Hi guys,

I recently purchased an 2dr 04 Blazer with the 4 button 4x4. It has 230k kms, and I got it for $1200. It looks like it has seen better days, but the price was too good to pass up.

A few ppl from an auto parts store said the the 2nd gen blazer needs the front end looked after all time. I asked him to elaborate, Im suppose to grease some parts? Ive searched the forums and found the zerk fittings.

My blazer's front end doesn't look like it has been serviced in awhile. The zerk fittings are rusted shut, so I will have to replace them. Are moog parts good quality?

 

Welcome to the group.

To answer your questions, yes, regular maintenance on the front end components is a good idea: ball joints (upper and lower), inside and outside tie-rod ends, idler arm and pitman arm I think cover it. It is easier to get at all of them with the front skid plate off and with the front tires off. Generally Moog seems to be one of the more trusted brands for front-end components.

A few things to also be aware of with these Blazers:

• The oil hoses the connect the remote oil filter to the engine can and will likely leak. On my '92 I had the o-ring where the adapter connects to the block fail with a loss of about 1/2 qt per 10 miles. Definitely had to get it fix immediately.
• The lower intake manifold (LIM) gaskets can fail catastrophically. So, if there is ever an excuse to work on the top of the motor, it is worth going a bit further and replacing these with the higher quality Fel-Pro gaskets.
• The front hubs seem to inevitably go bad at some point. They are not hard to replace.
• The "4-button" transfer case (as opposed to the 3-button one) takes a special fluid so that the Auto-4WD can work. Also, the transfer-case control module (TCCM) is a common failure. This is an easy and not too expensive fix.

Be sure to ask questions. You will get good help here.

 

Thank you for the information, I have copied and pasted this info so I have it in the future. Do these front end stuff need to be replaced every year?

It seems like the motor will run well past 300k if taken care of. For the 4wd, does the car need to be in P or N at a stop for it to engage? Is that special fluid can be only be bought at the dealership?

Last question is the blazer came with dex cool coolant, it looks a little brownish. I've searched and some ppl flush it out and use the common green coolant. I would need to do a flush either way to service the rad and other heating components?

 

The font end components do not need to be replaced every year unless you are one of those people who goes 4-wheeling at 100kph! Just be sure to have all of the greasable components greased with every oil change (e.g. every 6mo./10,000 km) and they'll last many years.

You are correct about the longevity potential of the engine. Like all cars, good maintenance practices are key.

As for the 4WD, you do not have to be in P or N to switch into or out of 4HI. But if you want to engage 4LO you do have to be in P or N. There are pdf copies of the owners manual available for download that can explain it better. That is where I got mine.

For the transfer case fluid, it is available from many vendors but likely only as the official AC Delco part. It is not necessarily all that expensive or hard to find. However it is important to use it in the the Auto-4WD (4-button) models.

Regarding the coolant, the original Dexcool was disliked by many. If a very thorough flush is done, then it can be replaced with the regular green stuff. The problems happen when the green is mixed with the Dexcool. A sludge can form. If properly maintained, the new formulations of the Dexcool should be fine. Just be thorough with the flushing. If you think you might have sludge in the radiator and if you are getting no heat from the heater, then a thorough flushing will be needed. If really bad, the radiator will need to be replaced. To replace the heater core means taking out the dash, a real pain apparently. If at all possible find a way to flush the heater core in place.

Hope this helps!

These are great and capable little rigs. I hope to keep mine for many more years.

 

Thank you very much!! I will schedule an appt with a local shop to get my coolant replaced.

Ive been browsing the forums and the internet and came across this TSB 13-05-22-001 for the 1999+ silverado & sierra regarding corroded brake lines. The dealer offers pre bent brake lines for appx $160us for this truck.

I was wondering if they have something like this for the blazer/jimmy? I wouldn't mind replacing my brake lines for peace of mind. I would hate to bend and flare the lines I may screw up.

 

Can't help you much with the brake line question. I'm fortunate not to have to deal with salt and corrosion like back east. That topic could be a good one to post on its own although you might search for answers first as I think there was a recent thread on this.

 

rho, look at it this way. owning an s-10 blazer/jimmy is a learning experience. this suv will present you with a project to research, study, resolve, then it will present you with a new one. it will keep doing that until you either bond with it and treasure it or you get rid of it. i say keep it and it will be like getting an ADVANCED DEGREE
in automotive engineering. plus you will get the satisfaction of DIY. one side benefit is the cost of the parts is RELATIVELY cheap. So : advanced degree at a bargain price ! jim in SC

















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For me, I ended up with my Blazer because I needed a 4-door SUV and it was what I could afford and of those I could afford, it was the only one that could do what I needed it to do, i.e. larger V6, 4WD, body on frame, could tow my boat.

Knowing how to do auto repairs has helped although I wish I did not have to do them quite as often as I have. Then again, my truck is almost 20 years old and I use it for more than just street driving. As for the cost of ownership, I figure I'm ahead on that. The only other option for me I think would be a Toyota 4-Runner but to purchase even a 10 y.o., 100,000 mile example can cost up over $10,000! Perhaps they are worth it but before I get one (which I hope won't need to be for many years) I would start lurking on the equivalent repair forum to get a feel for their short-comings.