Question on Overall Reliability

[Thunderegg]

I will be car shopping soon and was just curious. How reliable would y'all rate an early 90's Blazer? (sorry I'm not specific on the year) Don't know if I will get one just yet, but I've seen a few for sale that I'm interested in. I will most likely be commuting with it on a daily basis. Also, how well do they tow? I have a small camp trailer I use for my out-of-town work. Any opinions would be appreciated.. Thanks all

PS....no four-bangers or 2-doors.

[BlazerLT]

The simpler, the better.

The early 90s TBI 4.3Ls are pretty well bulletproof.

If you want more power, from 1992-1995, the blazer came with the HO CPI 4.3L with 30 more HP.

The only thing was that the main injector will blow out. But once it is replaced it will go forever.

[blazes9395]

It really depends on how well the previous owner(s) have looked after the truck. The 4.3 engines in these trucks are very solid engines. Maintenance is a big factor - like with any other car or truck - it must be kept up. I personally have had two TBI's and have two CPI equipped engines, I perfer the simplicity and relabilty of the TBI's myself. Parts a cheaper for the TBI's also. The earliest 4-door early 90's blazer you could get was the '91. If you live in a area where rust is a concern, check important areas such as front frame to body mounts, rocker panels, and rear quarters for holes or rust. I am sure others will mentions more, but overall, these trucks are great and reliable.

[wolfox]

Most certainly! I would heartily recommend one, being the previous owner of several makes and models of cars and trucks. But like any good relationship - if it is going to last; it will need maintainence. These trucks love lube. Period. Change your oil and fluids on schedule. Change them more often according to your severe duty periods listed in the manual especially if you are towing. Keep up with engine, driveline (including tranny) and chassis lubrication all around, and this thing will carry you to the grave.

However, doing this may require the use of a good shadetree mechanic (If you are not mechanically inclined that is) that knows his stuff about GM/Chevy. I would not count on the grease monkeys at your local oil-pit-n-fill to get the front end bearings pumped up properly. Once you acquire the new Blazer (Well, new to you) make sure that you have set aside an extra wad of dough. Treat all vehicles, especially these trucks - *Like they were never maintained at all*. Seriously, lax habits and neglect can bring these things under quickly. Swap out all fluids, grab your basic tune-up parts (Fuel, Air, Oil, Transmission filter + gasket, spark wires, plugs (AC/Delco Platinums and a small squeeze tube of anti-seize) Distributor Cap and Rotor) and get to work. You can do it all yourself in a few hours on a weekend. You will be blessed with a truck that will not have to be looked at again until the next oil change. She'll keep you going. I have a cranky old '95 that just simply *bolts* when you squeeze the throttle - burns a few hundred miles off of your rear tires if you get too jumpy on the throttle - but she still runs mean and strong with a little TLC. Good luck, and if you decide on a Blazer - a pre-emptive "Welcome to the madness!" to you. You'll love your new, tough little rig.