I'm afraid your cat is history. [&o]

 

Yeah, let us know the codes, but if something is rattling around, it is quite possible that the cat is bad.

 

Im having trouble retreiving codes, I have a obd2 code reader, it fits the connector under the dash , it links ok, but it doesnt retreive any codes, its a 16 pin dlc so i cant ground out pins 5 and 6 to retreive obd1 codes,


EDIT : I found the post on how some older OBD2 readers wont work, So I guess Ill have to wait untill I can get a reader that works..Ill try the one thats listed in the link as working...

I need a new exhaust system anyway, And Im confident that the cat is toast (although I understand that may not be the exact problem ) Im ordering the complete exhaust system from Rockauto but wont have the funds until next week. So I guess Ill have to wait until then to continue my diagnoses,All I can do now is just keep checking for anything out of the ordinary like bad conectors and such. And if Im lucky Ill put the new cat on and ill be good to go....

Ive been looking for good online parts stores, Rockauto seems like a good one, Are there anymore that are good? The prices at Rockauto almost seem too good to be true (compared with my local auto parts store) The exhaust parts Im looking at are all Walker exhaust parts, I bet theres alot of Chineese crap there too...

Thanks for your input so far and I know that theres not much help to be offered if Im not able to properly give you guys the info (codes) ...Up until now ALL my experience has been with mechanically tuned engines...this computer stuff is a whole new ball game to me

 

I just got it all back together, New cat and o2 sensors, muffler and tail pipe, it still runs rough at idle...the check engine light is still on, theres a rotton egg smell coming from the exhaust, I drove it for about 20 minits today..Im still waiting for my scanner to arrive....Do you suppose it could be running rough because I havent cleared the vcm of all the previous dtc's...could it still be running rich due to this...and maybe thats why im smelling the rotton egg smell? It seems to run ok when Im driving it ie: lots of power and good engine response...Ive left the battery unhooked for a long time and the check engine light never goes off... I have checked and rechecked over and over all vacume lines and for vacume leaks and sensor conections ...heres a list of everything Ive done so far

Head gasket ---compression test and was good and ran verry well for a while
intake gasket
upper intake gasket
egr gasket
rocker cover gaskets
ehaust manifold gaskets
Y pipe gaskets
spark plugs
spark plug wires
distributer cap
rotor
pcv valve
oil change
catalytic converter
new o2 sensors
muffler
tailpipe
throttle position sensor (I damaged the old one by removing and not knowing how to install)
checked the fuel system and it has a slight leak down but probably shouldnt be responsible for my current situation ....like i stated before ..it was running like a top for a while after the initial engine work was done

I really wish the scanner would hurry up and arrive...I got it off E bay and did alot of reserch to be sure its gonna work...

Thanks for your input and help through all of this...Ive learned a ton so far and for me thats a good thing...



EDIT...I just thought of something...there was a ton of carbon in the intake and I think I did a good job cleaning it out...but maybe I missed a chunk deep inside the small passage...maybe i have a hunk in the egr...Maybe it broke loose and got caught in there when I stepped on it.Im off to work for the afternoon...but when I get home ill take the egr off and check it out

In the mean time while im scannerless...if theres anything you guys can think of that I may be overlooking ...any help would be much apreciated....Thanks again...

 

It is possible that the EGR is at fault, but it is more likely that the 'slight' fuel pressure leak down is a contributing factor as well.

Was the fuel system internal to the lower intake removed during any of this work? If it was, the internal fuel lines ('nut kit') do not like to play nice once disassembled and reassembled.

 

I left the fuel system intact when I did the haed gaskets, I had it kept in mind that the lines dont like to be touched..I was very careful not to disturb them when removing the lower intake,and I didnt try cleading that area ..Im going to check the egr right now....hehe hopefully my next edit will be a happy one ...lol


EDIT -=- There were 4 good sized chunks of carbon holding it open, It ran like a charm after i removed them....So I took it for a boot...we just had a ton of snow so I have been itching to go...It ran good but I think I got more stuck in it cus it started running rough again,,I guess i didnt clean it out as good as I should have when I had the intake off ..I was paranoid about messing the fuel stuff up..Im thinking maybe duct tape a mcdonalds straw onto the shop vac and try and get up inside the holes on the intake,,,the check engine light didnt go off yet either..

So heres a question for you...how much perssure should it take to move the plunger on the egr valve?Because mine is fairly easy to move with a screw driver....I guess Ill just have to keep cleaning it out untill its all gone or try and find a screen gasket.

I would rather have this problem over a fuel problem...I still need to determine if the leak down is from the intake side or the tank side

I never thought Ide see the day that my blazer spends a month in the garage while the 63 Impala is outside with show all over it..hehe



EDIT ...I searched egr problems and found a nice write up by Kyle...He said to run the engine a bit with the egr out...Thats what I did and So far its stayed clear...Drove it for about 50 miles...some highway...the check engine light also went out....Looks like my job is complete...Just intime for my code scanner to arrive..LOL

 

I have the joyful job of replacing the head gaskets on a 1999 blazer, 4.3L v-6. Chiltons has you taking everything off the intake manifold prior to removing it. I was only planing on removing the things I had to in order to remove the intake. Anyone know of an issue with this...

Also, I figured out hot to disconnect the main wiring harness which crosses over the intake from the fuse/relay box, so I'm free to get at the driver's side head now. Anyone have tips on getting it out of the way when working on the passenger side bank?

 

I would disconnect the main harness from the underside of the fuse/relay center and flop it over to the passenger side. Then pull the distributor and disconnect the EVAP and fuel lines at the back of the manifold. From there, disconnect the EGR supply tube and the radiator hose and you should be able to lift the intake manifold off with everything else still on it (upper plenum, throttle body, fuel lines & spider, etc).