GM Aluminum Block Engine Unveiled
FOR RELEASE: March 4, 20022003 GMC Envoy XL And Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT To Feature All-Aluminum Vortec 5300 V8
Additional Power to Provide Customers More Towing Capability
Pontiac, Mich.- The 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL will feature an optional all-aluminum Vortec 5300 V8, GM's first Vortec V8 truck engine featuring an aluminum block. TrailBlazer EXT and Envoy XL are extended versions of the TrailBlazer and Envoy midsize sport utility vehicles.
The Vortec 5300 V8 will deliver more than 280 horsepower and more than 320 lb-ft of torque (official ratings will be released later). The standard engine in both vehicles is the award-winning Vortec 4200 inline six-cylinder engine. Both engines will be mated to the proven Hydra-Matic 4L60-E four-speed automatic transmission. The Vortec 4200 I6-powered models will be available for sale this spring and the optional Vortec 5300 V8 will be available this fall.
"By offering the Vortec 5300, we're providing a V8 engine that will deliver outstanding performance, especially for those customers who require more towing and hauling capability," said Chris Meagher, GM Powertrain assistant chief engineer for Vortec V8 engines. "The aluminum block reduces mass and has great thermal characteristics, giving customers improved performance and fuel efficiency."
VORTEC 5300 IMPROVEMENTS
The Vortec 5300 engine has been refined to provide a quiet, powerful driving experience in the TrailBlazer EXT and Envoy XL. The all-aluminum 5.3-liter V8 will showcase a variety of performance, durability and noise improvements, resulting from innovative use of structural materials, calibration and components.
Lightweight Aluminum Construction - The engine block is 45.4 kilograms (100 pounds) lighter than the current cast iron Vortec 5300. Cast of 319-T7 aluminum alloy, the engine capitalizes on the lower mass and superior thermal efficiency of aluminum, enhancing both performance and fuel efficiency compared to its proven cast-iron counterpart. Aluminum's thermal characteristics include excellent heat transference, resulting in cleaner emissions from faster catalytic converter "light off. " It also has faster heater core warmup for vehicle occupants, and cooler piston and oil temperatures for improved durability.
Durability - The Vortec builds on the small-block tradition that began with the 5.7-liter V8s featured in the Chevrolet Corvette. The engine block is produced by the gravity-poured precision sand casting process. This process allows cylinder liners to be cast in-place and yields exceptional cast quality. The engine is tested to similar levels of endurance as the cast-iron Vortec 5300 engine.
Quietness - The pistons are polymer-coated to reduce cold scuffing and engine noise. Polymer-coated pistons, typically found in luxury car engines, enable tighter bore clearances and provide enduring wear surfaces between pistons and cylinder walls. They also further reduce piston motion.
Proven Engine Design - The aluminum Vortec 5300 benefits from the design of the latest version of the cast-iron 5.3-liter V8 in a variety of ways. The deep-skirt engine block design, with six-bolt main bearings, allows for cross bolting of the bearing caps. Cross-bolting limits crank flex, stiffens the engine's structure and reduces overall vibration.
In addition to its aluminum block, the V8 garners other mass reductions through use of a new oil pan design. The "pan-axle" design is an elegant packaging solution that presents a number of advantages. The pan-axle, which allows the front differential to pass through the oil pan, requires less space than a conventional oil pan and differential configuration. It also offers engineers and designers more flexibility when developing vehicles. The pan and case were developed using the latest math-based tools resulting in weight and cost savings, optimum use of under-hood space, and additional strength and structural stiffness.
Exhaust catalyst and emissions control system calibration have been improved to allow the engine to meet federal emissions and California Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV) standards without an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system.
The aluminum engine, like its iron sibling, uses platinum-tipped spark plugs to extend plug life to 100,000 miles, while the coolant maintains its cooling and corrosion-inhibiting properties for 150,000 miles. Scheduled maintenance is limited to engine oil changes when indicated by the GM Oil Life System or at 10,000 mile intervals (whichever comes first).
On the road and on the racetrack, GM's small block engines continuously prove that overhead valve aluminum engines meet the performance and durability demands as well as increasingly stringent emissions standards of a new century.
HYDRA-MATIC 4L60-E AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
As with the standard Vortec 4200 I6 engine, power from the aluminum V8 is transferred to the rear wheels through the Hydra-Matic 4L60-E transmission. The 4L60-E is a state-of-the-art four-speed automatic transmission also used in GM trucks and the Chevrolet Corvette. It is durable, lightweight, and has the ability to optimize its electronic controls for a variety of tasks. The electronic controls are calibrated for performance and dependability.
The 4L60-E also uses GM's proprietary Electronic Controlled Capacity Clutch (ECCC) technology, that allows sophisticated variable clutch slip to dampen engine pulses and provides smooth shifting and driveline feel.
GM Powertrain (GMPT) is a global producer of engines, transmissions, castings and components for GM vehicles and other automotive, marine, and industrial OEMs. Headquartered in Pontiac, Mich., GMPT employs 76,000 people and has operating and coordinating responsibility for 37 sites (which include plants and engineering and testing facilities) in 13 countries, including North America, South America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region.
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