at 306,000 miles on the Inline Six Vortex 4200 engine still running awesome (despite tons of repair work on car itself)

 The Vortec 4200 inline six engine is considered the top engine to Turbo charge in the U.S.

 The Vortec 4200, also known as the LL8 or affectionately called the ‘Ameri-Barra,’ is rewriting the engine swap game, proving to be one of the most versatile platforms for performance builds. 💥

This engine is already leagues ahead of a 2JZ-GE if you're staying NA, and when turbocharged, it compounds horsepower effortlessly. 💨

These incredible builds show why it’s the hottest choice for 2025:

@nivlac57 – The ultimate Vortec guru, making power and knowledge accessible for everyone.

@dickindustriesinc – A Vortec-powered pickup that’s redefining perfection.

@celerity_auto – Breathing new life into a Firebird with a Vortec swap.
ktcnc.llc – Precision 3D scanning unlocking new horizons in Vortec innovation.

@lundmark_drifting – A Volvo drift car sliding with pure Vortec muscle.

@airtecmotorsport – Crafting manifolds and intakes that turn potential into power.

Red Hot Channel – A turbo Vortec-powered Datsun rocking a 2JZ manifold.

@fraserengines – Your trusted source for fresh Vortec 4200 engines.

With aftermarket support growing—custom manifolds, performance rods, and more—the Vortec 4200 is proving it can dominate any build. Reliable, powerful, and budget-friendly, this engine is ready for all the boost you can throw at it.

GM's Best Kept Secret: The Ultimate Guide to the Vortec Atlas 4200 

getting new tires at the local town garage since I had a slow leak on right rear and it's been 65,000 miles or whatever - just past warranty. So then I went through my repair records and the local garage mechanic from before (no longer there) had replaced the rear left emergency brake shoe before I had the car! Wow - excitedly I called back and the car had not been put on the lift yet - so the young desk lady said she would put in my request. The next nearby town mechanic about five years ago complained about having to fix my brakes - probably since he had discovered a rust hole in the chassis? haha. He insisted I no longer drive the car - that was 50,000 miles ago and several chassis welding repairs since then. Anyway not sure when those rear emergency brakes got dismantled - the local garage says they are totally clipped off - no brake shoes at all anymore.  He did replace my front brake line though - sweet. I've had the brake pads and rotors cleaned/replaced probably six or seven times  ($2500)...

Oh well - that was a few years ago (four years ago?) but seems like forever considering how much work I got done on the car since then: 

all New suspension/brake work ($1000), Remans transmission and  new cross bar... beam thing on the frame... (at 275,000 miles, the rated lifespan of the first 4l60e) and new CV axle ($5000), (hubs/bearings/CV axles/ball joints/tie rods/stabilizer links/bushings replaced $3000)

 Tie rods on a 2004 Chevy Trailblazer LT are crucial steering parts connecting the steering rack to the wheels, consisting of an inner and outer end, often threaded for adjustment, allowing wheel movement while steering; images show them as metal rods with ball joints (inner connects to rack, outer to knuckle) and rubber boots,

 

the upper and lower ball joints on a 2004 Trailblazer are separate from the tie rods

; they connect the control arms to the steering knuckle, while tie rods connect the steering rack to the knuckle, though both tie rod ends contain a small ball joint for pivot,

 I put in a new tire spare carrier that is janky - (that already was replaced twice before!) 

I put in a new front door handle actuator... that is kind of janky. What else? I did lots of rust repair work...Oh yeah all the welding that other mechanic did: frame welding repair kit and welding in new trailing arm brackets....($1000)....

We got this rust repair done on the rear trail gate that was $2000 but it did not even hold up so I did a complete repair using the pop rivet sheet metal and Gap Fill polyethylene and JB weld. hahaha. Presto: Stucco rear tail gate.

The local town garage put in a new battery five years ago so I asked them to check the battery also. They replaced a CV joint boot for me. ... They looked at a pinion seal leak but I had the dealer replace a couple pinion seals that were leaking.... then I used that Titan Seal stop leak silicone magic to fix the inner differential seal leak...(saving a $3000 repair to get at that inaccessible $30 part seal)...

axle seals have been replaced also. 

Yeah I have gotten the Power steering pump replaced, the power steering cooler replaced and new power steering lines ($2000).... but it's the original brake lines? Kind of scary... ok front brake line got replaced...

Maybe I should call back to have them check that rear brake line - but I got the brakes worked on so many times you would think someone would have checked the lines. hahaha. I've had the calipers and rotors all redone and replaced, etc.

OK what else... cooler flush has happened I think three times? once at 61K and another a 100K and then I got it done once at 250K? I added coolant last year...

OK I did an engine flush (Berryman B12 and acetone) on my own (and replaced the PCV line - or hose) and I also cleaned out the intake valve throttle a couple times....

 

PCV (Positive Crankcase Ventilation) hose is

a crucial rubber or plastic tube in your engine that moves harmful blow-by gases (unburned fuel/oil vapor) from the crankcase back to the intake to be re-burned,

but this summer I'll start using Valvoline restore and protect to clean out any more gunk around the piston rings... and valves....

I've been doing a transmission oil flush every 10,000 miles - a quart....(every other oil change).... 

I also replaced the spark plugs and the ignition coils and I got a new catalytic converter... ($1000)

the engine doesn't burn oil at 306,000 miles on the engine! Pretty wild. Also even better power - using that boron nitride several times for filling in cylinder damage....Air-tec nano-boron-nitride from Wagner in Germany....

hmmm. Yeah I replaced the front grille after I hit a deer and I couldn't find the deer strangely. I think it survived. So now the front Chevy logo is glued on all janky. Hilarious...

I also completely covered the car in black Fluid Film but I just wiped clean the chassis area that would hold the lift jacks - I used Green Power degreaser soap.... and then wiped it dry...

Yeah the local town mechanic before, even took out the rear axle to replace the stupid dust shields in the rear!! Dang.

Also the air conditioning fan clutch (didn't seem to fix the AC ($2000) but whatever - sometimes it works) or whatever was replaced twice and the water pump once...

My relative had a driveway accident... and insurance paid out $2100 for new fascia/fender/lights body work/paint job and a new drive axle and U-joints. hahahahaha. Also new front wheel speed sensor...

Camshaft VVT solenoid...replaced

 Secondary Air Injection (AIR) Solenoid Valve replaced also

what else? new rear gate hatch is what my dad got replaced and I had to buy a big chisel to clear out the welded in trailer hitch my dad left rusted in the trailer hitch thingy. hilarious....

Yeah I think this is the fourth set of tires. My sister had new tries put on. I had mastercraft and cooper and then the current tires are Grabbers ...so this will be the sixth set of new tires....($5000)....

So probably $30,000 in total repair work for a $30,000 vehicle that has lasted 20 years...=$1500 a year so that's considered the high end of tolerable....

not cheap but it's a fun vehicle to drive with a truck box chassis frame and works well for hauling. 

also got a new pedal gas sensor for acceleration (that put the car into "safe slow mode" but locally I was able to pull into a nearby station off the interstate - not sure how I pulled that off.

Also got the fuel tank replaced and the gear shift cable replaced and the fuel pump replaced and fuel sensor sender replaced and I replaced the fuel filter (didn't need to be replaced at all after 30,000 miles) - and someone else replaced the fuel filter....

 I used Techron additive to fix the fuel gauge glitching out...

Also the drive belt broke on me while I was on the road but the tow truck driver took me to the local parts shop - and he helped me find the correct parts and then he called up his buddy to replace the belt for me - and also the belt tensioner....

 

I also got the rear differential cover replaced and I replaced the oil in the rear and front differentials. 

 

 I also replaced the rear lower trailing arms myself.... ($1000)

Gas fuel cap and filler tube replaced... 

 

$24,500 in repairs plus oil changes ($6000)... = $31,000 approximately.

 

So including insurance and gas - the car cost has been probably $12 a day....