The oil pickup is not the problem....those blasted steel transmission cooler lines are. Once I got the pan past these lines, the pan comes straight down. Installing was the same; get pass those lines and pan goes straight on. Although the front of the pan has to go up first to clear the crossmember;

I forgot to mention that I got my wife to help hold the pan in place. We each had one hand on the pan holding it in place and then she placed a bolt into the 1/2" socket with the other hand, which I then screwed-in using an electric driver with a long extension. After getting four bolts in, she left and I got the remaining ones in, including the two nuts at the very rear. Of course tightened the bolts down in a "X" pattern and a little at a time until the driver torque limit. Time for the torque wrench, 18 ft-lbs and was done.

 

What was I thinking??
My plans today WERE to put oil in, remove the fuel pump relay, and then begin the cylinder compression checks.....good thing I thought this through before I did anything.
I installed the remove oil filter lines on one end only, at the oil filter adapter....do not want to bolt the other end until after I get the diff in, steering linkage back in-place, and so forth.

I can just imagine the oil mess...along with the words.....had I not re-thought this before actually doing anything.
Another example how a night's sleep improves one's thought process.

Later

 

I don't see any problem getting to the spark plugs.......................

 

LOL - me neither...

...coming along nicely. Keep up that work, want to see it back on the road.

 

All I really wanted to do was to have a bit more access to the push pins that hold the splash shields in; I am replacing those. I removed all the bolts holding the inner fender, pulled on it a bit so I could get the last push pin toward the firewall....and down/out came the inner fender. The left side stayed-in, just dropped a little, just enough to get to that last push pin; fuse panel wiring harness keeps it from falling-out.

But sure gives access to those right side spark plugs. Will make it much easier to move the compression gauge between the even cylinders.

New splash shields are supposed to arrive late on 4/30; last of the parts, so re-assembly will begin. Just in time for it to be 104° on 4/31.

 

Today's task was to put the front diff in; well.....the score is, Gravity 5, Me 0.

I think I have it figured-out how the diff goes back in....just have not been able to do so.
The right side axle tube has to go up first, then the diff needs to be angled with the output down, then lifted-up so the forward end can be placed onto the crossmember, pushed forward a bit, then raise the output end so that the rear mounting ear is inline with the flanges, push diff forward, put bolt in, then raise the forward end so the forward ear goes up to it's mounting flanges, get the bolt in......then hopefully the right side tube mounting flange is aligned with the frame flanges...put those bolts in.

Sounds easy right?

Trying to keep the diff on my floor jack pad at these angles, pumping the jack with a leg, holding the diff in place........Like I said, Gravity 5, Me 0.

 

Score update: Gravity 8, Me 1.....I only need 1 to win.

I ended-up removing the right-side axle tube along with all the internals which lightened the diff plus stopped it from falling to the right side. Took me another three tries to get the right combination of angles but I got the forward end on the crossmember, then holding it in place with one hand, moved the jack out of the way, got under the diff, with both hands on it twisting and lifting got both ears into their mounting flanges. So again holding with one hand, QUICKLY grabbed the jack, got it under the diff, pumped the jack with one leg again (so glad that there was no video of this!!!!)....with jack supporting the diff, grabbed a mounting bolt, wiggling the diff got the rear one through, then the front one. Got the two nuts on, tightened them down.

Have to mention that getting the washer on that front bolt is a PITA....have to fish the washer into the frame channel by going through a gap under the left forward upper control arm bushing using a pick-up magnetic and a finger in the access hole. This is not a bad as the earlier 2nd Gen Blazers where the left upper control arm has to come off as there is no access hole in the frame (from what I have read anyways).

Bottom line.....diff is in.....just have to put the right side axle back on.



Later,

 

When I read your posts, I feel like I'm reading some sort of battle-field reports!

Good luck with the rest of this repair!

 

Battlefield Report Update:
Had a good campaign the last couple of days.....although have yet to put the right-side axle together. I got the compression check done on all cylinders, all were within 10% with #1 being the strongest at about 15% higher. Afterwards installed new spark plugs, then new wires....which takes a fair amount of time to get those blasted wire clips open....but all new wires are routed correctly. Replaced rotor and cap....see my other posting for pictures of them....they sure needed replaced.
Put the coolant pump pulley on, three new radiator hoses, put the fan on, attempted to put the alternator/idler pulley/tensioner pulley bracket on.....removed fan....then installed the bracket.

Now time to put the new splash shield onto the inner fenders then back on. Right side first....gave me lots of fit problems.....finally found that the coolant overflow hose was caught between frame and inner fender.....removed it and gee...much better fit! One of the three nut plates at the front, under the battery tray fell out. So I got to remove the few bolts I had started, take the inner fender out (again), fix the nut plate and then I got to put the inner fender in (again). All went well until the bolt that goes in the middle towards the rear did not want to go in. Out came the M8x1.25 tap and die to chase the theads....then no problem. Bolted-down the ECU to the top of the coolant reservoir, bolted-in the 4wd vacuum actuator, then the battery tray.

Time for the left side.....

I had not completely removed the left side due to the fuse panel wiring harness...so it went in just a bit easier. Although the bolt at the same location as the right side had the same problem. Chased threads on it. Then went to install the two bolts that support the ABS....one went in, one did not. Inner fender was covering part of the hole for the ABS support. Still had to chase the threads and persuade the inner fender to move a bit, then it went in.

Put the alternator in...and decided to call it a day....garage temp is near 100°F and no fan.

 

Did you take the screens out of the distributor?
Dont forget to adjust the cam retard angle once you get her running again