GM Techs, HOW DO YOU WORK ON AN S10?

[sled_dog]

My god this thing sucks. To pull the motor I have to remove the starter, to remove the starter I have to.... I don't know how to remove the starter. Its all unbolted, but it can't drop down(tranny cooler lines and differentrial), and it can't slide forward(hits the frame). Trying to remove the motor AND transmission, is pointless. It came forward about 2" and hit the differential with the oilpan so its just not going to budge. The easiest way to work on this thing is going to be to remove the entire front suspension THEN do this crap. Also, this is the only vehicle I've worked on that has a crossmember, between the engine and transmission. It just ties the framerails together(and routes some brake hard line). But it can't be removed while the suspension is installed. It drops down and gets stuck on top of the torsion bars, so they have to come out to remove it

Really wish I never got rid of my K5 for this. Puting in and working on the 383 in this damn thing is going to be a nightmare.

 

[jekbrown]

maybe you should remove all the body panels forward of the cab... that might help.

j

 

[dontoe]

I won't (willingly) work on a small car/truck. I need some room, man!

 

[sled_dog]

I might do that, should help when it comes to removing the brackets for the IFS and fabbing the solid axle stuff. Inner fenders are definetally coming out. The passenger one is actually contoured and formed with the AC/Heater box! I'm shaving the firewall and losing that stuff so new inner fenders are a must.

Even removing the front clip, I still couldn't get the motor and trans out without pulling the front differential. Unless I'm completely and utterly missing something. Either way the front end stuff has to come out.

 

[daleearnhardt01]

Ive witnessed and helped pull 4.3's out of old style S10/S10 Blazers quite a few times at the shop I worked at for years. I dont know what to tell you it wasnt any different from any other motor swap we just took the hood off and pulled the motor right out of there.. .

 

[big83chevy4x4]

i removed the motor and tranny together on a 2wd blazer. the front clip was taken off so i could actually get to the motor, and i still had problems. then i took the motor and tranny out of a safari minivan (alot harder than a 4wd blazer) and put the motor and tranny from the blazer in the safari (even harder yet) with out ever splitting the two.

when i pulled the starter from the blazer, i just let it sit on the tranny lines, just unhook the wires to it. somehow i got it out before i took the assembly out though. i don't envy you, the worst is yet to come.

 

[sled_dog]

I've been part of an Astro project. We pulled the 4.3 and put in a 305. I can't remember if we did motor and trans or not. wasn't fun either way. This would be fairly easy if it were just the motor, but its motor and trans.

 

[PhoenixZorn]

when you fab your solid axle mounts, feel like making 2 sets bro?? =)

 

[oregonian52]

I replaced the engine on my 4X4 S-10 I had about ten years ago. If I remember correctly i had to raise the front half of the body off the frame about 2-3 inches. It all came out then.

 

[colbystephens]

maybe you wanna make a third set as well.

colby stephens.
for the story about my k5's build, check out www.web.pdx.edu/~colbys

 

[tarussell]

S-10's are some of my worst memories of turning wrenches for a living years ago . It will fight you the whole way apart and back together......
Tom

 

[pvfjr]

How about four?

 

[sled_dog]

seriouslly if you guys would be interested I likely could fab up a couple sets of the mounts. I'll make mine and get the engineering out of the way on mine.

 

[PhoenixZorn]

Sled Dog, for reference, I have a GM 10 bolt front and rear that I want to slam under an S10 Blazer... I know they are too wide, but I'm not worried about it... I'll just flare the hell out of the fenders... what other info you need?? =)

 

[Brocky]

One of my buddies is currently putting a 350, th350, 205 and old Jeep axles from an old cheif into his. When he is finished I will take a few pics and send them.

 

[sled_dog]

Sled Dog, for reference, I have a GM 10 bolt front and rear that I want to slam under an S10 Blazer... I know they are too wide, but I'm not worried about it... I'll just flare the hell out of the fenders... what other info you need?? =)

Full widths is all thats important really. I'm setting mine up to use 52" springs(I have a set so why not). I'm using a 60 up front but its the same width so it doesn't matter.

 

[diesel4me]

S10's suck to work on...

I've helped to change several starters on S10's--they suck!-- You have to unbolt the motor mount bracket from the engine and get it out of there--then if you have a helper,they can pry the motor up with a bar or 2x4 enough for the other guy to weasel the starter out..you have to turn it 180 degrees,and it only fits one way thru the "hole"..its a real PITA...my friend charges 100 bucks if he has to change one,because he needs 2 guys to do it,at least if you dont want to spend all day alone doing it..and he does not care if they go elsewhere--he'd rather lose the money than his knuckles...even with a lift its not a fun job at all...

The 4.3 seems to be a bit worse than the 2.8 V6 starters to change...I've helped to swap a motor in an S10 Blazer with a 4.3...NEVER AGAIN!!....for the reasons listed above,I have vowed to NEVER buy an S10 of any way shape or form...its fullsize trucks or nothing for me--and the 88 up fullsize trucks are no joy to repair either!--I'm sticking with full size straight axle junks!!..

 

[sled_dog]

I wish I didn't get rid of my last K5. Heck if anyone knows of one cheap in PA(thats not a rust bucket) I'd jump on it.

I remember being in the shop my buddy worked at and looking at a newer body style S10 with the motor out. He said they had to lift the body off of the frame like 3 or 4" to get the motor out.

 

[HarryH3]

I found it much easier to just disconnect the front driveshaft and then remove the lower torque converter cover. Then the starter can move rearwards to come out. Still a pain in the a$$ job though!

 

[Drey]

I hate working on my S10 blazer...nothing like going through the inner fenders to change spark plugs.... The middle plug on the drivers side is a PAIN IN MY *** the steering shaft is right in the way, you cant get a rachet on a socket