Hey guys, Havent been on here for so long. Im been very busy with 2 jobs now but anyways im having tons and tons of problems with my blazer. 96 blazer ls 4x4 4door.
As you already know is my daily driver my first job is about 45min from where i live and my 2nd job is about an hour or so from where my 1st job is and from there is 1h and 30 min to get home. So daily i drive approx 250 - 300 miles daily all freeway. Anyways there are some problems im noticing.

1st Problem: Its been hard to start, it cranks the first time but no fire. the second time it cranks for a bit then starts. I have done a tune up (Spark plugs, wireset, cap and rotor, oil and oil filter, pcv valve). Idk what it can be sometimes it starts right off the bat.

2nd problem: I feel vibrations in the front end when going 65MPH and it gets faster the faster i go. I have replaced the hub bearings and have an alignment done. (I havent replaced the CV axles can that be the problem?)
The tires are new.

3rd Problem: Its been having a really hard time shifting usually when going about 25 to 35 mph. I took it about 3 months ago for a transmission fluid flush and replace with brand new fluid. Also the seals were replaced then, the fluid level is perfect, and the fluid is still clean no dibris of any kind.

4th problem: No A/C, its been about 101-110 degrees these days so its really a must i havent had time to take to a shop. What can be the common problem? Also there is also no air from vents only towards the windshield and floor but its only hot air.

Last: It might be related to the starting problem but when idling at a stop the blazer feels like its shaking a bit, like its trying to stall when i drive off its ok no problems only when im in complete stop. Also sometimes the Check gauges light comes on the same time it starts to shake at idle what can that be?

Please help if you have any ideas of what i can do to fix it. and if can please give me an amount of $ that i might spend fixing it if its worth it or better off buying a new car(that be a bummer).

Thanks in advance.

 

A lot of questions I'll try to give you my thoughts on some. The starting issues. I'm having a similar issues, check my thread for several options to it. But I think mine is a dirty IAC, or idle circuit. Still working on that, as I said check out my thread on Stating Issue on this board.
As for the vibration, was it there before the new tires? If not have the place you bought them recheck balance.
A/C blowing hot air to the default. Is a Vacuum line leaking. My 97 had that & it turned out to be the vacuum lines to the transfer case.
As for not blowing cold air in A/C. Could be low on freon from a leak. a bad compressor or several things. Need to gauge it up & post some readings of both Low & High side pressures.

 

Thanks blazerguy for the reply, no the shaking wasn't there before it was just now since I replaced the hub bearings and got the alignment done also I posted a thread that there was a grinding noise coming from my front end which I thought was the bearings got them replaced and the sound still there its become louder now the faster I drive with the vibration as we'll. I don't have that much time anymore as my schedule is really full, for the ac does autozone check for those kind of things, pressure and leaks and all that? I can probably stop at one between jobs. As for the start today it was awfull it didn't start at all for about 10 min but eventually it started and it shook the truck very violently as it started. I'm really concerned about this since its my daily driver. I'm not a mechanic or close to being one but if some things I can do myself ill do them.

 

I would make time to take the truck back to the shop that did the bearings & alignment & put it back on them. As for Auto Zone they don't do A/C checks that I know of. Take it to a good shop.
Starting could be a TPS to a fuel filter or pump, possible fuel pressure regulator to spiders on the fuel side. To plugs distributor, PCM there are a lot of things that could cause your issue. I'm chasing a starting issue of my own. Tomorrow the T/B comes off & gets cleaned the TPS gets checked, the PCV gets cleaned, & the Cap & Rotor get inspected. We will see what comes of my issue after that. Is there a Check engine light? If so get the codes read by auto zone & post them.

 

Thanks for reply, no the check engine light is not on it was before I got the tune up done then it turned off and the thing is I replaced the bearings myself then took it to a shop the next day to get it aligned the truck didn't vibrate when I replaced the bearings it was only after the alignment they did the tire rotation for some reason the tires were brand new plus a tire balance. I know I should arrange some time to take it to a shop but I don't know any good places here all but promises. And yes I took it back 3 days after the alignment was done and they did the algnment again I also told them to check if the bearings were on properly and they said yes. I asked them about the grinding noise and they told me it was normal since I had new brake pads and rotors installed, "its a just get used to it" that the grind will stop. Guess what it never did but once I went back they tried to charge me again for the check up. Keep me posted on how your truck turns out I really appreciate your help.

 

Fuel problems; Have a pressure leak down check done, could be your fuel pump in the tank is going bad. Mine did the same thing and I finally broke down and had the fuel pump replaced (Cost me 729 bucks but it fires right up now). Front end; Even though you might have "New" tires doesn't mean they can be balance, I had a set of Goodyears on my 2000 blazer and only one tire could be balanced. I had want they call a force balance done, its a little spending but I found the problem (They take the tire and turn it 1/4 of a turn at a time to fine the true balance, had it done at a chevy dealership) Or check your idler arm that can cause that problem also or ball joints, You need a front end inspection to pin it down. A/C not blowing cold, first check the feon level, maybe it just needs a shot of it. Get the can with the gage on it, it cost a little more but will tell how low it is and when to stop putting it in. Or could be a leak or bad compressor, again maybe take it to a mech to have it check out.
Gringing noise at the brakes? Huh? WHo told you that? Brakes don't "Grind" they might sqeak a little but not grind. Who did the brakes? Sounds to me like someone put the brakes on wrong and you are getting metal to metal contact, NOT good and will cost you new rotors.

 

Well the grinding noise comes from the front end so that what they said it was, the brakes was done by a local mechanic which was recommended as a really good mechanic, he has done work on my older cars that i had and there was never a problem. I think it might be the compressor since today while i was on my way to work i heard a little knocking noise coming from the motor and it was the compressor, i know there is a clutch sort of thing in there and i saw it stop then turn then stop and again thats what made the noise that only happens when the ac is turned on. my wife used it in the morning to go to the store and had turned the ac on i will try and make a video of it tomorrow. I have checked my rotors for any sign of scratching or anything and they seem fine. wow 729 dollars that is alot of money, i really like my blazer but im starting to think its not worth putting so much money in since i can use that money on a new car. next week i have a day off i promised my wife and kids to take them out for a family day out but i guess ill have to cancel to take the blazer to the mechanic. This really sucks, im getting really frustrated.

 

I bought my Blazer in 2002 it was a 2000 LT 4x4 4.3. It had 41K on it then, now 106K. I have done a lot of replacing items, to many to list, but crap I like the truck. Its all want you want if you want it. It still looks darn good for a 2000, no rip seats or big tings, just the norm wear with a few rock tings, just can't get away from them or the person in the parking slamming their door into your side somewhere. I would like to wring their necks for that. Why I said what I said about the brakes. Well, good old me replaced my front brakes and not paying much attention to what I was doing and thought I had it done, took it out for a test run and heard this God awful grinding noise coming out of the front end, got it home look at the disks with the tires still on and they look good, but something told me to pull the tires off, so I did and there I was with a brake shoe on backwards and it tore the rotor all to heck...I really got mad at my self for that stupid mistake. So I went and pick two new rotors and watch what I was doing and all fine now and that was 50K ago. My brakes seen to last for ever. The front ones I did replace look almost new at 50K but me being an old timer change them anyhow. Duh...I finally replace my back brakes at 99K and I still have the old OEM ones in a box, they were 95% good yet, but I said I'm there and I bought them so change them..Duh again. The only thing I have not change and are still org oem is the plug wires, they look good and no leaks..106K and counting. But most everything else on the engine as a componet I have change through out the yrs some 2 or 3 times like that stupid ider pully I think I'm ready for #4 now. Piece of crap. Just replace the Alt and Battery along with the fuel pump, did the Rad and Fan clutch (Twice), belt. But the motor still runs strong and I change my oil every 5K not 3K, to me 3k is a waste of money. And now since the 2000 is my 2nd vech, bought a 2011 (New) nox for my 1st Vech now. The blazer I'm lucky to put 1K a yr on now. But I won't get rid of it...

 

Hey guys, well here is an update. i took it to get aligned and i guess the vibration is coming from a bad Pitman arm, also i was told that my lower control arm on the left side is bent which made the alignment suffer. They asked me if i had ever crashed my car and i told them no they said that the control arm is only bent if there is a significant amount of pressure applied to it such as a crash. It amazed me since a few months ago i had the new tires and alignment done from Pepboys and they never said anything about a bent control arm. The guy at the alignment shop was pretty nice and he lowered the price of the alignment usually here it costs around $75 but he only charged me $40. It was a good deal and he told me which parts i needed to replace, but here is a catch i guess the pitman arm costs 250$ with installation and the control arm $650 with installation. So i asked in autozone about the pricing there the pitman arm costs only about $40 and the LCA $205.99 so in total the guy is charging me over $550 in labor work. I know it isn't that hard to install either of those parts and ill need an alignment again right after. So if i decide to go with him ill be spending more than a grand for that work and still leaves me with the other problems that i have. I still have to take it to the shop to get the fuel pressure tested and all that, same as the A/C. Today my truck seemed to be driving very smoothly noting the fact that it still shakes when im at a stop, but everything was going fine. Just after i dropped a coworker off at his house and once when i was pulling out my truck died, it took me about 5 tries to get it going it kept misfiring, idk but it seemed to be the way the truck was leveled in the ground that made it happen, since the right side of the truck was lower than the left and since i only had about a 1/4 of gas might have been the problem but still not sure.

 

Make sure to check rockauto for your parts. Definitely. Should be between 75 and 100 bucks for a lower control arm and 20 to 50 bucks for a good moog pitman arm