I am currently looking at possibly purchasing a 2003 Chevrolet Blazer 4x4 from a family member. The blazer has 107k on it, and overall it's in great shape. The few issues that I'm aware of that I was told about are it needs an 02 sensor, something is going on with the front control arms but they aren't sure if they were told the bushings need to be replaced or if it's the ball joints, and finally they were told it could use shocks. I for one don't see why it would need them, at 107k but maybe I'm wrong ? Regardless, recently they replaced the fuel pump, and also the #3 injector was giving them issues so they replaced that injector, although i wish they would have changed the fuel spider itself .

With all this being said , it's in great shape otherwise, tires are at about 50-60% and they honestly don't drive it very much but otherwise it wasn't beaten or anything like that but younger kids or teenagers. They are looking at the trade in value based on what they were offered at the dealership which is $2300, I am really considering buying it just because worse case I could sell it after fixing what it actually needs and make a decent profit .

I am here in order to get some insight as to what I should consider, if this is something that i should jump on and run with, I owned a 99 Tahoe LS and loved the truck, but sold it due to gas prices. I can't imagine my Tahoe would be that much worse than the blazer , but on highway I would get an avg of 19-24 at best 25 going to and from Chicago. And, from what I've read these 4.3's seem to get about the same if driven , and maintained .

Please I am looking for all insight, and maybe even some ideas as to what I could do IF I were to dig into this purchase and use it as a DD (50 mile county road commute daily ) .

Thanks ahead of time for all the help It's really appreciated.

Once I have the opportunity to get to the truck , I'll post pictures but with this Michigan weather that might be a day or two.

 

Consider some tools and either a Haynes or Chilton manual, or a factory repair manual. The things you listed aren't particularly difficult to tackle.
Price all the parts, and try talking them down on price based on the cost of parts and the labor you'll put into it.

 

haynes and chiltons are pretty useless for anything that isnt basic. Search ebay for a factory GM manual.

 

You base it on your resources and what's available to you. Haynes/Chilton is good for parts changing, which in itself is pretty basic. And that's as much as a lot of people are going to do. If someone is only going to do basic PM and parts changing, those books cover that well enough. I agree people should get more involved in the upkeep of their vehicles, but life and it's circumstances get in the way sometimes. I turn wrenches for a living, and even I've fallen behind at times.

 

So I just got off the phone with the mechanic that did most of all the work on the blazer . I guess my step parents heard wrong or he's lying to me. The suspension is good he said , th only issue he noticed while it was on the rack when te fuel pump was being replaced was the passenger side idler arm. Otherwise he said that the plugs an wires should be replaced since when he did the one inject for #3 he only replaced that plug as he was told . Which to me is both a waste of $ and time , better off replacing the entire spider and a full tune up In my eyes .

Otherwise I'm pretty pumped was really hoping to have it by tonight but with the storm hitting Upper Michigan they are using it still .

 

Just drove the Blazer last night, I was honestly pretty happy with the outcome, the steering seemed a little sloppy but nothing that bad, so I'm guessing that has to do with the idler arm. And, the check engine light was on , but that came up as a evap code and the 02, but I don't remember the codes off the top of my head . Otherwise it ran great, i think it does need a tune up though, seems like it didn't have much power but maybe I was expecting to much since I've never actually owned a 4.3L just the GM 3.4L,3.8L, and 3.8L Supercharged mainly in v6 and the 5.7v8 both vortec and non vortec. Outside of that the drivers door needs a door pin which from what I was told by my friend, it's really simple to replace.

Now my question is, with the 4.3L is it a motor that doesn't produce all that much power , it's not like it was missing it was running great just seemed like when I went WOT the truck just slowly picked up speed nothing that I expected and it was in 2wd as well , so that's where I figured maybe a good tune up with plugs,wires a cap and rotor ( even though it looked like it was brand new ) and maybe a good seafoam treatment ?

I was going to look into maybe getting a tune through bbp but that would be way later on down the road once I know the vehicle is running at 100% in all aspects.

So any and all help is greatly appreciated .


Chi_Town

 

Really no help ?


Chi_Town

 

I must've missed your last post. Seems like a pretty good plan. When's the last time you changed your fluids? Lot of people forget about their differentials.

 

I'm not sure when they did , but I know that will be done most Likly in the next few weeks once I work out the little things I already know about it an give it a full tune up.

 

Wouldn't hurt to get oil samples done, either. They're $15/per at Caterpillar, but it's well worth it. I'm about to send them in for my engine oil, front and rear diffs, transmission, transfer case, and coolant.