Blown Colorado 3.7 Atlas 5 Cylinder Engine Teardown. You Asked, Fan Delivered! Solved a Mystery Too

[@melvingibson4525]

This is one of the few channels that hasn't devolved into "influencer" style crap. We like that it's authentic

[@I_Do_Cars]

Please, check me if I head that way. Please.

[@LU-D1GITAL]

This show has BDE

[@InsideOfMyOwnMind]

He just needs some "merch" and some earbud sponsorships and he's good to go 🤣😂

[@LU-D1GITAL]

@@InsideOfMyOwnMind raycons!! Lmao it has the word con in it… hmmm red flag

[@module79l28]

Hahaha, I like that you used "devolved" instead of "evolved" to describe the "influencers". 😀

[@adamf663]

Theory for the found socket: oil pan was removed to get a new gasket, and the mechanic somehow dropped the socket in the pan and reinstalled it, later discovering that yet another 10mm had flown the coop.

[@Prestiged_peck]

I mildly suspect the 10mm had something to do with the connecting rod becoming a disconnecting rod

[@timlee4204]

@@Prestiged_peck No no, the tool didn't have a mark on it.

[@Jjones81974]

It looked bent to me.

[@bimmjim]

Every 19 months, they grow legs and run away.

[@DirtyDuramax]

I think he left it in the pan so he wouldn’t forget it and put the pan up and bolts in by hand and then went ballistic trying to find it until he went back to his box and grabbed a different one

[@tarungonneea4614]

Finding the ten mill in the oil pan was like striking gold!

[@mysock351C]

You go to the yard, thought you got a runner. But then you see this. 😭 Then. Only then do you find the 10mm socket, and know that it's all gonna be ok. 😌

[@monkehbitch]

Could be worse - an 8 ball? #skidfactory

[@logansmokes.2762]

I have had like 5 10mils and I’ve lost them all

[@cayman9873]

@@logansmokes.2762 five... thats nothing . Bet I have had a dozen. Stolen , lost , portal to another place , dont know . I try to keep them all together

[@douglassteiskal9097]

@@logansmokes.2762 good

[@calebchristensen2047]

I think my favorite part of the channel is the way Eric has that same car-guy curiosity we all have/had. That ‘I dunno how this comes apart but I’m just gonna smash it till it does’ mentality is awesome.

[@billsibert7922]

The 10mm came free with the truck, you may do as you please with it. Trophy shelf? Lol the girls and I enjoyed the teardown as always.

[@davidb6576]

Thanks for supplying the cadaver, Bill!

[@lm-usmc]

You're a rock star Bill. Thank you for the donation.

[@cainadkins3985]

Make him rebuild it to be a 1000 hp atlas bill, you got this lol

[@billsibert7922]

You all are very welcome. The 3.7 had to come out anyway and I couldn't think of a better way to send it to the engine afterlife.

[@DerPapierfliegernarr]

I wonder what the original owner of the truck might think when he sees this video. Probably something along the line of "so that's where my 10 mil socket went. And that's why the engine was acting up after that one service..."

[@Justin-zv4cm]

"A little knock," similar to that of a breaching team in a hostage situation. Awesome content!

[@lungshenli]

yeah. like "oh she rides smooth! a bit like athmosperic re-entry".

[@markjohnson1814]

I recommended your channel to Custom Complete Automotive in Columbia, MO because they were looking for some Hyundai parts unfortunately you did not have them in stock, but he looked at some of your videos and they do a lot of LS work. His exact quote was "I looked at one of the tare downs and he pulled a cam shaft looked it over and it had a defect that most salvaged yards would just ship and he just threw it away, I am going to order parts from that guy for sure" just saying.....

[@brynnond.6952]

Is custom complete any good, they’re local to me but haven’t heard much about them

[@markjohnson1814]

@@brynnond.6952 They do good work, I wish there shop rate was a little cheaper, but I am a landlord and when work vehicles break I have to be back on the road quickly and they make that happen. I only use the one on Providence give Ben a call.

[@jodep2403]

And the end, i wish you show what you could resell. Maybe what they are worth.

[@grassy-qb6qc]

My mechanic said if you want to make these engines last a long time you have got to keep the oil changed. They have little oil passage ways and they will sludge up. My 2006 Colorado has 140 thousand miles and it runs great "knock on wood".

[@wymple09]

The VVT is the culprit. It gets dirty from lack of oil changes & starves the lower end. It's an easy fix and only 20 bucks. Change it for peace of mind. One of the toughest engines ever built, I love my 4.2 version.

[@robynayscue9024]

“Sad Engine Saturday” is my favorite day of the week. (No, seriously, I live for these tear down videos!)

[@westreadwell9675]

Same here. I just got notice this video went up and I couldn’t click fast enough!

[@anthonybertone2336]

Me too I just been a long week I’ve been waiting for Saturday

[@mattr7274]

Mine too.

[@f688xt6]

This name is gold.

[@who-gives-a-toss_Bear]

It's sure is sad!

[@chuckdargy5031]

Retired GM Powertrain Engineer here. this truck was one of my projects. I was electrical, so never saw the interior of this engine. On a development ride, I shared time in the truck with the Chief engineer for this engine, well actually all 3, the 4, 5, and 6 cylinder versions. He told me the I5 was more powerful than any V6 on the market. On the day this truck was released to the public in Model Year 2004. I took a few minutes at lunch, and searched all the v6 mid size trucks on the market. Sure enough, the I5 had more horsepower than any other V6 midsize truck. The Nissan had a few pounds more torque that the I5, like maybe 5 or 10 lbs. But the I5 beat that same engine in HP.

[@RadDadisRad]

The 5 cylinder is completely underrated. Absolutely a monster of a motor.

[@harrywalker5836]

thats because gm cant build engines,,they go to isuzu.. like the 6.6 duramax.. gm sell junk..

[@a.m.doesit9347]

yup just sold my 2007 colorado with a 3.7 with 214k miles had it for 12yrs never had any major problems and was still running strong

[@darkblaze176]

You anit lyin. I have the 05 Canyon and it Breaks Traction fairly easy.

[@HE-162]

Straight 5s and 6s are wildly overlooked.

[@doctwiggenberry5324]

Bet you didn't get the 10mm socket in your oil pan.

[@kevinmartin9432]

I used to be a breakdown mechanic, and often got "loss of power" jobs on the motorway, sometimes you could see the signs of engine carnage several hundred yards before the broken down vehicle, asking when they last checked the oil was often met with a blank look.

[@Me-zo8yc]

"Don't they do that at the MOT?"

[@davidhickenbottom6574]

Oil all over the road and or antifreeze plus parts .

[@Turboboob]

😂 yup, seen that a few times.

[@duanequam7709]

Thanks to who ever brought this engine to you. I have one in a really high mileage 08 H-3 X Hummer. It has been amazing. It uses no oil and gets 20 mpg. I really enjoyed this one especially.

[@roderickroderick7216]

If you read them all, that means you will be reading this too. Love the content. Keep the VW's coming.

[@jimsvideos7201]

Good on Bill for bringing it by.

[@BryceMR2SW20]

G'day from Australia! Recently injured my back doing what I love, so I'm getting my car fix from the tear down videos you do. Been 3 weeks out of my workshop now, so I'd be going crazy without them. Absolutely love the top quality content. And love the fan base doing their bit too, thanks Bill for today's core!! Cheers Eric! 👌🏼

[@TheClampettmobile]

I AM IMPRESSED! You loosen bolts exactly like the proper tightening sequences,- even on obviously DEAD engines. That's the sign of a truly skilled mechanic who has excellent engine habits. Well done!

[@philipbearly6620]

So great to notice this teardown. I have a 4.2 l. Inline 6 from an Envoy 2wd in my 1958 GMC pickup. It even fit in the firewall bump. I have heard other commentaries say that the Atlas series engines are in the top 10 for good engines. Your teardown shows it's quality and your skills in diagnosing "inspection ports". Great video.

[@PureCountryof91]

The 4.2 is not a good engine. Most barely see 150k miles before this exact situation

[@warriorplutotrent3827]

​@@PureCountryof91 you're a lie. The 4.2 is great. I've owned three envoy and all made it past 200k. I drove the piss out of them and the only thing done was spark plugs and water pump. Now the year 2002 has an defect from the factory. Those might not make it past 150k but I seen a lot that did. 2003+ had no issues whatsoever.

[@PureCountryof91]

@@warriorplutotrent3827 cool. Every single 4.2 I personally know of has tossed rod 3 and, or rod 4. At about oh, 120k miles or less. Did you get a decent one? Do maintenance as scheduled? Great. But most I see are rotting in the shit heap of a vehicle they came in.

[@joshcrd7925]

@@PureCountryof91 no, no. the 4.2 is actually a very good motor. i know of a dozen with over 200k, and a handful over 300k. the vehicles they are in are not worthy of the powerplant. there are people that turbo these and reliably put out over 500 horse at the crank. Why wouldnt someone do maintenance as scheduled. Oil is cheap, engines are not

[@jayrenner211]

Absolute Beasts of an engine - the i6, i5 and i4 series. Cast aluminum top to bottom. Replaceable iron piston sleeves. The head bolts are not meant to be reused as most break on purpose during removal. All years had VVT on the exhaust only. On my 4X4 Envoy, the front drive shafts go through the oil pan!

[@joeblow5037]

I have the (original) 6 cyl version of this engine. The 4.2. Bought it new in 2002. Just passed 240k last Tuesday. Still a gem. Thank you Mobil One :-)

[@voidisyinyangvoidisyinyang885]

I'm about to switch to full synthetic now also - at 272K on an I6 TB.

[@johnmoore8599]

It wasn't a total loss. You got a new socket. Thanks for the entertainment!

[@davinlaroche3029]

Actually, the hole at the top of the rod is for wrist pin lubrication. The hole in the crank end of the rod comes out the side of the rod, and as the oil galley in the crank passes over the hole, it squirts oil onto the cylinder wall to help with lubrication. Most engines that call for piston dome cooling have squirters bolted to the block near the cylinder bore pointing straight up towards the piston.

[@Donald_Shaw]

Don't know why, but I really enjoy you tearing apart an engine. I'm always fascinated by how things are put together and how they come apart. You always post an interesting video. Thanks for your videos.

[@martysherrygriggs8136]

I had a 2004 Colorado with this engine. I put 262000 miles on it. 5000 mile oil changes. Never leaked or burned oil. Replaced thermostat once. Throttle body twice. Spark plugs twice and 2 belts. Very dependable and ran good when I sold it.

[@dro3m]

2004-2007 had the 3.5 which had head problems. They usually show up before 100k miles, or you get lucky, and it never happens. So chances are yours is fine.

[@tatanzro384]

What are the symptms

[@rayshutsa6690]

The oil pan is a new place to store your tools at least they won't rust. Thank you Bill for giving the channel the engine. ❤

[@emanuellandeholm5657]

Man, I've been binging your teardowns for three days straight. I'm not a car guy by any means. I guess I just like watching people who are really good at doing what they do, do what they do. That and the carnage. :D

[@proehm]

"The head bolts tend to be tight, but we have the tools."- Both Wheel Loaders are sitting in the parking lot. (Since I have a motorhome with an ISB, I really enjoyed seeing the inside of the 6.7)

[@kristensorensen2219]

It's 11:55pm and now I can sleep. This was deeply relaxing and I love your tear downs!!🎉

[@andrewbraswell7251]

He got very lucky with those head bolts I broke 11 of 14 in my engine rebuild 4.2 atlas 07

[@WorkableWax]

I strike the head bolts of engines that are known for that, put the socket on hammer it real good, and then break it free

[@steveoeg6]

Seriously dying over… “Is that where all the 10’s go?!” Every single mechanic can relate to this statement 😂

[@kevin9c1]

Self-impacting head bolts. Very innovative.

[@ianmacpherson2409]

A customer brought his 52 Ford convertible to use and it sounded like nothing we ever heard before. The lifters were clacking away like mad. One of the lads had heard that a quart of ATF put in and let the car idlle. By and 1/2 the lifters stoped clacking. Soon the engine quieted was puring. Out the oil change rack. The oil was as black as night. But what a superb treatment. Cheers

[@jeffcampbell6898]

bTW thank you for showing that 4.7 Toyota engine torn down. I have a Tundra with the same engine that has over 200.000 miles on it with the original timing belt. I decided to change it and the belt was paper thin it was so worn and I changed it and everything that came with the kit. and I think you may have saved me a couple of Grand on a new engine.

[@davidszakacs6888]

I had an ‘05 Colorado with this engine. Loved it. Plenty of power and good on gas.

[@trevster614]

I love the odd-numbered cylinder engines. Such unique exhaust notes! Next up you should go small... Very SMOL. See if you can get your hands on a 1L 3Cyl ecoboost!

[@jamesgeorge4874]

Especially above 4000 rpm.

[@rtechlab6254]

The words you want are "scream like a banshee" from a tuned Audi i5 owner ;)

[@budgreen4x4]

he did a 13b from an rx8 at 1.3l it doesnt get much more SMOL

[@sparkie5571]

@@rtechlab6254 i love them more than anything

[@bricefleckenstein9666]

@@budgreen4x4 Honda 600? Don't get much smaller than that - if any still exist outside of a museum.

[@YouvBeenThumped]

Every Atlas 4&5 banger I worked on had the vvt and I used to be a specialist on them. Had a contract for a fleet of them. And many many many timing sets. I got them down from 20+hours to I could do a timing set a day. My boss made me hourly shortly after I was clocking 60+ hours weekly. Fun Fact... The oil pan on these Atlas engines actually have a secondary set of bolt holes used to pry the pan from the engine with said oil pan bolts. Cause that AC Delco Grey silicone ain't a joke. And is used everywhere on these engines.. Edit.. I also used the starter motor to break the crank bolt lose on them. Just stick the breaker bar to the frame and ask a friend to crank it. Keep face and valued body parts out the way.

[@howardskinner4916]

Thanks for tearing the I-5 down - I drive one of those ('08, 60K miles) and I'm going to change the oil! Several things about the design of the engine impressed me - the skirted block, the girdle on the mains, balance shafts, and of course the four valve head. Nice to see the inside of the engine!

[@adotintheshark4848]

its only drawback is it's a 5..imperfect balance so it needs the balance shafts. Otherwise, good motor.

[@thebleeb1681]

I had a 2006. It had the same type of demise that this engine had, at 116K miles. Literally blew up.

[@mrmongo6722]

I've been wanting to see a five cylinder Colorado tear down. I had 04 that I bought brand new off of the lot. I never had any serious engine issues other than the number three spark plug hole threads. I ran tap into that hole and that problem was solved. I had 185000 plus miles on it when I sold it because of a transmission problem but the guy I sold it to had it rebuilt and it is still on the road with well over 200k miles and still running.

[@AToolWithTools]

Atlas did have VVT from the very beginning, always on the exhaust side only. It was GM's first go at VVT and it paid off with an impressively flat torque curve across most of the operating range, the I6s were pulling monsters in that regard. Dirty intake ports were standard uhhh "feature" on them due to the PCV design.

[@Oddman1980]

I was always impressed at what my 2.9 Atlas could manage.

[@ryptidedcg8235]

As a 4.3 owner i understand the dirty intake feature all too much

[@trentdaddydolla647]

And loose intake manifold bolts

[@voidisyinyangvoidisyinyang885]

Just sprayed acetone down the PCV hose about six months ago. hahaha. I think my MPG went up from that also.

[@gregglynn3763]

Love your commentary!! Anybody that has worked on or still works on engines understand and get the comic relief from it!!

[@hondafrk]

I’d like to see a Suzuki Samurai teardown, just to marvel at how tiny everything is lol Thanks Bill!

[@toddaustin2760]

I learned a lot about my engine by watching this as I am a colorado owner as well with this same engine. Thank you for this video. Ofcourse I don't work on engines but its nice to see tear downs like this. Nice video quality and thanks again!

[@thomasfletcher4765]

It's crispy inside ( tells you it's well done ) . Thanks Bill for this week's teardown video !

[@paulholm4827]

I always enjoy your teardown and your sense of hummer and also the addition sounds of things moving around in the engines. The only Atlas that I was familiar with were really big diesels in boats where if you wanted to go into reverse you had to shut down engine and shift the cams and then restart the engine, I loved those old engines. It is a good use of tome on your channel.

[@EATSLEEPDRIVE2002]

Always so excited when a new teardown video pops up!

[@voidisyinyangvoidisyinyang885]

best teardown ever and this is the first one I've ever seen! I feel honored. Especially since I drive the Atlas I6. Best Teardown of an Atlas I've ever seen for sure. Awesome.

[@wymple09]

One of the finest engines ever built....just change the damn oil & they are indestructible.

[@45AMT]

Wow! Thanks Bill! I like the Atlases. Thanks Eric for tearing this one down! Great video!

[@BrightStar3862]

You produce excellent videos. They are sharp, clear and friendly to the eyes. Finally, excellent commentary. Thank you, Theo.

[@mphilleo]

Hey, thanks for the donation, Bill! I'm still interested in seeing a 3.6 Pentastar even though I already replaced the rocker arms and lifters on mine. 😅 By the way, all your videos gave me enough familiarity with engine tear downs to take the dive and do it myself! 👍

[@4BillC]

I used to have an 05 Canyon with the 3.5. When I got rid of it there was almost 240K miles and it ran great! The frame had holes in it but that was it.

[@R1NR4N]

I'm not addicted, I can quit anytime... Personally I'd really like to see the Suzuki 2.5l /2.7l V6 from the Grand Vitara. They're known for bad timing chain tensioners. Edit: Bill is MVP

[@damonfleming3952]

My grandmother bought one new in 2001 I think, has about 300k on it now. Very well maintained but is showing its age now. they must use very good metal or have good corrosion protection because it still just has surface rust after all these years.

[@damonfleming3952]

Meant to also say she’s had no major issues other than a radiator, but that was from clipping a deer. Didn’t even damage it much just pushed the headlight in a little and busted the radiator. Nothing but good things from me about Suzuki.

[@harrywalker5836]

why would you buy a sukuki. still the best engine is the 351c. chev, only just came to that std. but,still have problems. cam,lifters.. cant beat old skool..or cubes..

[@damonfleming3952]

@@harrywalker5836 ok boomer

[@buddyherring9586]

THEM DEER CLIBBINS WILL GET YA

[@quagmiredavis4117]

That fram oil filter was part of oil starving when filter Media comes apart and stops up oil system

[@gtpanoz]

I was cringing the entire time when the head bolts was getting broken loose, good god the sounds. Will love to hear a update about the oil pan gift in the coming days.

[@jfan4reva]

Even worse when you're holding the breaker bar in your own hands....

[@mikeford963]

Now imagine pushing down to break them loose instead of using your legs and lifting from the side?

[@Anubis78250]

@@mikeford963 Gravity. It does look pretty funny using a five foot long breaker. I'm surprised I never see him snap any bolts with it though. I've snapped bolts, broken sockets, and twisted one inch extensions while removing head bolts with just a twelve inch.

[@mikeford963]

@@Anubis78250 Gravity, 😁😁😁, makes me think of another channel!!

[@LawpickingLocksmith]

Kudos to Atlas: The engine that still keeps on giving long after its death. From head to crank, a spare 10mil socket and extension, we got it all. My first car, a Corolla had a conrod fail and punch a hole in the block whilst going downhill on a freeway. Prior to that it used some 1.5l of oil every 100km! No battery tools back in 1980. Nowadays lawnmowers are sold bearing free and still punch holes in the block.

[@YoshiRocks2244]

I was hoping to see a teardown of one of these engines. My first vehicle, a 2010 Chevrolet Colorado with this engine, and was always wondering how these work. Glad you made this video. I've learned alot from this.

[@woodstream6137]

This type of work is above my pay grade but it was hilarious finding that tool in the drain pan.

[@cflwhat]

I'd love to see the Yamaha V8 that came in some volvos a while back or a N52 from the E90, mostly because I have one and it seems like a beastly inline 6 as a block. But to be honest I don't really care what engine it is, absolutely love your videos! keep em coming!

[@JJsGA]

Ohhh especially the one in the Gen 2 Taurus SHO!

[@RadDadisRad]

@@JJsGA Gen 3*

[@JJsGA]

@@RadDadisRad yeah that one

[@sirfartsalot1328]

@@JJsGA came here to say this lol

[@frjhracing]

B8444S were in the xc90 and S80. The noble m600 came with a twin turbo variant. There's a marine outboard variant to. Im using one of these for a swap with all the AWD stuff from an xc90. The most common issue is the balance shafts, which were fixed-ish after late 06/07. They would get water or trash leaking down from the manifold (like washing the engine) and cook the bearings on the balance shaft. Very cool and compact NA V8 with 300hp. CHEAP from salvage too. If my first swap goes good. I kinda want to design a custom bellhousing for a rwd application. They sound kinda cool too with the 60d bank angle

[@fookgoogle9269]

You tube hates my comments . I love your channel and I love seeing how things are taken apart . As a gear noob I suck at making things work but I just like to see the inner workings of all the different kinds of motors out there . I can’t get one to work but that ok

[@joeygaskets7590]

Auto tech here, I took apart a 2.9L 4 cylinder Atlas engine a few years ago. (Chain loose, bent valves) And the head bolts were SUPER tight like these, and I’ve heard of threads stripping out of the head sometimes. And also the crank pully bolt was SUPER tight on mine too. I held the back of the crank with 2 flywheel bolts and a bar. Ended up bending the two bolts and had to buy more..

[@clevelandrocksdzd]

How many miles until you got a loose chain?

[@jamesrobinson9176]

Thanks to Bill. ☺

[@justsumguy2u]

Unfortunately I had to watch this the next night, didn't have time last night. I've never seen one of these torn down before, and I was totally shocked by how Japanese it looked. Usually GM engines look like something that was engineered in a shed, but this one actually looked....dare I say it.....well engineered.

[@Brojack69]

It's an Izusu motor

[@justsumguy2u]

@@Brojack69 Ahh, well that would explain it---I knew it was too well-designed for GM lol

[@mattwest4346]

I have the 3.7L I5. Chevrolet has an oil change notification on the dashboard, so oil change maintenance is very easy. 195000 miles and still the best ship in my family fleet.

[@frankmoreau8847]

That engine is just a tiny bit more complex than the last engine I tore apart, a 1965 Olds 330. I enjoy your videos and look forward to watching you tear one down every week. I find the engineering of modern engines to be fascinating. Your humor is just icing on the cake.

[@wymple09]

That 330 Olds was a marvelous V8.

[@johnelliott7375]

I don't know what or who would say that you don't but I can say personally that you have replied everytime I comment. I love watching how people mistreat their equipment and the lack of maintenance kills me but in today's society everything is about the going into debt and not having to save for nothing. This has created a great business for the automobile industry until they shut of our domestic gas. I will sit back and enjoy your show. Have a great upcoming week. Thanks for sharing your work with us. I will be sharing away.

[@JackS425]

I have wanted to see this teardown forever! My dad had a 3.7 Colorado and i used to have a 4.2 Trailblazer and they were both awesome engines mated to literally the worst tuned transmission I could imagine. Neither burned oil or used coolant which is much more than I can say about my OM642 GL.

[@SGTJDerek]

Not so much bad Transmissions as a bad tune from the get go.

[@voidisyinyangvoidisyinyang885]

Just had a Remanufactured Transmission put in at 272K - that's what they're rated for. So I did ok but I got the engine running really smoothly and I was over 5K rpm too much. haha.

[@dougsjca]

Thanks for the teardown, I have the i6 of this engine. 188k miles. Runs like the day it was new, thanks for the view.

[@VitoVeccia]

When I used to work at the dealer, there was a time period when the cylinder heads tore up the valve seats at 3,000 miles. They came out with a revised head for it. Head bolts used to snap a lot. If you grabbed the sharp part of the broken bolt with a pencil eraser, most of the time you could walk the bolt out. I found out the hard way, that If you torque it by the book , the head gasket would start leaking immediately. Turns out, if you crank the fuck out of the bolts until they couldn't turn anymore, you would be fine. Granted, we would snap new head bolts doing that sometimes, but when that happened, we would take everything back off, and start over again. And after timing the chain on it, we would hit the chain with a breaker bar, to ratchet the tensioner out. Because sometimes on startup, the initial oil pressure on startup would jump the timing. And that would set off a timing code. But since it's a B code, it would only turn on after a few key cycles. So the light would stay off until the customer got in the vehicle. Fun times.

[@voidisyinyangvoidisyinyang885]

that explains a lot on these head bolts ! thanks

[@markcollins457]

I'm glad to see an inline engine other than a 4cyl. I've always liked in 6's and Audi and was best known for the 5cyl. Now that Chrysler is getting back in the I6 business these engines are smooth. And the 5cyl has a cool exhaust note.

[@wafflesnfalafel1]

wow - awesome vid sir. I was looking forward to one of those GM inline 5s, but the secret/magic 10m? Awesome.

[@martinschulz9381]

Back in the day worked a job where I took apart core engines to be rebuilt, and I could always tell the difference between well and poorly maintained engines. Damage from neglected cooling system flushes was very common. Well maintained engines were clean and shinny on the inside. Fun to watch video...tool in the oil pan sealed the deal.

[@jamesgeorge4874]

The factory engine calibration on these is very mild. GM has very conservtive timing and fuel mapping to help keep them alive. Also, all generations of the Atlas feature VVT on the exhaust only, as it reduced the emissions without the addition of an EGR valve (on non California models) . Great vid by the way, everyone's focus is on the 6 cylinder, the 4 and 5 don't get the love.

[@dagreat201]

I have a 4 cyl Atlas in my Colorado, 180k miles strong, great engine to work on, when I was young we had a trailblazer with the 6 cyl atlas, great motor too. Today I really love working on mine, and never had an issue so far.

[@MightyWhiteofYou]

I see 500k subs for you eventually. Hopefully you get well paid for these. I’m working my way through your old videos. Btw I drive an Aspen Hemi with 250k on it. I rebuilt it at 120k. It has mds. Zero damage and I reused all the hard parts including the rollers. Highly recommend. Easiest tear down and rebuild ever.

[@khuey]

Good stuff. Would have been interesting to open up the oil filter too on an engine like this that has clearly had a lot of sparkles run through it.

[@undeadmonkey9122]

My old 08 Colorado with the I5 had the VVT. Great little engine. Traded it in last year for a new Silverado with the 6.2L. Glad your doing one of these now.

[@williamloughrie2480]

I had a 2008 3.7 and it spun a balance shaft bearing @ 179,000. I deleted the balance shafts and had a cam bearings installed in both balance shaft ports and engine is still going 5 years later and over 210,000. It's a tough engine to kill.

[@theflaxxensaxxentake1874]

i have an 08 3.7 at 226k miles. only issue this past year is p301 cylinder 1 misfire intermittent. considering a rebuild.

[@jedibusiness789]

Check cracks in exhaust manifold

[@shanehanson3339]

Is it just me or does the popping sound tight bolts make send a shiver down your spine??

[@Cynsham]

Eric here I sit at work on my Saturdays and I always watch your engine teardowns. Thank you for the content and giving me a gift every week. 😎 Edit: I burst out laughing when you said that the socket found in the OIL PAN was a 10mm.

[@mattt198654321]

Hey, get back to work ya slacker!

[@badgasser]

love your motor forensic show, i to love pulling motors apart, just pulled out a 5.7 and tranny out of a 02 express van this week 369,500 miles on odometer, pulled the intake off to pull motor out and found white silicone at the front and back i've never seen wh. silicone ever except for house hold use i could be wrong, but the wh. silicone was in pieces. there are many places where it was leaking oil, nasty dirty motor. i am 70 years old and have been trying to get in love with LS motors but every one i worked on and pulled out convinces me to stick with the best of the small blocks stick with what i know best, old school simplicity. i will finish the internal inspection of this motor and rebuild if good, carb it slap some aftermarket pro.parts on it and put it in one of my old cars or trucks with the 4L80E tranny. i did put my 46 int. PU truck on a 02 avalanche frame and running gear. your comment please

[@Sam_Saraguy]

It's gotten to the point where Saturday would not be complete without a teardown. I'd be interested to see a teardown of a Duratec 3.0L V6 from Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute 2001 - 2007 if you should come across one that's been cooked.

[@Dr.Westside]

Those duratec 3 liters were amazing engines they didn't have a whole lot of power but if you just change the oil they lasted forever .

[@Sprier]

Love the 3l, had one in my 04 Mazda 6 5spd and 05 escape. VVT really showed in the 6

[@Wagonman5900]

@@Sprier I had an '04 6 like that too. That was a fun car.

[@Sprier]

@@Wagonman5900 Hell yeah, I swear 5500rpm she woke up for that final 1250 before limit! That was my first car 9 years ago, now lucky enough to own a clean low mile 2006 Mazdaspeed6. Mazda gang!

[@Wagonman5900]

@@Sprier The highest I ever got with mine was probably 5750. but there was so much meat in the mid range I didn't care. I tell people the party got started at 3000, and someone turned up the music at 4000. American horsepower in a good Japanese chassis is a match made in heaven.

[@danielsteward5090]

It may sound crazy, but. I think the socket and extension fell down the hole when he was taking the engine out of the car .it's the only way it could have gotten in there. I've dropped tools in weirder places and had to fish them out.(like between the radiator and conditioner, or through the runners of a manifold on to the engine mount bracket.) The bolts on those engines are all torque to yield. They will be tight and dry.

[@Cartier_specialist]

This should be interesting, I've never seen one torn down.

[@95Civictuner]

So glad to come across this video! We have an ‘07 Hummer H3 that at just under 115K had a valve spring that didn’t want to play any longer. Ended up putting a completely new head on so that we didn’t have to deal with any additional ornery valve springs. Also learned through the experience that GM no longer offers reman heads, only new. Hopefully these new heads have an improved design… Thank you again for the 3.7 teardown. Thoroughly enjoyed learning more about the Atlas! Love the honest formula of your videos and channel!

[@jdickborron1]

If you can get your hands on it, the 2.5 ltr 5 cycl Acura engine was pretty good for its day but always had heating problems. Unique engine imo

[@mikekokomomike]

Remember the Audi 5 cylinder ?

[@Planetary13]

@@mikekokomomike yes that are amazing both new and old

[@gcrauwels941]

I once found a 7/16" combination wrench that 'rode' the rocker arms of an 8V92 for a decade in a Burger yacht. Tony B, I still have your wrench.😆 I've found sockets in oil pans before too.

[@devinhiggison1198]

i think my favorite teardowns are the ones that show even on a very reliable engine like these typically are, bad maintenance will always destroy any engine, even ford 300's and slant sixes can only go so far

[@jmc6000]

These engines are not known to be reliable

[@devinhiggison1198]

@@jmc6000 every 1st gen Colorado I see has over 200k on it. Rare to see one with even medium mileage. Then again I've never personally owned one so I can't attest to it other than what I've seen

[@ATSNorthernMI]

We had a delivery van with a 300 in it that had 327,000 miles on it with no over drive and low gearing. The thing would tack out at 55mph. Had a emergency delivery run down to Detroit and was tacking it out at 80mph on the expressway. It made it all the way down there 300 miles and I was just cruising along on my way back in no hurry and went to exit to use the bathroom and it started knocking. I had a backup that was down for repairs and had canceled the insurance so I had to drive this van knocking another couple of days on my normal route babying it hoping it wouldn't just let go. These were older DHS delivery vans that were fleet maintained so the engine was absolutely immaculate block, head, and valve cover. The engine I got out of the junkyard claimed to have 80,000 on it out of a ford truck that was so oily you couldn't read a thing on it. The oil pan had a hole rusted in it and the thing started blowing oil out of the dipstick tube right away. Took it back to my mechanic and he did a compression check with 4 of the 6 cylinders getting less than 80lbs of compression. They rebuilt the shitty one and kept my core that was immaculate other than a spun bearing I would presume. All in all a very reliable engine. It never once left me stranded. Being a DHS fleet van. It had all the service records from day one and the only time the van every broke down was at 157,000 miles needed a coil pack.

[@devinhiggison1198]

@@ATSNorthernMI awesome story, Lord only knows what kinds of things happen to vehicles around here lol, Detroit is not nice to them. I've had plenty of big American straight sizes in my families fleet. They're all super reliable, cheap to repair, and simple to work on. Other than the gas mileage they're your best bet on practicality

[@shadowopsairman1583]

@@jmc6000 bs

[@VoodooBoot]

Thanks so much, found three tens and pliers in my oil pan. Without your help, I would have kept buying 10mm sockets. ❤

[@509brown]

Thanks Eric and Bill! I plan on searching my two trucks later today for 10mms. I'm also wondering if perhaps my missing 8mm is in my Ram's transfer case....

[@chriscater812]

Got one with over three hundred thousand, still running good. Enjoyed the teardown, at least I know what to expect.

[@dieselbronco9247]

Enjoyed this one, this is an engine I've often wondered about and evidently they are not too bad. Whoever decided the starter should go where it did was an @$$ hole though, you are supposed to remove the intake manifold to replace it but I've figured out with the right combination of extensions, universal joints and using different depth sockets you can snatch it out in about half an hour going through the fenderwell. I have definitely changed too many of those starters over the years!

[@jacktheaviator4938]

Someone told me you can get it with a really long extension from the front corner of the truck if you take a Merker light out. But I haven't tested that, just a rumor.

[@korbenharmon5399]

I miss my Colorado with that engine. Loved it so much I was 15 when I bought it for 1500. As a 15 year old I failed to do proper maintenance and the engine blew up on the interstate. Then sold the perfect shell for 1000 dollars. Wish I still had that thing

[@GoFastGator]

If you ever get a crack at one, the earlier version of these, the 3.5L I5, had even more issues. Sleeves shifting due to poor cooling at the rear cyl and head cracking issues.

[@Oddman1980]

Also, I've never heard one of the 2.8/3.5 Atlas engines that didn't make a ton of valve noise.

[@wymple09]

@@Oddman1980 But I've never seen one that did....?

[@allanwallace9375]

Love your sense of humour, it translates across the Atlantic without issues which is not always the case. The mild slapstick and Ironic sarcasm are beautiful! Very entertaining, plus a tiny bit educational, perfect!

[@hsportyd]

That 10mm needs to go on the counter with the wrecked parts cache, I mean tied down of course.

[@zentuckyfriedckn2587]

I love watching this channel. I also enjoy telling my friends that Adam Sandler owns a car channel! One engine I would love to see torn down is an Audi/VW 2.0T TFSI engine.

[@dennisrandolph3615]

The key to your success is we love to watch someone who loves what they do.

[@vandebe1]

I don’t understand why I love these videos so much. I’m not a mechanic, I don’t own a project car, but something about these videos really catches my attention.

[@Morjit2803]

Would love to see something exotic! An Italian V10 or V12. Would be interesting to see how different the internals are vs American cores!

[@bowtieMD]

The head bolts spec is 33ft/lbs + 155 degrees. So, yes they are tight. Also, there are no serviceable cam bearings

[@markujcich4245]

Always love your Land cruisers in the background. This one looks savable, simple design and as you indicated most of the bearings where Okay. My suggestion is to patch with the reliable JB weld, new #5 piston and let it rip :). Thanks Bill!

[@harrywalker5836]

you never got the 4.2tdi 80 or 100. ?. 90 kw.. woohoo.. yeh, toyota.. there not as good, design wise for 4x4ing, as the gu nissan, 4.2tdi.. far better vehicle.. if you want luxury,,buy a beemer.. toyota, have lost the plot to the rich city mall crawlers. even our 79 series, 4.5tdi v8, you never got,,is a dissaster in design.. 1k per injector.. $8000 a set..yeeehh toyota.. not..