My '95 Blazer has been in and out of three shops since June, trying to fix a high idle problem that is possibly leading to other things (?). It started idling higher and higher just after start-up. Each day it was a few RPM higher until it was 'idling' at about 2000 rpm. It does not drop to normal idle after warm up. You have to ride the brake just to drive it around...real good for the brakes and transmission, I'm sure.

The three shops (first one took it to two others trying to get a diagnosis) threw parts and my money at it for two weeks. According to them it shows no error codes. It is the type with the ECU behind the glove box. They put in a new fuel pump, filters, distributor, plug wires, plugs, coil, EGR valve, TPS, idle speed motor, and fuel injector spider. Vacuum checks normal, alternator checks good (new), battery good (is also new ), The throttle cable is not in a bind. The MAF and all intake parts have been cleaned. After $750+ and no fix I brought it back home.

A friend suggested it might be the ECU, since he had an identical Blazer and it did the same thing. It was fixed by replacing the ECU, and swapping the MEM-CAL chip to the new ECU.....so I bought a new ECU. The shop manual makes it sound so easy to access the ECU: take out the two screws that hold the cover below the glove box, drop the panel down, remove the old ECU, swap the chip, install the new ECU, replace the two screws in the panel and your done.....except the panel doesn't drop down far enough to get TO the ECU! There is some sort of metal panel attached to the plastic panel that won't let it drop far enough to reach the ECU. I can SEE it, I just can't get to it! HELP!

 

There is also a 3rd screw at the firewall. drop the back of the panel down and then you can wiggle the front out.

 

Thanks for the reply, sidewheeler.

OK, I got the rear screw out. The panel still will not drop down more that 1/4", nor move forward. There is an unpainted metal stamping above the plastic panel (lower dashboard cover) It has at least three screws through the metal strip and into the panel. The strip is attached to the dashboard framework somewhere to the left and right of the ECU. The screws were installed from ABOVE the strip and panel. It appears to be a factory installed part, since the screws go into raised posts on the back of the panel. I can barely bend the plastic panel down far enough to get my fingers in there. I can just barely see the bottom of the ECU, but I can't see any way I can get to it to remove it without breaking the panel. I can get a picture tomorrow, showing the metal strip and screws.

 

Short of breaking the panel, this is as far as it will come down. It will move forward and back just a little, but that's it. Here's the picture of the metal strip that's screwed to the dash panel. You can see the left end of it is bent upwards. It goes up to a bolt through another metal brace. The right side has the same thing. C'mon, guys, I'm stumped. I'm about ready to break out the crowbar and have at it. What am I missing here? I've twisted, pulled, pushed, and pried on this thing. None of it gets the opening any bigger than that in the photo.