What do you do with a knocking Blazer?

(unfortunately, "take it to the Challenge" isn't an option this year... )

So there's a dirt cheap 2000 Blazer with an apparent rod issue- seller says it will start but doesn't recommend driving it. Has the 4.3 Vortec. Assuming the problem actually is a rod (and I buy it)- is it cheaper/quicker to just grab another full engine (looks like V6s are a bit under $300 at the local u-pull-it, though SWMBO will likely NOT like me transporting one in the back of her SUV ) or to tear it down and rebuild it? I'd prefer to have it drivable as soon as possible so I don't have TWO cars (this plus the Elky) sitting in the garage/driveway immobile...

Junkyard motor definitely.

My buddy and I in high school put a 327 out of a sprint car in one with a 305 from the factory.

But that was an 84 blazer. You are talking about a little one aren't you?

I should ask my buddy how he got that motor, now that you mention it...

I drove a knocking 4.3 for a couple thousand miles before replacing the engine. Also towed a heavy trailer with a MG midget on it for 200 or so miles with no issues.

I came in here to say "Take it off sweet jumps" but then I realized:

1. You don't own it yet
2. You probably don't want to buy a blazer just to take it off sweet jumps

JY motor swap will be much easier and faster. Probably cheaper. I'd bet with a buddy you can do it in a day (start early at the JY).

JY motor. Hear it run before you buy it, unless you feel really lucky.

There's no way you'd be able to fix the knock for much less than $300. And likely more if it needs machining etc. JY is the way to go here.

So, sounds like the JY motor (if I can find a good one, which is of course another adventure...) would be the way to go.

So, another seemingly-unrelated-but-actually-is question:

Which would be a bigger hassle/do I least want to do:

1. Swap in a JY 4.3 to a Blazer or.....
2. replace the head gaskets on a Subie 2.5 turbo

I guess you let it in. I mean, making it wait outside is rude...

Dr. Hess wrote: JY motor. Hear it run before you buy it, unless you feel really lucky.

Unfortunately there's not really any way to do that with the u-pull-it yards...

Any reputable yard should have at least a 30 day guarantee.

gearheadmb wrote: Any reputable yard should have at least a 30 day guarantee.

OK- looks like the closest (and most populated) yard nearby has an inherent 10-day guarantee and you can purchase a 30-day warranty.

not because they believe the part is good, just to cover your expense if it's not. But you'd be out a hell of a lot of labor before you knew either way.

Ashyukun wrote:

Dr. Hess wrote: JY motor. Hear it run before you buy it, unless you feel really lucky.

Unfortunately there's not really any way to do that with the u-pull-it yards...

Buy the engine from the wrecked truck not the one that looks fine. The one that looks fine is there because the engine or trans went bad. The wrecked one was likely driving when it met it's fate.

Those are a hateful thing in which to exchange engines...

Streetwiseguy wrote: Those are a hateful thing in which to exchange engines...

Why? The doghouse comes off in under an hour, then you have easy access to pretty much everything.

got the same thing going on... picked up a 2001 Blazer 2 wheel drive with a bad knock for $300.. took the engine out and discovered that the #1 rod bearing was pounded and self clearanced by the crank to almost nothing... the crank is severely scored, as is the big end of the rod, so there is really no cheap fix... car-part dot com found me engines around me for around $400 (which is more than i thought it would be initially, but still not bad), with most places giving a 30 day warranty... so i am having a yard pull one for me to pick up on tuesday, and it should be running by next weekend with an hour here and an hour there spent on it before and after work over the week..

digging into the engine, i noticed that all 6 pushrods on the passenger side were clogged and it didn't look like that side of the engine had seen any oil for a while. so just to be safe, i'm pulling the valve covers off the JY engine and making sure they are all clear and might put a new oil pump and pickup in it since i'll probably have to swap my 2wd oil pan on, anyways..

regarding the removal/installation: i'm a veteran of dozens of small block Chevy swaps in various vehicles, and this is almost exactly like that... i had the engine out in a couple of hours, not counting the hour i spent on the one bellhousing bolt and the half hour spent on the clip that holds the fuel lines to the back of the cylinder head.. also, both motor mounts fell apart when the engine was hanging on the picker: the glue holding the rubber parts to the metal part just released and they fell off from their own weight. that's a great design right there.. waiting to see if the mounts on the junkyard motor are good before deciding on how to fix them without spending any money..

my eventual plans if i like it too much to sell it for easy profit is to swap some flavor of LS engine into it.. the internet tells me it's painfully easy to do it, and of course the internet never lies about anything ever..

rcutclif wrote: I came in here to say "Take it off sweet jumps" but then I realized: 1. You don't own it yet 2. You probably don't want to buy a blazer just to take it off sweet jumps JY motor swap will be much easier and faster. Probably cheaper. I'd bet with a buddy you can do it in a day (start early at the JY).

I came in here to say "answer it?"

Am I the only one that read the thread title to the tune of drunken sailor?

What shall we do with a knocking blazer.

It's a Chevy V6 in an SUV. Not a hard job at all–I had the 2.8 out of my Trooper in 2? hours, and it took about that to put the new one back in 80% of the way. The last 20% took a few days, but I was swapping to something else so that doesn't count.

6.0 L96 335hp

Junkyard_Dog wrote:

Streetwiseguy wrote: Those are a hateful thing in which to exchange engines...

Why? The doghouse comes off in under an hour, then you have easy access to pretty much everything.

Blazer doghouse?

If its a 4wd with a manual trans, you need to lift the body, or take the front diff out, or drop the trans first. 4wd with auto, the flexplate binds up and you either bend it, or put it on after the engine is in the hole...or take the front diff out...or lift the body.

2wd probably not too bad, but we never see them up here.

It's a 4wd auto. Did end up pulling the trigger on it though won't actually pay for & transfer title until tomorrow. Planning on hitting the salvage yard for things for the Elky tomorrow before I'm supposed to meet up and buy it so I'll scope out the (many) Blazers there and see if there are any good candidates.

Is definitely tempting to get bigger engine, but I'd rather have the ease and speed of just replacing the engine with the same vs all the other work if I put something bigger in.

You LS swap it and feed it boost until you hit 600hp or so.