I recently had a Head Gasket repair done on my 94 blazer.
since the repair I have been having issues with it stopping dead at a red light, or waiting to turn a corner. if i let it sit for about 2 or three minutes, while trying to turn it over(and letting it die) it'll finally restart but leaves alot of gas smell.
after that for a day or so it might sputter and when driving along a road at an even speed, say 45mph it'll act as if I'm pressing on the gas, and feel like it's slowing down for a second.

after taking it back to the mechanic that did the first repair, and letting them know it never ever acted like this before the gasket issue, they said it was the oxygen intake/gas flow valve that decides how much gas/air ratio to keep the engine running smoothly, (the engine is basically arguing with itself)
and that it would be around $450 to repair.

my father said he had the same issue on his dodge pickup, and HIS mechanic told him to just unscrew them and don't use them.

is this a good idea or practice, or should i try and come up with the money to have this repaired asap?

 

Nope one your truck will still run like crape and you'll have a hole in your exhaust. Does it run ok when its cold and then act up after it warms to normal temp?

 

This is why I get so frustrated.
Obviously you would not 'remove' the O2, just disconnect it. But either you misunderstood your mechanic or he's an idiot and you should get one that knows how things work after 1985 model years.
Disconnecting the O2 never fixed a poorly running fuel injected car. It's only reporting bad air/fuel not causing it.
So I dont think that's what the mechanic meant:
If doing that fixed anything on your dads truck it was not fuel injection but computer controlled carburetor.
If you were to get that shop to put their diagnosis in writing so that we knew what they meant instead of what you think they meant, it would be a different story. As it is, you cant give us enough info to help you because you wont understand what we're telling you, either.
If you knew someone who knows cars, it would also help. Just have him or her correspond directly.

But my shortcut advice is to go ahead and trust your mechanic. That's the easiest of two bad alternatives.
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If one of my kids .. umm grandkids, I guess.. told me they want to buy a Blazer I would absolutely tell them up front I wouldnt lift a finger to keep it running unless they learned enough basic auto technology to understand how it worked AND learned to use wrenches.

 

thank you for the inputs.
as far as what my father's mechanics of 40+ years told him. if he just unplugs the sensors and then drive normally, it won't affect the vehicles performance. whether this is true i don't know, because i know next to nothing about repairing a vehicle let alone my own.

as for the mechanics i took MY truck to, they are certified, and younger and while also a family owned business, it's cleaner, and have printed detailed receipts about any work that is done.

I'm guessing I will be forced to save up and pay the money to have this repaired, and they do give me a 3 year warranty on all work done.

as to the other question yes, it normally only does this when it's warm or been running for an hour or so.

thank you for the support and information.. you guys help me so much

 

could be something other than the o2 sensor but I`ve had a bad sensor and it didnt run bad till it was warm. Dot blieve they kick in till the engine is warm. Do you have a check engine light? Listen to petty, much smarter than me!

 

@ Newguy.. yes the check engine light comes on occasionally, but not all the time.. and almost always after the truk has been driven for a little while.

@ Petty I'm sorry my failure to know terms the mechanic used to help you, i know computers, not cars.

and yes the family mechanic that my DAD uses told him to just unscrew them, and that would fix or remove the skipping or randomly dying like mine does. i don't know if his truck is fuel injected, but i know mine is and it has a computer "brain".

I love my blazer and i want to have it around for more years as it is the only vehicle i have and can afford. please don't down me because i don't know about engines, that's why i joined this group and forum.. to learn.

my issue is should i pay a mechanic nearly $500 to fix a few outdated 02 sensors, or try and find a way to do it myself, considering they are only about 30 bucks a piece. that seems a very high cost from a certified mechanic.

 

You can do it yourself. Its a very easy job, drive around awhile before trying to unscrew them from the bung to make em come out easier. Watch out for the hot pipes though. Be sure to buy ac delco or you will be doing it again shortly.

 

Your engine needs the O2 sensor to run optimally/properly. Any mechanic that tells you to remove them to 'cure' a problem should not be relied upon for any further service work on your modern vehicles. I put 'cure' in single quotes because all that would happen is the possibility of masking the symptoms of the problem without ever addressing the cause.

Your truck has a CPI engine. As such, there are a host of fuel system problems that can occur that would cause the problems you are experiencing. I would suggest getting a fuel pressure test gauge. Install the gauge on the test port (located off the back side of the intake plenum to the left of the brake booster) and turn the key on. The pressure should be >55psi. After the pump shuts off, the pressure should remain >50psi for 10 minutes. If one or both of these criteria is/are not met, you have a leak in the system. If that is the case, I recommend pulling the upper plenum & taking a look inside. Clean aluminum on the passenger side of the lower intake == blown fuel pressure regulator. Clean aluminum on the driver side == leaking 'nut kit' (internal fuel lines). If you have to remove the spider for any reason, buy a new 'nut kit'. The 'nut kit' WILL leak if disturbed.