S-Series, high miles

[firecadet613]

I've got 103,000 miles on the truck in my signature and the miles are slowly starting to worry me.  When do they start having problems?

[mcali17]

I started having problems with my '97 Jimmy (4.3L) at about 93K. The fuel injectors started leaking. Once they were fixed it ran great until I sold it at 98K. I know who bought it and it is still going strong

[RyanbabZ71]

my dads 92 S-10 is at 130K miles with no major problems except it does burn some oil.  We will be rebuidling the engine hopefully sometime soon.

[Z71GUY]

My work van is a 99 GMC Safari with the same 4.3 and tranny as a S-10 would have.  I currently have 134,000 miles on it (picked it up new, late in '99 with 40 miles on it)...the only problem has been my ignition control module (I think thats what it was) went out around 90k.  Other than that, its been very reliable and still runs great!  I expect to get atleast 200k or more out of it before my company get's rid of it...

 

Just a FYI, our company has it on a fleet maint program which changes the oil every 6000 miles with regular dino oil.  To this day, it only burns about 1/2-3/4 quart between changes.

 

Eric

[John R]

I had A 1991 S-15 GMC with 4.3 auto trans. and

it had 196,000 miles on it when I sold it and was still

going strong.

It smoked on start up cause of the valve guides but only

used about 3/4 of A quart between changes.

[Shadowfax]

I had a 91 S-10 that I bought used in 96 with only 33,000 on it. I didn't touch a thing besides oil changes until 156k when I had to replace the alt. It wasn't until 230,000 that I replaced the idler pulley bearing, and the radiator.

 

Didn't even need to replace the rad, but the tanks were leaking, and it would've cost more to have the tanks fixed than a new one with aluminum tanks so I just went and bought a new one

 

At around 256k when I sold her in Feb or March, I replaced a AC relay switch and thats pretty much the major work of it

 

In case you want to know specs of the truck:

 

2.8 V6

5 speed Manual Tranny

Tahoe Interior Package

 

Everything was stock except the K&N Air filter. Oil was changed ever 3000-3500 k and I used Shell Rotella T 15W 40 or 10W 30.

 

Other general maintenance applied to the truck, like replace the serpintinebelt every so often and check it periodically for cracks and etc.

 

Besides that, best truck I've ever owned. So for my 03 S-10 appears to be of the same quality and its runnin smooth with 17,888 miles on it

[bowtie_pasta]

I own 2 Blazers, a 1985 2.8 and a 97 4.3.  Both have been great as far as the main engine internals are concerned.  I've had to replace some basic stuff here and there, but the engines themselves just keep on going, and going, and...

 

[Hecktorx]

I have a 96 sonoma w/ 130k miles. I've had really good luck with it. Besides regular maintenance, here's a list of repairs:

 

Fuel Pump-86,000

Idler & Pitman arms-115,000

 

And that's it.

 

Kenny

[E!]

I have had a few problems with my 92 S-10 blazer and they started at about 120k

[firecadet613]

what kind of problems did you have?

[Bowtie_Beast]

I had a '97 S-10 extended, step-side, 4x4 with 117,000 miles on it when I sold it. I only ever had a couple problems. One when it had about 75,000, the power steering pump was leakinga little, so I replaced it. I went it to get a new belt on and they saw it so I had it replaced while still under warranty. The only other thing was a bearing in the rear end, but that was about 30,000 miles and was mostly covered under warranty.

I would've kept it but my wife made me sell it to get a more family-friendly vehicle when she found out we were pregnant.

Oh well. Our son is worth it I guess. Ha, ha...

I'll try to attach a pic. (the toy had to go too, by the way)

I guess I can't. Does it have to be on the 'net, or can it be a file?

 

[bowtie_pasta]

My 97' Blazer just let me down on a recent road trip. Started overheating, ended up being the thermostat. Changed the fan clutch at the same time. This occured at ~96,000 miles.

[mjsmith1223]

Yeah, this is an old thread, but I had a '93 S-10 Blazer that started acting up at about 110,000 miles.

 

At 110,000 miles the alternator exploded while we were driving back from the UP of Michigan. We were somewhere in the middle of Michigan at 2:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning. The alternator blows, smoke everywhere, we can hear metal chucks hitting things under the hood. We smell something burning. When the alternator blew there was a fire which thankfully snuffed itself. Insurance covered that incident.

 

Around 120,000 the ventilation system would only blow out the defroster and floor vents, but not the vents on the dash. Also about this time the controller for the heating and A/C started to smoke. Replaced it with one scavenged in a junkyard.

 

At about 125,000 miles the fuel injector gave out while we were in the UP of Michigan. Of course it's a Saturday and there's no one open in Sault Ste. Marie to have a look. We ended up renting a U-haul truck and trailer and hauling the Blazer home and replacing the fuel injector ourselves. Seem to remember it was about $280 for the part. Found out that this was a big problem on the '93 S-10 with the High Output 4.3 and central port injection. GM fixed the problem for the '94 and later CPI equipped motors.

 

Not long after than the EGR got some carbon stuck in it which made it act up and the truck would run real funny until we could blow the carbon out.

 

Mike

Grand Haven, MI

[kdeatrick]

I have a 1991 s10 longbed 4x4 with the 4.3 liter motor and automatic transmission.

I bought the truck in August 1990 with 14 miles on it and drove it from PA to Colorado. Today it has over 275,000 miles.

 

I did slip in a new power plant this winter. Turned out the dead cylinder was just a head gasket, but I also found a motor mount that was in need of repair. I replaced the motor mounts, hoses at the same time. I had Never changed the heater hoses and they weren't even brittle!?!

 

Over the years I've put

1. 3 alternators in it. The bearings every time. (Only paid for 1 at Trak Auto with lifetime Warranty) The first time I replaced it along the road in Virginia after getting a guy at work to come 10 miles to get me and take me to Trak Auto.

2. 6 set of tires. (firestones were standard and it took me 2 sets to wise up)

3. 6 mufflers (Only paid for 1 at Midas with lifetime Warranty)

4. Rearend seals.

5. Universal joints (twice as I recall on the rear driveshaft)

6. Turn signal switch 3 times. (I have an aftermarket cruise control, so this is not GM's fault.)

7. Head lamp switch 2 times. (May have been a short in the trailer socket wiring.)

8. Dash Bulbs went out with the head lamp switch.

9. Ignition Switch at about 200,000

10. Lower ball joints at some point as I recall.

11. A/C compressor from a junk yard at about 225,000 miles

12. A/C Blower motor and relay at about 275,000.

13. I replaced the valve seals very early as soon as it started to smoke. (under 50,000)

14. Brake pads and shoes many times. (Lifetime Warranties, lost receipt) :

15. Rotors turned once. (they could use it now but are at the limit, need new ones.)

16. Front Brake Lines at about 200,000 do to a little dry rot.

17. CV boots and joints at about 225,000.

18. Front Hub at about 175,000.

19. Front differential actuator switch due to moisture at about 40,000

20. 3 front bumpers thanks to deer.

21. 1 rear bumper to chrome peeling, 1 to a drunk driver hitting it.

22. The remote oil filter lines. I bet I replaced the seals 5 times, and the hoses at least 3 times. They are a pain to replace and make a mess of everything so it's hard to find the leak.

23. Transmission mount when the bolt broke off while changing the filter and fluids.

24. 4 Cab mount cushoins at 255,000 due to dry rot. (This made a big difference!)

 

Regular Preventive Maint.

 

1. Changed the oil and filter every 3,000 - 5,000 miles

2. Changed the tranny fluid and filter every other year.

3. Other normal lubes and the such...

4. I use STP Fuel Injector cleaner about once a month to keep it running clean.

 

The truck takes me 88 miles to work(1 way), twice a week. and I would sooner drive it than my 1997 Blazer, I just like the way the 91 stears and rides over the 97. Carbon build up is not a problem in my trucks life on the highway to work.

It still averages 16-17 mpg and can get upto 19 mpg.

 

I love lifetime warranties!

Trak Auto is no longer in business, and Midas hates people like me that keep there trucks forever. (and that also keep there receipts)

 

Know your truck and you can tell when something is wrong/going wrong.

They are so much like a lady. If you love them and take care of them, they will take care of you and give you many years of Pleasure.

[bowtie_pasta]

Yeah, this is an old thread, but I had a '93 S-10 Blazer that started acting up at about 110,000 miles.

 

At 110,000 miles the alternator exploded while we were driving back from the UP of Michigan. We were somewhere in the middle of Michigan at 2:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning. The alternator blows, smoke everywhere, we can hear metal chucks hitting things under the hood. We smell something burning. When the alternator blew there was a fire which thankfully snuffed itself. Insurance covered that incident.

 

Around 120,000 the ventilation system would only blow out the defroster and floor vents, but not the vents on the dash. Also about this time the controller for the heating and A/C started to smoke. Replaced it with one scavenged in a junkyard.

 

At about 125,000 miles the fuel injector gave out while we were in the UP of Michigan. Of course it's a Saturday and there's no one open in Sault Ste. Marie to have a look. We ended up renting a U-haul truck and trailer and hauling the Blazer home and replacing the fuel injector ourselves. Seem to remember it was about $280 for the part. Found out that this was a big problem on the '93 S-10 with the High Output 4.3 and central port injection. GM fixed the problem for the '94 and later CPI equipped motors.

 

Not long after than the EGR got some carbon stuck in it which made it act up and the truck would run real funny until we could blow the carbon out.

 

Mike

Grand Haven, MI

Word up mjsmith, love to hear stories like that. Reminds me of my 85' 2.8l Blazer 4x4 that just keeps going down the road day after day. It's got approx. 250k on it right now and does just great. Get a consistent 14-16 mpg in the city. I'm just driving this baby till the day she dies, AC stills works great so it's got all I need for a daily driver.

 

Hopefully by the time I'm ready for a new truck I'll be able to afford to carry the note that goes along with it.