M1009 in NC

[number9er]

I got my first MV a few weeks ago and have been lurking here ever since trying to get all of the little issues cleared up. It's an '84 M1009, and I think it's going to be a good vehicle one day. So far:

The Bad:

- I've had to have the transmission rebuilt due to a previous owner's mod. This was the biggest issue and crippled my wallet after I got what I thought was an ok deal on the blazer.

- Passenger side alternator was replaced on the first day. A week later, positive terninal broke off and shorted the leads to the alt body. Melted a big spot on the back of the alt, but amazingly didn't cause a larger fire or even damage the alternator further. Had it checked out and terminal replaced for about $50. Seems to work (mostly), although now I have a dim pulsating Gen 2 light when running.

- Slightly leaky valve cover which hasn't been addressed yet.

The Good:

- The engine sounds great. It's got a somewhere around 115k miles and runs very smooth.

- It came with 4 new Mickey Thompson Bear Claw tires and a new soft top. (The previous owner still has the hard top, and I'll go to his place and put it on before the snow gets here.)

- After some research here at SS, I was able to find and install a class III hitch and trailer wiring harness. The right-turn signal on the trailer is still not working but I can most likely brute force a fix for that when I get back to it.

So that's it. There's still a lot to do, but this site helps my confidence level a lot. I should probably do the Doghead starter relay mod next, and then find a spare tire rim somewhere. Here's a pic...

 

[number9er]

Oh and by the way, I left out the main purpose of the post. Hello everyone! Good to be here.

(Also, no need to respond concerning the issues. That's just a general rundown of my status on the vehicle. I'll start a specific thread or find a suitable thread to jump on for the individual issues as needed.)

 

[swiss]

Welcome and stay awhile. You are going to get killed by the Mods for listing United States, you need at minimal a state.

 

[Smokinyoda]

Welcome to the addiction! Plan on attending the GA Rally next month, you will have a blast. I saw that truck on craigslist but never made it up there to check it out. Good luck with it, and definitely do the doghead relay ASAP.

 

[number9er]

Thanks guys. Profile updated. I'll check the GA rally against my calendar. I bought the relay/solenoid on my lunch break today at O'Reilly Auto Parts. I'll probably do the mod before the truck leaves the driveway again.

 

[T. Highway]

Welcome to the site, smart move doing the Doghead mod before bad things happen.

Bert

 

[Warthog]

Welcome from Oklahoma.

I like the soft top. Does it have a manufacture sticker anywhere?

 

[number9er]

The top? Yes, it's this guy right here:

http://www.softopper.com/jeep-suv-tops/chevy/chevy-blazer-gen3

It's nice when all 3 sides are rolled up. I haven't actually tried stowing the whole thing, but there are pictures on that site.

 

[number9er]

Well, I learned a lesson today. Take a look at what you have before going to buy supplies.

I asked the previous owner if the starter relay had been replaced, and he said it most likely hadn't but wasn't positive. I thought I'd grab one while I was out yesterday, so I picked one up at the parts place.

Took the mounting plate out today and viola:



It was only about $10, and I still have the receipt, so no biggie. I just thought it was funny. I may even hang on to the spare, though from reading in here, it looks like it could outlive the rest of the truck.

 

[Drift]

Welcome, just got one myself. Been fun so far!

 

[Smokinyoda]

So what happened to the tranny? Could have sworn previous owner advertised it as have a newly rebuilt transmission.

 

[jdknech]

nice looking blazer! I just picked up another one myself.. had been sitting in a feild for 12 years, but I took a gamble at $800.. and with a couple hours work it runs like new! they are tough little buggers.. I like that soft top too!

 

[number9er]

The transmission had been rebuilt but I don't know about "newly". The wrong valve body was used as well as the wrong valve body gasket for that valve body. The previous owner was under the impression that it was a racing shift kit but my transmission guy said it just looked like random parts and a hack job. I went back to stock TH400 parts. Oh and the vacuum pump was also dead. That was likely the source of most of my issues with the high and hard shifting. Shifts great now.

 

[Smokinyoda]

Glad you got it all worked out. You up around Asheville?

 

[number9er]

Yeah, right across the dirty French Broad.