHC. They are the exact same engine, with literally 1 or 2 cylinders chopped off. There isn't really any difference between them except for that. But the 5 cylinder is supposed to be fairly decent.


and an added harmonic balancer to compensate for the chopped of cylinders. The last 3.7 inline 5 I drove was in the h3 and in that case it felt like it could use a bit more torque down low. Though I must say at the time I was driving a gmc sierra with a 305 tbi. So that is what I was comparing it to.
 
Originally Posted By: wapacz
Originally Posted By: rudolphna
The 4, and 5 cylinder used in the Colorado/Canyon are both variants of the 4.2L Inline 6 DOHC. They are the exact same engine, with literally 1 or 2 cylinders chopped off. There isn't really any difference between them except for that. But the 5 cylinder is supposed to be fairly decent.


and an added harmonic balancer to compensate for the chopped of cylinders. The last 3.7 inline 5 I drove was in the h3 and in that case it felt like it could use a bit more torque down low. Though I must say at the time I was driving a gmc sierra with a 305 tbi. So that is what I was comparing it to.



Well, as I've heard, and recently experienced when I drove my neighbors 02 Envoy 4.2L, is that that engine family is not as strong with the low-end torque, as alot of v8s, and the AMC/Jeep 4.0L Inline 6 was.
 
Originally Posted By: Jeepster_nut
I'm Looking for opinions and any owner input about the 5 cylinder from GM. How is it in terms of power when mated to the 4 or 6 speed automatic transmission? Are there any issues or quirks with this motor? I'm trying to get back into a domestic as my next vehicle and would like an inline motor over a V-6. Thanks for any info.


Not impressed with that engine...stick with a V6 or V8 small block. They will take much more punishment and deliver about the same fuel economy. For some reason the 5 cylinder with less displacement doesn't get any better fuel economy. In the Hummer it is a real dog. Might be ok in the small body pickup.
 
Originally Posted By: Johnny
Does any domestic still make an inline other than the 5-cylinder from GM?


I assume you mean "...an inline other than the 5-cylinder from GM, not counting 4-bangers." Because there are scads of inline 4s out there...

:D

But no, I don't think any domestic makes another inline-anything-but-a-4 anymore.
 
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