I swapped for a '96 Blazer a couple of days ago. It's got mucho miles at 236K but it seems to run pretty good. Most of what I need top fix is minor stuff from previous owners not being talented mechanics. (The bad starter turned out to be a loose cable on the battery.)

My biggest bug a boo is a coolant leak followed by an oil leak. The oil leak is the remote oil filter lines. No big deal. The coolant is either the intake or a head gasket. If it's the intake, I fix it but a busted head gasket with that many miles on the engine, I'm not going to bother.

If I need to replace the engine, I can always drop another 4.3 but I'm an old hot rodder at heart so I'm thinking V-8 swap.

So, if I swap, does anybody know if the flex plate on the 4.3 is the same bolt pattern as a V-8? If it has the same pattern, can I reuse the transmission in my Blazer? It looks to have been rebuilt. Is there a good swap kit with motor mounts and such to drop the V-8 in? How about a short shaft, electric water pump?

 

Do a search on here and google and you questions will be answered!!

 

i bet the coolant leak is lower manifold gaskets,which is a common problem with 2nd gens. oil cooler lines leaking? nothing new there either. buy felpro gaskets for the manifold,and buy oem cooler lines from the dealership.

 

I've already priced the parts for both those repairs. I do NOT go to the dealer. Every time I've deal with the local Chevrolet dealer, they have either gouged me or tried to. I go to the same place I've been using since I ran my own shop in the early 80's. I suspect the intake manifold is the culprit but I'm letting the dye do its thing.

I had an '88 S-10 with the 2.8 that was losing coolant and the oil was getting filthy back when the truck was fairly new. I had bought the extended warranty and it would have been a $50 deductable (well, it has been a few years, decades actually). I went to pick the truck up and when I went to write a check to pay my cost, I was told it was covered by a recall. GM (and Ford) like to have what are called "silent recalls". If you take it to the dealer to get it fixed, they will take care of it for free. If you go to an indy, tought luck. You pay the cost.