new to this forum, new owner. I purchased a 2000 chevy blazer locally from a small dealer that had it posted on ebay and did not make his reserve. I was in dire need of a car at the time (2 months ago) as my 88 volvo 240 dl was on its last legs, so this was not the vehicle of my dreams - but since winter was coming in WNY and I live high in the hills, I needed a "truck" and 4x4. I test drove, it was in good shape, it seemed right and the price was "ok", so I bought it.
Not to complain -the thing has been reliable so far with a few quirky things that have been irritating. Maybe they're common- I'm in search of insight.

First the 4x4 didn't work. I took it to my mechanic to give it a once over - he found a hose was detached - voila - attached it the 4x4 worked -only it CLUNKS - really hard when going out of 4 wheel drive and thankfully, the winter has been very light so I've not had to use it hardly at all. I'm actually kind of afraid to.
Second - it came with snow tires on the back, and all season tires on the front - both the same size -but I guess the snow tires are taller - so one mechanic says - the tires are good - but the height difference is bad - and I should rotate and get snows for the back - another mechanic says just to rotate since the tires are in such good shape and wait til spring to just get 4 new all season tires. Even another mechanic says - I can put a different size on the blazer, though these are the recommended tires.
The issue with the tires only came up because - while we've had literally no snow or snow events - the blazer handles like a piece of garbage on even anything resembling a snow covered road. The tires just spin and spin and spin and the thing just about doughnuts on any kind of road conditions other than completely dry. It feels like the most unsafe vehicle I've ever driven.
When I've explained this to other blazer owners - I have either been told that they feel the same way....or - I get this story about how the 6cyl engine in the blazer is SOOO powerful that when you put your foot on the accelerator - no matter how gently, the engine delivers so much power that the tires spin out of control, especially on snow or ice of any kind. Other mechanics tell me they've never heard of such a thing.
So, any feedback on either the tires or this engine story would be helpful, since - I don't know - I've owned the vehicle two months and I'm scared to death that I'll be caught in a snow storm and have to drive it home at 5 miles per hour or it'll slip completely out of control and go off the road.
Finally, a few weeks ago, it started to make a noise in the front end. It was a "wind down" noise. I thought at first it was when I braked only, but it makes it even when I don't brake. On the descent though, starting at about 30 mph, it starts to "wind down" - and gets very loud - very, very loud, and then at about 5-10 mph, it stops. I have been able to make it stop - or so it has seemed, by pulling over, putting my foot firmly on the brake, shifting it in and out of gear (park to drive and back again) and then when I resume driving - the noise is gone - but most recently - that has not worked. Worse is- I've given it to my mechanic for a couple days - and he can't get it to duplicate the noise - but then when I've had it home for a day or two - it does it again - randomly, intermittently -with no provocation, under all sorts of conditions. Sometimes when its 10 degrees out - sometimes when its 45 degrees out - almost always after I've been driving it 10-15 minutes. I just can't figure it out but have had other people in the car who concur - it sounds like its coming from the passenger front.

My mechanic has looked all over the under carriage of the car - and can't find anything wrong with the car - he thought it was the 4x4 sticking - but I haven't used the 4x4 at all since he made that proclamation. I'm about to give it back to him again on Wednesday and tell him

 

Where in WNY do you live? I used to live in Darien Center, then Byron (north of Batavia), but now my wife and I moved back to Seneca County where we grew up.

Anyway, on to your problems. I think the majority of your problems with your truck in the snow are due to the tires. Really, it will handle MUCH better in 4wd with the more aggressive tires on the front. The front tires have to break through the snow, while the rear only have to run through what the front has already cleared. If you have the aggressive tires on the rear, the rear will tend to try to push the truck which will make it feel exactly the same as if it were in 2wd, hence your fishtailing around. It has next to nothing to do with the "Power" (if you want to call it that) coming from the 4.3L.

With the squeaks, a lube/grease job generally won't last long. Especially if it is the sway bar to frame mounts. Typically, this needs new bushings. With the sway bar mounts out, you'll have to clean the sway bar making sure that it is free of rust and is nice and smooth were the bushings will go around it. If you are getting squeaks from other bushings, well, you may have to replace them as well. In the control arms, this usually means replaceing the control arms themselves. However, if you mechanic can get the parts and has a press, the control arms can be salvaged and just get new bushings pressed in. I do not know if this applies to the Blazer suspension, but seeing as how it is very similar to the fullsize chevy trucks, I thought I'd throw it out there as we have done it on my dad's farm truck ('94 K2500 4x4). Squeaks can be checked by simply rocking the truck side to side and front to back in your garage. Also, don't rule out the rear spring bushings as well as the shocks. You can narrow the problems down one by one by greasing/oiling areas one at a time until you get it quieted down.

With the vibration in the front, I'd have your mechanic take a look inside the front diff. Drain it and see what the oil looks like. Then refill it. I had a problem with my Bravada when I first bought it, but mine was an harmonic vibration around 65-70mph. The dealership I purchased it from traced this down to the bearings in the front axle and had it completely rebuilt for me under the NYS lemon law warranty. If your Blazer has under 100,000 miles on it, you'll have 30 days where the dealership you purchased it from has to fix any concerns you may have. Don't take no for an answer and DO NOT take "we couldn't duplicated the problem". If they do not want to fix it, tell them you want to speak with the manager, if you are speaking with the manager demand to speak with his boss. If you can't get anywhere with that, mention the better business bureau and the district attorney and that you will be seeking legal advice on the subject. They usually fix problems pretty quick. Chances are that if it was up on eBay, they knew it had a problem and didn't want to fix it. Buying it from a dealership is a good thing, it means you've got leverage. Mom & Pop used car lots suck when it comes to trying to get stuff fixed.

Good luck and if you ever need anything, I'm not too far away. I've got pretty much everything necessary to do whatever is needed on a Blazer.

 

Hey Jonmouse, I live in WNY too. If you decide to keep the Blazer, put on tires the same size, same manufacturer. It wil help make the vehicle more predictable in handling and desirable to operate.

As for the clunking noise you described, it may be sludge buildup in side of the transfer case. I had a 2000 LT with high miles on it. (totaled now.) It made noise when 4 wheel was disengaged too. When I got around to draining it. It was supposed to be a real thin fluid draining but instead it was gooey. GM dealer item, the Dexron III.

My current 2001 LT has a tranny noise when its not in gear. I get the similiar wind down noise only when I'm on the throttle. I've had it looked at and they wanted to take it apart. I said no way. It shifts/drives fine. I'll drive it into the ground first. (not beating it up all day.)

Let the seller know about its quirks. They should have a mechanic at their expense look at it. Explain to them the issues its having.

as for the creaks, Kyle is right, oil the **** out of the leaf spring shackle bolts. (loosen them, oil or grease them, tighten back up.)

 

all this sounds very expensive - the bushings, the sway bars - is this going to break the bank? I just bought this blazer and well, it wasn't cheap, just priced reasonably. No sense taking it back to the dealer, I bought it at 105k miles and I've owned it just over 60 days, I doubt he'd do anything - he was nice enough and answered a bunch of questions I had when I first bought it about the tires and 4WD, but its been over 60 days now.
I'm in the Southern tier- between Rochester and Corning. I've used the same mechanic for 12 years and when he had a lot of trouble fixing my volvo (foreign car) I thought he'd have no problems if I bought a newer chevy - but I'm finding - he still doesn't seem to be able to diagnose this - though he did seem to think sway bars. I guess I'll have to push him a bit more - sometimes I think he's just trying to save me money when all I really want is my vehicle fixed. And for the whine? I just don't know what that could be. It doesn't seem to be transmission related - or related to the gears or where the shifter is - which is what I originally thought - because at first it sounded like when you're driving in low and you're going too fast - but I've made sure it is securely in gear since then and it is so random and only after I've been driving for 5-10 minutes at least. And sometimes it just goes away - and other times- I can't make it go away no matter what I do.

I appreciate the suggestions and will print this out for my mechanic. Any idea how much $ I'm talking on this grease/lube/bushings/sway bar thing?

Thanks

 

you can put sway bay bushingh on yourself. I replaced mine with Addco. It was about $29.00 shipped. grease is cheap, comes in a tube, 30 gallon drum, and cans $4.00-$11.00 for a tube

 

ok on the grinding noise......as many on here know...I had to replace the whole transmission as of a few months ago...I had the same whiney sound when I would come out of cruise control and slow down....a horrible "grinding" sound....apparently it's a gear in the transmission.....check that out..might be an issue...just my suggestion!!
Karin

 

I appreciate the suggestion - but its not a grinding noise and it has nothing to do with the cruise or the 4x4. It first happened about 2 1/2 weeks ago or so. I left for work and all was well -got about 3 miles down the road and had to brake (from about 45 mph to about 30) for an idiot in front of me driving way too slow for a morning ride to work...and when I did- it made the noise that you could imagine a car makes when it starts to decelerate. Only it didn't stop there. As I followed this guy (going way to slow) lots of speed up, slow downs, and I was able to detect that my car was getting louder and louder - and it was this "wind down" noise. At the time, I couldn't quite figure out where it was coming from or if I could only hear inside or if it was as loud outside. I got to the first stop sign and it just sounded like a fire engine wailing as it came to a stop. On acceleration as I rounded the corner - same thing Traveled about another 3 miles- came to another stop and this time, I played with the push buttom 4 x 4, put it in and out of gear, and pushed on the brake really hard. When I started again and turned the corner, it had stopped. Didn't do it again for the rest of the 4 miles to work. I left work 8 hours later, drove about 3 miles - and it did it again. This time, I pulled over after I went through the first intersection, did the same (fanatical) series of things I had in the morning - and when I started again - it had stopped. I got home, called my mechanic and he said he'd look at it for me the next day. Of course - it didn't do that while he had it and he test drove it cold, exactly as I told him I had. He did put it in and out of 4WD and told me that he thought the 4x4 was sticking and that it had "clunked" out of 4WD and he thought that would solve the problem. It didn't do it the next day and that weekend it went on a 400 mile trip -didn't do it once.
Monday morning - fine -didn't do it- Monday when I left work - it did it and I was again, able to make it stop by messing around randomly with the same (as above). It's done it off and on, randomly for no apparent reason since. Its been as cold as 10 degrees and as warm as 45 degrees. Its not been in cruise once when this happened, nor 4WD. Its loudest and most apparent on deceleration from 10-30 mph. I've had other people in the car with me now - and they've stuck their head out the passenger window - its definitely loud outside and not just inside- and sounds more like its coming from the passenger side than just the front end.

Its a whine - but the sound that a car makes when its slowing down - only louder. Like, it starts out the normal sound of a car slowing down but gets louder and louder until - in that speed range - it sounds like a fire engine.

Any other suggestions my car doesn't go to the mechanic til Wed - and last thought...Friday night I went out for pizza - and it did it starting at about 6 miles from home after I got there, got the pizza, parked, turned it off and then got back in to go. It did it all the way home no matter if I tried my voodoo on it or not. I pulled over twice - and I couldn't get it to stop making the noise. I got in it this afternoon to go to the store- didn't make the noise once either there or back.

Go figure.??

 

GET SOME TIRES!!! If the tires on the front and rear are not the same diameter then your transfer case is trying to make up the difference. If one set of tires is larger in diameter than the other then one side of the transfer case is traveling faster than the other in 4X4. Causing excessive strain on the transfer case and differentials when engaged in 4 wheel drive.

It will also affect your driving ability in snow, since the larger tires are going slower than the smaller...so if you get a new set of "MATCHED" tires it will help in the snow. Or just get a set to match either larger or smaller of the size of tires.

And that "Wind Down" noise may just be the aggressive tread of the "Snow Tires", I hear that from a lot of 4X4 trucks that have Mudder type tires installed, the larger lug design is not primarily for highway use that is why they have AT (All Terain) HT (Highway Terain) and All Season tires for the blazer. Since yours is a 4x4 then your original tires were an all season Uniroyal Laredo 235/70x15 with optional 235/75x15 with the 75 being slightly larger diameter.

If you got the manual it will also tell you that you need to have the same size tires on all 4 corners.....

 

I second that. It's worth a shot with your dealer, if nothing else, he might give you some insight on what's going on with it. Good luck with it.

 

Your wheel bearing/hub could be shot too.