My Blazer is a 1995, Vortec 4.3 liter, two door, with 230,000 miles.

I have replaced the fuel filter, fuel pump, fuel pressure reg, plugs, wires, rotor cap, and cleaned the intake valve.

The car starts cold fairly well but smells like sulfer/gas and stalls/loses power in drive when I give it gas. Once its warm it is hard to start.

I feel like at this point Im just throwing parts at it.

Could this be an exaust problem? Any suggestions?

 

Well 230,000 miles that is great I would check your catalytic converter with that many miles I would say it is shot.

 

 

Sounds like too much back pressure from a plugged cat to me.

 

What your uncle told you to do is pretty dangerous, if you watch your converter until it turns red yes you know you have the problem but you could also set your vehicle on fire.Had a friend burn his vehicle to the ground because his converter was plugged. Disconnect your exhaust at the exhaust manifolds start it and take it for a quick test drive and you will know right away if you cat is bad. It will sound bad and probably not run as well as it should but if you get your power back and no hesitation you know your cat is bad. Another thing you could do is if you know somebody with a welder have them cut the cat open gut it out and weld it up. It will not hurt the truck to run around without a cat on it anyways.

 

Sounds like the Cat to me also, 230K, doing good, and the cats are "Suppose to be" change around 100K, so even it was change once, its do again time.
Now gutting it, How well does that play in a state with emission control test?
My 2000 LT 4x4 has just turn the magic 100K mark, and I would say for the last 10K I have had that smelly smell...So I know its coming...just hate shell out the bucks, but what can you do? Pay thats all...Good Luck with it. Hope I can get 230K out of my Blazer.

 

Thanks for everyones input,

I will take the cat off and see if that helps and then replace it if that is in fact the solution. I figured its that time to replace the cat. I know its time to put money into it. Even though it needs shocks too I still think its worth it.

 

Dman you are right if you live in a emission state you can not gut the cat and a cat does not have a schedule mileage change that is why you have sensors in the exhaust. Your SES light will tell you when your cat is bad. JPRBlazer has a 1995 and might not have OBDII on it yet but your 2000 does. Don't fix it if it is not broken. A sulfur smell does not necessarly mean your cat is bad you might need to take it on the freeway and clean it out a bit.

 

I know I've always heard the "rotten egg" smell from the exhaust is a sign of a bad cat.

 

spider injectors may need replace. has the smell problem and rough idle