Un-exciting, Fix-N-Up Thread

[Chris_The_Battery_Man]

Since I miss build threads, and love writing, I figured I would share my not so exciting venture on the Blazer. She has had a major oil leak for quite some time. So I figured it would be best to yank the engine, put every seal it takes in, and then clean and inspect/replace anything else in the process.

She has been a real good truck for me so far. I have owned her for a little over a year. Bought it with 68k original miles, and she is about to turn 96k. Probably a little higher due to the speedo being off. Aside of having no ABS, she rails in the snow! Been to Bend and Klamath Falls many times without missing a beat, along with the many comps all over the place. It is a real clean rig. Hoping to touch up the pain this summer, and maybe lift it a little to hold me off until I SAS it. But once the oil leak is fixed, there really isnt anything else wrong with it to my knowledge. A little work on the AC, and a good cleaning, and she is really a nice truck. So I dont mind putting the time into this one.


Took some pics, but I was freaking retarded, and left the ISO setting on max, so most didnt turn out good.


So far, as I can tell, I am going to likely replace:
-All engine seals
-Water Pump
-Fuel Pump
-Heater hoses
-Heater Core
-Clutch
-Plugs
-Rebuild the carb(The right way)


I may also remove all the emissions crap, and AC. But am torn. There would be so much more room to work with if it all werent there.


Unfortunately it took me longer to yank the engine, than taking all the stuff off hahaha. Since it is a 4x4, the oil pan is goofy shaped, and hangs real low. So when I had the cherry picker on it, I found out quickly that there was no room to actually remove the engine. The front of the oil pan, was hitting the front diff, and the input shaft for the tranny was still in the pressure plate. So after fighting it for like an hour, I decided to drop the tranny, and slide it back. Of course absolutely everything fought me the entire time.

I pulled pretty much everything off the motor last night, and all that was left this morning was all the motor bolts, exhaust, motor mounts, inspection plate, and a couple other things along the way. But aside of a trip into town to grab a couple tools, it took me from about 1 in the after noon until about 9:30 at night to get the engine out, and on the stand. So needless to say, I am not looking forward to putting it back in hahahaha.



Pulled into my recently cleaned shop. Threw down a sacrificial carped remain. And I an real glad it did. This pig is nasty.


Some major blow back.


The engine before yanked.


Naked engine bay, and the engine on the stand. Super gross! There is so much grease, it isn't even funny



Came out with minimal breakage. Just the alternator bracket?!?!?! and broke off a bolt in the pass side Exhaust Manifold. There is also a bolt broken off in the pass side head, but once the manifold is removed, there is enough sticking out that I may still be able to remove it. Otherwise, I am making a trip to see Chad Hand.




More tomorrow. Once I get back from a little RC bashing/video/pic session, I am going to pull the motor and truck out into the gravel, and pressure wash the hell out of everything, until there isnt a spec of dirt left. I may even go as far as re-painting the engine and under the hood where theres surface rust. I just hate messy engine bays.

Then I will pull the motor apart, and see how the heads and everything else looks. More to come.... and hopefully with cleaner pics

[Jer]

The 4.3 is a good motor, just a leaking SOB as you have figured out. Every single one I see in the shop for a leak ends up being pretty expensive to fix due to the labor involved. Glad to see you are giving it a chance.

[Chris_The_Battery_Man]

IT's not a 4.3. It's the 2.8. I would never buy one of these trucks that has a 4.3 in it. With the power and fuel economy they produce, I am better off wit ha full size at that point.

[mississippirocs]

I have the 4.3 in my 91 Sonoma. It is sitting at 295000 on the odometer and she stills gets @22 MPG on average. I am looking for a replacement for it now. I am gonna do a V8 swap using a early 90s 350 so that I can retain the serpentine system and be able to keep the TBI for reliaility.

[jokers_toys]

nice truck i miss my old s-dime blazer 4x. it had a 2.8 too!

i had one with a 4.3 v in it i hated that truck the motor always gave me some kind of problem and the push button 4x4 liked to blow out on me it sucked.

[Chris_The_Battery_Man]

So, this project has been going SO slow. Everything possible has fought me lol. But none the less, I made progress tonight. Pressure washed the motor for like 2 hours. So now it is ready to be dis-assembled. Hopefully tomorrow night it will be apart, and have some seals in it. But I am going to have to paint some stuff first to prevent rustage.

[Chris_The_Battery_Man]

Got her torn apart. And I am no expert, but I think I was right in assuming that it had a bad head gasket. Looks like 2. That, or the intake was leaking. Either way, there looks to be some carbon jizz under the intake seal on both sides. The motor is nasty. Once Chad sees the pics, I am sure he can tell me how I should proceed lol.

Pass side head off. The other side looks the same really.




The carbon jizz under the old intake seal





Crappy pic, but all apart at 2:20AM(got a late start lol)



Just like dad says, Keep your sh!t in a pile

[slobin3d]

Looks like you have a good start. Keep everything in its place! Are the bolts Torque to yield bolt? if so you'll want to replace them

[Chris_The_Battery_Man]

Thanks. I am sure I can re-use them. They are just torque spec.


Got alot done tonight, although it doesnt seem like it. Went and got more goodies. Got a cool wheel for the drill that is meant for taking off the old gaskets. Worked beautifully. Got the whole block 99% cleaned, and all the gasket surfaces cleaned also. She is drying right now in some ceramic high heat semi gloss black.

I was hoping to be further, but am still happy that I am taking my time and cleaning everything very well. Cleaned the top of the pistons and everything I could. It is ready to start bolting things on now, aside of dropping the mains, and installing a new rear main seal. Hoping it doesnt need a speedy sleeve. I also am going to pick it up with the cherry picker, timing chain pointing down, and take a hose to douche the hell out of the water jackets. Alot of dust and debris fell in them, and they are kind of nasty rusty. So that will be the first thing tomorrow, Douche the water jackets, and install the new rear main.

After that, I am going to clean and paint the oil pan, and timing cover. While that is drying, I will be pulling the valves, and cleaning the crap out of the heads, valves, and anything else related. Then install new valve seals, and paint the heads. While that is drying, install the oil pan and timing cover. From there, just more cleaning, painting, and re installing.

Pretty much going all out on this motor, aside of a full rebuild. Want to take my time, and make sure everything is done right. If so, then it shouldn't leak a drop of anything hopefully. Then remain nice, clean, and shiny

Nice and clean(ish)!!


Paint drying


A bunch of the components sitting in a diesel bath.

[ZacUSNYR]

When I was in school I had a 86 GMC Jimmy with a 2.8 - was a good vehicle but it was a dog heh.

[Twisted Nuts]

Looks like your on the right track Nice lookin Blazer BTW.. don't usually find'em in that good of shape!

although it wouldn't be a bad idea to check all of your main bearings (1&2 especially) & rod bearings, dingleberry hone the cylinders and slap in a new set of rings since its down this far

btw before you begin putting the motor back in, raise the blazer up support it behind the tires at the frame with jackstands, or wood blocks and pull the 3 bolts out of the front diff that attach it to the frame and it will drop down about 4" and make it a BREEZE to reinstall! you may have to remove the 6 5/8bolts in the CVShaft to get it down that far.. i can't remember it's been awhile since i've been in one of those.

[Chris_The_Battery_Man]

Thanks. It is clean. Thats why I bought it with a 2.8.

Im not putting rings in it, because there is a slight lip at the top of the bores. So it would need to be bored. I will check the bearings though

I am actually just going to pull the cross members, and pull out the tranny. Then set the motor in place, and install the tranny

[crash]

Wasting time on a 2.8--- man throw that boat anchor away and put a 4.3 in it...

[ZacUSNYR]

Off-road the 2.8 isn't too bad, the 4-lo is geared well enough to be very usable On the highway it was frustrating though and I don't remember it getting very good gas mileage, then again I was paying between $1 and $1.35 a gallon before I finally got my RSX in 2001.

[66sprint6]

Ive freshened up a ton of motors like you are and never re-ring and rarely have to replace bottom end bearings. If the cylinder walls are still lookin good and you werent gettin a TON of blowby then go with it! Any motor like that will appreciate some attention and havin less than 100k on the clock I bet its still got a fresh bottom end! Love good, reliable old trucks like this!

As for the Jizz...try puttin a light coat of RightStuff gasket maker around the coolant ports on the headgasket and intake gasket. Looks like thats where the leakage mighta been comin from. Good luck gettin it back together and runnin. GREAT feeling when it fires back up and even better when you look back a couple trouble free years down the road
Matt

[Chris_The_Battery_Man]

Originally Posted by ZacUSNYR

Off-road the 2.8 isn't too bad, the 4-lo is geared well enough to be very usable On the highway it was frustrating though and I don't remember it getting very good gas mileage, then again I was paying between $1 and $1.35 a gallon before I finally got my RSX in 2001.

They actually do great on gas if theyre running good. I see 22 average on HWY with it running like crap. All my 2.8's got between 22-24.

Originally Posted by crash

Wasting time on a 2.8--- man throw that boat anchor away and put a 4.3 in it...

How so? Read my post way above.

2.8's arent a waste of time if they're taken care of. Grant it, most are abused. But if you never over heat em, and never drive em really hard, they last forever, and get way better fuel economy. Mine is a low miler, and I drive mine like a grandpa half the time, and it is a stick, so that helps on the power some.

[hende]

Originally Posted by crash

Wasting time on a 2.8--- man throw that boat anchor away and put a 4.3 in it...

sorry each to there own but have to agree the 2.8 was just it was an expearmentel motor.. 3.1 or 4.3 is the way to go 4.3 it is same bore and stroke as a 350.

[hende]

just remebered i have a 3.1 with about 50,000 on it in albany area yours if ya want it would be a better motor then the 2.8

[Chris_The_Battery_Man]

Update.


So this has been taking me alot longer than I initially wanted. But it is not for lack of trying. At least I know it is getting done right, and there is a good chance I havent ruined anything yet lol

Got the exhaust manifolds sand blasted and painted, heads finished and installed, and a few other things. The intake is sitting on it snug, waiting for the permatex to set, then to torque down. From there, there is only a couple more things to install, adjust the valves, and she is ready to set in.

Still have to pressure wash the engine bay, and a few more engine parts, but all in all, the hard work is mostly done. Well, on the engine it self anyhow



How she sat when I got started.



Sh!t in a pile



Sand blasted and then painted with header paint. Hopefully it holds lol



I actually cleaned and clear coated alot of things that were corroded or nasty. That way they look nicer when installed, and dont get worse


Heads ready for paint and instillation.


The valves were mostly nasty. There were a couple clean ones, but the one after this had to have had like a 2mm oily crust on it haha.






Ready for more tomorrow

[ZacUSNYR]

Wow good work. Looking good.