So what are they saying about GM's I5?

**AtLarge** · 08-31-2006, 10:45 AM

I'm thinking about one of the Canyon pick ups but the engine kinda worries me. It's an inline 5 / 3.4L and I think a fairly new design. I'd get the 4x4 but mostly use it like a car. Occasionally pull a trailer between 3500 & 4000 lbs. I know that's the max for that truck but since it wouldn't be that often I wonder if I'd get away with it and not kill the motor?

Anyone gots some real life experience they can share? TIA.

**Modulistic** · 08-31-2006, 10:59 AM

i bet it would be killer for a blown application. Ive been kicking that ide3a around quite a bit actually.

inline engine bottom-ends are just naturally stronger, because every cylinder has a main journal on each side.

they just sound so ridiculous, though.

sarge... what did the old buick straight 8's sound like?

**Sarge** · 08-31-2006, 11:01 AM

Originally Posted by Modulistic

i bet it would be killer for a blown application. Ive been kicking that ide3a around quite a bit actually.

inline engine bottom-ends are just naturally stronger, because every cylinder has a main journal on each side.

they just sound so ridiculous, though.

sarge... what did the old buick straight 8's sound like?

Fricking tractors...but lord the torque was insane....no top end but from 0-75mph...those damn things pulled....

**Modulistic** · 08-31-2006, 11:06 AM

I dont understand why even tiny little v8s sound so good, but everything else sounds like how the inside of a dead skunks ass on fire smells.

**onyx_rock** · 08-31-2006, 11:36 AM

I own a 06 Colorado Crew cab. The engine is a bit underpowered. Has some low end torque but dies after 55. All in all it is a good truck and pretty roomy inside. I get 17 mpg town and 21 - 22 hwy.

**needmorepwr** · 08-31-2006, 04:52 PM

A friend has one and it isn't much for towing. Its a good truck, just not enough power to haul very much.

**Sarge** · 08-31-2006, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by Modulistic

I dont understand why even tiny little v8s sound so good, but everything else sounds like how the inside of a dead skunks ass on fire smells.

WTF are you trying to say? LOL/////

**Modulistic** · 08-31-2006, 06:06 PM

only v8s sound good

**Modulistic** · 08-31-2006, 06:16 PM

this is about the most interesting shit ive read all week

The 5-cylinder engine's advantage over a comparable 4-cylinder engine is best understood by considering power strokes and their frequency. A 4-cycle engine fires all its cylinders in every 720 degrees — the crankshaft makes two complete rotations. If we assume an even firing engine, we can then divide 720 degrees by the number of cylinders to determine how often a power stroke occurs. 720 degrees ÷ 4 = 180 degrees, so a 4-cylinder engine gets a power stroke every 180 degrees. A V8 engine gets a power stroke every 90 degrees, (720° ÷ 8 = 90°).
A given power stroke can last no more than 180 degrees of crankshaft rotation, so the power strokes of a 4-cylinder engine are sequential — no overlap. At the end of one cylinder's power stroke another cylinder fires.
In a 1-, 2-, or 3-cylinder engine there must then be times when no power stroke is occurring. A 3-cylinder engine gets a powerstroke every 240 degrees, (720° ÷ 3 = 240°). Since a power stroke cannot last longer than 180 degrees, this means that a 3-cylinder engine has 60 degrees of "silence". No power stroke occurs, there is no overlap.
A 5-cylinder engine gets a power stroke every 144 degrees, (720° ÷ 5 = 144°). Since each power stroke lasts 180 degrees, this means that the power strokes have some overlap and the engine is smoother than a non-overlapping 4-cylinder engine.
A 5-cylinder engine also gains smoothness over a 4-cylinder engine because there is not a moment in a 5-cylinder engine when all pistons reverse direction at the same time. A typical inline-4 has the center pistons rising and falling together and the outer pistons rising and falling together. When pistons #1 and #4 are at top dead center (TDC), #2 and #3 are at bottom dead center (BDC).
Every cylinder added beyond five increases the overlap of firing strokes and makes for a smoother engine. An inline-6 gets a power stroke every 120 degrees. So there is more overlap (180° - 120° = 60°) than in a 5-cylinder engine (180° - 144° = 36°). However, this increase in smoothness of a 6-cylinder engine over a 5-cylinder engine is not as pronounced as that of a 5-cylinder engine over a 4-cylinder engine. The inline-5 has a frictional loss edge over an inline-6, it uses fewer parts, and it is shorter so it fits under the hood better.
The 5-cylinder engine is longer and more expensive to manufacture than a comparable 4-cylinder engine, but some manufacturers feel these costs are outweighed by the 5-cylinder engine's greater smoothness.

**hotrodd** · 08-31-2006, 07:30 PM

Originally Posted by Modulistic

only v8s sound good

v10 and v12 also. But I'm with ya on the 6 and 4 cyl. I don't even know how people waste the money modding them.

**91Z28** · 08-31-2006, 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by hotrodd

v10 and v12 also. But I'm with ya on the 6 and 4 cyl. I don't even know how people waste the money modding them.

They sound like ass, look at Vipers. They have V10s and are notorious for sounding like crap.

**AtLarge** · 09-01-2006, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by Modulistic

this is about the most interesting shit ive read all week

That's a good read but I'm not so sure I should be concerned about how smooth it runs if I'm pulling a 4k trailer which is the max the 3.5L is rated for. Even if it's only occasionally. Lugging is definitely not a good thing. If it's only been out for 2 years maybe it's too soon to know if it's a POS. (remember the quad four?) Maybe I should just go with a full size and a V8 and be done with it.