I've got a 95 S-10 Blazer LT 4x4 with 151,000 miles and today while cruising down the road, it just kinda crapped out. It's seems to be getting worse and worse. It started out by bogging down when climbing hills and got to the point where the more I pushed the gas, the more it would bog down. I barely made it to a friends house and tried playing around with it a little. I attempted to drive home (only about 2-3 miles) and it died out about half way, so another friend towed me the rest of the way. When it was finally home, I could barely back it up to park it off the driveway. I had to wait a few minutes and then it would sort of idle itself backwards a few feet. Also, it was idling at about 500 RPM, which is deffinately not good.

I've heard it could be that the engine is just about blown, the injectors are shot, or the transmission is fried. But, could it just be a bad fuel pump? Also, there is a hissing sound coming from underneath the front passenger floor board, and it sounds like a vacumm line is broken/disconnected.

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time and effort to help me figure this out.

 

I had that sound, and I had a big loss of power in the high RPMs, cutting out the catalytic converter fixed it for under $40. Have you tried any new fuel additives lately?

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Thomas

 

listen to TFisher here, sounding like a pro! makes ya feel good when someone else has the same issue as yours, and you can help save them a bunch of hair pulling.

just remember to post the results of your progress when done Chevy Blazer (like the original name choice-surprised no one had taken that yet ).

 

Get under it and see if the hissing is coming from a leak in the exhaust. It sounds like a restricted exhaust system which can be the catalytic converter as Thomas said or it could be anywhere in the exhaust system. Muffler or colapsed pipe. Don't think you will find a shop that wil remove the catalytic converter as there are big fines for that.
You can test for a plugged exhaust system with a vacuum guage.

If normal when the engine is reved quickly several times in rapid succession the needle wil return to normal (probably 14-18 inches depending on engine condition)very quickly. A clogged exhaust the needle will be sluggish to return to normal and if plugged bad may not rise above 8 inches and the needle will vibrate excessivly.

 

I think terry is the pro here, because I don't even know where to stick a vacuum gauge.

 

It's snowing heavily here, so I'll wait to crawl under it until it stops. The Blazer is already buried in about 10"-12" of snow.

I haven't added any fuel additives as long as I've owned it (about a year) although I did get a free bottle of GumOut when I bought the stuff to change the oil last, and never used it.

A resticted exhaust sounds like it could be the problem, but I'll check it out and post up the results. I have a vacuum gauge, but where exactly do you hook it up?

 

Just connect the vacuum gauge hose to any direct intake manifold vacuum source. Some vehicles have a capped fitting on the power brake booster check valve that can be used. If not you have to find a capped fitting at the intake manifold. If there are no capped fittings you have to disconect a vacuum hose and use that source for vacuum.

 

Okay, thanks. I have a vacuum diagram, so I know exactly where the vacuum hose is that comes off of the intake manifold.

Alright, I went out to get my repair manual in the back of the truck and took a look underneath at the exhaust. There were some tiny dings in the "Y" pipe but nothing that would restrict the flow. I looked at the catalytic converter. Around the forward pipe it's clamped to, there are two spots where the outside of the pipe is black like it was burnt. I'm sure that's the exhaust leak, but would a few small leaks like that make the truck run like it was?

I tried to start it to see if the hissing was coming from around the catalytic converter, but it just dies almost immedately after a few of the cylinders fire.

 

If it will not say running the cold weather may be complicating matters. Particularly if the spark plugs & wires are not in good shape.

We are not sure what the problem is you and this would not be fun in the snow but you could unbolt the exhaust flange ahead of the catalytic converter. The bolts may be rusted and a pain to remove. Prop the pipes so the exhaust can get out. If it starts and runs ok then you have something blocked down stream in the exhaust system. The converter would be the most likely place for the blockage. Don't forget your ear plugs. :-)

Just a thought before you do that. As a test if the oxygen sensor(s) ahead of the converter will come out that might allow enough exhaust to come out so you can see if it helps it run better.

 

Taking those flanges apart will not be a nut & bolt job. Don't even start it without a blow torch or you'll just waste time and break tools. I just let my dad take out my old catalytic converter because the impact wrench wouldn't even touch the bolts. Then, I tried to remove the studs with an air hammer and still nothing. No amount of penetrating oil helped either. So, learning from that when I put it back together, I used all stainless hardware & plenty of nickel anti-seize. That metal was so tough that I tried to drill pilot holes in the studs (for the torch) and the carbide bit was thoroughly cooked after the first one. But, as soon as my dad put the acetylene torch on it, it was a breeze. I am guessing that this hardware is a class III or IV fit because WOW!

Regards,

Thomas