From: erc@Apple.COM (Ed Carp)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Please help my Blazer!
Date: 26 Jan 93 14:26:40 GMT
Organization: Bleeding Edge Technologies - 'Sliding Down The Razor Blade Of Life...'

In article <25JAN199300052715@zeus.tamu.edu> mab3474@zeus.tamu.edu (Myles Barkman-KG5AI Tx A&M Univ.) writes:

>I have been having some trouble with my 90 Chevy Blazer for about a month.  
>Occassionally while driving (usually accellerating) I loose power and the car
>sort of buckles like it wants to stall.  As the car warms up, the problem gets
>worse especially when I have to go from a stop.  Someone told me it could be 
>water in my gas so I tried some remover and it seemed to help.  I put in some
>really good gas too.  But the problem comes back sporadically.  When it is
>really bad, I can't start the car.  When I try to start it, it just cranks
>and cranks and often kicks really hard like the spark is firing at the wrong
>time and kicking the piston down at the wrong time.  I have also smelled
>Hydrogen sulfide a couple of times before I shut the engine off and then 
>couldn't start it.  Someone told me it could be crap in my tank and I need to
>get it pressure flushed.  Someone else told me to try techroline.  I did and
>it didn't fix the problem.  I took it to the shop (had to push it the last
>50 feet after stalling) and had the mechanic look at it.  He noticed the
>engine not starting and didn't get to it til the next day.  Problem is, after
>sitting for that long, it started right up and never acted up on him again.
>He checked the computer on the car and it checked out.  He did replace the
>fuel filter which had some restriction in it but he doesn't think that was
>*THE* problem.  It had been nearly a week since I took it in and it still
>works OK but I am afraid and the the mechanic is sure that it will happen 
>again.  I just hope I can make it to the shop when it starts messing up again.
>If anyone knows what is going on or has any ideas, please share your ideas.
>When the car works, it works great.  When it doesn't, it sucks.  Since it
>is so intermittant, I can't see it being the timing belt slipped.  
>Thanks in advance for all help.

Since you're a fellow ARES guy, I'll forgo the usual Aggie jokes - this post
is full of possibilities!  ;)

The "rotton egg" smell is a dead giveaway of a too-rich fuel mixture.
Dealers often sell cars that run too rich, 'cause they idle smoother and seem
to have more power.  After a while, the fuel injectors clog up, the plugs foul
from carbon buildup, etc.

You aren't pumping the gas to try and get it to start, are you?  That would
make it worse - the Blazer is designed for one to keep one's foot OFF the
gas pedal and just crank 'er until she starts.  Add to that the idiotic way
that GM designed the carb/fuel injectors (the injectors are supposed to
vaporize the fuel, but it just winds up hitting the sides of the carb and
running down the walls into the venturi - idiots!), and you have an inefficient
carb system.

I'd suggest looking to make sure that your fuel injectors aren't clogged, then
taking it to someone you trust and tell 'em to try leaning out the fuel mixture
a bit.  Adding some STP to the gas might help, too.  I add a bottle of STP to
my gas every now and then and I've never had problems.

Is the "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" light coming on?  Have you replaced your O^2
sensor lately?  This little gadget makes a difference, believe it or not, but
because it's in the exhaust stream it goes out quite frequently.

As a side note, I have had a chronic problem with burned transmission fluid.
A guy at AAMCO told me to leave the tranny out of overdrive until I get my
O^2 sensor fixed, because the sensor tells the transmission when to open
the valve to the cooler - if it's out, the valve never opens, and the
fluid never flows through the cooler.  Hmmm....
-- 
Ed Carp, N7EKG                    erc@apple.com                   801/538-0177

"It is your resistance to 'what is' that causes your suffering."     -- Buddha
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech