I’m Sitting in One of the Worst American Vehicles Ever Made
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- čas přidán 21. 08. 2024
- Chevy Trailblazer review. I’m Sitting in One of the Worst American Vehicles Ever Made, DIY and truck review with Scotty Kilmer. Are Chevys reliable? Does Chevy make good SUVs? Is the Chevy Trailblazer worth buying? Buying a used Chevy Trailblazer. Buying a Chevy Trailblazer. Should I buy a Chevy SUV? SUV buying tips. What type of SUV to buy. Car Advice. DIY car repair with Scotty Kilmer, an auto mechanic for the last 55 years.
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you and padraig cullen should collab, hes also a great mechanic
HOURS... of work distilled down into a 10 minute video.
Great job Scotty! 👍
04 Trailblazer....best vehicle I ever had. Sold it in 2021 with almost 400k miles on it. Bought an 08 for my son's first car, 275k and still going....I worked at a chevy dealer for almost 10yrs. Yes, Chevy is junk, but I think the TB is one of the best they ever built. That straight 6 will last forever if taken care of.
Scotty Ford guy here, I had this ride with 160K miles, no issues, Got stolen at Pick a Part, when i was looking for a part for my 22RE engine , valve cover, Miss my ride, still mourning
I so love I found Scotty. He explains everything so clearly and I feel like I'm much better prepared to deal with vehicle problems.
I agree I found him recently.
Remember the good ole days, before the advent of the check engine light? If that wasn't a revenue generator for car companies, I don't know what was. When you cranked the car up, and the generator (not alternator) gauge showed positive, and the oil pressure gauge (not a light) showed you had oil pressure, you were good to go.
I have a jasper engine in my 96 ford ranger 3.0 runs flawlessly. They do a good job rebuilding engines. 👍
And thank you Scotty!
I have a friend who has one of these, and he never had an import until the last couple years when I talked them into a Toyota van. For whatever reason that 2012 van turned out to be a huge lemon. His trailblazer he swears by though. Never had an issue.
Got a bad van. Tell him just walk. No vehicles. I still trust Toyota 12x Gm Ford Dodge combined.
@@rogerringold616 depends upon the GM. an old school 3800 buick V6 will run along with a toyota all day long. they dont make em anymore. fantastic engine. i have 2 of them. the supercharged L67 variant can be an absolute blast.
I droped the plastic tank on my forty year old truck, took the sending unit out, took it to power wash the inside to get all the crud out. then I ordered new gaskets and seals and installed new pump / sending unit which is what I would recomend if anyone does the same to their tank - make sure to clean it out and install all new seals with new pump / sending unit.
Scotty, be careful with those drawstrings on your jacket. They get caught in a moving part, I don’t want to describe what could happen.
And here I go learning even more valuable information about automobiles- Thanks for the education, Scotty!
I am failing to understand how the trailblazer qualifies as one of worst American vehicles made. It needed an O2 sensor, big deal. They have bad HVAC dampers and other annoying GM electrical demons but the 4.2 atlas is a good design and you can find these things cheap, what's not to appreciate?
He'd rather push a Ford than drive a Chevy.
it is gm went broke behind it
I even traded my '97 Sonoma SLS 4.3L with stepside bed for an '07 Trailblazer LS with the 4.2L in it. Solid engine and very fuel efficient compared to the Sonoma. I drive it daily to and from work. Only issue I've had with it is replacing the 16 year old gas cap. 😅
Raise your hand if you've been watching Scotty Kilmer for a long time🤚
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Tech Tip: If you live in the rust belt and decide to drop the tank then also check your long brake lines that run past the tank--Older GM cars and trucks lines rust out badly after 15-20 years and are easier to replace with the tank out....
You telling the truth....them GM Ford Rusty dusty specials up north...😢brake/fuel lines
Scotty can’t help but love you man....your in my opinion a great example of a true American
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us! 🙏❤️
Great info for a vehicle that’s been sitting for a while, thanks Scotty!
Another one to look for is the condition of the wires. Rodents like to get up in an engine bay of a sitting vehicle and make their homes, chewing all the wiring in the process.
If that happens it can be really tough to track down where the issue stems from
Big concern with that engine. The PCU is mounted on the side of the intake manifold, lots of wiring right there.
I had an 04 Rainier, same platform. Fuel filter hidden inside the driver side frame rail under driver seat area. Wouldn't hurt to look....
Wasn't it inside the tank??
02 trailblazer has fuel filter under frame near tank not inside tank
Yep, exactly where I found it when I changed the fuel filter in mine a couple of years ago.
Scotty you made the other video on the TB,saying its the most dependable suv,now this is. Well you did explain the oxygen sensor....so it makes sense.on my other car if the check engine light comes on ,it means i have to change the oil.but my other car its the head gasket,which its a bigger pain to fic.thank you Scotty for the help.🎉
I tried to get one of those as my first car and the prices were crazy! Bought a 2002 Explorer instead and what a peice that turned out to be... Ford makes the biggest POS on the road
Scotty - ASE certified master mechanic
At griffin tech we used to intern at the Jasper right in front of our school. Those guys used to be real tough on the transmission transaxle guys so I reckon their motor work was just as proficient.
May I ask how many years ago was this that you trained there? was it in knoxville?
@@nickc9224 it was In griffin ga back in 2005 when I was 19 or 20 and fresh out of jail. My parents made me go to school or they'd put me out and griffin tech allowed me to get my GED and gave me $500 for it in a grant if I went to school there. I took the transmission transaxle program and learned a lot.
@@fyffitness Cool! Yeah i asked only because i'm gettin mixed reviews from mechanics today that Jasper aint what it useto be.But yeah you went a while agoi when I heard good things. Gladf your parents cared enough to get you into something that gave you opportunity.Thanks for the info man appreciate itr!
@@nickc9224 yeah I wouldn’t swear by all jaspers at all, but some of them you’ll find some old school mechanics like Scotty that do amazing work, and some have terrible lazy mechanics that’ll cheat you.
Imagine how great it would be if ALL mechanics had to watch this and most other Scotty level diagnostic videos!
Hey, wait a minute! Isn't the 245,769 the mileage OF THE JASPER REBUILD when it was rebuilt? If so, then the mileage of the Trailblazer really could be 133,000 ! Looks to me like the sticker is about the rebuild, not the vehicle they put it in.
It shouldn’t matter if you get low on gas and it sucks up “all the crud” from the bottom of the tank. Fuel filter is there for a reason.
Had a 96 S-10 Blazer with the 4.3 Vortec. Great power and good handling. Miss it.
My gf has an 08’ with 200,000 miles. The engine light is on, traction control light, and the AC doesn’t work. It’s also a big rattle box. I keep telling her to keep it and save her money and don’t go into debt for a car loan.
she needs to junk it asap
My Trailblazer has about 250k, runs good as long as you keep up on maintenance.
Same here great truck
yall stop covering up for a pos car
@@Frank00 garbage gm brainwashed yall
@@mattnorman5241 What do you want me to say? It's been a good car.
@@mattnorman5241 we’ve had good luck with our cars, maybe you’re a pos that can’t take care of a car.
Just picked up an 05 TB with 50k from down south. Paid a very fair price. Bought it to replace my 02 Envoy that went through salty New England winters all its life. Happy camper here. Love the I6 vortec
I have had the same $600 used engine in my '68 Volvo 1800 since 1984.
I have an '09 Trailblazer with 220,000 on the clock. It really runs great. I definitely would look for another car but with the prices I'm just gonna keep this until it doesn't run anymore.
It'll probably last longer than any Ford ever made. I said that just to piss Scotty off!
'08 TB 265,288 miles. runs like new yet.
I had one with about the same miles, but then the hear vents got stuck closed in the winter so I had sold it but man it still ran great
@@johno8817 get rid of it
@@mattnorman5241 @scotty kilmer - TROLL ALERT!
My dad's 1994 z28 sat for over a year. I put a new battery in it the other day and it fired up on the first crank.
Hey Scotty, I'm from South Africa and love your posts. Is there any chance you can make more Scottys and answer all our concerns and questions
My cats eye step side 2005 Chevy 4.8l z71 step side lasted 150k before suspension not engine/trans started all needing replacement and I traded it in after 15years for a 2020 ranger. My point is change the oil and take care of it most stuff will last. I am skeptical about this ranger lasting me half as long though.
Expert knowledge being shared with us!! Thank you. I enjoy following your logic to determine what is the actual problem!!
A lot of people like the Trailblazers. I HATE them. I have driven over 10 of them. I have not found a single one that is nice. They ride decent, and that's about it. Everything shakes, everything moves, all of the plastic and stuff is the cheapest of cheap, and they are HORRIBLY unreliable in my experience. I know of numerous people who owned them and swore that they were the worst vehicle they've ever owned. One of the cars that made me loose all faith in GM as a whole. I drive a body-on-frame Ford Explorer, and I couldn't be happier.
it people on here in 2023 defending saying it best ever like on what planet gm done brainwashed them
Oh so the TB isn't body-on-frame also ? Lol. At least the TB was designed against rollovers unlike those pesky Explorers 😂
So why is it "one of the worst ever made" if it's still pretty good after all that time and mileage plus sitting a long time?
gm went bankrupt behind this car
A hot tip on gas tanks Scotty.. I bought a "68 Mustang and we discovered the tank was full of rust... Change out those old fuel tanks, especially if they are made of steel
Old Gas. When I was much younger I was helping a friend with his VW Microbus. Those 'camper vehicles' [not for use in COD] had heaters that used the gasoline from the tank. The heater had failed around 18 years earlier. You could see in the fuel line at one point and the liquid inside was chunky and like sour milk. Long story short I sucked a mouthful of that fuel by accident. It's sour & horrifying, not tasting like gasoline at all [not a connoisseur or anything...engineer]. Gasoline definitely 'sours' and it becomes acidic as well. Also, doesn't go well with Fava Beans. XD
I don't know much about cars, but after watching these videos, which I enjoy, I feel smarter.
Wouldn't hurt to clean the throttle body on that truck inside and out. I've seen them Trailblazers and Envoys with some of the dirtiest throttle bodies reducing the truck's power.
I love my 02 trailblazer, only changed one coil in 150k miles
that a pos car
@@mattnorman5241lol sounds like you got a bad one and now you are crying on everyone’s posts 😂
Trailblazers one of the best. I got into an accident and it still started up somehow and drove it home.
Great info.! As always, learned a lot! Thanks!
Scotty I had the same issue with my 97 Expedition XLT 4.6. Sat for probably 5 years I put a fuel pump and Filter In It and it ran but I couldn't Rev it over 3000 RPM and it kept misfiring. Put A set if Plugs in it and still did the same thing and so I said maybe the converters were clogged but I don't know the were stolen off of it while I was out of town one week and so I haven't even messed with it any since that happened. It was given to me and I'm gonna get it back on the road soon I hope. inside looks brand new, it was owned by an old lady
That’s my vehicle. I have 191K miles on my 2004 Trailblazer.
get rid of it
@@mattnorman5241gonna buy one just because you’re a hater 😂
Speedometer keeps track of Speed MPH
Odometer keeps track of Total Miles Driven.
We know what you meant to say...
Great episode.Scotty. keep up the good work. Nitro Joe.
The Toyota bias in Scotty is strong. While great cars, how can you trash this Trailblazer that is probably approaching 300,000 miles. Still a pretty good vehicle, and probably much cheaper than a comparable Toyota or Lexus. This era was probably the last good cars GM put out, but these weren't bad SUV's.
Loads to learn from all your experience, and honest, reliable views. All your videos are brilliant. Thank you, stay blessed and happy.
GM oxygen sensors are finicky. I have put new ones in. And had to replace them with an OEM one.
Awesome video thanks Scotty! I drive a trailblazer and it was great seeing you go through one. It sure makes me appreciate mine more! That one was very rusty and the engine was so dirty. I did learn where my O2 sensor is now in case it ever needs changing :)
get rid of it asap
@Matt Norman Oh absolutely not. Thanks to Scotty I did a ton of work on it last summer and it is running like new 👍 It's one of the nicest Trailblazers out there 😊
@@mattnorman5241 100%. On the off chance that I actually see one on the road these days, they all make that same "WRRRRARRARRAHH" noise. Usually the transmission or just it being a big pile of s***!
@@77Infidel people fail to wake up i see them all of the time people are hoarding them and they broke the car is only worth $250 to $300
@@AdamsHangar you must be poor you should be ashamed of saying you have one of these
"Test Engineering", Scotty is the master of that. Troubleshoot it right down to the source of the "FAILURE". No extra crap and expenses. 🙂
Why didn't you check the computer module mileage to compare it to the dashboard mileage?
Probably did it off camera
Legend has it that Scotty moved a big rock at about this time in his story.
My 2003 Trailblazer had the faulty ignition repaired twice, transmission software reflashed three times, radiator failed at 60k, brakes rotors pads and hubs failed at 65k. But the v-8 and 4wd were awesome.
better off junking it
My mechanic put in a 3.8 V6 jasper engine in my 01 camaro at 86k when the original engine pushed a rod. never had any issues with it and drove it for over 120k miles. car had 208k miles when i sold it.
XTOOL D-9 ?.... GOTTA GIT ME..... ! I LIKE THE BIG SCREEN !
sometimes I just chisel off old O2 sensors and use a deep well 1/2" drive impact socket
especially on Mini Coopers where they are buried....
the editing cuts on this video are insane, i swear i thought i was having a stroke
@scottykilmer i got a 2002 gmc envoy. i bought it for 100 bucks it needed control arms tie rod inners and outers and 2 tires. let me tell you the worst thing about it. it leaks oil from the front cover and the oil pan has to come off and oil is constantly wiggling my suspension lose so im constantly tightening it and its the 4x4 model so its not gonna be fun. but it passed california smog and it runs but its got its issues. but for 100 bucks i cant complain too much
that pos
Wym 3 of my friends have those old used things and they ain't special but they work just fine
Jasper engine stock price just went up ⬆️
🐱👍🏿
When your car has a manual transmission, after half a million miles, you will rebuild the engine while the transmission will be top notch.
Not bad for a good old Chevy and a great engine rebuilder, even with all the mileage!
Back in the ‘90s I bought my daughter a Honda Civic that had sat for a year or so (the previous owners admitted this). I have some mechanical aptitude, and got it started, so we got it for a good price. When we got it home, I had my daughter drive the old gas out of it, as I knew that it could cause problems. (I also changed the plugs, filters and oil). It ran like a champ after that. Gotta watch that old gas!
Thanks, Professor Maximist
Saw a few with over 200,000 on the ORIGINAL engine and transmission. The 4l60e will die indefinitely if not maintained. Guage cluster, and fan clutches fail. Not the best or worst.
Jasper engines are junk. I bought one that lasted 40k miles. Had to buy a new engine from chevy that’s still running strong. I live in Indiana and that jasper engine ended up in jaspers parking lot. Reverse with a hard break and it flew right out of the back of my truck in their lot. Piss on jasper engines and transmission
I have to disagree with you on this one Scotty and everyone saying this motor killed GM I've owned trailblazers and the motors and transmissions were bullet proof well into the 200k mile range They tend to have cluster panel issues but seemed to have worked them out after 2005 Engines produced plenty of power for towing Full truck frame You still see plenty of then running down the road today up here in the rust belt 20 years old They didn't rust out nearly as bad as trucks of that era I think one of the biggest mistakes GM made was discontinuing that engine in 2008 Just like any vehicle maintenance is key And they are great in snow
it seems to be a rust free vehicle. a car that age around here that has seen winters is a rusted piece of garbage
If You See This, Buy the Vehicle Right Now: A 94 Celica
No!
I'll keep my 96 Toyota Corolla
I so love when Scotty finds all the info, gives it what it needs and it runs like a clock! Man he’s good. I am keeping my 2000 Tahoe, she still runs good and when she doesn’t I have good mechanic who hooks me up, and I don’t need to take out a loan to keep her running! 🎉😊. Thank you Jesus, and thank you Scotty keep up the good information!!
Hi scotty I forgot to mention that my car has 109,432 miles on it the Honda accord sport 2014
I can see him as a mechanic on the game rust or half life. Underground, resistant.
Scotty should play Henry Ford in a movie
I saw the thumbnail and saw the interior and knew it was a trailblazers. 😂😂
Particularly good video. Lots to be learned there!
Longer is always better haha I see what you did there Scotty 😂😂
So you're saying the suction side of the fuel pump has a float on it to keep it off the bottom of the tank?
Yes all cars the fuel pickup (but not the pump) is mounted on a hinged lever with a float, so always draws from near the top of however much fuel is left. Also the angle of that lever is what generates the signal to tell how much fuel is in the tank
worse than the Edsel worse than the Pinto ,Vega, Gremlin Pacer..
Cars like this keep mechanics like Scotty in business!
Afternoon Scotty! 🏁
Hello!
Hello..Scott my best car mechanic ever..
Can you do a video on comfortable cars to drive in all day? I'm stuck on the road for like 6 hours a day making stops. Is there a car with cool stuff in it that will actually make me want to be in my car?
Tesla. U can play video games on it.
@@bnikanor Hopefully not while driving...
@@ironclaw6969 while is traffic should be ok. Hahaha.
I read tesla only level 2 autonomous, level 3 you can full off hands from steering wheel.
Trailblazers are far from the worst american car.
Here is the thing with GMC vehicles during that time. You could change the dash cluster which would show lower miles, but the computer would show original miles right? So what you do is you disconnect the battery with the new used dash cluster with lower miles. Then after 10 minutes you take the positive cable and tap it on the negative terminal of the battery. This resets everything so the computer then learns the miles you have on the used dash cluster. This is a huge scam and thing is Government has not stepped in to stop it.
There's not much the government can do. Techs need to be able to change the mileage on new dash clusters. Getting manufacturers involved would make it more of a hassle
@@HH-le1vi techs are suppose to configure the miles on a new or used dash cluster. However you can purchase a used dash cluster from a junk yard without having it programmed. Having it programmed is an additional $200 or $300 on top of what you pay for the dash cluster.
@@johnventurino1915 so how is the government going to solve that?
Is it possible to run a Borescope camera down the fill line? Checking for corrosion might be simple.
Of course running anything electrical into the fuel tank might be a really bad idea.
Would love to be Scotty’s customer and have him do a video about how my car is the worst car in history.
Great work Scotty. Glad you were able to keep her moving for $45.
Great work!
Wish they kept this engine instead of the 3.6 that is a roll of the dice on making it to 100k
@@jkeelsnc I agree...may not have been bulletproof but it was far more dependable
@@jkeelsnc still a pos
Installing a new old engine with 250.000 miles? Runs good though so it is a good rebuilding company?.
Where do I go to get my hanging up brakes fixed? AZ
I like those straight sixes in the older Chevy and GMCs Saab and Isuzu body styles as well the Subaru in that body style.
straight ugly suv
There's probably a second oxygen sensor behind the cat, at least there is on my Buick with the same engine/tranny combo.
There is, but it doesn't have the same role as the front one. The front one monitors and controls the air/fuel ratio, very important. The rear one doesn't have to be as precise, as it simply needs to stay 'leaner' than the front one to report that the catalytic converter is sufficiently 'cleaning up'. It doesn't control the air/fuel ratio. My Envoy has the V8, so I have 2 front and 2 rear O2sensors. I had to replace both fronts, as I had the code, and the thing ran terrible (hadn't been changed in 245k). Runs like new now, and 20MPG with the snappy V8, heavy long wheelbase model.
Scott. Why not drop the tank? That fuel pump is probably gonna leave them stranded someday?
For one of the worst American vehicles ever made, it sure has a lot of miles on it.
🤣 The Atlas engine is an excellent engine. Maybe the rest of the SUV is junk but definitely not the Atlas i6. GM should have kept it around and adapted it to turbocharging to put in truck applications. Theres a small community of modders that build these to Barra level power numbers. They have the ability to handle it. The 4s would have worked well in FWD too. I dont get why US manufacturers throw good designs in the trash and start over with garbage like the 1.4l turbo in the Cruz. The Atlas engines were very modern with DOHC and VVT. GM even used to do this; the 4.3l is a 350 chopped short, and theres another v6 that was basically a 305 or 307 lopped off. Then the Trophy 4 - a monster 4 cyl that was half of a v8. This is part of why vehicles are so expensive these days. Too much time and money spent on R&D, tooling, factories etc.