A few months ago, I bought my '91 Blazer. $600, couldn't beat it. Runs like a champ, majority of the time. Had a 3" body lift, figured it'd be the start of a nice little weekend offroader. Tires were shot when I bought it, spent more on the tires than I did on the truck itself, but got some really decent tires for the price. Being that they are oversized for the truck, I cut the fenders to clear them, no rubbing at all. It was a '91 with almost everything original, I replaced all the ball joints, tie rod ends, wheel bearings up front and brakes. A couple months after I bought it, I rear-ended someone when my brakes locked up and I slid into them. Alright, not too much damage to my truck, grille is gone, hood is crinkled a bit, no more bumper and a fender is bent out. Not a problem at all. Insurance didn't cover it though, I've driven it this way for over a month now, everything seemed fine except for the wheel rub on the inner fender well.

Today, I noticed a light clicking noise when braking under 5mph. Looks like my CV shafts are needed to be replaced soon, some play in them. $100 fix, nothing terrible. Going home from work today, sitting at a light notice light smoke rolling out from under the truck. Pull into a fuel station and look under, oil or something dripping onto the exhaust, right in front of the transpan. Great?! Haven't been able to see where it's coming from, but noticed it's all over my starter, and on my #4 plug boot. No where else really. I stuck my hand down at the pressure sensor, 'cause I know they're prone to leaking. It feels fine, no oil build up around it. Oil pressure seemed fine. Got home and was checking fluid levels, good oil and transmission fluid levels. Stuck my finger in the oil filler hole of the valve cover to feel nothing but grit. Possibly needing a new oil pump? How much oil should be up there after cooling down for 10 minutes? Surely it's not suppose to have any grit there. I am planning pull the covers off and clean it.

 

the oil leak,is probably a valve cover. As far as oil up top,it basically drains back down immediately. for the grit,it probably hasn't been maintained all that well and has some carbon built up,and you might be feeling someone of the irons rough casting too. run some good 10/30 oil and substitute a bottle of it with some trans fluid for a few hundred miles then change it. itll help clean it up.

For the clicking,Hows the upper control arm bushing looking? I had something like this on my old truck. It was a smushed bushing.

 

Yeah, I was inspecting it and saw signs of bushing failure. New control arms are needed. Rather not have to press bushings and just replace the entire arms. I'll be buying valve cover gaskets this weekend and replacing those, since I'm cleaning everything up anyway. I'm not sure if putting another $500 worth of parts just into the front end suspension is worth it. I love the truck, and probably will, but in the back of my mind I keep thinking about buying a new vehicle.

 

forget 500 bro,rockauto etc has complete control arms for like 65.00 each. new bushings,joint etc. your looking at 150.00 parts,and about 2 hours labor.

DORMAN Part # 520139 is left upper
DORMAN Part # 520140 is right upper. Google these part numbers and you should find the best price.

(if you're cheap like me,just replace the arm that has the bad bushings lol.)

 

Yeah, that's where I'm getting the parts. I'm also replacing the lowers. If I'm going to do it, might as well over do it and make sure it's all new up front. $80 a piece for lowers. Then each of my CV shafts are $45 a piece. The only things that wont be new on my front suspension/braking components will be the shocks, calipers and centerlink.