Okay, so my original plans were to upgrade my cat and muffler, but I've come up with a new idea to buy a tach gauge for rougly the same price.
I'd still get the cat and muffler, but down the road. I just wanna know which to get first. Tach guage and then exhaust? Or exhaust and then tach gauge?
For now I kinda want something so I can tell when I'm redlining, because the '96 LS doesn't have a tach, which I kinda blame for the reason my last engine blew. Not knowing when you're working it too hard.

I know everyone's gonna say stupid question, go with the exhaust, which I hope you do so I can be persuaded to finally get a new sound on the truck, but I think a tach gauge would look cool. Just to have something mounted to the pillar..

 

I would go for the tach so you know when to shift then the exhaust! I know you want the exhaust really badly but saving your motor and trans is whats going to make sure you get an exhaust!!

 

Well you can get this: http://store.summitracing.com/partde...p;autoview=sku

And still have some extra $$ for the exhaust system. You can get a pillar pod for it for another 20.00.... This would look alot cleaner and not ricey looking with a massive tach and shift light.

 

Im in the same spot and id say go with the tach as long as you dont get a huge 5in tach

 

The big tachs are ridiculous and ugly. I found a good small one in Autozone like the one you showed, nj4x4blaze. Only I think it's white and has the redline. Now I'm just looking for a glasspack or flowmaster exhaust to install.

 

I'd say go for the exhaust. A tach will not give you an boost in hp, tq or mpg. As far as redlining it goes, LISTEN TO YOUR ENGINE. It'll let you know when you are giving it too much.

 

Yeah, usually when I hear the engine peaking the truck starts vibrating a little, and the engine just kinda hangs at that bad sound, so I ease up on the gas and it usually shifts into the next gear.

 

do the older blazers not come with a factory tachometer? mine does

 

The 96 LT comes with a tachometer, my 96 LS doesn't. It's really stupid and makes the very large speedometer look ridiculous.

 

no offense, but you shouldn't need a tachometer to tell you when your engine is about to blow.... i've been driving standard shift vehicles since I was 7(I was a big kid and dad taught me....), many of which had no tach.... over the last 14 years I have not blown an engine.....
Also, keep in mind your blazer is not a ferrari nor is it a Banks powered turbo diesel.... take it easy on the ol' 4300....... it'll last you a long time.....