German 98 Blazer build

[Steinbruchsoldat]

Damn, looks like i have to do a intake gasket job tomorrow...

I just wanted to do some relaxing things like mounting my hilift and now that...

But, better in my driveway than out while exploring...

 

[Steinbruchsoldat]

This is live from the shop...

The coolant is coming clearly from the intake gasket:

As it sits now, after 3hours of work:

This is the broken gasket:

Ok, back to work now...

 

[HenryJ]

Pretty common. Earlier second gen SFI models have gaskets that were incompatible with the Dexcool coolant. After 2002 this seems to have been resolved. There were still issues with the radiator cap and cavitation on the waterpump. I would suggest going to a green coolant. Fill and flush the system after you complete your repair, then fill with a quality coolant.
The OAT based extended life coolant was a good idea, but these engines are not designed in a manner that works well with it. These are based on the older 5.7l engines and share many of the parts. The redesign of the 5.3l engines seem to have cured the problems with OAT coolants.

BTW, Keep your eyes open for an AD244 alternator. I used one off a 2001 Fullsize Suburban with the high output alternator. These are rated at 120-130amp. Cold they can easily provide over 200 amps. I paid $50 for one from a salvage yard. Best thing I ever did. Easy bolt in swap. All you need is a belt one inch longer. All the details are in the S-10CREWCAB.NET - Bigger Alternator thread. A very long read as it is up to four pages long now.

 

[Steinbruchsoldat]

Hi,
there`s no more dexcool in there, since i have the truck...

This is the live ticker from my shop...

Cleaning the part`s took a lot of time. This is the finished intake:

I couldn`t get any gasket`s here, and didn`t feel like waiting for gaskets to ship them from the USA, so I had to reuse the broken ones. I cleaned them and and applied a quality heavy duty sealant. I`ve used this a lot of times with no problems, but i honestly don`t feel comfortable to use it for this. But i don`t have a choice, so time will tell...

Now back to work, i wan`t to finish this thing today...

 

[Steinbruchsoldat]

Gave up for today, I'm so pissed off right now...

Reinstall was pretty straightforward, until it came to the ac compressor bracket. There are screws underneith the pulley, and i just can't get them seated. I also can't remove the pulley because it needs some large torx and i don't have one...
When i cleaned the shop a part of my upper fan shroud broke...

I feel like setting my car on fire...

 

[Steinbruchsoldat]

Me stupid idiot removed the four powersteering pump bolts. Now I can`t get them in. Looks like i`ll have to remove the pulley tomorrow. Not sure how to do this...

And no, you can`t get powersteering pulley tools around here, because this style pressed pulley`s is not common here...

 

[chilliwak]

Stein, I will sit and meditate sending you good thoughts for the speedy recovery of your Chevy. Sorry that is all I can do right now. I hope everything works out OK. It might be a good idea to have a :beer: and relax a bit. After all it is :friday: (Friday) now.

 

[Steinbruchsoldat]

Now it's friday morning, back to work. I think I'll just go and built a pulley tool instead of messing with the screws...

Oh, and it's freaking cold, everything is frozen...

 

[chilliwak]

Stein, since it is soooooo cold I will send you one of these....:campfire:

 

[Steinbruchsoldat]

Thanks, now its warmer... :-D

There was no way to get the pulley off, because the tread to attach the tool is all ****ed up...
So i had to remove the whole ps pump assembly to seat those three bolts. So, 5h work for 3 damn bolts...

Now everything is together. After lunch I'll refill the coolant and ps fluid and give it a try. If it leaks I'll lit it...

 

[chilliwak]

Stein, just wondering about your comment......
Quote...If it leaks I'll lit it...
What do you mean by that?
Sorry, I am being a nasty old guy, am I not?:gunt:

 

[Steinbruchsoldat]

I meant setting it on fire...

Now I got all the fluids in and started for a test drive. Everything looks fine except the tach quit working. Must have forgotten to plug a connector, but i don`t know which...

But I`m happy that it stopped leaking... :wings:

 

[Steinbruchsoldat]

My new hilift and tranny oil cooler:

The swingout mounts are also hilift jack points:

From my first try:

Then I played around looking how to mount it. Those are the two possibilities i figured out. First:

Second:

I like the second one more, but i`ll change if someone has a better idea...

Oh, and I need a little help with my tach. Where does it get it`s signal from? Which connector could have been forgotten?

 

[LtFuzz]

.
Oh, and I need a little help with my tach. Where does it get it`s signal from? Which connector could have been forgotten?

This may be irrelevant advice, as I don't know the first thing about Blazers, but on the two older trucks I've owned that had tach trouble the line had unseated from where it connected into the differential. The knurled end had broken off.

 

[chilliwak]

Stein, you want to keep that jack down low and horizontal, as in your last pic. Always keep heavy things low to help with your center of gravity. Also, the upright postion you showed for your jack could make for some nasty scratches in the paint! But I guess you know all about that....:088: