I used to have an '00 Blazer LT but sold it back in June. I may have the opporitunity to pick up a well-used, and well-worn 93 GMC Jimmy two-door 4x4. I'm not expecting much, seeing as I'm trading an old Chevy pickup for it even. It's got a digital dash (which I"m a big fan of, btw), power everything, leather, and V6.

What I would like to know is are there any big mechanical differences between this 93 and my '00. Obviously electronics are upgraded, but what about front differential, trans, engine. What kind of common problems do these see (I'm expecting a leaky intake at the least!). The owner mentioned that the transmission is good, but he thinks there is a vacume leak or linkage problem because it has to be "shifted manually." This is my main concern. What kind of problem is this indicitve of? I'm assuming it's a 4L60 trans.

 

No one?

I also have been noticing that the engines are different in some 93s. Some have what appears to be a Tuned Port Injection with VORTEC on it and some appear to just have a regular air cleaner on top of the motor. What's up with these differences here?

 

The fuel injection system is entirely different between the two. The two choices back in the 1st gens of that time frame were throttle body injection (normal air cleaner) and central port injection (CPI). The TBI engine has two batch fired injectors (I think there's two) mounted in the throttlebody for fuel delivery. The CPI motor uses a single batch fired injector to push fuel to 6 poppet nozzles located in the intake runners directly ahead of the intake valve. The CPI motors seem to have many more problems than the SCFI motor found in your old '00 mainly due to the design of the CPI spider itself and the fuel pressure regulator used.

And yes, it probably is the non-E version of the 4L60 which will have a TV cable that may just be out of adjustment. I believe there is a post or two on properly adjusting the TV cable around here somewhere.

 

Ok. Is the Vortec the CPI system or are both designs "vortec" engines? How would I know what injection system it uses other than looking at it?

I take it the TV cable has something to do with how it shifts? Never heard of that problem with a 4L60 used in the Caprice, but it may be set up differently.

 

They are basically the same engine underneith with differences in induction and fuel delivery. The term vortec was coined quite a few years before the CPI system came into being, but was heavily marketted with the CPI motor. The design of the long block should be identical between the TBI & CPI motors of the same year. However the cams will mostlikely be different.

The Caprice probably had a TV cable as well. It is a cable attached to the throttle shaft that tells the transmission how much throttle is being applied.

I do suppose that it is possible that someone put a manual valve body into the trans as well...

 

This is what I hope to get. It's pretty banged up. I'd like to get the 94 alluminum wheels for it. I'd also like to raise it up maybe an inch or two since the Blazer I had before had a tendency to "frame out" in deep snow.....