It was charging from 10 am til 3 pm. Ended up with about 650 CCA out of a maximum of 690. I had it done at Partsource, not CTC, much closer to me.

 

Wow, just got this from Auto Zone for 2001 Jimmy (they don't have the 2005 listed but should be the same).

"4wd Models

1. Before servicing the vehicle, refer to the Precautions section.
2. Remove or disconnect the following:
   
   Negative battery cable
   Brush end mounting bracket, if removed
   Wiring from the starter solenoid
   Transfer case shield, if equipped
   Bolts that attach the brake pipe-to-transmission bracket to the transmission crossmember and the brackets
   Transmission crossmember bolts, (usually three on each side)
   Transmission mount bolts. Support the transmission assembly with a transmission jack and slide the transmission crossmember out of the way.
   Bracket that attaches the transmission cooler lines to the flywheel housing, brace rod to the flywheel housing, and/or the lower flywheel housing as necessary
   Starter motor mounting bolts
   Starter and if equipped, the starter shims

To install:
Install or connect the following:

Shims in their original locations (if equipped), then place the starter motor into position
Starter motor bolts and tighten them to 33 ft. lbs. (45 Nm)
Lower flywheel cover, if removed
Transmission line bracket to the housing and the brace rod to the housing, if equipped
Crossmember and tighten the retaining bolts
Transfer case shield, if equipped
Solenoid wiring
Brush end bracket and tighten the nuts to 97 inch lbs. (11 Nm), if equipped
Negative battery cable"


This sounds even more complicated than the Oldsmobile I did a little over a year ago, and that was a b*tch. Sure hope it's not the starter motor that is giving me grief, or I'll have a lot more replacing it, lol. Has anyone actually done one of these on a 2001 Jimmy or Blazer?

 

up Young St (towards Elgin)? those guys are even bigger tools.

 

Just to update everyone that may be following this thread, today old skool luvr came by with a different battery to try to see if the vehicle would start. He asked me to try to start it so that he could hear what it was doing using the battery that was already in it. Lo and behold the Jimmy fired up like it never had any starting problems! Weird. Anyways either the starter and/or solenoid was acting up or the fuel in the line had dried up from sitting up on the stands for so long and the few times I tried to start it before today wasn't enough to draw fuel up into the engine - i.e. the engine was starving for fuel and therefore couldn't start on air alone. I'll be watching it for a while and see if I have any other starting problems, just in case it was the starter and/or solenoid. All cables are clean and connections tight.

old skool luvr and I then took it for a spin and it still makes a noise - I'm taking it in to have the second u-joint replaced, to give myself a break from all this mechanical work and save myself from having to learn yet another auto mechanics procedure in this gradually cooler fall weather, lol.

 

at least the work you did to the diff fixed that problem quickcurrent. other than the squeak coming for the front U-joint, his truck runs & drives really nice.

 

Well, old skool luvr, the saga continues..... stay tuned.....

I took the vehicle over to the Firestone shop to have the second (front) u-joint replaced and was told that the noise that a bad u-joint makes is slightly different from what my vehicle makes. They think the current noise is coming from the left rear wheel and one of them told me my pads are worn out and the emergency brake is on the verge of breaking! Remember I just had the brakes apart and know the condition they're in and it's not at all like they said, but then they never took the wheel off, lol! So the culprit is either the rust ring around the rotor's perimeter that needs to wear off or they're full of sh*t. I don't think I'll take the rotors off to have them machined. They keep telling me that I also need the ball joints replaced (about $450). I decided to leave everything and drive it for a few weeks and see how the noise unfolds.

 

you need a new mechanic quickcurrent. i'm telling you, it's coming from your front U-joint. i did mine this moring, noise is gone.

guys, how many times have we heard that tell tale metallic rubbing (squeak) coming from under the truck when the U-joints go dry? i also could see his rear brakes through the openings in the rim, there was plenty of mat'l left on the pads, and the rotors looked picture perfect (nice even wear, no heat scoring or metal scoring).
i'm telling you, these guys are trying to bend you over for an early end to the week.

 

I had a co-worker ask me to put brakes on his son's car. A Firestone dealer had told him he needed front pads & rotors and rear shoes for a very hefty price. I took it apart, The front pads were worn but the rotors were fine. They had never had the rear wheels or drums off. The wheels were stuck to the rotors and the rotors were rusted to the axles. The rear shoes were fine. All he needed is a pair of front pads. I wonder why some mechanics (thieves) get a bad reputation that the honest mechanics have to deal with distrust from the public.

 

I've told you a few of the many tales of my bad experiences with mechanics from independent shops to dealer shops, old skool luvr. So I take what they tell me with a grain of salt.

Good to know your noise is gone. Sure sounded like mine !!! But just to ensure it's not the rust on the rotors, I'm going to let it go for a few weeks to give it a chance to wear off, but won't hold my breath, lol.

terry s, I once had a Subaru dealer's mechanic tell me I needed a brake job two months after I had new rotors and pads put on the car! Sometimes I wonder if they are that stupid or make the customer out to be that stupid !!!

The thing that I found strange about the Firestone guy's comments is that less than a month ago the same fellow told me the forward u-joint also needed replacement when he replaced the rear one, did I want to have them both done or just the rear one, and I said let's do one at a time. Today, it was OK !!! Go figure..........

 

Yes, or I need to learn to do it myself. Is there a detailed how to somewhere?