I am probably going to get a 98 Blazer with right aorund 101000 miles...Has the 4.3l v6 , LT, 4x4, Sunroof has new Sigma Tires...pretty good condition...$3500 in cash for it...it will be used as a winter vehicle and to tow my 19ft. boat (3000lbs)...

I want to just do a couple things...

-Change tranny fluid and filter
-Spark Plugs
-Clean intake manifold/throttlebody
-New air fliter
-Change oil
-fuel filter

Should I adda cheap tranny cooler?


Anything else I should do?

And when i go to look at this truck...is there anything I should be looking for that is commonly wrong with this type and year of truck? I know tranny slipping...ect... but like ball joints, tie rods???

 

When ever you look at a nused vehicle you should look at everything. Take it too a mechanic you trust and have them doa complete inspection. Most call it a safety inspeciton. Ask to see the dealers repair history on the truck. No doubt the dealer went throught it when teh truck came in.

As for the tune-up, get new plug wires, distriburator cap and rotor, pcv, check the vacuum hoses and it sure wouldn't hurt to replace all of them. Plus check the radiator/overflow tank for gunk. Make sure the fluid is clean and new.

As for the tranny cooler, YES get one. The tranny you will save will be yours. Tranny slip is NOT a common problem. If the tranny is sliping it is an early indication that you are info a major repair. The tranny has been in use for over 2 decades and resides in all 1/2ton an lighter GM vehicles. That includes fullsize picks/SUV and everything below it with rear wheel drive. To say it is a week tranny is completely wrong. Back in the early 80's when it frist came out that statement would have been true. However GM fixed that by the mid 80's. You want a week tranny, buy a Ford or Dodge.

 

Also, find out if the transmission has ever HAD a service and the fluid changed, if not, i would NOT touch whats in it. if you do, you risk massive slippage and also blowing it out. Just a word of caution...I would also consider doing a motor flush. with that kind of mileage it would be healthy to do that and then put in new oil. It really gets the sludge out of it and makes it run a LOT nicer.

 

Marvelous Marvins Mystery oil flush. great stuff and a good tip. I flush my engiens every 100,000 miles. Read the directions. Your oil has never looked so black before.

I would like to elaborate on the tranny flush.
the reason tranny's fail after a fluid change is not due to the mileage on the tranny, but rather the damage done to the seals and gaskets. Heat is the number one killer of transmissions. Heat cuases the seals and gaksets to harden. When they harden they leak leading to tranny slip. That slippage cuases the clutch packs to flake of a little material. That material will build up around the leaks int eh seals and gaskets, in esssence slowing the leak.

the second thing heat does to tranny's is waste the lubrication ability of the tranny fluid.

New tranny fluid is full of detergents. What happens is that the new fluid will clean the debris off the crusty seals/gaskets and cause them to leak agian. The new fluid didn't cause the problem. Think of it this way, you have been living on borrowed time. Your tranny was shot and on its way to an early death before the flush. Not doing the flush will only expidite the death roll. Leaving the old fluid in the tranny you will not be replacing any of the lost lubrication.

If it where my tranny. I would drop the tranny pan and install a drain plug. Top off with the 4-5 quarts you lost and drive it. Then every 3rd oil change, drain the pan and top off. this way your slowely replacing the fluid. On my trucks, I drain the pan once per year and top off. Once per year is about every 12,000-15,000 miles.