Good news!!

[79BIG10]

Well today I was setermined to get the engine running. The starter/flexplate had been an issue since I got the Blazer grinding everytime I tried to start it. Today I took the starter off and took it to Auto Zone. I asked them for a starter for the Blazer and they brought out one and I started comparing. The bendix gear looked the same which made me rethink needing a different flexplate. Then I looked at the nose cone and they were different! The AZ one was 1/2" longer than the one I got with the blazer. So I bought the new one and got it home. I hooked it all up and bolted it in. A quick test fire and the starter hooked up good. A little gas and it fired right up So all along it was a good starter just not made for the engine.

It's idles pretty good but needs a tune up and some minor work inlcuding a small oil leak on the driver side valve cover, and replace the rear u-joint. After I get it all the rest of the bugs worked out I hope to get it road worthy soon. Still needs some stuff to make it street legal but I'm just so glad to hear it fire up. All the gauges work, 50 PSI oil pressure at idle, 14+ volts and water temp works good. The electric fans kick by switch inside the cab. I'm glad the PO didn't get the right starter

[Prerunner1982]

awesome news B... glad you are making better progess on this than i am my truck... haha... i forget to check here sometimes...

[79BIG10]

LOL me too. I did get some weird info today. I took the rear d/s to get u-joint replaced. I tried everything to get it out and nothing would budge it. When I showed the guy the u-joint he said I was lucky he came to him first. He said that the u-joint was a weird one. It has 2 different size ends. The smaller one is for the d/s yoke and the larger is for the 3/4 axle. What's weird is that it's only a 12 bolt. I haven't cracked it open yet but will soon.

[jakeslim]

My rear u-joint has two sizes on ends. Used to be a 12 bolt that I switched to a 14 bolt. Can get them at NAPA if you know the part number. Maybe yours was a 10 bolt switched to a 12 bolt? (my 77 k5)

[79BIG10]

Originally Posted by jakeslim

Can get them at NAPA if you know the part number. Maybe yours was a 10 bolt switched to a 12 bolt? (my 77 k5)

That's what I'm thinking happened or they changed out the rear d/s at some point since it was unhooked.

Sidenote: I was able to get the rear window up with a direct wiring to the rear window power hook up. Somewhere the wiring is cut but I'm just glad to have it up and knowing the motor still works.