Hello, I'm new here and I have found this forum to be so helpful already. I need advice badly so I signed up for an account. My wife and I feel like we have had 9 months of TrailblazerTorture and now we face another dilemma.
Background: Our 16 year old needed a solid framed, reliable, 4 wheel drive, sturdy, but yet affordable first vehicle. Was hoping the solid frame, good handling, good towing capacity, and thousands of available TB on the road would provide a good solution. Felt that we could find plenty in his price range and tons of available parts. Normal wear parts like brakes, suspension parts, fenders, bumpers, interior items all easy to get in a junkyard or from aftermarket suppliers. We found one in his price range that looked like it may have had some side door damage which was recently repainted, but was 2008, 125,000 miles, solid body, frame, smooth transmission, smooth 4x4, etc. Tried to teach him to wrench on his own, take care of his truck, be responsible.
air bag light was on and A/c system not working. Used car dealer fixed A/C (plugged canister) and we drove it home. After lots of study/trial error got the air bad light off by figuring out the repainted door was actually from a 2006 and the sensor didn't match what the computer in the 2008 was expecting. Fairly simple fix once we could figure that out.
Since then it has been one thing after another. We doggedly fixed them all:
-winter time slide outs by inexperienced 16 year old driver took out front bumper, fog light, headlight and front fender. Found local place that ordered aftermarket parts and painted for us and we did remove/replace. Replaced headlight from junkyard.
-noise at the front end (oh no, not the dreaded water pump!! but water pump/fan tight) Lucky, it was only the idler pulley and an easy first mechanic job for my teen-age aspiring mechanic.
-manifold developed exhaust leak, my son learned how to change this (even how to extract snapped off manifold bolts)
-soon after engine coolant temp light came on. Can't get to the sensor as it is buried under manifold shields, evap system. Son got to take this all back off and then couldn't get wrench on the sensor. He hacked a open ended wrench in half with grinder and got through that one. Put new EGR valve/body on
-Cold start exhaust fan on bottom side failed. Lines full of water (from bad valve on EGR). Installed used fan, replaced relay, checked wires, replaced EGR valve. Engine light fixed
-Needed brakes and rotors all the way around (expected)
-inner tie rod, upper ball joints (had shop do this). Dust boots are missing on lower ball joint, future project. Alignment done (of course my son had to take out the front wheel well protection so his bigger tires will fit...) Did I mention wheel spacers?
-fix loose exterior door handle (bracket rusted). Trim around inside door handles needed replacing (they keep popping off as fast as we replace them) Inside door handle from replacement driver door was chrome, rest are not so put a matching chrome inside handle on passenger side. Son learned how to get doors apart and back together several times...
-This winter, in a blizzard, driving in heavy snow, in 4HI front wheels locked (yep, forgot to check fluid in front differential and gears went dry/welded to intermediate shaft) Shop could not get CV axle out despite cutting it in half. Second shop struggled but got did get carrier/activator out. Activator cracked, was able to put junkyard carrier/activator in, plus while they were there put in new CV axles both sides up front.
This forum has been so great in helping research all of this. I had a huge problem finding correct seals for the carrier. The names for 'inner/outer' are confusing and the parts stores online do not always specify. When I get time I'm going to start a thread with pictures and proper part numbers. NAPA just got a new line of seals (*** brand) and they now should be able to get the seals you need if you know what you are asking for. stay tuned...
-Engine started running funny and stalling as if not getting enough juice or battery dead. Alternator tests showed overcharging. Battery tested good. Was able to put in a new alternator and that problem solved.
by this time hoping we have all the bugs out and we can get some reliable driving. Keep remembering all the people who said these engines are bullet proof and go 200,000+. Used trailblazers commonly selling with 180K miles or higher... Come on, come on!!
-Son decided to do a little off roading and hit a puddle. Engine died. He was a ways from home, didn't want to admit he may have wrecked his car. Him and buddies opened air system, dried things out. Got it to turn over slightly and then got it to run. Pretty loud knocking at first. Oh no... Engine light on. Knocking fades a bit, no loss of oil pressure or power. Was able to drive home.
changed oil, no water or shavings. Engine code was misfire cylinder 4 and multiple random misfire. Cleared codes, they did not come back. Knock is more of a metallic clatter, follows rpm exactly (slow at idle going up and down exactly with rpms) No change in character of sound with engine load or not. Present equally with cold or hot engine. Does not get louder or softer with different rpms, just slower and faster matching slow/fast rpms.
Listened to lots of similar clatter on youtube and can rule out water pump/loose fan, anything attached to the front belt. Sound is louder behind passenger wheel, but heard also in front and behind driver wheel. Clearer from bottom of engine not top. Closest sound on youtube is a spun bearing. I can't find a recording of a trailblazer with wrist pin clatter on youtube.
This youtube is the closest sound (sharp metallic click click) I'll try to embed this youtube link next:
oops, first time posters can't share links. I'll do it in my next post
I'm new and can't figure out how to attach a mp3 file of the sound recorded through my cell phone.
Question Time:
If this is spun bearing does a puddle with water intake through wheel well into air intake set up for wrecking the bearing? Does wrist pin or bent connecting rod or piston slap sound similar to spun bearing?
My son can't afford to pay a shop to tear it all down to prove which item is making the noise and it sounds like all the bad piston/rod/connector/bearing related clatters are going to lead to a engine overhaul or a donor engine going in. I think either of these are off the table as it will be a big bill, more than car is worth. I'd love to see him learn how to do a motor transplant but he doesn't have tools or experience yet.
Yet, he has put so much into it, new rims and tires, etc etc. Do we sell as is for a big loss, try to part it out (to give more experience in disassembly and teach him not to abuse his car if he can't afford to fix it?)
My only hope is rarely someone has found a clatter is flywheel noise or bent or broken flexplate which isn't as disastrous or expensive to fix. Can I diagnose that myself or tranny has to be loosened?
Sorry for the lengthy post, it has been 9 months of constant learning and battling to try to keep this rig going.
He says, I should have got an old rusty truck, at least all of this would not have gone wrong and the repairs would not be so unsual (who ever heard of the intermediate shaft going THROUGH the oil pan???) He has a point...