Changed out the rear glass support shocks.

 

Placed the order for my winch mount finally!

Also had the dang service engine light come BACK on this morning after fixing the evap code throwing issue last weekend... This time for the downstream O2 sensor reading catalyst efficiency below threshold. So after driving around with a gutted converter for 3+ years it finally throws a code... I got a "fix" for it though. I cleared the code and it hasn't came back yet, but if it does I'll be installing that fix this weekend.

 

Install a "spacer" on the down stream O2 sensor to try and make the P0420 code stop throwing. We'll see how it goes. I've cleared it twice last week so I'll know in just a couple days if it fixed it.

Also gave her a quick bath, she needed it...

 

I've never heard of installing a spacer for an O2 sensor. From where did you get this idea?

 

Tore into the dash to test the vacuum lines for the HVAC. Ended up having to remove my center floor console to get at it. I also removed the remote cassette player and found the SIR module on the floor between the front seats.

Vacuum testing:The outputs from the vacuum control held vacuum but the supply line was very hard to test and its results were inconclusive as it is distributed to several parallel inputs in the plug to the module that also had to be plugged. I'll just have to see how it works now that I've made sure the vacuum plug is now securely back in place. The symptoms have been that when the air output is directed to defrost it will be redirected to the vents when the engine is not pulling as much vacuum as when climbing a hill. (I replaced all the underhood vacuum hoses a month or so ago.)

SIR Module: I cut into the carpet to find the SIR floor module so that I could unplug it and plug it back in to see if it would clear up the SIR warning light. I did this for the ones on under/behind the front bumper. It seemed to help. We'll see if doing the same on the one between the seats helps too.

Remote Cassette Player: I pulled it out so that I could test the continuity in the cable from the radio to the cassette player. It tested fine. Last summer I had a short in the radio that kept blowing a fuse that also took out my instruments and HVAC system. But with a replacement radio, hooking up the cassette player would blow the fuse again. Similar to last summer when I found a couple nickles in the radio, this time I found a Mexican 1 centavo. This was weird to find. I've never had any such currency. Unfortunately I forgot to hook the cable to the backside of the radio so that I could not test the cassette player again. I at least took a picture of the part number for it.

I'll just have to wait until the spring to dig into this again to replace the vacuum distribution module if I still get the same symptoms. At that point I can do a proper test of the cassette player.

P.S. I also found where someone in the past had use JB Weld to fix two of the underdash brackets.

 

Its a band aid to hide the real problem. You really dont need to know

 

It's common practice to remove a CEL cause by removing or gutting a catalytic converter. For whatever reason, simply spacing the downstream O2 sensor out away from the exhaust piping and exhaust flow changes the way the sensor reads the gases and makes the system no longer throw the code saying that the converter isn't working properly.


lol though this is true, it was a free solution for me... I gutted my cat years ago when it stopped up so bad that the truck wouldn't accelerate any past than 50-55mph. Oddly enough the code never threw until I fixed an evap emissions issue... No emissions testing here in Florida so it's never been an issue, I just got tired of looking at the light on in the cluster...

Most people will just use a set of spark plug non foulers, drill the center out so the tip of the sensor will go into it, and thread those in. I too would have went that route, but I found this spacer on a header at work (junk yard) so this costs me literally nothing but 5 minutes of my time to install it.


Don't have any actual pictures, but it's basically a 90 degree fitting just like this










They also have straight adapters. This is what it looks like when people make their own straight adapters our of the spark plug non foulers I mentioned before.

 

You can get them ready-made as spacers. Not necessary to drill out a spark plug non-fouler. Search online. Used one for years after I burned out the cat... It pulls the sensor partially out of the exhaust stream, which changes the reading. After a few years, the threaded bung rusted out of the exhaust pipe and the sensor was hanging by the wires... I had a friend weld a patch over the hole and I zip-tied the sensor to the frame. The sensor saw nothing but clean air after that...

 

that is very true

 

I replaced the whole A/C system:
Evaporator
Condensator
Compressor
Dryer
Blower fan

Since the previous wasn't working for more than 10 years, might as well change everything, now is working nice an cool specially needed for the hot temperatures of my country.

Just after that replaced the third brake light that was crumbling like a cookie for a new one (Cardone), but never buy these, the car surface is curved but the new tail light completely flat, the ends of the light will bend down and not seal correctly allowing water to get inside, but it works for now.

Also took the time to work in the infamous misfire issue of these CPI Blazers, I thought it was the distributor, but after taking the upper intake noticed that the injectors were leaking the intake was full of mixed dirt and fuel and the distributor and rotor cap electrodes were rusted. Also checked the spark plug cables and one had a rusted end and all the cables had a very high impedance, so I replaced everything:

Spark plug cables
Rotor and cap
Complete injector spider
fuel filter
and the driver window motor that died not long ago.

All with ACdelco parts for my peace of mind, while doing that I cleaned thoroughly the intake with a drill and a steel brush until it was shiny aluminum. I got sick in the process from all the dust lol.

Now the engine runs fine, quite fuel rich to be honest but I expect the computer to compensate for the changes during driving. It was around a thousand bucks in parts but moving on and advance in the long list of repairs, now suspension and exhaust.