1985 S10 Blazer 4WD questions
Zulummar
my wife had settled on an older used SUV since it would have room for the
family and have cargo room to take up camping and stuff, and I wanted 4WD
for playing up in the mountains.
So, I jump the gun and get an '85 S10 Blazer 4x4 with the 2.8L V6 & 5 spd
manual tranny.
After I get the truck, I get told by virtually everyone I talk to that I
should get rid of it, because the 2.8L V6 is a piece of junk, and they have
a habit of blowing out the lower half on the engine. Wonderful.
Now, it's in the shop because it needs a new clutch and rear main seal. The
mechanic told me I most likely would not need a new crankshaft, main
bearings, or whole new motor (as another mechanic told me I would) since the
motor is still running pretty strong right now, but it's leaking from the
rear main seal and has gotten oil on the clutch so it's slipping bad.
I'm having the repairs done for now since it's the only vehicle I have. My
tentative plan (if it's even possible) is to build another engine up as
money allows and then swap out the 2.8.
My friends all tell me not to do it, just get something else. However, call
me a freak, but I like the body style of the S10 Blazer and would like to
keep it and fix it up real nice.
Is it possible to put in something like a 4.3L V6 to replace the 2.8,
without having to hack apart the engine bay? If not, are there any other
motors I can put in that will fit and have the correct mounts?
Also, what else am I likely to have to replace to do something like this?
Transmission, transfer case, differential?
I'm not terribly knowledgeable about cars, been a long long time since I've
done any mechanic work... I have a few friends that would be willing to help
me out with doing the work, but none know if there's anything I can put in
that will fit, have the correct mounts, etc.
Big Chris
You have lots of options at this point. There is the option of swapping in
a 3.1 or 3.4 motor (my understanding is that the 3.1 is virtually plug and
play). If you move to something else, you also have to change the
transmission. 4.3 = new transmission If you are going the extra distance
to do the 4.3, you can put a 350 small block in with not much more effort.
No modification to engine well needed for either 4.3 or 350. 350 and 4.3
will also require new hoses and radiator, as if my memory serves me correct,
the hook-ups are on the opposite sides. New shocks for sure up front with a
350, though with the motor out it's a piece of cake to change them. Explore
your options at http://www.s-seriesforum.com/forum/ and
http://forums.s-series.org/ Both are outstanding resources for anything
related to the S-series. If you are thinking about anything, 99% likelyhood
somebody on one of those two forums has done it and can tell you all the
tricks and what to avoid.
Big Chris
Stephen M. Ryan
This is what I plan to do when time and money are aligned at the same time.
:)
Stephen
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Brett Hayes
which is a better engine than the 2.8. With the 4 wheel drive the truck is
so heavy that the 2.8 is way underpowered. The 4.3 is also a 4 bolt main
engine. I have an 88 with almost 250,000 miles on it and its still going.
"Zulummar" <nob...@nowhere.net> wrote in message
news:GKDVa.9483$Vt6....@rwcrnsc52.ops.asp.att.net...
Rich B
in college (43,000+ miles on it). It now has 210,000+ miles on it and
the engine is going strong. The only major repair was a tranny overhaul
at about 190,000 miles because my SIL messed with it and screwed it up.
This vehicle does not get babied by any means and is regularly driven on
long (over1000 miles) trips up and down the East coast. The only
regular care this vehicle gets is oil and filter changes (and chassis
lubes). I think it depends on the owner (or someone like me to make
sure it gets serviced when it needs it). I've seen quite a few of these
same vehicles with the 2.8L go for many more miles than people
predicted.
******************************************
I would rather be exposed to the inconveninces attending too much
liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it.
~ Thomas Jefferson ~
Charles Elkins
my rear main seal started to leek after i played with the tranny they sell a
repair sleave that i put on with a new seal and never had a problem again
"Rich B" <KrispEK...@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:3380-3F2...@storefull-2155.public.lawson.webtv.net...
d.per...@attbi.com
Big Chris wrote:
This site has more info for the 4x4 type of mentality. Unless having your frame
an inch of the pavment is your thing.
Zulummar
<d.per...@attbi.com> wrote in message news:3F289441...@attbi.com...
>
>
> Big Chris wrote:
>
> > Zulummar wrote:
>
> This site has more info for the 4x4 type of mentality. Unless having your
frame
> an inch of the pavment is your thing.
>
>
> http://pub154.ezboard.com/fs10extremistsfrm18
>
Lol, not really my thing, no :)
I bought this instead of a cavalier sedan (had a 93 cav a few years ago and
loved it) because I wanted something to take up to the mountains and play
with :)
Wayne Jones
"Zulummar" <nob...@nowhere.net> wrote in message
news:GKDVa.9483$Vt6....@rwcrnsc52.ops.asp.att.net...
that's still runs great and rebuilt about 50,000 miles ago. The only
problems I had was everything hooked to the 2.8 gave me problems, i.e.
carb., dist., fuel pump, etc. If you live near Frederick Maryland, it's
yours if you want it. Still runs great and I will not go back to a 2.8 after
driving the 4.3. All you have to do is put your oil pan on it for it to go
right in.
Wayne
Zulummar
"Wayne Jones" <jon...@starpower.net> wrote in message
news:bgf1l2$f8h$1...@bob.news.rcn.net...
>
> What part of the world do you live? I've got an 82 with 2.8 and 700R4 2WD
> that's still runs great and rebuilt about 50,000 miles ago. The only
> problems I had was everything hooked to the 2.8 gave me problems, i.e.
> carb., dist., fuel pump, etc. If you live near Frederick Maryland, it's
> yours if you want it. Still runs great and I will not go back to a 2.8
after
> driving the 4.3. All you have to do is put your oil pan on it for it to go
> right in.
> Wayne
>
>
Thanks for the offer, but I live on the completely opposite coast... Oregon
:)
boogieman
Zulummar
from what I've been told, they didn't do that bad in the 2WD S10 Blazers,
but the added weight of the 4WD is just too much for the little things...
"boogieman" <dan...@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:3F2B2C92...@sympatico.ca...
DJ Hatt
> Well, as I understand it, it's not so much the motor that's the
problem...
> from what I've been told, they didn't do that bad in the 2WD S10
Blazers,
> but the added weight of the 4WD is just too much for the little
things...
>
bulloney
boogieman
Old Crow
wrote:
.
>
>After I get the truck, I get told by virtually everyone I talk to that I
>should get rid of it, because the 2.8L V6 is a piece of junk, and they have
>a habit of blowing out the lower half on the engine. Wonderful.
>
My wife had an '89 S-10 Blazer 4x4, 2.8, manual trans. Traded it in
with 247,000 miles(not km!) and it still ran strong. Never had a
major problem with it.
I had an '84 S-10 pickup 4x4, 2.8l, manual trans. Sold it after I
wrecked it with over 350,000 miles on the clock.
I installed a junkyard motor in it at 150,000 miles(about 6 months
after I bought it)because the previous owner never changed the oil and
the sludge built up in the pan and caused the oil pump screen to clog
up. I rebuilt the trans at 325,000 miles because the seal between the
trans and the t/case let all the tranny fluid leak into the t/case.
If I hadn't wrecked it, I'd still be driving it, and I miss it every
day.
--
Old Crow
'82 FLTC 92" Shovel 'Pearl'
TOMKAT, SENS, BS#133, DOF#51, MAMBM
ASE Certified Master Auto Tech + L1
Chevy Certified Master Tech
Zulummar
bought mine...
I'm just relaying what I've been told about the engines on them... the more
I hear, the more it seems like some of them had no problems at all, while
others had nothing but problems... I don't yet know which mine is going to
turn out to be, other than knowing it's in right now getting a new rear main
seal. I'm just planning on swapping out the 2.8L for a 3.4L as a project,
and because I want a little extra power :)
Now the only thing I have to decide is whether I want to go from 2.8L carb
to 3.4L carb, or convert to some flavor of fuel injection...
"Old Crow" <walli...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:3f2cecfa...@news.cis.dfn.de...
Old Crow
wrote:
>Oh, I'm not arguing that they're good trucks, I know they are, that's why I
>bought mine...
>I'm just relaying what I've been told about the engines on them... the more
>I hear, the more it seems like some of them had no problems at all, while
>others had nothing but problems... I don't yet know which mine is going to
>turn out to be, other than knowing it's in right now getting a new rear main
>seal. I'm just planning on swapping out the 2.8L for a 3.4L as a project,
>and because I want a little extra power :)
>
>Now the only thing I have to decide is whether I want to go from 2.8L carb
>to 3.4L carb, or convert to some flavor of fuel injection...
>
I'd say that depends on how deep your pockets are. IMHO, on my truck
at least, the carb was the weak spot. The ol' lady's '89 Blazer was a
TBI, and it got better mileage than my carbed pickup even though it
was heavier..
Carolina
hunting and only had normal repair items required on it... sold it for Chevy
Astro and put 180K on that V6. Keep the truck but do the maintenance.
"Old Crow" <walli...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:3f2e2107...@news.cis.dfn.de...