I haved a '97 4WD with 165K on it. Fixed things here and there over the last year I've hade it but nothing major has gone wrong. Loaned it to a friend to drive home from here (Utah) to Texas in a snowstorm so he wouldn't have to take his 2WD S-10 in the storm. Transmission failed in Farmington, NM. He said it popped out of gear and then shifted hard into gear (not sure which one but I imagine 4th as they were on the freeway). Pulled over and managed to get it to limp into a gas station. At that point (and since), it has only reverse.

I loaded up his truck in a trailer behind my F-350 and hauled it down there so he could continue on his way and brought the Blazer home. When I got there, the battery was dead and I noticed a strong sulphur smell when I popped the hood. Not good. He doesn't think he left anything on but who knows. Jumped it and managed to get it loaded up to bring back home.

Got it home and couldn't even jump it ... battery won't take a charge at all. Got it off the trailer and into the driveway an dhaven't done anything since. Have a new battery and will go hook it up and read codes, etc. to see if there is anything stored. Though with the battery issue maybe not?

Anyway, I searched for tranny issues and I can't seem to find anything here on having Reverse Only. Is this possibly electronic, a solenoid, etc. or is the tranny shot? My plan is to tow it to a tranny shop next week and have them diagnose. But just wondered if anyone here has had on with that symptom.

When you shift the lever into any gear besides reverse, nothing happens. You don't hear a click or anything like its trying to do a thing. Basically, you have P, N, R only. No forward gears. Have tried 1,2, individuallly as well as D.

 

A busted up front planet gearset will cause a no-forward movement issue regardless of gear shift position. If it were the input sprag, the transmission would still move if you were to pull it in first. The overrun clutch should apply the forward hub to apply some forward movement.

 

Sounds like a rebuild then?

 

If that is what is wrong, definitely.