Questions and Answers

Chevy Blazer Questions Q. I have a 1998 Chevy Blazer 4X4 with a 4.3 liter engine. I have a couple general questions about my truck. First, does it have a rubber timing belt or a timing chain and what is the recommended mileage to replace it at if it needs replacement? I had a Dodge which the belt broke and cost me over $2,000.00 to fix and I don’t want to repeat this with my Blazer.

Second, my fuel pump has been making a whining noise since December. Is this normal for this type of vehicle? I took it in to the dealer where I bought it and they tested it and said it was working fine but it is a concern still because I don’t particularly trust what they told me.

Third, the truck has 90,000 miles on it now, what would you recommend as general preventative maintenance as it approaches 100,000 miles? I don’t know the history of the truck since I bought it used at 68,000 miles. I was thinking about changing spark plugs for sure but beyond that, I don’t know what is generally recommended to keep it running a good long time.

Thank you very much for your answers.
Trevor

A. It has a chain. Should not need replacing ever. As for the 100,000, I would replace the distributor cap, rotor, plugs, air filter, fuel filter, and plug wires. This should give you another 100,000 of trouble free driving. I would also recommend using GM parts. They got you this far right? As for the noise in pump, sometimes a restricted fuel filter will cause this. As a precaution, I would also think about replacing it to! They do have a limited life depending on how many times it has been run out of gas. This is not good for the pump.