i have always heard that there are good and bad years for the s10 blazers, and i just purchased an 89. is this a good or bad year? it is slow to get out of second gear (automatic tranny) and i’m wondering if this is common, and if i need a new tranny? if so, is it a 400 turbo r? if so, can i get any 400 turbo r, or do i need a year specific one?
help!
Going back to reports from both AAA members and Consumer Reports, the S-10 from 1989 was singnificantly below average in quality and reliability. Weak areas (Much worse than average) are: body rust,final drive unit, trim, hardware, exhaust,brakes, electrical components, general integrity. Substandard (worse than average) are: Paint and cooling system.
Items better than average are: Ignition system and air conditioning, transmission.
I don’t know the exact transmission you have, but GM in those days did some weird things like putting the same automatic used in a Chevette 4 cyl. subcompact also in an 8 cylinder Impala. However, the transmission in your S10 Blazer has a “Better than Average” rating.
With a vehicle that old, the care given by the previous owner is more important than the original design quality. But I have never met a Blazer owner who did NOT have significant problems, including my own nephew who said it was a money pit.
Whatever you do, treat this vehicle gently, don’t off-road with it and you may get decent service out of it. I wished I could be more positive, but GM learned very slowly how to build a decent SUV. Compared to it, a Toyota Land Cruiser is virtually indestructable.
The most common transmission on the earlier S10s was the 700R4. It is relatively strong and reliable if kept serviced. Check for vacuum at the modulator valve located on the passenger side just above the pan and also check for engine timing as even slightly retarded timing will reduce vacuum, causing delayed shifts. When idling in neutral there should be about 18" of vacuum at the modulator.