Buick Rainier, Chevy TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy

delrick · May 2005

I always, 6 times now, make my first oil change from the factory fill, synthetic.

Not only have I never encountered a problem, from everything I have read about synthetics, I am pretty sure it is a good thing to do, the sooner the better..

Especially so if you have already decided to use syn oil.

elevatorguy · May 2005

I owned a 2003 TB that was totaled in an accident. I always noticed a heavy gas smell in the oil when I changed it. I never went too long, I used Mobil 1 and changed at 6k. Well, I am looking at a new TB. It's an 05 LT. Yesterday, after a test drive in which I could have sworn that I saw the engine light *blink* on for a split second, I popped the hood and checked the fluids. They were all up to level. One thing I noticed though, was that like my old TB, it had a gas smell in the oil. This truck only has 14 miles on it,and only had 10 on it when I took it out. Is this normal?

Thanks,
Todd

gmfan · May 2005

I have never tried smelling what is in my crankcase. Do you take the cap off and inhale?

tidester · May 2005

Do you take the cap off and inhale?

How do you change the oil without taking the cap off?

tidester, host

elevatorguy · May 2005

Wipe the dipstick with your fingers and then smell them. When you change your oil, you would smell it after it drains into the bucket. Let me guess though... you are afraid to get your hands dirty.

scottc454 · May 2005

Gas byproducts do get in the oil because there will always be some degree of blow-by; during combustion some of the charge gets pushed past the piston rings and winds up in the oil.

This is the reason for a PCV valve, or whatever these things have in place of it.
This allows the engine to burn off fuel/fuel residue, etc.

Short trips don't allow the burn-off to occur, which is the likely case here.

elevatorguy · May 2005

Thanks Scott. The fact that the truck only has 14 miles on it concerned me though.

snoking · May 2005

"you are afraid to get your hands dirty."

That was not a very nice comment to a person that has gone to the lenght of checking things out that this person has. Lighten up! SNOKING

gmfan · May 2005

Host - he was not changing the oil when he checked the 05 TB with 14 miles on it! Nice joke.

Elevatorguy- I do change my own oil and I have never smelled gas odor from the oil in the crankcase. I have heard stories of transmission fluid getting mixed with the crankcase on some older GM models with higher mileage, but never gas or gas odor from the crankcase. Let us know if you find the cause as this would be very educational for all the forum. I agree with Scott that short trips might cause a small odor (regarding the vehicle with 14 miles on it, the dealers sometimes crank the vehicles for a short time period while they are sitting ont he lot). Maybe you smelled the odor shortly after the vehicle was cranked for a short time period. Perhaps the varaible valve timing is off on your model. I guess I have one of the better TB's, though I have noticed the transmission forum has started up some activity.

-gmfan

tidester · May 2005

he was not changing the oil when he checked the 05 TB with 14 miles on it!

I thought your question was in reference to elevatorguy's '03 TB. In any case, carry on!

tidester, host

envoyenvy2 · May 2005

Just curious about folks experiences with tires. I need to get new ones for my '02 Envoy and wondered if I could get opinions regarding brands, etc. Also wondering if i should go to the 255-60-17 size rather than the standard 245-65-17. Noticed that the AWD version of the Bravada used to get that size instead, mine is the 4WD.

gmfan · May 2005

There is not much room to increase the size on these vehicles. However, I did increase mine to 255-65's - I do not think I put on 60's. But, I will check my tires and let you know. I really enjoy the Michelin M/S LTX - best tire ever in my opinion - they have been making these tires for over fifteen years.

hardhawk · May 2005

I just got new tires for my '02 Envoy SLT 4WD. Got the same size but bought Cooper Discoverer HT tires. They are great in terms of ride and handling. They won the JD Power award the year they came out. I went with them because I could get them at the shop down the street from my office where I get the Envoy serviced. Live in a rural area so have to go out of town to get Michelin, Goodyear, etc. Have had nothing but good experiences with Cooper tires in the past. I must say, however, that I had no real issues with the Michelins that came on the Envoy. I replaced at 45,000 and they still had probably about 5000 miles left on them, but I pull a 5000# boat in the summer and just didn't want to run them down to the tire wear bars. The outline white letters look good on the dark blue Envoy.

snoking · May 2005

Rainier has 255/60R17 Michelins on it. Really hard to find a studable tire in that size. Think I will look at 245/65R17. I bought the extra wheels. 4 new takeoffs for 425 to my door. SNOKING

snoking · May 2005

Cooper Discoverer M+S

Anyone running these snow tires. Thinking about them for the winter on the Rainier. Seems to be about the only 255/60R17 I can find that is studable. SNOKING

ross1962 · May 2005

In a vehicle with very low miles, the rings have not properly seated to the cylinder miles and there could be blow-by. After about 5000 miles, all should be well and you'll get better gas milage too

ross1962 · May 2005

Would you say that the ride is firmer than the Michelins? I have a problem with the mushy ride with them and with tramlining (following the rain grooves on the freeway).

hardhawk · May 2005

I would say that the ride is firmer than the Michelins, but you have to remember that the Michelins were thinning out on the tread by the time I replaced them so just the additional rubber makes some difference. The Coopers don't seem to tramline for me at all so far. Have been very happy with the Coopers. They seem a bit quieter on the road than the Michelins were, but that again may be a factor of having more tread, although the tread pattern on the Coopers is different than the Michelins too.

wxman4 · May 2005

Anyone had successful experience installing an auxiliary pusher fan? Doesn't look like enough room for any I have seen so far. I live in Tucson and have a 2003 5.3L EXT. Continually runs in the 220-225 range when the temps are at 100 or so during city traffic. Cooler temps or highway running the temp will stay at 195. Also, the AC is almost non-existent until traveling minimum of 35 or 40 mph, then it is very cold. A two minute stoplight in 105 degree heat and you can really notice the lack of cooling.

It has a new fan clutch (had a check engine light) and has also had the TSB reprogram of the PCM to increase fan utilization. (Now it runs in the 220--225 range instead of the 230-235 range.) I am told "they all run like that". Well, maybe so, but my other vehicles don't and I don't like seeing the temp fluctuate like that. AC would be nice too. Otherwise truck is great.

Any experiences appreciated, or am I just being too picky?

Wxman

funits · May 2005

I replaced the Michelin Cross Terrain tires on my '02 Envoy at 40,000 with Pirelli Scorpion STR-A tires (245-65-17).

After 7 months and 7,000 miles of use, I like the tires. They hold the road better (no squeal around corners) and go smoothly down the highway. The Michelins were better in the snow, but the Pirellis did fine this past winter (a heavy New Hampshire winter). The tread, as of yet, is not showing any signs of wear.

It did take alot of balance weights to balance the Pirelli tires, but so far so good.

My Envoy has had the Stabilizer Link bushings replaced twice -- at 25,840 under warranty and recently at 47,100 miles, not under warranty. My dealership was charging 188.00 to replace the bushings. A call to GMC customer care resulted in the bill being cut in half. Next time the bushings need to be replaced, I will look for other sources than GM service/parts.

tblazed · May 2005

Are you running it in Outside Air mode all the time? For best cooling you need to have it in Recirculate. That would be my guess. GM A/C system performance is usually more than adequate.

Might try some Royal Purple "Purple Ice" to see if that will lower your operating temp. Quote: "It is formulated to reduce the surface tension of the coolant, which improves heat transfer through the cooling system". You have excellent conditions to test it!

ross1962 · May 2005

That does seem a little warm, but I know all vehicles do run hotter these days to reduce pollutants. That's one reason these all (both 4.2L I-6 and 5.3L V-8) have aluminum blocks - to get the engine to warm up faster.
But for what it's worth, I have the 4.2L I-6 and I live in San Diego. Even in 90 degree heat (which isn't very often here) it stays pretty consistantly at 210 deg.
As for the A/C issue, I did notice that when it was around 90 outside, the A/C didn't quite work as well at low speeds. I've never seen that happen in my last 5 GM vehicles. In fact, I really think GM makes one of the best A/C systems out there. Is there a clutch on the compressor pulley that is slipping too much? Seems like that would cause it.

wxman4 · May 2005

I agree with the typical GM A/C performance. I usually leave it in AUTO, but have played with the recirculate/outside air. My complaint is the huge difference in air temp at the vents between stopped and traveling at 35-40 mph. If the truck is moving the A/C is more than fine. Sadly, Tucson has many stoplights.

No Purple Ice, but it does already have "Redline Water Wetter" added, another surface tension breaker.

Thanks
Wxman

wxman4 · May 2005

Once again I agree on the typical GM AC systems, but this one is not running up to par, very disappointing. I often travel the same roads in the same heat in my wife's Malibu or other vehicles of people I work with going to lunch, etc. This Trailblazer is the only one that runs anywhere close to that hot. Also, it is a little embarrassing for people to ask "How about some air?" when the thing is doing all it will do.

Thanks
Wxman

lawrencew1 · May 2005

Anyone experiencing there HVAC switching on by itself? I will be driving and the A/C will turn on by itself and I will have to push the off button a few times to turn it off. Could it be a switch problem.

n7don · May 2005

Check to see if there are any gaps between the radiator and condensor. For some reason the right side had a piece of foam to fill the gap but the left didn't on my 03 Envoy. Don't know if this was by design or left out in assembly. The gap allows an alternate path for air to by-pass the condensor.
This link show what I done to fill the gap:
Filled gap between radiator and condensor
Close up

I also added some aluminized bubble wrap insulation to the top of the accumulator
Insulated accumulator top

and insulated the long suction line on the I6. I haven't looked at the 5.3 setup so don't know if a signicant amount of line is exposed.
Insulated long suction line

I don't have an A-B comparison to tell you if the above helped. Plus I don't drive much city traffic BUT I do live in Arizona. The gap, in particular, would affect low speed airflow which is predominently from the engine fan.

2k_impala_ls · May 2005

I noticed on my 02LS that if I turn of the A/C and leave the recirculate inside air on, the A/C stays on even though the light is off. I tried it on my wifes 2000 Impala LS and the air eventually gets warm but not in the TB. Is this a problem or designed that way.

wxman4 · May 2005

Thanks for all the details. Right now I am looking for any little help.

Wxman

tblazed · May 2005

On my '02 LS, if the fan is on and it's in Recirculate mode, the compressor will run and cycle as long as the outside ambient temp is above 40° or so (the compressor low ambient temp cut out). That's to keep humidity from building up inside the cabin. Does that when it's in Defrost or Heat modes too, same reason, to dehumidify the air. Put in Outside air with the fan on, A/C off, and the compressor will not run.

Just got back, checked it out with a digital thermometer in the center vent. Outside ambient air was about 90° with fairly high humidity 63° dew point, interior was about 113° at start-up, within 2 min down to 60°, by the time I got home (about 15 min) blowing 43-45° air out of the center vent. That's with it in Recirculate mode, fan speed on 3.

keith3 · May 2005

We are about to pass the 100,000 mile mark with my wife's 2002 Envoy. The car has been great so far - comfortable, good features, 70,000 miles on the original tires, about 20MPG tank after tank, never needs added oil between 8,000 mile oil changes, etc., and she loves the car. It has been absolutely trouble free, except for the rattling in the engine for the first few minutes after start up (piston slap?). The dealer tells us the noise is harmless, we just need to get used to it. I guess my plan is to do the 100,000 mile maintenance things and continue with the car. But before doing so, I would like to hear from some of you with the combination of high miles and piston slap on this 4.2L six and what your experiences have been - pro or con. I am a bit concerned that the noise may not be as benign as the dealer says.

mookie14 · May 2005

Im wondering how many oxygen sensors are on the 03 tblazer and where are they at? Is it wise to change them after 50k miles?? I keep hearing to change them at 50k is that a fact? And how much would it cost to change them should i buy stock or aftermarket. There is no light on service engine that is. So im wondering could it be a soft code anyone with a response would be appreciated thanks.

genemo3 · May 2005

My liftgate all of a sudden has become too hard to raise and too easy to lower so I assume that one or both of the struts went bad. Anybody else have this problem? This is my first problem with the vehicle since new.

malibu99 · May 2005

Hello everyone

I am experiencing an issue with my 02 Trailblazer where the blower fan for the A/C does not work in fan speeds 1, 2 and 3, speeds 4 and 5 work fine. When I switch it to positions 1- 3 the compressor kicks in but the blower does not work. I experienced this in my 99 Malibu and it was sort of resistor that needed replacement. Has anyone experienced this and if so how did you fix it. I noticed this started happening today after the dealership changed my oil, any chance something got reprogrammed or unplugged? Where do I start ?

:sick:

tblazed · May 2005

My guess would be the resistor [non-permissible content removed]'y. Switch positions 1-4 go through a resistor [non-permissible content removed]'y mounted up behind the passenger side of the dash and behind the blower motor, 5 switches a relay into the circuit to supply full Volts to the motor and takes the high current out of the switch doing it that way. Possibly part of the resistor for the lower 3 positions went open. Hard to see how they could have messed with that during an oil change. But you never know....

tblazed · May 2005

I wouldn't change the two sensors. There's one before the cat converter, the other right after it. The possibility of both going bad at the same time is almost nil. If one goes bad or out of range, the computer will be comparing it to what the other is doing, set a code and the SES light will come on. I think that's a reason the EPA allows '96 and newer vehicles with OBD2 to be emissions inspected by simply plugging in and checking for any codes. It's pretty much self-diagnosing.

paulpro · May 2005

My 02 Envoy did the same thing. There is a resistor that controls fan speed. it is mounted in the air duct, accessible by removing the glove box.

The resistor is a printed circuit type and if it overheats, will burn out one of the legs.

I repaired mine with some copper wire, bridging the burned out area and all was well.

I doubt it was oil-change related, just luck of the draw.

Paul P

malibu99 · May 2005

Hi

Thank you for your reply...since you repaired yours, could you guide me through it? If I remove the glove box door, how do I recognize the part and how do I repir it? Can I just buy it new and replace it? Any help would be greatly appreciated, and any guidence would be eternally appreciated

Thanks

Joe

elevatorguy · May 2005

I just bought an 05 TB LT and I pick it up Wednesday. One thing I ma unsure about are the Continental tires. The tread looks somewhat tame. My last TB, an 03, had BFG's on it and they were great. Don't get me wrong, I don't do any off roading, but I do live in Massachusetts and we get hit hard here with snow in the winter. Are these tires highway only for the most part? It looks like another way GM has reduced the quality of these trucks while raising the sticker price. Does anyone else feel that the glove box and under hood lights, dead pedal, lights at all 4 doors, overhead digital display, etc. that they removed from these trucks should be replaced? I mean, a sticker price of over $35k and I get none of these things? $12,000 cars have these features as standard equipment.

dmathews3 · May 2005

Mine came with Continentals and I live in Michigan. I have had no problems going through the snow, in which we also get lots of that white stuff. I have looked out the mirror and seen where the underside has rubbed the snow so you can't get much better than that.
Also if you are so unhappy with what you are getting than why are you buying it? Feel free to buy one of those 12,000 dollar toys.

If you are this unhappy before you buy than I'm sure you will end up being more unhappy later, and then every little problem you have (if any) you will blow way out of wack because you are an unhappy buyer.

elevatorguy · May 2005

Did I say that I was "so unhappy"? I actually like the TB a lot, that's why this is my 2nd one. I am just disappointed with the decontenting of details that seperate the best from the rest of the pack. I was simply pointing out how GM will continue to lose ground if they keep on stepping over the dollars to pick up the pennies.

01_hoe · May 2005

I share your concerns about items no longer available or offered on the GMT360/GMT370 lines. In addition to what you mentioned, I noticed the inside rear view mirror is now manual instead of automatic dimming, (with a tab hanging down that looks like someone could attach baby shoes, dice or an air freshener)and no tint on the top of the front windshield, just a bunch of dots. I have an '03, been looking at '05s but am put off by the decontent of items. Seems like GM doesn't want or expect repeat buyers.

malibu99 · May 2005

If anyone has any information on how to locate the resistor pack on the blower motor of a 2002 Trailblazer please let me know. I am taking a long trip in 2 days and I am hoping I can replace this part before my trip but I dont know how to locate it.

Thanks

gmfan · May 2005

I believe there are two O2 sensors on the TB. One of mine went out at 40,000 miles. The dealership advised it is rare for these to go out below 100K miles on it. My check engine light kept lighting up and staying on longer and longer. I think one is easier than the other to change. Parts and labor was around $250. I use good gas (Chevron Techron), but never could figure out why the sensor went bad. One of the sensors is plugged into the exhaust pipe and it should not be that difficult to change. Of course, the more difficult one went out on mine so I paid to have it done.

gmfan · May 2005

Glad to hear you are close to 100K miles. My 02 TB has 68K miles and I am enjoying mine as well. Yes, I can hear a slap or tap when my engine is cold, but I can only hear mine when I turn off the radio and the blower fan. I have always had a habit of letting the vehicle idle for about a minute or two before driving ((when my wife is in the car, forget it! - she wants to go now and thinks it is ridiculous). After about a minute and a half, mine mostly stops. I change my own oil and use conventional oil 10W 30, and I try different brands to see if any do a better job. So far, they all are having the same results, with a few slightly decreasing the sound. If you are doing the 100K miles maintenance, make sure you get the tranny fluid changed? Have you had it serviced before? Has anyone of the forum tried synthetics and has a synthetic helped the slapping noise at cold start up?

m1iceman · May 2005

I have had occasional problems with the fan clutch, but they usually went away after a minute or so. Now the clutch wont disengage and I was wondering if anyone has been able to disengage it without having to get a repair. If it cant be fixed without a repair, whats the cost of having the fan clutch replaced. This is for a 2002 TB w/50K and no I dont have an extended warranty. I have searched the site, but havent been able to find the answer.

Thanks

01_hoe · May 2005

I have seen posters on other forums quoting a $400 to $600 replacement cost for the fan clutch. The part is available on Ebay for $100+, and some special tool is needed to do the repair. The tool can be purchased from several sources. May be cheaper to get replaced at an independent service place.

paulpro · May 2005

The shop manual says to drop the right close-out panel, that is the one under the glovebox. Remove wire connector, remove two screws, remove resistor. I have a picture from the shop manual if you want to provide your email address, I'll send it to you.

When you pull the resistor out, if you are familiar with printed circuits and it is burnt out, you can figure out how to fix it by jumpering the burned spot with a piece of wire and some solder.

Be aware, there is also an auxilary resistor in the circuit. You'll need to troubleshoot to see which one is truly bad.

This one is the most logical and easiest to access.

Paul P">

malibu99 · June 2005

Thanks Paul

I got an email from tblazed yesterday and I ended up replacing the circuit, easy job took 10 minutes and cost me $23.00 for the part, saved me a few hundred probably. The whole printed circuit was black, it burn out somewhere and it wasnt gonna be easy to figure out, a new one did the trick

Thanks again for all your help and to anyone who helped.

Joe

Happy car again

2k_impala_ls · June 2005

I had the hood open while changing my oil Sunday and noticed that the hood seam is rusting just like the doors. Is this something we should be reporting to GM? If so, how do I make a complaint. Not even 3 years old until July and only 17k for mileage. Dealer will fix the rust but how long will that last.

gam2 · June 2005

I looked at my brothers '97 Jeep with 210,000 Wisconsin (read salty) miles. Absolutely no rust on the doors or the hood. I guess you get what you pay for!

GAM

Buick Rainier, Chevy TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy

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