'98 blazer dumping oil...

I was driving down the highway today just crusin along doin the speedlimit(60mph). when I go into the passing lane to pass the guy infront of me and I look in my rearview mirror to see a heavy smoke coming out of my tailpipe. Now I am wondering what would cause this. I have some under the hood mods(intake, TBI spacer, and a complete gibson exhaust(headers and cat back system). Now I have noticed that my blazer has been running rich since I did all the mods. I never saw it dump oil before. But I did wash my blazer today. now would it burn the oil off of the tailpipe since the tailpipe got water on it or is it acctually cause I am dumping oil. Some people say I need to get a new chip for the blazer like a jet chip or hypertech power programmer.to reajust the air/fuel mixture. would that have anything to do with this problem. I thank all of you for your advise in advance.

Slow down a bit here...

First off, what color was the "heavy smoke"?
A. If it was black, yes, you are rich
B. If it was blue, you are burning oil
C. If it was white, you are pushing coolant out

Running rich, you should scan first and be sure that the O2 sensors are cross counting.

If it be blue, well, your burning oil and there could be several issues to check

If it is white, you may have blown a head gasket and there are ways to check.

Get back, OK?

It was a black smoke. So I should check the O2 sensors. Should I check the other things too, or am I just better off geting it scanned to see if there are any other problems? thanks for the help man.

I would have it scanned. The check engine light on?

Black moke is a rich condition, as I said in the post, scan first and be sure the O2 sensors are fuctioning. That is a good first start, the scanning.
Forget the oil and coolant for now.

Hold on,,, running rich since you did the mods.

You did headers and a cat back exhaust. You did install the O2 sensors properly? You didn't by chance happen to feel that you didn't need them, did you? If you did install them, did you weld plugs to accept the sensors? and if so, you didn't do it with the sensors in the plugs?

Ok my two friends own a performance shop down where I live and they helped me put the headers on so that I knew that they were put on right. after they were put on they checked it all over to make sure everything was right. Now I had one of them follow me today and the blazer did it again when they were behind me. So we pulled off to the side of the road and he said it was a blackish blue color. So I am burning oil and I am runnin rich. F**k this sucks. Sorry about that but I do need your guys help, and yes the check engine light is on. please help! THANKS GUYS.

Check engine light, you will need to get it scanned and find out. Sure beats shotgunning parts.

Yes, stop throwing shit on the truck and get the codes extracted.

This is going to sound stupid but what do you mean by getting the codes extracted, and how much does it ussually cost to get the truck scand. The reason I put the parts on is to get it race ready so I could possibly get it fast enough to go to the s-series nationals. cause I went to the s-series nationals to watch and was off the hook watchin all those trucks and suvs hall ass. I plan on putting a supercharger on it but that wont be for a while after the truck gets fixxed.

Go to AutoZone and get your engine codes read for free.

Come back here with the EXACT numbers.

I think you need to calm down on the modding etc until you get your engine running properly.

thanks BlazerLT I had no idea you could get your codes read for free at auto zone. Thanks alot man. You know your shit and I give you props for that. I know I need to calm down with the mods too. I will go get it checked out tomorrow thanks again your a life saver.

no problem, and get the EXACt codes for us and not just the Autozone dweebs interpretation of it.

If he doesn't tell you the codes and starts to tellyou whats wrong, demand the codes and if he doesn't complay, talk to the manager.

OK I just got back from auto zone and this is what code came up. The scanner said 1 of 3 and then under it it said P0101. Now if I remember right that is an mass air flow sensor right? I also found out today that my catalytic converter is shot. It makes this popping sound like pop corn. The machanic I talked to said that the converter since it is not working properly that it will build up and then force all the black smoke out of my tailpipe. Is this true or does he need to go back to school? Thanks for the help guys and the help you guys will give me in the time coming.

Huh, so there was three codes and you only remembered one?

thats all that was on the sheet from the guy at auto zone gave me. He gave me the print out of it. So I will stop back up tomorrow and get the other codes, and then I will get them up on the forum so you guys can help me out. thanks again

Yes, as I said earlier, get all the codes.

If it says 1 of 3, then there are three codes stored.

Get someone that knows what he is doing and not a rookie kid.

Also see if the 1 of 3 meant that the P0101 was stored three times.

If so, I checked the codes and your MAF sensor has failed and you will have to replace it.

Costs about 89.99 and you get a $40 dollar core rebate when you bring your old one back in to recycle.

Ok I went back to auto zone today and got it scanned again. It is storing the code three times. But how would the maf sensor cause any problems with pushin stuff through my tailpipe. Can anyone let me know what they think. PLEASE.

You are probably not burning oil but you are burning rich hence the black smoke.

Replace your MAF sensor and everything should be fine.

Do not drive it like this or you will eventually ruin your engine.

MAF's are cheap and if the computer is saying that your MAF is the problem, then replace it.

OK guys here we go again. I got the MAF sensor changed and the check engine light was still on so I took it to auto zone again to get it scanned AGAIN. Here's what we got on the scanner. P0101 (MAF sensor), I told him that I just changed the MAF sensor and he said he didn' t know if I just changed it and the engine is still throwing that code. Ok so on to the next code it was for the 4th cylinder. It is missfiring . ok no problems there I know I need new spark plugs and wires cause of having the headers put on my blazer. So I ask him about the accel header spark plugs he says yea we got them and then I ask him about wires that can withstand the heat of the headers. He told me to get the accel wire kit and make them myself. Now before I do this i am just wondering what your guys opinions are on what spark plugs and wires I should get. As BlazerLT please help me with the MAF sensor thing again. Thanks all of you who take the time to read this and post a reply.

i dont know about that but i would like to know about the white smoke out the tailpipe
mine blows white smoke out the tailpipe whenever i hit the gas

Did you lift the black ground wire from your battery for 10 minutes to reset your computer after you performed that MAF swap? Also, in my experience, wires is wires. I could never find the reciept to replace lifetime wires. However, if heat is your concern go for a set of double silicone wires. Thay have a double, high temp. sheathing that makes them almost indestructable when running so close to aftermarket heads. Also, be sure to use a tube of dielectric grease to lightly lube the plug ends on both the distributor and plug boots. This will make it easier to remove them later on when you change your plugs and/or wires.

I completely forgot to do that to clear the code out. That's my bad thanks for the reminder.

first off, what year of truck is this?

BlazerLT that question prolly wasn't toward me but mine is a 1998 s-10 blazer vortec 4.3L.

Yes, this thread is all about you.

I only help the thread starter. If someone steps in and whores the thread looking for their own advice, I won't help them until they start there own personal thread for their own problems.

That being said:

1.)Ok, so you have a cylinder #4 misfire. This is caused by the poppet valves at the end of the injector getting clogged and not opening.

First off, clear the codes by pulling the negative battery cable for 5 minutes so all codes are gone.

Fill up with premium and dump two bottles of fuel injector cleaner into the gas tank and go out on the highway, keep the transmission in Drive (NOT OVERDRIVE) and go for a 10 to 20 miles trip at about 60-70mph to clean out the fuel system.

Give a good drive with some wide open throttle and blow the carbon and crap out of the engine.

2.) If the code for the #4 cylinder comes back again, clear it one more time and see if it comes back for the third time, after that, it is time to swap out the #4 injector.

They look like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7925405408&category=33557

3.) Also, get rid of the throttle body spacer. It is pure junk, does nothing for a 4.3L and actually will cause more problems. Remove it immediately. Spacers have caused 100% of these types of problems I have seen with them installed.

Also, time for a tuneup:

Cap & Rotor
Plugs (AC Delco Platinum is best)
Fuel Filter

OK I will remove the tbi spacer rightaway. Also for the cap and rotor how hard is it to replace on my own, and what is the best to get. I got bosch platinum sparkplugs today should I take them back and get the AC delco platinums instead. Also I got msd 8.5mm superconduction wires to handle the heat from the headers.I already have a fuel filter when I got my oil and filter about a month ago when I changed the oil I put it on.

Nice.

Good move to return the Bosch plats.

They work like shit in a 4.3L.

I will get the ac delco plats. tomorrow. BlazerLT do you have any recomendations on the cap and rotor. Thanks for all your help man you help us all out on the forum so much.

Well, depends, I like AC Delco parts myself so maybe grab a cap and rotor from the dealer if you want the best.

Remember, a cap and rotor for our trucks are not cheap.

Make sure you get the right plats for your truck and gap them properly.

OK BlazerLT one more question then I will try to stop asking you so many questions but I can't promise anything. I am wondering how hard it would be for a guy like me who is just learning how to do all the upkeep to my blazer on my own to put on a cap and rotor. I have some friends that can look it over to make sure it is done right and my dad also dragraced and worked on a pit crew when he was younger so he can help me if I need it. But on a scale from 1 to 10 what would you rate it as far as difficulty. thanks again for all the help.

Difficulty

6/10

You will have to remove the screws for the cap and the rotor.

One tip is take the wires directly off of the old cap and put them on the new one so it is ready to go when you want to pop it on. Do this first.

Replace the rotor exactly like it came off and be very careful with the screws when removing and installing them on the rotor and the cap.

The distributor holes for the screws are plastic and can easily be stripped. Tighten them up till them are firm but not to firm. Once you strip, you will have to replace the distributor.

You are lucky on the 1996+ it is more easily accessed. On my 1995 is is at the back and blocked buy the CPI upper plenum which you don't have to deal with.