I'm trying to fix my mom's '95 Blazer and keep her from spending $$ she can't afford on a newer vehicle.

The truck has 166k miles on it.

Recently, drivability issues have been plaguing this truck. So she took it to a local garage in her town and they replaced cap, rotor, plugs, and EGR.

It seemed to improve some but the bad behavior came back. Feeling screwed, my mom is not hopeful I can find her solution.

So for Easter, my mom and her husband came in to visit. On the drive in, she called and reported "bucking and a strong gas smell" less than 2 miles from my house. Thankfully, she made it and so I began the process of trying to uncover the source of the issues.

I spoke to a mechanic (my brother) who suggested that I should look at the FPR. After doing some internet research, I found this forum and started digging.

I decided to get a good look inside the intake plenum to investigate. Like others have reported, the passenger bank was significantly cleaner with a small amount of fluid pooled at the bottom of the lower intake. The driver's side was dirty normal. The EGR port had carbon build up but not blocked off.

This seemed to be the FPR leaking so I called O'Reilly's and thankfully, they had one. I replaced it. We went through several cans of carb cleaner getting the upper plenum and lower cleaned out. EGR port got cleaned out. New plenum gasket went on. Put her all back together. Fired her up. And after some 'BURPING' she ran nice and smooth. PROBLEM SOLVED. not.

Mom drove the vehicle and reported that on the drive back, the truck started bucking. SES light on. Poor power. Then it will clean up and run okay. Then start acting stupid again a few minutes later. I test drove it. Allowed it to get to operating temp. Would run fine, then bad, then fine.

So that's all the back story I have. In order to get a chance at it again, she'll need to drive it to me or me to her.

What should I look at next? Spider and nut kit?

Please include recommended source of parts if you think I should get something in particular. Thanks.

 

For more eliminations,maybe throw on new fuel filter,check you fuel pump pressure(58+psi)
Check IAC(though i doubt it is this,as you said "strong smell of gas"). Strong smell of gas has got to be FPR-issues related.

P.S.
If i was you i would of just put on a new spider/nut kit while everything was already apart.

 

THANK YOU blzR for the reply. I'll ask if the fuel filter was replaced when the EGR service was performed recently. I know I didn't do it.

The rough running will just intermittently come and go. I figure the strong smell of gas was a symptom of a fuel leak from somewhere in the fuel delivery system as evidenced by the clean passenger side of the plenum interior.

I'm 85% sure I should replace the spider and nut kit. I just don't want to be throwing parts at it without good cause.

Where would you recommend that I purchase the spider and nut kit? I found a couple of sources on ebay.

 

Some pics that may help you out, the pic with the 2 bolts is the kind of gasket you should put on the notorious clogging EGR valve to stop the carbon issues.
When i bought the FPR/spider kit it all came together,for the shocking price of $760 bucks!(total rip off IMO,about 5yrs ago now)no problems since though.
I would also clean/inspect all sensors around engine bay(TPS,MAP,IAC,change air filter,check for any obvious hairline cracks in vacum hoses.)