I didsome checking this evening, and here is a couple things I found.

I pulled the o2 sensor in front of the cat and took off down the road. I didn't notice an ounce of difference (well aside from the noise), so I am going to assume the cat isn't the problem.

I pulled the plugs, and they look like they were changed just before I bought the blazer. color was good, gap was good, wires looked good (and new). So I'm gonna assume those aren't the issue.

Hopefully the fuel filter will help (going after that in the morning, since I didn't get to go after it tonight).

 

I appears that the problem is solved (we will see after more driving). I am going to assume that the fuel filter was the problem, but I'mnot entirely convinced of that. When I removed the cap from the schrader valve to release the fuel pressure, it hissed and there was fuel spray on the cap. When I put the cap back on I didn't tighten it down as tight as it was before(just snug). Then I replaced thefilter which was diffinately old (like to never got the old filter out of the holder, what apain that whole process was).

After starting it up and letting itrun for a minute,it idles so much smoother, runs better, and the power loss has not presented it's self again YET (always seems to look good then bite me again). Never did pick up a fuel pressure gauge (the only one that any of the parts stores had was a $50 pressure testing kit), but I guess it is not needed now so oh well.

anyway, I hope maybe someone else finds this info helpful.

 

Glad you got it fixed! What has you apprehensive about the repair?

 

just because that is the way it goes with me. I do something that "fixes" a problem, just for it to throw me a curve and the fix only mask the problem for a bit. I don't know I think it will fix it for good, but things just have a way of coming back to aggravate.

On a side note, it has been starting like a normal vehicle (and starting the same way each time) since the filter change. So I guess the 2 problems were connected.

I appreciate the extra perspectives. Sometimes you miss something simple when you are deep into diagnostics, and it is good to get other people to look at it.