Yeah, g/f's truck. `93 Bravada. Just turned 190K, stuff's beginning to fail. Wasted $360 bucks today because I heard there's three different radiators for the 4.3, and since she needed the car back before next month, we paid a shop to do it.
I need resources, but don't know where to start. What is this chassis called, and what crosses over? I know it needs front calipers, but don't know what I can bring home from the junkyard. It's got the 4.3 V6 in it, if that makes a difference.
And is there a good manual for these things? I brought home a Haynes, because it's the only one I can find...but I haven't worked on a GM car in a looooooooong time, and don't know where to start.
Nashco
SuperDork
7/1/09 2:58 a.m.
Rockauto.com and car-part.com are your interchange friends. GM loves the parts bin, so learn to love checking for interchangeable stuff before going to a yard.
Bryce
Service manual: hit ebay for a factory manual.
Chassis: S/T chassis. S=RWD, T=4WD. Being a 93, you've got a first gen version. Second gen started in 94 for the pickups, 95 for the utilities.
Radiators: There might have been 3 radiators for the 3 engines avialable: 2.5L Iron Duke, 2.8L V6 or 4.3LV6. For that year the 4.3 could be had in a few injection styles, TBI, CPI (has the vortec beauty cover on the intake manifold) or Turbocharged MPFI (but not in your bravada 
)
Calipers: Should be common from 83-97. In 98, all 4wd trucks/utilities, and RWD utilities get dual piston calipers. RWD trucks keep the same brakes that they've had since the 80's.
Interchange: Bryce has it with those websites. RWD, I'd be looking to see what fits off of an 80's Gbody for chassis parts. 4WD versions might get lucky with Astro van parts.
If you have any specific questions, fire away. Also, some additional resources below.
www.s-series.org
www.s-seriesforum.com
www.s10forum.com
One more comment on the interchange, those suggestions were assuming that you had already scoured your local lots for S10/Sonoma/Blazer/Jimmy/Syclone/Typhoons. Those are your best first bets when parts shopping.
And if you do find a Sy/Ty at your local wrecking yard, please give me a call. 
Thanks, guys! I think y'all gave me what I need to keep lil' monster going..
The turbo MPFI's the one in the Syclone/Typhoon, ain't it, bliz. 
the brevada you own is the exact same thing as a blazer, just with a different grille and trim, as well as an all wheel drive t-case.
t-case interchnages wih the astro.
most of the non chassis parts from 2 wd will fit, wether its a blazer or truck.
S10planet.com
s10forum.com
s-series.org
s-series.com
hope that helps.
well, you've got 20 years of the same vehicle....easy to get parts
Grtechguy wrote:
well, you've got 20 years of the same vehicle....easy to get parts
The thing that amazes me (after owning imports for thirty years) is how cheap parts are. The autozone had rebuilt front calipers for $13 a side ($11 core) and had two in stock. With prices like that, I'm tempted to skip the junkyard until it drops an axle or something..
This is making me reconsider that blazer i found for sale...damnit
friedgreencorrado wrote:
Grtechguy wrote:
well, you've got 20 years of the same vehicle....easy to get parts
The thing that amazes me (after owning imports for thirty years) is how cheap parts are. The autozone had rebuilt front calipers for $13 a side ($11 core) and had two *in stock*. With prices like that, I'm tempted to skip the junkyard until it drops an axle or something..
Wait until the CPI goes out. You'll be calling junkyards for sure.
16vCorey wrote:
friedgreencorrado wrote:
Grtechguy wrote:
well, you've got 20 years of the same vehicle....easy to get parts
The thing that amazes me (after owning imports for thirty years) is how cheap parts are. The autozone had rebuilt front calipers for $13 a side ($11 core) and had two *in stock*. With prices like that, I'm tempted to skip the junkyard until it drops an axle or something..
Wait until the CPI goes out. You'll be calling junkyards for sure.
Do you mean the big cover on the top of the 4.3 Vortec just hides the fact that it's got CPI instead of real fuel injection? Holy BMW E36! I thought I was done with that garbage when my mom sold her Camaro!
Oh, the pain....
Y'all make me wanna shove the thing into the lake.
Under the intake plenum, there's one of these guys.
It's a totally goofy set up with a pretty regular failure rate.
In reply to 16vCorey:
Holy E36 M3! Is that really a single injector with fuel lines to each intake port?
I'm gonna start playing the lottery again...hoping I hit the numbers so I can buy her a Land Cruiser or something.
Seriously, the first time I opened the hood and saw those intake runners, I thought, "..wow, GM's finally trying to build a modern fuel system!"
Seems I was horribly, horribly wrong. The "good" news is that there's now a humming from the rear diff. If that thing fails, perhaps I can persuade her to go Japanese...
