Not sure what broke on the Blazer but it feels like something is grinding or binding in the drive train. The perplexing thing is it does it in Drive, reverse and neutral. Bad transfer case? Seems like it started right as I was making a right turn into a parking lot and was applying the brakes. Maybe the parking pawl is sticking? At first I thought the U joint on the forward drive shaft exploded but everything there looks good.

I haven't tried putting the transfer case in neutral but it seems like the car can move fine about 18"-24" before it feels like something is binding, and it can go in reverse and neutral about the same distance before something sticks and stops the car until I hit the gas.

Any ideas what to look at? My brother thinks sticking brake caliper, I'm wondering about the output shaft locking ring on the tail of the transfer casing and someone else just suggested the right front wheel bearings went bad. This Blazer does have a Bravada shaft installed.

 

Got the Blazer up on jacks and convinced the transfercase to go in to neutral

There is deffinantly a grinding noise coming from either the output shaft of the transmission or the input side of the transfercasing. Suggestions? Both differentials appear to be functioning normally as well.

 

Transfer case appears to be a NP236GM

 

Finally got some time to investigate some more.

I pulled the drain plugs and nothing drained out, and it would appear that the fluid has congealed into a thick substance that is about the consistency of partially dried roofing tar.