Hi. I have an '01 4 door 4x4, 88,000 miles on it. I have had an engine issue since i bought the truck in september. The ignition cuts out while accelerating as if the truck is being shut on and off. 3 mechanice had no idea what was wrong with the truck($1000 later) It showed crank sensor codes, MAF code, gas cap code, O2 sensor code. I replaced O2 sensor, and crank sensor(2 times first was defective). Cleaned MAF. Now the ODBII says just a MAF code. I found a good mechanic i think, an old timer who just seems to know vehicles by the sound they are making. There is a KNOCKING from the bottom of the engine. The guy says i need ROD BEARINGS and that the KNOCK SENSORS are picking up the knock and CUTTING THE IGNITION.
My question is, the mechanic says the motor is TOAST now and cant be fixed without removing it from the vehicle. The manual says the same basically. In my town thats a 2-$3000 job and i guarantee it would not be installed right, ive been to TONS of mechanics here and they are all crooked. I usually, after spending a bunch of money, end up fixing everything myself.
I want to know, if i remove the CROSS MEMBER, STARTER and OIL PAN can i get at the ROD BEARINGS through the pan and change them??? ALSO WHAT IS PLASTIGAGE AND WHY/DO I NEED IT? I keep reading about it.
Ive had tons of problems with this truck and it would be nice to have it running rite, its been horrible since i bought it.

 

I had a wire in a loom that would kill the truck as it bounced & the intermittent voltage would pop the EMC fuse.
As for your question about accessing the connecting rod bearings from the bottom - YES!
I've done that when we had the front end taken apart to install a rough country 2.5" suspension lift. With the front differential out it's fairly easy with the exception of the 2 hidden bolts that made me make up new swear words. They're above the 2 black rubber plugs at the rear of the oil pan - wayyyy up in the holes are 2 bolts for the rear of the oil pan.
Great opportunity to clean the oil pan inside & check out the other bearings for play as well. The Clevite 77's I installed were about $70 or so & the assembly lube was $10. I don't remember the torque on the rod bolts, sorry.
Lol at platiguage & "keep reading about it" then why do you ask what it's for? Sorry I'm just confused.

 

The plastigage question is they say to use it, but not what its for. Was the rough country 2.5" lift hard to install? I thought it was a good deal seeing i need shocks and ball joints anyways. i am getting that along with a 3" body lift....if i can fix the engine problem.

 

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&...2pmzeq--j1GF-w

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&...SyRMIjtgGLj9EA

Its for clearence measuring - the wider the guage goes = the tighter/closer the parts are.
The RC lift was fairly easy but the T bars were a bitch to get out! Start soaking the torsion bar keys NOW in PB Blaster or w/e you use as a penetrant.
You won't fimd a 3" BL for a 2nd gen blazer unless you want it to look like mine because they don't have bumper brackets to lift the brackets.
Before you order the RC lift call them & make sure they send you the lift that has the updated upper ball joints (UBJ's) or you could be calling them often for warrenty replacement UBJ's because of an issue they had with them. I like the kit with the exception of the pressed in UBJ's.
The RC kit & rocker arm bearings took a friend & I about 16hrs all together over a weekend with mostly hand tools, sockets, wrenches etc, some air tools.
If you want, I have some pics of the RC install/blazer front end de-construction in my photobucket link below.