So I buy my '93 Blazer from a family friend on a Friday.... I drive it all the way to Athens, Ohio... (which is roughly 70 miles from here in Canal). Drive was pretty good, nice and smooth, no problems; I was in bliss.

Partway there, I start to smell gas in the cabin area. I didn't think much of it, being that it was a new car and given it's age, thought maybe it was just a stinky old car.

Get there and pick up my GF from OU and we go to a local restaurant. Get back in the car 2 hours later.... drive out to a stop light. Stalls. Won't start.

Get out of the vehicle and realize a small pool of gasoline under the tank.

Tow it to a Firestone and they tell me the gas tank is rusted out. For all the labor and what not it was looking like a $950 job.

I spend $250 to tow it back to Columbus so I can work on it. I was able to start it to drive it on and off the vehicle dolly, yet it was idling high and low and running pretty rough.

I get it back to Columbus and replace the entire gas tank, sending unit, and fuel filter (we also had to repair the fuel lines at the sending unit because they rusted on and we had to cut them off [:-].

Start up the Blazer... it's idling high and low again and emitting a very white, gasoline rich exhaust. We leave it for a few days, then come back and replace the plugs, plug wires, distributor rotor and we were going to replace the distributor cap however it looked fairly new and OK. (Sidenote: Didn't replace ALL the plugs, one was rusted in and stripped... yet I am going to get it out if it kills me).

Fired her up... again... and yet same problem. Took her for a drive and she drives well, yet when I come to lights she wants to stall out and will eventually die if I don't give her gas. Still stinky smoke and this time, I finally tripped my Service Engine light (it wasn't on before).

I have an EGR Valve gasket on order and am going to rip that off and clean it out good.... might have some carbon in there.... but... and here is my question after this long winded post.... ANY OTHER IDEAS? I'm hoping this EGR Valve is the culprit... from all the reading I have been doing that seems to be the fix, but if not, what are some other ideas? Thanks in advance.

 

I would check the fuel pressure. If it drops after you shut off the key, you may have a failing fuel pressure regulator. That would require pulling the upper intake plenum off and replacing the FPR, all o-rings in the injection spyder, and the 'nut kit' which includes the lines internal to the intake. Well, it really only requires replacing the FPR, but the others are safe insurance against another leak.

Also, check your oil level. When FPRs go all the way, they dump raw gas into the intake, it washes down past the piston and into the crankcase. Sometimes filling the crankcase in a few minutes!

 

When my EGR was dirty I had the same symptoms...wanting to stall or actually stalling when slowed. My CEL came on when that happened, though. Is yours coming on when that happens? **EDIT...I just read that it is...have you had the codes read?**

I would think if it isn't, and due to the fuel problems you've already encountered, swartlkk might be on the right track with it being related to that.

And by the way, this family friend really screwed you on that deal if the tank needed to be replaced.

 

As far as I know, the fuel system is keeping pressure. I don't have a ton of gas in there at all (I just dropped the tank when it had 14 gallons in it... didn't want to have to take it back off with that much in it in the event that there were leaks).... so I could be wrong. After I clean out the EGR and throw some Lucas Fuel System cleaner in there too, just in case it is the injectors slightly.... being that I have only had the Blazer for a little over a week, I am getting all the general tune-up out of the way. It'd be nice to actually get to drive it soon...

I'm going to try the EGR tonight hopefully and get back on and let you guys know what's going on... Thanks for the help.

 

Popped off the EGR Valve and sure enough a pebble size piece of carbon fell out.

Hosed her down with some carb cleaner... she runs better than the day I bought her!!!

Had the few issues in the process.... (lost one of the bolts down in the engine area.... pulled off the coolant line to gain access and it dripped into the intake... fun stuff)

But she drives amazing and I'm really thankful for the help!!!

Later guys.

That's how it always is: either the job is difficult... or it's easy but then complications arise... or if it's really easy to fix, then the part is ridiculously expensive.... go figure.

 

well why dont ya stick around longer then just help with one problem? maybe you can assist others?