I have a 97 4WD 4dr Blazer with 170K miles on it. The engine still runs great and doesn't burn or leaks oil.

However the truck has recently developed a problem. When I drive it for a while the middle of the day it starts to overheat. Normally the gauge temp sits just a tick above the 1st quarter but in the hot weather (we usually get above 110F) it goes to the 210F when it's idling in a stop sign and it justs shutdowns. After that I can restart it without problems and go... but at the next stop or sometimes in the middle of the driving it shutdowns again.

I recently did a complete radiator flush, and two months ago changed the fan clutch. Oil pressure is normal and I don't have any other problem except this.

Also, after this happens I can smell gas inside the cabin, but it's not exactly gasoline smell, more like cooking gas, sulphur type smell.
The truck has no cat (no comments, I live in Mexico ).

It seems to me that it might the coil or I hope not, the fuel pump.

Any other ideas of what can it be?

 

sounds like the fuel spider sometimes when it heats up leaks can occur. try to recreate the problem and check your fuel pressure when it stalls

 

I'll keep an eye on it.

These last days has been working fine, although it's been raining and we hadn't have those high temperatures again.

 

Ok, it happened twice today.

The temp gauge only went up 2 ticks below half but the engine shutoff. I restarted with no problems and as soon as I could I parked and took a look at it.

Everything was very hot! I could barely touch the hood and the rest was the same.

So it seems that there are two issues. Why is everything this hot when the temp gauge does not show it?? Bad thermostat? Water pump can keep up?

Next, where is the gas smell coming? I couldn't see any leak anywhere and the fact that it was very hot meant I couldn't move hoses and wires around meant that I only looked superficially.

I really need help on trouble shooting this, because is my DD and I can't send it two days to the mechanic and see if he can reproduce it.

Thanks!

 

it sounds like you temp sending unit is bad, also if it heats up fairly fast definitely check your thermostat if you don't want to tear it apart let it warm up then feel the upper radiator hose if is cool then your thermostat is most likely stuck closed

 

Is the radiator full? A temperature sending unit cannot read temperature if there is air around it.

 

Ok, it's finally fixed.


It turned out to be the fuel pump. It started to buzz loud and louder everytime since it started. A short trip in a hot day while monitoring the fuel pressure confirmed it.

A new fuel pump and filter and the problem is solved.