Here's my 2002 S10 Story from start to present day with an ongoing issue I have yet to solve. If you guys could give me some help I would greatly appreciate it.

Nov. 2008 : 2002 Chevy Blazer 4Door 4WD Purchased.

Dec. 2008 - Mar. 2009 : Noticed Flashing SES Lights off and on and would go away for awhile every so often.

July 2009 : Drove truck to PA from WI in July 2009. Flashing SES and Misfired quite often on the way home. Code came up as a Mass airflow code. P0101? maybe? Can't remember and a P0300 (multiple cylinder missfire). Took the MAF sensor apart and cleaned it thoroughly. Ran decent for another month or two. Then more codes and flashing SES lights later.

Aug 2009 : This time it was the usual P0300 along side a P0341. Camshaft Position sensor code. Changed the whole distributor with a brand new Delphi one and the sensor as well. The truck then ran pretty decently for another 4-5 months.

Dec 2009 : More check engine lights and flashing SES's. Had the codes tested and came up as another P0300 and that was it. No code to coincide with it. I was told maybe change the O2 sensor after the cat. Did that. Ran a whole lot better from March until June 2010 when I went to Pittsburgh again.

June 2010 : Once again truck misfired on the way back from Pittsburgh again. No where near as bad as before but this time when I had the codes tested I got a P0128 along side a P0300. Coolant Thermostat (Coolant Temperature Below Thermostat Regulating Temperature). Changed out the thermostat and left the sensor alone. Ran decent for another 6 months until it started missing again and got another code in December of 2010.

Dec. 2010 : Same codes as before. P0300 and P0128. I then changed the Sensor and the thermostat one more time just to be safe. Changed the fuel filter/plugs and wires around this same time as well.

So I'm pretty much just going to assume that the problem still wont be solved and I'll get another set of codes in another few months when I head out to Florida and Pittsburgh this summer. What do you think? It seems like an ongoing problem that has never been solved since I've owned the truck. Really makes me want to sell it which I don't want to when it runs well, I'd just like the problem to be solved so this thing doesn't take a dump on me.

Note : One thing I did notice is the truck even after changing the stat and sensor likes to run just a little above 1/4th. It's always at 170-180°F Never any higher. It could be because it's the winter when I re-did the stat and sensor but even in the summer same thing. The only time I saw it higher was after the sensor change when the coolant needed to flow and get the air out and it got up to around 220ish before it dropped back down to 170 again and remained. Is this a normal operating temp? Anyway what's up with this thing? I saw a recall on fuel injectors sticking closed for California residents only? Could this issue apply to my truck as well even though I'm not eligible for the recall? Really would appreciate some help. It's really turning into a real headache owning this thing.

 

If you have not yet read these two threads, they may help. After you have gone through them come back to this thread with further questions.

P030x Explained (x=0,1,2,3,4,5,6)

The dreaded P0300 CAUTION LONG POST

 

I had the same problem with 3 thermostats in a row. I got 1 from the chevy dealer and it ran at around 180 degrees, 1 from advanced auto and it ran at around 175 degrees, and 1 from carquest which ran at around 185 degrees!!!

So i called the dealership and spoke to the parts dept., and told him my story about the 3 thermostats, and he told me that quote "I can tell you that they are all made mostly by the same manufacturer." which I had came to the same conclusion before I called them, because it seems like the manufacture has installed the wrong temperature springs in alot of thermostats, which would explain my issue.

The parts guy at the dealership did some research and made some calls for this issue and he said "The thermostat is designed by chevrolet to start to crack open at 197 degrees and fully open at 200 degrees and Out of 22,000 thermostats they have sold we have never had a problem."

Well I told him that I checked with my temp. gun at the metal tube section at the thermostat housing, and removed the thermostats and placed in a hot plate filled with water and watched the water temp. very closely with a temp. probe and temp. gun, and watched all 3 thermostats open prematurely right at the same temps consistently that i got when they were installed in the truck, and he agreed that this needs to be addressed and if a tsb needs to be issued than it will and he was going to make right calls to the right people asap.

So I switched the thermostat from my wife's 2002 blazer which I know always runs at 195-199 degrees and it showed 195-199 degrees also in my truck, so I know everything else is working properly in my truck and I'm not missing something stupid.
I also changed my coolant temp. sensor just in case but all the readings were the same as listed above.......

So I bought a 4th thermostat from fisher auto and this time it got me to 189 degrees but not the 195 degrees that it should be. I'll stick with this for now because truly i'm sick of changing thermostats. I'll give it a few more months for all the old ones on the shelves to get pulled or bought up and try again with my fingers crossed.

One good thing about all this is I can change a thermostat now in about 3 minutes flat!!!

Good luck!!

 

lol, I'm so glad someone replied to that question so I don't feel crazy. I probably should have started another thread for the temperature issue but here was hoping to kill two birds with one stone. I thought my gauge might be off or something. I really don't want to have to replace it again. *sigh*