OK, so the Blazer (2003 two door) was being used as a life boat instead of sitting in the drive way.. Friday I get a call that its leaking oil and the kid cannot get the hood open... I told him to get it home ASAP.. I went up to OKC yesterday and brought oil and crossed fingers.. the oil is drizzling out of the rear of the engine area at a pretty good rate. I'm stuck.. my wife doesn't want to get rid of the car for sentimental reasons and I kind of like the car.. except working on it. The car is losing water also.. either a head gasket or cracked head or something.. its been an ongoing problem since the second son got it HOT somewhere.. I have replaced the water pump and the radiator (the radiator blew a hole in itself) and the pump started leaking. The car is in decent shape for being an 03.. but its black on black.. so every dent and scratch shows.. So what would you do? just replace the seal or whatever is wrong.. or give in and replace the engine? Rebuilt? Used? I just want to hear options..

 

I had to replace the engine and cooling system in mine. It was about $2500 all said and done to get both done. I love my Blazer and it was worth it to me, however you might have a different opinion on if its worth it or not. I also had the previous owner not taking care of this at all against me.

 

I am 100% on the fence on it. There have been times I love the thing, and there are times where setting it on fire and dancing naked around it would have been fantastic. Its been through the wringer with 3 out of my four kids driving it, not taking care of anything and beating the snot out of it. I have had to come and rescue the car from each one of them several times, I've done a lot of work to it.. and its nice to have as a lifeboat if someone needs it.. but I have gone from a life of having one single junky car that was always a gamble on whether I can get to work with it..to 2 great cars, 2 antique VW's a motorcycle and the blazer.. I would like to have a good rebuild done so it will be 100% dependable and not leak anything anywhere..

 

Are you sure that it's losing oil through the rear main? I was dead set on pulling the trans to change out the rear main on my old 2000 Bravada until I pulled the inspection plugs out of the trans bellhousing & looked inside with an inspection mirror. The telltale of a leaking rear main seal is that the flexplate will be covered in oil and it will be slung around all over inside the bellhousing. If the flexplate is dry, then the rear main is good. I found that the bolts on my oil pan had loosened to the point of allowing oil to leak out at the rear of the pan up inside the bellhousing. This happened two more times until I thoroughly cleaned the bolts and bolt holes with brake clean and applied some medium strength loctite.

 

I'm not 100% sure of where the oil is coming from, but I'm almost sure its the mains. The fact that its been sitting for quite a while and the miles (140k) I'm thinking the seal dried out.. I will have to taken to a shop for this anyway for them to diagnose.. its its something simple like the pan gaskets, I'll just have the simple fixed and turn it back to the kid who's now driving it.. but since the wife is wanting to keep it in the family, I'd rather get it fixed up so its no longer "iffy".

 

140k is just broke in, check pan bolts, oil pressure sending unit, valve covers, seal gasket for dist, all known causes before rear main leaking, - water - any water in oil, factory intake gaskets usually go out around your millage or a little before ....

 

You say that, but mine completely **** at 140k. There was no saving it at all.

 

Well maybe I'm just lucky or I take good care of my vehicles.
My red 4X4 Morf had over 140 on it when I got the Jimmy S15 totaled out to build her with.

My 1983 Chevy 3/4 ton has a 6.2 diesel, they usually blow at 100k she has 220k on her and I'd go anywhere in her no worries.

My 1998.5 dodge Cumins has 295k on her and the same goes no worries if I was to travel with her.

The only thing that I own that don't have well over a 100k on it is my beefed up 1988 RX7 with a 350 Chev under the hood, she just don't see the street much since she was built ....

 

I said earlier the previous owner of mine didn't take care of it, which I can only assume is what contributed to the engine and cooling system completely bricking by 140k. I ended up putting a clean engine from a 2003 Blazer in that had 80k miles. My Blazer's chasis is now at 146k and is running strong with regular maintenance. I was simply reiterating to Fozzy my experiences. I wish every owner was like you though and actually took care of their stuff.

 

SWARTLKK you are always good for information that I will likely need later. I've wondered how to tell if the rear main is leaking or not and you have provided the answer. Thanks!