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Chevy Blazer GMC Jimmy Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • house419house419 Member Posts: 1
    The speedometer was working one day and then just quit and is now working again... Any ideas?
  • skiextreme2skiextreme2 Member Posts: 30
    If you have an old school speedo (mechanical), it's possible the gear where the cable meets the transmission is wasted. I had that happen on a Chevy van I had after I had the transmission rebuilt.

    If you haven't done or had any work done that required pulling the cable or gear, check and see if all the connections are tight.
  • johnss10johnss10 Member Posts: 46
    No, the engine does not need to be moved/lifted. I removed the steering linkage (center link), then removed the steering box from the car. Much easier.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    that's what I said too. You lift the car, not the engine.
  • johnss10johnss10 Member Posts: 46
    My '95 S-10 pickup has a mechanical speedo, so your Jimmy probably does also.

    Since this is an intermittent problem, it's most likely a broken cable. It could be the gear on the transmission, or the speedo itself.

    I would take it to a speedo shop, there work is usually pretty reasonable for what they do.
  • jimmyhaterjimmyhater Member Posts: 13
    I have a 96 GMC Jimmy 4x4 that vibrates at speeds above 65 mph, most noticeable when traveling uphill. I have looked at multiple posts on the internet regarding vehicle vibration at speeds above 64-66 mph, and couldn't find a good solution. So far, I have replace the wheel hub assemblies, front half-shafts, rotors, drums, tires (even had them road forced balanced), and driveline u-joints. The only thing left to replace is the front differential and the rear differential bearings. I did notice that I have a bad mody mount on the front right of the vehicle. Could this really cause this vibration? The vehicle vibrates the most at the door hinges and mirrors. I did notice that there might be excessive play in the driver-side differential driveshaft flange. Any ideas out there before I try replacing something else? I was thinking about taking the front cv shafts apart and only placing the part that help keeps the wheel hub assemblies together...I don't need 4x4 that bad. Thanks.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    Check motor and transmission mounts, too. The tranny mount is easy, but the motor mounts are a bit harder. Easiest to come in through the wheel wells and underneath.

    Motor mount breakage is fairly common on these. That 4.3L can generate some pretty good torque. I have had to replace both on my two Blazers this year.
  • jimmyhaterjimmyhater Member Posts: 13
    What symptoms did your vehicle experience with the bad mounts? I checked the transmission mount before and it seems fine. The engine mounts were somewhat difficult to get get a good look at. The engine doesn't excessively move when putting it in gear and reving the engine. If anyone may think it may be tie rods (inner and outter), control arm bushings, or the idler arm...it isn't...replaced those too. And, of course the front-end alignment didn't help. Actually, I had two places check the alignment. One place with a laser-alignment system said my caster setting was a little out of whack. The place that did my alignment said the caster setting was fine. The vehicle was backed into at a low speed a few years back...I'm wondering if it caused the pinion angle to change. Say, when I drive up-hill, more weight on the rear causes the pinion angle to change slightly more, thereby causing the vibration???
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    I was thinking more along the line of the increase in torque needed when going up hill. It would take more than a little bump to knock the rear end out of alignment, and a good alignment shop would see this. You would also be getting some unusual tire wear. Any chance the drive shaft has thrown a weight, or been damaged?
  • jimmyhaterjimmyhater Member Posts: 13
    When I changed the u-joints, I didn't notice any dents or lost weights. The shaft was a little rusty, so I probably wouldn't know if it lost any weights. Does your Blazer have 4x4? If so, have you noticed play on the short shaft that comes out of the driver's side of the differential? It's normal for the shaft to move in/out of the differential a little bit, but I'm not certain about how much play is normal moving it up and down.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    Sorry, both of mine are 2WD. Lot's of folks on here with 4WD though. I don't know why you would have lateral movement in the drivers side halfshaft unless the CV joint was worn. In and out, yes, got to have that because of the movement up and down, but side to side would indicate a CV joint issue. Can you isolate if the movement is in the inside or outside joint?

    Have you checked for worn lower ball joints? You might do a search on "ball joints' in the Jimmy/Blazer topic and see what comes up. I have seen a lot of comments about these in the 4WD. The 2WD uses a different joint and doesn't have the same issue.
  • jimmyhaterjimmyhater Member Posts: 13
    The lower ball joints were replaced in 2003 as a result of a GM service bullentin. I recently replaced the upper ball joints when replacing the control arm bushings. How often do the ball joints go bad? They don't have more than 30,000 miles on them. The CV half-shaft has been replaced. The front differential does not have an axle tub on the driver's side. It has a short-stubby shalf with a flange on the end. The flange connects to the CV half-shaft flange.
  • jimmyhaterjimmyhater Member Posts: 13
    Were you ever able to resolve your vibration issue? I have a 96 GMC Jimmy with the same problems. ...Also had the same problem with the oil cooler lines. ...The vibration may be the cause.
  • johnss10johnss10 Member Posts: 46
    Can you tell if the vibration is felt in the steering wheel in addition to seeing it in the mirrors? If so, it would seem likely that it is tire/ bent wheel/hub related.

    Also, is the vehicle in 2WD or 4WD at the time?If it's in 2WD, then the extra torque needed to go up hill is not being passed to the front drivetrain, so it's pretty unlikely that the front is the problem in that case.

    Any further info?
  • jimmyhaterjimmyhater Member Posts: 13
    There is a slight vibration in the steering wheel. The vehicle vibrates whether it is in 2WD or 4WD, in gear or not in gear, over-drive or drive. I've had the tires replaced, both sets of tires were road-forced balanced. Technicians at both places said the balancer would pick up a bad rim; all rims are fine. To double-check it, I've replaced all four tires with my spare. It seems that the whole vehicle vibrates, but mostly at the doors and mirrors. The vehicle is so small, it's hard to detect a vibration in any one area.
  • jaba7530jaba7530 Member Posts: 7
    I have a 1995 jimmy 4.3 vortec that runs rough and the only code I get is for bank 1 sensor 1 o2 sensor. I have replaced both o2 sensors, plugs,wires,cap and rotor, map sensor,tps sensor, fuel pump and spider injector but still runs rough. It seems ok when you first start it and when driving it will spit and sputter like it is running out of gas until you punch it and the it will go for a few minutes and then it starts running rough again. Also a couple of times it would crank excessivly before it started and it seems to be running extremly rich. Can anyone please help,I have about had it.
  • jimmyhaterjimmyhater Member Posts: 13
    I had a similar issue. The vehicle would start, but you would have to downshift once the vehicle was warm and it shifted into over-drive (in the 30 mphs). I had to floor it to get it to 55, and it continually lost power. I tried cleaning the intake air sensor with throttle-body cleaner, but didn't notice any difference. I found a problem in the O2 sensor behind the catalyic converter. It looked like water got inside the connection and caused corrosion. I cleaned the connectors for the 02 sensor before and after the catalyic converter and replaced both 02 sensors. However, I never received an engine code as you mention. This fixed the issue. ...I replaced the catalyic converter at the same time since it was rattling, but it had nothing to do with the issue.
  • jaba7530jaba7530 Member Posts: 7
    I have replaced both of the sensors and cleaned the connections and put dielectric grease in connectors but no luck
  • jimmyhaterjimmyhater Member Posts: 13
    If the 95 is like the 96, then I believe you have 4-02 sensors. I would be sure to check all sensors and use a multimeter to ensure you have voltage at each connection. You might have a broken connection somewhere in the wiring.
  • jaba7530jaba7530 Member Posts: 7
    The 95 only has 2 sensors one before and one after the cat.
  • jimmyhaterjimmyhater Member Posts: 13
    You might also check your coolant temp sensor.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    Spider assembly, and fuel pressure regulator can both cause these problems. I know that in '99-'00 GM was having to replace a lot of regulators because they would leak, making the car hard to start and run rich.

    I haven't pulled one of these apart to look at, but I know several here on the boards have.
  • jaba7530jaba7530 Member Posts: 7
    I replaced the temp sensor and idle air but still no luck and now I am getting code 300 for random cylinder misfire
  • jimmyhaterjimmyhater Member Posts: 13
    It might be mis-firing because your spark plugs are fouled from running rich. You might also check your thermostat to see if it left open. Might also be an EGR value. I recommend getting a Haynes or Chilton manual and reading through the trouble symptoms at the front of the book. This will give you a better clue on what might be wrong and tell you how to test the components prior to spending money on replacing them. Your problem sounds sensor-related to me, given that you already replaced your fuel distribution device.
  • jaba7530jaba7530 Member Posts: 7
    I did check the plugs and they are dry I also put a new egr valve on it
  • jimmyhaterjimmyhater Member Posts: 13
    What exact code are you getting with your O2 sensor? I see P0131 (low voltage), P0132 (high voltage), P0133 (Lazy sensor), P0134 (insufficient activity), P0135 (heater circuit fault). All of these indicate a problem with the sensor or the connector. Cylinder misfire may be cause by no fuel or air being delivered to the cylinder. If your vehicle has CMFI (Central Multiport Fuel Injection), you have Purple(+, Signal) and black (-, ground) wires. Probe the wires while the vehicle is cold; should be between .1 to .2 VOLTS. Probe while warm; should fluctuate between .1 to .9 volts. Also check the O2 heater (Pink and Black wires) with O2 disconnected. It should measure between 5 to 7 OHMS. Also check for proper supply voltage to the heater. Have someone turn the ignition on (not vehicle) while you measure the voltage, since it only applies voltage for 2 seconds. If there is no voltage, check the circuit between the main relay, the PCM, and the sensor. You might just want to check that the fuel pump is properly grounded. I think it grounds somewhere near the driver's side rear bumper. If you don't find a problem here, I recommend that you get a Haynes manual and follow all of the sensor checks.
  • jaba7530jaba7530 Member Posts: 7
    It is code p0134 and code p0300 random cylinder misfire and I did find a ground strap in the rear above the spare tire that is connected to the frame but nothing else and I could not find where it went, should it connect to the fuel tank somewhere?
  • jimmyhaterjimmyhater Member Posts: 13
    Ok...take a look at this site regarding P0134: http://www.obd-codes.com/p0134
    And for P0300: http://www.obd-codes.com/p0300
    I would first try troubleshooting according to P0134. If everything looked good, I would troubleshoot according to P0300.

    The fuel pump grounds to the frame. I heard that sometimes the connection gets corroded and the fuel pump stops working.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    Our kid at A&M calls last Monday. The '99 Blazer he is driving (95K miles) is making a ticking noise. First question I ask; did you check the oil? "Yeah, but it's really black". That's when the ugly realization hit, that he thought I had changed the oil about 3K ago, and I thought HE had changed the oil. Oil has 10 months and about 8K on it. Not good. Told him to go get the oil changed ASAP. Still ticking. I'm thinking collapsed lifter. Actually, I'm HOPING collapsed lifter. Told him if it's just ticking, add Marvel Mystery Oil to the fuel and park it until he comes home today.

    He calls on the way home. Still ticking, CES light comes on. Calls later, CES light is now flashing. uh-oh. Gauges all normal, trip computer says fuel economy not so good. "Keep heading home. You'll either make it or you won't but the damage is done".

    An hour later I am out in the garage and think my neighbor has pulled up with his diesel Dodge. Wrong. It's the kid, and the engine isn't ticking, it's banging pretty good. Crap.

    Pulled the valve cover off and the #1 intake rocker is sitting at a 45d angle, bent, the push rod is bent and has been banging on the head. This is not looking good.

    Pull the spark plug, no damage. Okay, good sign. I think it over and come to the decision that I will change the rocker and pushrod, leave the valve alone, (it has some interesting wear pattern where the rocker was catching it, sort of).

    Change the parts, put it all back together, cross the fingers and turn the key. The little [non-permissible content removed] cut loose with one pants-wetting backfire, then idles smooth as glass without a single tick. Drove the car around a bit, never over 3K rpm as I am not pushing my luck, and it runs like a top. No tapping, ticking, or knocking.

    After driving the beast all weekend without so much as a peep from the valve train, I send him back to school with the admonishment that he shouldn't drive it anywhere he wouldn't want to walk home from. He called last night to tell me it ran great, no noises, and fuel economy right back where it belongs. No SES light, everything status quo.

    I wouldn't warranty that repair into next week, but I also can't think of anything that can be worse than what was. If this hadn't worked, the top of the engine would have been torn down and the head reworked. On a car this age, I would be doing the work myself or been approaching the point of diminishing returns real quick.

    But sometimes God just decides you need a break. :)
  • fdw1fdw1 Member Posts: 1
    i have a 1993 gmc jimmy,I have gas in my oil,It will start,but it makes a knocking sound.,does anyone know anything they can tell me...
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    First, change the oil. You have a dangerous situation when gas gets in the oil pan.
    Second, it sounds like you have a leaking CPI that could be flooding the cylinder when the engine is not running. There is a regulator and a "spider assembly" involved in the fuel injection system, and the leak could be coming from here.
  • jstameyjstamey Member Posts: 4
    I had a 93 Astro, with A vortec motor.Did the same thing to my van, Spider Injecter broke a line,filled up my oil.Not to hard to change,but cost $300 for the part .Hope it helps you to know?
  • sticky23sticky23 Member Posts: 2
    Hi guys I was wondering what kind of injection system my 2000 blazer 4.3 v6 has?It looks like throttle body injection to me.Its definatly not multi
    port.The reason I'm asking is my blazer which i just did a tune up on runs AWSOME except for when I floor the gas it seems 2 stumble a little and seems to struggle gettin up to rpms.3/4 throttle it RIPS!This truck
    does not smoke,burn oil or leak any fluids but it does have high mileage!

    PS:If I start this truck and take off right away it the engine doesnt seem to wanna go .I have to let it warm for 20 seconds or so.What do you guys think?Has anyone else had this problem?Remember this truck runs very very good except when I floor it and even then its not terrible buts its not 100% either.PLEASE HELP!Thank you guy's very much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • 00blazer100blazer1 Member Posts: 3
    I have a 2000 s-10 style blazer and have problems starting with out shooting throttle body cleaner into it. Fuel pressure is low. we've come to the conclusion that its the pressure regulator. Can someone please link or tell me how to change it? I have the part but not sure if there is something I need to know about changing one beffore I get into it. Thanks in advance :sick:
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    Depending upon the mileage, you could have a bad throttle position sensor. Fancy name for a little device that tells the computer how far down you are pushing the throttle. When bad, these can do everything from screw up the idle to causing stumbles during throttle transitions to the symptom you described.

    And yes, you do have multiport fuel injection. What you are seeing that looks like a throttle body injection is just the "air valve" to the engine. The injectors are not visible from the outside.
  • tim153tim153 Member Posts: 4
    I am having the same problems. 98 Jimmy that starts and drives but many electric items are not working. Head lights will not come on, but high beams work, No radio, heater, outside temp is not working. NO inside lights, 2WD/4WD lights are not on, and no tach, speed, mile indicator.

    This is strange any ideas where to start? I though it was the wire harness going from the fire wall to the keyed switch so i changed that and it did not help.
  • bluejay5bluejay5 Member Posts: 3
    Any one have an idea on how to lube the cable assy. that holds the spare up under the blazer? Glad I was home in the driveway when I tried to lower it and not out on the road someplace, had to use by biggest screw driver and 12" cresent wrench to get it started down, after about 3" all was fine but I would rather not try my luck when I need to use the spair.
    Thanks
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    Wash all the dirt and grime out, hit it with WD40 to stop any rust, then go with a good dry lube. You want to use a spray on dry lube liberally, but avoid things like grease as they will tend to catch and hold road grime.
  • bluejay5bluejay5 Member Posts: 3
    Thanks I had been thinking along the same line.
  • grobygroby Member Posts: 2
    I have a 95 jimmy. it has started to idle rough, and now comes close to dying when I stop suddenly or shift gears. it also failed emisions testing in the idle with 391 HC (PPM). check engine light is on but i can't get a scanner to work. scanner says it can't make a connection with my car? Any ideas? thanks
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well you're kinda screwed if you can't get a scanner to work because you'll probably need one to turn that light off. You can't pass a smog test with that light lit up.

    I think first thing I'd do is try another station to see if their scanner works. If not, you could have an issue with communicating with your car's PCM.

    As for the high HCs, this is usually indicative of a misfire, which could be tune-up related, or a bad 02 sensor, just to name 2 things. Also could be a lean misfire, caused by vacuum leaks.
  • jaba7530jaba7530 Member Posts: 7
    I am changing the spider injector on my 1995 gmc jimmy but does anyone know which line goes into which hole in the intake? thanks alot
  • cpuhachcpuhach Member Posts: 3
    doesnt matter which hole , all same, ...least it was when I did mine.
  • emydee23emydee23 Member Posts: 1
    I am trying to remove the stater motor in a 98 Chevy Blazer 4.3L vortec V6 4x4. It isn't a very easy part to get to, and I had major issues getting the bolt closest to the right side out, and am struggling with the second bolt. From what I have read and researched, it only takes the two main bolts to free up the unit for removal (aside from the wires). I also saw an additional page that states it may have a heat shield. Do you know if this vehicle has said heat shield?

    On another note, while I am doing the stater, am also considering installing new wires at the same time. What wires on the distributor go to which spark plugs? And where does the 7th wire go? The passengers side has 4, drivers side has 3 on the cap.
  • blazergirl96blazergirl96 Member Posts: 5
    Yes there is a heat shield...access to the heat shield is through a hole cut in the inside of the wheel well, covered with a rubber flap. Wires I don't know about...replace them one at a time as not to mix them up.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    Three plug wires each side. That fourth wire you see on the passenger side goes to the coil. If they are the original wires, they will be numbered. Otherwise you need to know that the cylinders are, front to back, drivers side 1,3,5, and passengers side 2,4,6. If you don't have a manual, look at the wires on the old cap before you take them off and make a diagram.
  • dbillz08dbillz08 Member Posts: 4
    Hi I have a 99 GMC Jimmy, When I accelerate I notice a very low pitched but repetitive humming noise coming from what seems to be the rear of the vehicle. I notice it the most when I am getting onto the highway and am picking up speed at a faster rate. Once i reach my cruising speed on the highway the sound fades to nearly nothing but when i give it more gas the sounds comes back until i let off the gas. I'm am totally stumped on what this could be..I will mention that sometimes when i get off the highway and come to a stop, then start to move from a stop, I can feel the gears slipping into place for about the first 10 yards.. any ideas?
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    Stopped, engine running, and with foot on brake, shift from drive to reverse. Listen for a loud "clunk" from the rear axle. This could indicate a bad rear u-joint. Other causes of rear axle noise are a bad axle bearing, or (hopefully not) a bad pinion bearing. You didn't mention how many miles are on the vehicle, or if any work had been done to the differential recently.
  • dbillz08dbillz08 Member Posts: 4
    90,000 miles and no work had been done on the differential since i bought the vehicle...i will try the brake thing when the snow clears up here in a couple of days
  • eleg47eleg47 Member Posts: 1
    Check fuse #7 (25 amp) in the fuse block to get the scanner to work.
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