I can grab a 2000 Blazer 2 door with 85k on it for $3500. Looks good and engine sounds good at idle, but here is what I found so far:

I noticed the voltage gauge jumping up and down - not always dwon to 11 volts - back to 12/13.5 volts.

Gas gauge is all over the place - when moving - half tank, stand still - empty with low fuel light on, seems the voltage gauge goes along with it - some times.

When I accelerate I'm feeling a miss/skip - almost like timing is off. No check engine light.

Again looks good inside/outside 4WD works great, steering seems very tight and is a great deal for $3500. Getting it for my daughter

Any hints - help on this - could this all be tied together.

Thanks All.

DB

 

I don't know if these problems are related. The first thing I would do is check for clean, tight connections at the battery. You can buy a multi-meter for about $15 and check the charging system right at the battery connections.
There should be an engine ground at the back of the right cylinder head, I think it's on a 15mm bolt. It's a little hard to get to but you want to make sure it's tight also.
Be inventive and use a light and a mirror if it helps.
Start with that and see what you find, then let us know.

 

I completely agree with the above.

On the other issues:

Well the gas gauge is most likely the sending unit which has a high rate of failure in GM vehicles as a whole. You may be able to correct it with some GM fuel injection cleaner into the tank. GM's formulation has an additive to clean the contacts on the sending unit, but it is more of a maintenance cleaning than an all out assault on buildup that is causing your issue. It may take a few tanks with the stuff in there to work, but it's better to try something cheap first.

On the slight miss/hesitation, I'd try cleaning your EGR valve and MAF sensor. Run a search to find out about these procedures. If you have any additional questions, just ask!

 

Thanks for the repsonses - I'll search for the posts on the sensors and EGR. I did purchase the vehicle as the price was way to good to pass up.

Keeping my fingers crossed it something simple, because in park it sounds pretty good when you rev it up, it just the skip that has me nervous under load - especially with no check engine light.

Thanks Again,

DB

 

Cleaned the MAF and the EGR. I think I can say it runs better, but it still has this slight "shutter" when leaving from a dead stop. Put some injection cleaner in and have been driving it, seems a little better. It may be even a slight vibration I'm picking up - motor or transmission mount, fan balance, etc (doesn't do it once it shifts out of 1st gear), but even the slightest acceleration from a dead stop you can still feel it - is this just a Blazer thing? Once you get passed the shift from 1st this thing has some sack and shifts very smoothly and has some good kick down for passing.

Any more hints would be helpful on where to look next.

Thanks Again,

DB

 

Maybe it needs a good tune-up as well.

 

Yep - tune up. Dist cap and Rotor are cheap and easy to start with. Did both on my 99 for about $20 and it only took about 10 minutes to do. Made a big difference.

 

i have a 99 where the fuel gauge was also all over the place. i know when im low when the bouncing is closer to full, i know its weird but it will bounce as it gets down to the low position and then continue bouncing as it goes back up to full, i carry a small full gas can in the back for this. ive tried and tried and tried many of system cleaners, yet they probably just do have bad sending units. you should probably just do the tune anyway since its for ur daughter.

 

Just goes to show you that they don't all act the same. I'm doing a fuel pump replacement on the 99 this weekend and the gauge never acted funny at all. As it turns out, the pupm replacement isn't going to be that bad thanks to some good posts on here. I figure when it's done I'll have about three hours in it. Mostly because I'm doing it by myself and with the tank half full.