Grinding Starter and P1345 Code
 

Hello everyone, I have been browsing the forums and would like some advice.

Currently own a 1998 Blazer, 4.3 vortec, 4wd, 207k miles. A few weeks ago my starter made a terrible noise. I found that the outside mounting bolt had broken. I replaced the bolt and the starter made a grinding noise nearly every time. So I used some shims. No matter how many I used l, the grind would not stop. So I then used a new starter from AutoZone. No shims and the noise was gone for a day, then came back. I took the blazer to a mechanic friend and he placed a washer on the outside bolt to shim it closer and that worked for a day before the noise returned. My friend also said that I have a P1345 code and that means my distributor is misaligned. He moved it but couldn't get it to take, so that needs to be replaced. My friend believes that a new distributor will help engine performance and solve part or most of my hard starting problems. Do any of you have any thoughts or advice? Also, a friend of mine through the church has offered to give me a 2000 Bravada to use as a parts vehicle. It has a major gas leak and he hasn't used it in over a year. The Bravada has a 4.3 vortec and is also 4wd. Will most parts be compatible?

Sorry for the long post. Thanks for any help and God bless.

I`m almost positive some parts will work, but not all.Not sure what a bravada looks like.But you should be able to contact your local GM dealer,letting you know what parts are compatible, what parts aren`t.

Thanks for the info Toocute350, I will contact a dealership and see what I can learn!

Yes the 98 Blazer and 00 Bravada are the same platform and will share many of the same parts. The major difference is going to be in the front end because the Blazer is 4WD and the Bravada is all wheel drive (AWD). I would not give a good explanation of the difference, but I'm sure you could find it here or elsewhere with a quick search.

As for the distributor code, if you have not done any fiddling with the distributor then I would agree with that many miles the gear is probably worn. For around $40 you can get a new distributor from skip white that sounds like a good deal. I have not personally purshased one yet.

Skip White Performance Detail Description

If someone has fiddled with the distributor, then before buying a new one (and if your friend's scanner is able to read CMP retard and this needs to be 0 +/-2) I would still try to reposition the distributor. It is common to have to alter the hold down clamp on the distributor to achieve the proper setting.

As far as hard starting, when was the last time the distributor cap and rotor, spark plugs and wires were changed? And except for the wires, were they AC Delco parts?

I am sorry that I cannot help with the starter. I have not had to mess with mine at all yet.

I would suggest evaluating both the Blazer and the Bravada to see which may be the better vehicle for you in the end. Is one vehicle clearly in better shape than the other? The major gas leak may be a simple fix. (or not :) )

Hope that helps!

Thanks for the compatibility and distributor info CWBDDSPC, I really appreciate it. My friend is a certified mechanic with his own shop and his scanner is a Snap-On MODIS. As for if / when the plugs and wires were changed, I cannot speak to that. Good point though and I should probably do that when the new distributor is installed.

Also, when I went to start the blazer the other night, the starter wouldn't even engage. I pushed it into the garage and will have to figure out if I didn't tighten one of the wires properly. Ugh, so tired of issues I'm having! Yet, I really enjoy this truck.

Flex plate between crankshaft and transmission (what starter engages) is probably damaged/broken/center around bolt holes cracked,etc, causing the repeated starter issues - broken starter bolt/grinding/changing/etc. Not much else it can be - you've got the starter (which you have already replaced) and then the ring on the outer diameter of the flexplate that it engages into - and that bolts directly to the crankshaft. The flex plate is the part that connects the turning crankshaft to the transmission torque converter.

Look here for typical broken flex plates - virtually all of these are broken around the crankshaft bolts.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=flex+...FYExJgodp94JFA

P1345 indicates that someone has had the distributor out and put it back in a tooth off (if it still runs). Your mechanic friend should know this, and be able to get it in correctly so the P1345 does not set. Put on TDC#1 and then drop distributor in with rotor pointing towards stamped numberal "6" in the distributor housing. Then set the CMP retard to 0 ± 2°. Whether or not it needs a new distributor is another issue altogether - but distributor replacement is highly unlikely to fix a P1345 unless the new distributor happens to be installed correctly (where the old one was not installed correctly).

Snapon scanners (I'm not familiar with that particular model) will probably be able to read the CMP retard.

I would fix the starter/flex plate before worring about anything else and you will need someone competent to help you evaluate the flex plate. Remove the 3 bolts for the torque converter from the flex plate so the torque converter is not holding the outer part of the flex plate in place - it can be evaluated much better and if the center is completely broken out it may even drop down out of place by its own weight (or with a little help). If it is a bad flex plate the transmission/transfer case needs to come out to replace it (ouch!) - so my advice is to be sure about it. It's not a trivial repair on a 4WD Blazer.

make sure you are using proper starter bolts. also we had a few chevys come in where the corner of the engine block where the bolts go break. we were able to patch the problem by making a bracket to support the rear of the starter to keep it from slamming around during start up

Thanks for all of the great advice! Took the ol' truck to the mechanic yesterday. New distributor, rotor, and cap installed. Timing is set perfectly. No more P1345 code and no more rough starts!

I do have one question though, when I am using the cruise between say 40 and 50 mph, I get a surging of a few hundred rpms. So, it's at 1500 rpms and just surges up and back down a few hundred. Only seems to do it when I have the cruise set.

Thanks again and God bless!

Probably is the torque converter clutch engaging and disengaging. This happens a lot in the MPH range you are describing and causes the RPMs to vary exactly what you are describing. It should be considered normal unless it is excessive.

Thank you Lesmyer. I will keep an eye on it. Just strange that it happens every so often.

My TCC will never engage if I am going less than 45mph. Once engaged it can stay engaged to as low as 40mph if throttle is extremely light but likes to disconnect on any uphill. So if you are setting your cruise to about 45mph then it is opeating exactly as I would expect once a slight load is placed on the engine for any reason.

If you really think it is surging (and it would also surge at 55mph if this is the case), check the adjustment at the throttle body for the cruise cable. Too much play and cruise controls are known to surge. But the rpms gong up and down with the same vehicle speed in 40-50mph range is the TCC clutch.

Bet it does same thing even when you don't have cruise engaged.

Probably you are noticing this for the first time because the TCC clutch has not been allowed to engage before due to pending misfires or P1345 code setting. Now you have fixed your distributor and TCC is finally locking up - so you are noticing something new. Am I right?

Most of it should be the same parts , the stuff you have mentioned anyway .

Now that the temps have dropped and we've had our first snow here in Michigan, I have a question about the operating temp. I have heat, but the temp gauge only seems to get up to barely half way between 100 and 210. This can't be normal. At idle the heat feels warm but not hot. After driving for nearly an hour today at around 45mph, the temp still didn't hit even half way between 100 and 210. The heat felt OK though. Think it could be a thermostat stuck partially open?

I forget the name of it right now but they make a stat that stick open when it fails , maybe you have one in this truck ?

Sounds like it's time for a back flush and new thermostat... Not that bad of a job, esp if you get your mechanic friend to help you out.

If the radiator is original, the drain peacock will open with a 1/4" ratchet. But it will take forever. Just remove the lower radiator hose;)

I'm pretty sure 195 degrees is OEM for the thermostat. I would have your friend pressure test the cooling system before and after the flush and top it off with a new radiator cap.

Hope that helps!

Thanks for the tips guys! My Dad is handy with a wrench and I've tackled thermostats in other vehicles. I will definitely do a back flush and swap out the stat. I'll keep you all posted. So thankful that I found this forum!

I would have the trans looked at if it's surging a couple hundred RPM. Lesmyer is right, the torque converter is going from lock-up to non-lock up (clutch engaging and disengaging). Every so often should be OK, but other than once-in-a-blue-moon, the torque converter clutch can be damaged. Just scan the ECM and see if there is any TCC solenoid, PWM, or any other trans related codes.