It's Alive - 2003-2005 Envoy Engine Swap

[JayArr]

Hi All

Reached a milestone today by starting the engine. Pulled the FP Relay and cranked it for about 15 seconds to prime the engine then put the relay back in and it started right up! To say I'm very happy would be a gross understatement.

I've still got to install the rad and condensor, fill/bleed the steering, reinstall the front bumper, lights etc and do a front end alignment but IT RUNS!

This was a junk yard engine from a 2003 Trailblazer that was in a collision.

 

[m.mcmillen]

Congrats! This is no small undertaking.

 

[JayArr]

Well, I've had mixed results since I posted this. I installed the fan/rad and started it up and it ran great for about ten minutes before the front seal let go and oil poured all over the driveway.

I had installed the front seal from a Fel-Pro gasket set while the engine was on the stand and the front cover was off to check the timing chain set. Since I now had to replace the seal with the front on the engine and the snout of the crankshaft sticking out I ordered the Kent Moore tools for the seal and to replace the Harmonic Balancer. I also bought a new seal, the special washer for the back of the HB and a new TTY bolt, all directly from GM.

Put it all on this weekend and started it and it appears to be OK. I really wished I knew why the other one failed, I can't learn anything if I don't find the reason why. I could have installed the seal improperly, I could have damaged it while installing the harmonic balancer or it could have just been a defective seal from Fel-Pro. I guess I'll never know.

I've still got a horrible whine from the belt to address and the transmission oil cooler line has a small leak but I'll get those handled this week then it needs two new tires and I can start driving it.

BTW, after starting it I put my code reader on the vehicle and asked for all of the codes to get a list of things I may have to look at but the result was "System Pass - no codes present" WooHoo!

I've got two "Mysteries" under my hood that I'd really like you to help me with if you can. Pictures below. One is an electrical sensor of some sort near the battery, it's greay and looks like it's supposed to clip into a round hole of some sort but I can't locate the hole. The second is a small black line that could be for air or vacuum that runs down the passenger inner fender wall by the air filter housing, it's got a rubber elbow on the end but I don't know where to plug it.

Thanks
Jeff

 

[TollKeeper]

I believe that the second pic is the Ambient Temp Sensor, which is usually clipped into the plastic piece in front of the radiator.

The first pic, I am not entirely sure, have you checked to make sure you windsheild washers are working?

 

[JayArr]

Great! Thanks TollKeeper, I found the hole in the plastic for the temp sensor!

As for the WW lines, there were two from the resevoir pumps, I assume front&rear, but I've connected both of them and this is a third spare line that just happens to be in the same area. I also wonder if it was originally routed somewhere else and I pulled it out of the way and tucked in in here so it wouln't get damaged while I pulled the engine. I think it goes through the firewall so I wonder if it's for vacuum to operate something under the dash.

EDIT: OK I figured out the line, it's vacuum for the rear AC and it only exists on the XL versions. it connects to a nipple on the front right of the intake manifold, I must have removed it and tucked it along the side of the engine bay while pulling the engine. The engine I put in was from a Trailblazer short wheelbase so it just had a rubber cap on that nipple and I didn't remember that there was supposed to be a line there.

 

[xavierny25]

@JayArr it's pretty hard to tell where or what that line goes to. Here's a pic of what I got.

 

[JayArr]

Thanks XavierNY25, I figured out that it goes onto the engine and connects to the intake manifold, apparantly it's only for XL models that have the second air conditioning unit in the rear. It provides vacuum to that second unit for something.

On non XL versions there is a rubber cap on that nipple.

I must have taken it off the engine and tucked it along the side of the bay to keep it out of the way when I was pulling the engine.

 

[hmath10]

I am at about the same point you are in the reinstallation process. I spent a while looking for where to reconnect that line too. Working on getting all the AC lines flushed and then putting the rest together.

 

[Mooseman]

For the leak you had at the harmonic balancer. You may have installed the wrong seal as there were two versions; a smaller early 2002 and later 2002+ with the larger updated balancer. Gasket kits often include both types.

 

[JayArr]

Hi Mooseman

Anything is possible but I bought the TCS45052 Fel-Pro gasket set for "2nd Design; Balancer w/step on hub" and I used a balancer with a step on the hub and a fresh GM shim type washer (part#12578073 - purchased from dealer). I guess it's possible that Fel-Pro put the wrong seal in my kit but I think that's a bit of a stretch. (there was only one seal in my kit)

 

[Mooseman]

Who knows. Stuff happens and I've also had my share. At least it's done!