I have a 1988 4x4 full size blazer. I've had it about 5 years now and have replaced the tranny 3 times, the fuel pump once, the water pump once and now the head gasket blew. The engine has about 193,000 miles on it (I'm guessing since the odometer only has 5 places and I'm pretty sure it's the original engine still). I am pretty rough on the car when I go offroading so I'm surprised I haven't had suspension issues or broken axles, but the transmission has been a nightmare. I have a 6 inch lift on the car and the differtial's were changed and the axle's are 3/4 ton axles instead of just the stock 1/2 ton and I have 35" nitto mud grappler tires on it. So getting the transmission set right hasn't happened... it downshifts pretty hard and I took it to an offroad place and all they said was that the transmission place had overfilled the transmission by about a quart so they drained the extra fluid but it still downshifts hard, though not as hard as it was. Recently the heater quit working and it started overheating but then it would cool off right away and the heater would come back on so I thought it was probably a thermostat issue since there wasn't the infamous white cloud coming out of the tailpipe... but a few days went by and I wasn't so lucky. I was told with that many miles on it that I should get a new engine versus just replace the head gasket because so many other things are probably due to start breaking on the engine anyway and now I'm trying to decide between engines... remanufactured or a crate engine and what size engine? Should I leave it to a standard 350 or go bigger for more horsepower? What would anybody out there recommend? A number of people have told me to part it out but I have sentimental value in this truck and at least I know what's wrong with it and what's good with it and I've dumped more money into it already than I could ever get back even halfway so I think it's best to keep it for the memories since all I would do if I parted it out is get another blazer that I didn't know what it's history was all about.

 

I have also had problems with the oil pressure since I bought it... it will read normal and then drop to 0 out of nowhere. The oil pan leaked when I first bought it so I had the gasket replaced but it didn't fix the oil pressure problem. I also have new gauges to install on it, but havent yet. Not sure why it's always done that but I suppose with a new engine that would be fixed unless it's the gauge reading wrong. It also can't pass smog due to the catillitic converter being bad but I'm not sure how much that matters to an engine.

 

head gaskets aren't too bad to change. sounds like you pretty mechanically inclined. take your intake manifold off and your valve cover. then your head.
350s are a good motor and can take a good amount of abuse. all depends on what you want to do with the truck and how much money you have to spend. if you are tight on funds i would just replace the head gasket for now. if you want to upgrade you can go up to a 400 small block, 454 big block, or you could do a 6.2L diesel with a turbo. it's up to you.