Engine or Starter?

Let me start off by saying that I and my brother-in-law beleive the problem is the starter, but the guy that towed it back to my place thinks it is the engine.

Situation:
Knew the truck was in need of a tune up, but right after I got it I was heading up for camping during my vacation, so I had to nix the tune up for a week, during which driving was a minimum. I drove 50 miles to the camp ground, seemed fine. Took a drive to the store (maybe 5 miles total), took it to my folks house to drop my kids off (after camping, 80 miles roundtrip), then drove it home (another 50 miles). By the final drive, the truck was shaking while on the freeway, and I could smell an exhaust leak and the check engine light came on (I think becuase of the exhaust problem). I got it home with no other problems. The next day I drove another 10 miles to meet some friends and head to the water park. Shook again at higher speeds (75-80), but no main problems, and no check engine light (didnt drive that far though). We stayed at my friends that night and he dropped me off at the truck the next day. So I am on the way home, shaking again at high speeds, nothing else going on, I get about a mile and a half from my house, slowing for a stop sign, and the engine just dies. I throw it in N and try starting but it doesnt even try to turn over. So I park it and look it over, nothing leaking, no smells, nothing. Walked home, got my car, came back, tried jumping it, no luck. I called the guy I bought it from and he said I may have run out of gas, as the guage is wrong... Yeah, great to know now huh. So we get it towed home while I was at work the next day, and it was left in the middle of the driveway. I wanted to move it so I took the keys and before throwing it in N to push it I decided to give it a try, and it started. Didn't run great though. Moved it up, shut if off, won't start. Starter 'clicks', but only about one time a day will it attempt to turn over. I am also wondering if it is possibly the battery. The dome light dims a great deal when trying to start now. I also put a fresh two gallons of gas in so I know there is fuel for it to start.

Any ideas? I just don't want it to be the engine, as my Explorer's 4.0 blew and I am just not in the mood to go through another engine swap.

Well I had a starter problem not long ago and I can tell you the symptoms of mine. It ran just fine no shaking no smoking no nothing. One day I tried to crank it and it cranked real slow like my battery was going dead. It continued those slow hard cranks for a week until it stoped cranking. I took a hammer and knocked on the starter and it crunk up just fine. I had to do that knocking about every 3rd time I started it until eventually it didn't crank at all so I replaced the starter and now all is well.

The shanking at high speeds could be caused by unbalanced tires. If the engine cranked after it died that day then the engine isn't locked up. I would say knock on the starter and have someone turn the switch at the same time and see if it cranks. If it does then its the starter. Even if it does and it is the starter you need to find out why it died in the first place. I would suggest you have the cat. checked out. When that thing gets clogged it causes you to loose lots of power and it sounds really rough. The easiest way is to check under the passanger side after you get off the interstate and it its really hot or even red then you need a new one. Hope this helps

One other thing. If you find that its the starter I suggest you search for keyword "starter" on this forum because changing that thing is HARD. It looks so simple but you will soon realize its anything but.

no kiddin

One other thing. If you find that its the starter I suggest you search for keyword "starter" on this forum because changing that thing is HARD. It looks so simple but you will soon realize its anything but.

Heh, yeah. I did the same "hitting the starter" game with my explorer until it puked too, but the starter was easy to change in that. I tried looking for the starter on the Blazer and didn't even notice it. However, I know that on my Explorer, it ended up being a bad ground on the starter, as I ended up using the same one after cleaning it up. Is it possible that thats all this one needs?

The starter is on the passanger side just behind the wheel well. If you turn your wheels to the right and lift up that splash guard (passanger side) you can see it. Its not to hard to find but the problem is it won't fit between the flywheel cover and the engine when you try to take it out. The best way to do it is take off the fly wheel cover first then deal with the starter. The flywheel cover isn't to easy to take off either.

Haha I needed a wobble extension just to get the flywheel cover off, my front driveshaft was in the way of getting to one of the upper bolts-and once I got the starter unbolted, the transmission cooler lines were in the way. Is it just me and my Blazer, or is there always something in the way no matter what you try to work on?

It's not just you. I think GM set out to make a Chinese puzzle box, and ended up putting wheels on it in the end and calling it a truck. :D

Let me start off by saying that I and my brother-in-law beleive the problem is the starter, but the guy that towed it back to my place thinks it is the engine.

Situation:
Knew the truck was in need of a tune up, but right after I got it I was heading up for camping during my vacation, so I had to nix the tune up for a week, during which driving was a minimum. I drove 50 miles to the camp ground, seemed fine. Took a drive to the store (maybe 5 miles total), took it to my folks house to drop my kids off (after camping, 80 miles roundtrip), then drove it home (another 50 miles). By the final drive, the truck was shaking while on the freeway, and I could smell an exhaust leak and the check engine light came on (I think becuase of the exhaust problem). I got it home with no other problems. The next day I drove another 10 miles to meet some friends and head to the water park. Shook again at higher speeds (75-80), but no main problems, and no check engine light (didnt drive that far though). We stayed at my friends that night and he dropped me off at the truck the next day. So I am on the way home, shaking again at high speeds, nothing else going on, I get about a mile and a half from my house, slowing for a stop sign, and the engine just dies. I throw it in N and try starting but it doesnt even try to turn over. So I park it and look it over, nothing leaking, no smells, nothing. Walked home, got my car, came back, tried jumping it, no luck. I called the guy I bought it from and he said I may have run out of gas, as the guage is wrong... Yeah, great to know now huh. So we get it towed home while I was at work the next day, and it was left in the middle of the driveway. I wanted to move it so I took the keys and before throwing it in N to push it I decided to give it a try, and it started. Didn't run great though. Moved it up, shut if off, won't start. Starter 'clicks', but only about one time a day will it attempt to turn over. I am also wondering if it is possibly the battery. The dome light dims a great deal when trying to start now. I also put a fresh two gallons of gas in so I know there is fuel for it to start.

Any ideas? I just don't want it to be the engine, as my Explorer's 4.0 blew and I am just not in the mood to go through another engine swap.

Start by taking your battery out of the truck and having it tested. Check your battery cables for tightness and corrosion. The high speed shaking could be the tires. If you find the battery is the starting problem , get a new one, then take it somewhere for codes.

Sorry it has taken so long for a reply, but I have been swamped at work and also didn't have the money for a new battery. Anyhow, this past Friday I bought a new battery and put it in, but still it didn't start. There is no corrossion on the battery or wires connecting to the battery. My brother in law thought the starter may be jumping and suggested I make sure it is attached securely. It was so I decided to take it off and remount it. I tried starting the Blazer and it turned over, but didn't start. I gave it five minutes and tried again but just a click from the starter now. I again unmounted/remounted the starter with the same results; first attempt turns over but doesn't start, then just starter clicks. I do notice a strong gas smell and I am not finding any leaks or anything like that. So this morning I go out to look at it for a moment, and decide that before trying to take the starter off I would try starting it. Well, it did start, but like 5-10 seconds after it started it died. I tried starting it again, but only getting starter clicks again. It's like if I give it a day or two to rest, it will try to start, then either not start or die soon after, then starter clicks for a day or so. Could I be getting too much gas to where it is flooding? Or could it not be getting enough gas?

To refresh, I have a 94 Blazer Tahoe LT Edition Electronic 4x4 with a 4.3L Vortec. I have done an oil change, replaced the air filter, and replaced plugs, wires, cap, and rotor, and the PCV valce.

I would really love to get this thing going soon. It is cuasing too much of a headache for me.