what do I do first??????

[clintsk5]

Hey guys and ladies ( trying to be politically correct)...Just bought my first K5...77 no rust, little interior..stock 350 .. 4 barrel...low as hell...3.07 gears.
Whoever painted it ...did it ALL with some house color off white...spedo dont work...gas gauge dont work either...can you say " PUSH "...??..anyway ..looking foward to all your help...and maybe some new friends.....thanx for the input!!!!

 

[Blazerbob]

Welcome to the K5 world! Congratulations on your purchase.You will find the K5ers in this club can help you with anything you will need advice on. I would suggest working on the drive train first. While working on the driveline there is always a chance of scratching or denting the body even if you are careful. The shop that put my new motor in dented my hood then said "Oh did we do that?". Anyhow, If you are going to wheel it, the body will get banged up. I see you are already getting acquanted to the quirks of the K5. My gas guage doesn't work either, what a pain! Good Luck and Good Blazin !!!!


Blazerbob<font color=blue>

 

[Corey-88K5]

I'd suggest starting with the basics. You may want to jump out and buy a lift, or new tires, drivetrain... I"d start with a tune up, oil change, fluid change's, get all the guages working (what good is a new truck if it doesn't run because the engine had no oil press?). After that, if you are into offroading, go from there. If there isn't any rust, you may beable to get away witha body lift, tahn larger tires, lift later on. It all depends on what you want. I'd just suggest making sure that it keeps running. It doesn't sound like the previous owner took great care of it. So, you should start now.

Corey
88K5

<font color=blue>Girls Like Guys In Bow Ties</font color=blue>
<font color=red>http://www.geocities.com/corey_perez

 

[Waxer]

I was in the same vote with my K5 when I first bought her. She wouldnt go any faster than 40mph (fuel system prob), none of the guages worked, the tranny was basically shot. No front driveshaft, must I go on? Well I got most,not all the quirks out. I'm speakin of the ones I havent noticed yet. She is a beast now. I love her though. Did I mention I love my wife too? lol

 

[Cmoe]

If you want to fix it up and know the ins and outs that's the best way to get one. If you really want to you can make it just the way you want(the best way for you)!

Also it can be lots of fun working on them. Good luck with the K-5 and let us know how she's coming along!!!!


<font color=red>C<font color=green>'<font color=blue>m<font color=orange>o<font color=purple>e

<font color=black>the blazer is "Back in Black"

 

[Gold Rush]

Welcome to K5 land! Well get it functional first. Speedometer's come in handy and so does a correct reading fuel gage. The engine, tranny and T case need to all work properly. As far as interior, seats and belts. What else do you really need? O.K. a glove box or center console comes in handy to. Driveline next. Make sure things like ball joints, u-joints and wheelbearings are in good shape. Then get some aggresive treaded tires, even if they are only 31's or so. Your 3.07's are fine for now as long as you don't lift it and get big tires yet, you'll probably have to use low lock alot though. You would be surprised what a pretty much stock Blazer will do if running properly and good 31's on it. Worry about lifts and paint and big tires with low gears later. Good luck and have fun with the best purchase you will probably ever make!!!

David 75K5

http://www.renschler.org/~goldrush

 

[Blazer79]

In my opiniion, you should first check the stuff that will get you either killed or leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere.

<font color=red>Killed:</font color=red> Brakes, ball joints, tie rod ends, wheel bearings
<font color=blue>Stranded:</font color=blue> Cooling, tune-up, carburetor tune-up (don't forget fuel filter), alternator charge, battery, change all fluids (don't forget transfer case), spare tire, damaged tires, jack, jack handle

Only after you checked all this, start thinking about performance/cosmetic upgrades.

<font color=purple>////////
Go 79s!!!</font color=purple>

 

[Mr Red]

Welecome to K5 Land! Like said earlier, get gauges working. My first order of business would be to change every fluid you've got and I mean everything except maybe the power steering fluid. Change oil & filter, tranny fluid/filter [unless color=brown], transfer case fluid/oil, differential oil, flush/refill cooling sys.[replace thermostat now & every 2yrs.], check brakes [replace if necess.] & flush out old brake fluid and refill/bleed. Now, get a good grease gun & grease every fitting you see. You'll know they're all fresh and your truck will love you for this! Welcome & enjoy.

<font color=red>David, '86 K5</font color=red>

 

[laketex]

Hey guy, I'm with the bunch. Welcome to Blazerland. I know your pain, it sounds like you bought my truck. I got mine and no gauges work, the torque converter was going out, the drivers seat was broken, it has fulltime 4x4, 3.08 gears, and was painted flat black out of a rattlecan. But for $431, who can complain. Let me tell you what I did to it, which I wouldn't seriously recommend. I took the Beast Tuff Truck racing which was a big thing out in west Texas. Ran her 4 times, balls out and toasted the converter, also ran into Barbarian and smashed the frontend. Won all of about $150 but had a great time. Then I was left with a truck that needed even more work, but the K5 had gotten to me and I began thinkin daily driver. Bought 3/4 ton axles with 36" Swampers for $700, and ran out of money. And that's where she sits today.

Now what I should have done is this:
Rebuilt the tranny, got new torque converter
Installed P/T kit in transfer case, reinstall
fix the seat
get new gauges working
and drove the heck outta it.


I'm plagued with the standard, well I wanna change this, so I might as well do this and this and this so I won't have to pull it again. Rome wasn't built in a day! Don't fall into that, unless your money supply is bottomless, your truck will be sitting for months just like mine.

The guys are right though, you need to drain and refill everything. Who knows what the prev owner did? Watch for water in your oils, it might indicate bad gaskets and seals. Also watch for metal shavings, they can indicate what's wearing out. Flush your cooling system, oil your grease zerts if so equipped, and buy yourself a Chiltons Manual at your local parts store, you're gonna need it

.


Just my four cents.

Bryan

Durant, Ok
'79 Blazer in progress

 

[White Knight]

If you're not worried about going back orginal, 2 1/16 gauges fit fit in the orginal holes in the dash, they work great and look good also, email me if you want to know how, I agree with most get everything that'l strand you out in the middle of nowhere up to snuff, there's alot to be said for a great running rig that looks like cr#p, cosmetic stuff is nice, but out in the field give me function anyday, oh by the way you are now the owner of the best vehicle ever made by Detroit....WK