I have a 1992 S-15 jimmy winter beater that's been in my possesion for quite some time now. It has it's qurks, rattle, shakes and rusting, but the one great thing about this truck is the engine. Always start right up no matter what the weather. Unfortunately, the tail pipe rusted right off the car the other day and I'm planning on fixing it myself. The pipe has been off of the car for about a week now and just today the car died on me at a red light. as soon as I stepped on the gas the car choked and died. I got this big wiff of gas smell within the cabin too. It took me a couple of tries to get it started again with a couple of gas pumps, but it's dying again. Could the lack of a tailpipe be the cause? Lack of back pressure? The gas smell sounds like the engine is flooding and when you step on the gas it does sound like it's choking on fuel or starving. It doesn't die all the time, but a good half the time now. sometime when idling and sometime when you step on the gas after idling at a red light.

 

Which engine do you have?

 

V6 4.3L fuel injected.

 

Both 4.3L engines that year are fuel injected. Is it TBI (Vin Z) or CPI (Vin W)?

 

Non vortec

 

I'd start with secondary ignition - cap, rotor, plugs & wires. Check the cap & rotor for arcing, carbon tracking and corrosion.

I don't think the rusted-out tailpipe has anything to do with it.

 

Are there holes in the exhaust before the oxygen sensor?

 

engine is CPI

wires and plugs have been changed recently, but it been a while for cap and rotor. I'll replace them.

visually, I never noticed any exhaust leaks before theO2 sensor. Once the tailpipe is repaired and the noise level subsides I might be able to hear any more leaks that I can't see, if any. It hasbeen a while since the O2 sensor has been replaced also, so I'll give that a try as well.

 

If it's CPI, it is Vortec. Check the cap & rotor before you replace them - same with the O2 sensor. Don't replace parts needlessly.

 

Definitely check parts for damage before spending any money. How can you tell if the O2 is bad by looking at it? discoloration?

this isn't my engin, but looks just like it. Just want to clarify on which motor it is.