my autotransmission in my 1998 s10 blazer 4.3 4x4 needs replaced. What years will interchange? i found a 1996 s10 blazer 4.3 auto trans has tag number 5tad, will it work? thanks

 

Welcome to the site.

Pretty much any 4L60E from '93 up should work.
However in '98 GM changed the tranny belhousing. Prior ot '98 hte bellhousing was part of the tranny case. '98 and after the bellhousing seperates from the tranny. There is a slight length difference between a pre '98 and post '98 tranny. Not much but a little. 1/2" if memory serves me correctly.

It is generally best to find a tranny within one or two years of yours. After taht you lose the benefits of the upgrades.

Curious why you need a new tranny?

 

in drive (D) shifts out goodin first and then second gear ...after that its like its neutral. also you can smell like burnt trans fuild. (i think)

 

also the 1/2 inch or so difference, how would i make up for that? in the drive axle maybe?

 

Sounds like you burnt the 3/4 clutch pack. Rebuild will fix that.

The driveshafts can compensate for the 1/2". On the Blazers- the rear driveshaft has a slip yoke into the tranny (2wdr) or t-case (4wdr). On the pickups I believe the rear driveshaft is a double cardigan design. If a 4wdr the front shaft is either a slip yoke design or double cardigan design (slips in the middle of the shaft where the front and rear shafts join).

Honestly, you will be money ahead if you get your current tranny rebuilt. You can take it out on hte weekend, have a shop rebuild it during hte week, and re-install it the next weekend. If your going to pay $400-$500 for a used tranny, what if it only lasts 3months, 6 months, or even ayear?
If you go the rebuilt route you can get a 1 year warrenty and some shops have longer warrenties. If oyu pop for the dealer tranny ($1,200-$1,500 and you install it). The dealer is offering long term warrenties. Yes, even if oyu install it.

If your not pulling hte tranny and doing the install, then it will cost the same to to install a used tranny as it would to install a rebuilt or new tranny, depending on where you go. Dealer will cost more then a tranny shop.

I don't know how mechanically inclined you are, or if you know a tranny guy through a friend of a friend of a friend or whatever. A tranny rebuild kit is like $130 bucks at Autozone, plus another $150 for a torque converter. Then another $50 for tranny fluid and tranny cooler line cleaner. Upgrades add more cost. Around here oyu can find a tranny pro who does side work, the going rate is $300 for a bench rebuild. You bring him the tranny, and for $300 plus parts he will rebuild it. A good tech with the right set-up can do it in about 3-4 hours.

There are lots of options. Dropping in a used tranny isn't always the most cost effective and I wouldn't do it unless this truck won't be around for much longer.