The vehicle in question is a 1989 S10 Blazer, 2WD, 4.3L.

One day, I started my Blazer, shifted into reverse, and it died. Shifted back into park, started it, and it died before I could do anything.

I'm a college student, not a big car guy, but have some friends who are, so they've been helping me.

We've cleaned out the throttle body injector (which was filthy), thinking maybe the gas was getting too dirty, and changed fuel filters. When I had the fuel filter off, I turned the key in the ignition and made certain gas was pumping out of the line, and I couldn't hear the fuel pump making any noise, so I THINK the fuel pump is working.

So, then the engine started, and ran, and it felt somewhat cleaner and better. So I thought it was fixed.

So I tried to go to Wal-Mart in it today, get maybe 3/4 of a mile, and then the engine dies. I coast into a parking lot, and try to start it. Nothing, it won't even crank. A minute later it cranks and starts, then dies. The starter would sometimes crank, sometimes not, and start it occasionally.

I'm really not certain what the problem is, and my friends are getting unsure too. I'm not sure what the problem is, can anyone with more expertise please help me?

 

I would get a fuel pressure tester and the proper 'T' fitting to attach it to the back of the throttle body and make sure that the fuel pressure is in the 8-10 psi range. Simply having fuel flowing from the line doesn't mean that it is at the proper pressure.

How does the spray out of the injectors look? Nicely atomized or coming out in big drops?

 

Might be worth it to pop off the distributor cap and check the condition inside of it too. You would be amazed what a little moisture or worn out or crusty parts in there will do. Are you hearing any 'hissing' sounds when its running, like maybe there is a broken vaccum line somewhere? A 20 year old truck will have alot of dry cracked vaccum lines in it.

Im a little confused with what you are saying with your fuel pump... You CANNOT hear it when you turn your key on? Or you can hear it? It should buzz for a couple seconds and then stop when you turn the key on. Kyles fuel pressure test will show you whether your pump is bad. Ask your car buddies if any of them own a fuel pressure guage and borrow it. Most people who are into working on cars will have one, and they might have a ignition module tester too!

Worst case scenario is you have to buy a new fuel pump for 150-200 bucks. You will be able to change it yourself, its not a big job, and if your tank is almost empty thats even better cause it wont weigh so much. Just make sure you clean the dirt off the area around the pump before you go taking it out of the tank, you dont want that junk falling into the tank and plugging up stuff down the line.

 

I'll try to test the fuel pressure soon; first I've got to get it back to campus from the parking lot. After we cleaned the throttle body the spray looked atomized and shower-like.

When I turn the key I don't hear anything from the fuel pump; but when I had the filter off gas was flowing through the line.

Is there an easy way to get to the fuel pump if I have to replace it? We're not supposed to work on cars in the parking lots (which is my only option outside of taking it somewhere, which I'd rather avoid). I think the pump is inside of the tank, but I'm not sure; is it?

 

There is 2 straps that hold the tank to the bottom of the truck, stick a jack under the tank, undo the straps and lower it down. Then you undo the fuel lines and power connector, and slide the tank out from under the truck. Use a chisel and hammer to rotate the big ring counter clockwise so it comes off. Then clean the debris around the pump and blow it away and lift the pump out. Then reverse everything to put it back in.

If you have to change a pump in the parking lot, what are they really going to do about it? If anyone notices they wont care, and you will be outa there in an hour or two anyways.

If you have to change the pump out, make sure you change the relay as well, its a 10 dollar part. And make sure you have the little sock on the pump bottom on nice and tight before you put it in the tank.

You can cut a hole in the floor of your backseat area and skip taking the tank off, but thats the hacks way of doing it and not many people reccomend it. Its actually more work to do it that way than to just remove the tank.