Gas Milage Help!!

My 94 4x4, 4.3L Vortec is getting bad gas milage. Now I am somewhat mechanically inclined, so everything is good to go. New cap, rotor, plugs, wires, airfilter, running synthetic oil, tires are new 265-75-R-15, and fuel filter, basically the truck is in great shape. I am stationed over here in Germany so it is not like I can go to Autozone or Western Auto etc.

Also, the exhaust has a STRONG smell of gas, and a check engine light comes on every once in awhile but goes off shortly, not sure if that is an issue or not but I do not have anything to check the codes. I can take it to the Opel dealership but they rape Americans and I have to pay in Euros which dwarfs the dollar. I am thinking maybe the 0-2 sensor, or something in the CPI. There are no hesitations, rough idle, surging or anything that would key off usual problems. I want to buy the parts, but am looking for some guidance before I go replacing stuff. Once again I have to order all of my parts off of the internet and I do all the work myself to all my vehicles, so of course the faster I can get to the problem the better off I will be. Thanks...

My 94 4x4, 4.3L Vortec is getting bad gas milage. Now I am somewhat mechanically inclined, so everything is good to go. New cap, rotor, plugs, wires, airfilter, running synthetic oil, tires are new 265-75-R-15, and fuel filter, basically the truck is in great shape. I am stationed over here in Germany so it is not like I can go to Autozone or Western Auto etc.

Also, the exhaust has a STRONG smell of gas, and a check engine light comes on every once in awhile but goes off shortly, not sure if that is an issue or not but I do not have anything to check the codes. I can take it to the Opel dealership but they rape Americans and I have to pay in Euros which dwarfs the dollar. I am thinking maybe the 0-2 sensor, or something in the CPI. There are no hesitations, rough idle, surging or anything that would key off usual problems. I want to buy the parts, but am looking for some guidance before I go replacing stuff. Once again I have to order all of my parts off of the internet and I do all the work myself to all my vehicles, so of course the faster I can get to the problem the better off I will be. Thanks...

you never did say what the milage was..
15 to 17 mpg is max on the blazers..

My 94 4x4, 4.3L Vortec is getting bad gas milage. Now I am somewhat mechanically inclined, so everything is good to go. New cap, rotor, plugs, wires, airfilter, running synthetic oil, tires are new 265-75-R-15, and fuel filter, basically the truck is in great shape. I am stationed over here in Germany so it is not like I can go to Autozone or Western Auto etc.

Also, the exhaust has a STRONG smell of gas, and a check engine light comes on every once in awhile but goes off shortly, not sure if that is an issue or not but I do not have anything to check the codes. I can take it to the Opel dealership but they rape Americans and I have to pay in Euros which dwarfs the dollar. I am thinking maybe the 0-2 sensor, or something in the CPI. There are no hesitations, rough idle, surging or anything that would key off usual problems. I want to buy the parts, but am looking for some guidance before I go replacing stuff. Once again I have to order all of my parts off of the internet and I do all the work myself to all my vehicles, so of course the faster I can get to the problem the better off I will be. Thanks...

Pull the upper cover off that says Vortec. Under that you will see the IMTV. Remove it and look down inside with a light and look for washing. Passenger side is the regulator and the drivers side is the nut kit. Any evidence of this and you will need to change the CPI and the nutkit.

115,000

what do you mean washing? Is that like an excess amount of gasoline in the intake or something?

what do you mean washing? Is that like an excess amount of gasoline in the intake or something?

If the unit is good, it will be dark inside. If you see a golden color, fuel is washing the inside of the plenum.

115,000

i mean the gas milage not the vehicle milage

duuhhh sorry bout the milage thing!

duuhhh sorry bout the milage thing!

hehe ok ,
what is the milage lol

Pull the upper cover off that says Vortec. Under that you will see the IMTV. Remove it and look down inside with a light and look for washing. Passenger side is the regulator and the drivers side is the nut kit. Any evidence of this and you will need to change the CPI and the nutkit.

General Question: If the fuel pressure regulator is leaking, I understand this is expensive, right? Any idea how much and how often this goes out. (My mechanic warned me about this, so I an curious.) ... And what does the nut kit do?

General Question: If the fuel pressure regulator is leaking, I understand this is expensive, right? Any idea how much and how often this goes out. (My mechanic warned me about this, so I an curious.) ... And what does the nut kit do?

There are after market regulators that can be had to replace only that but my feeling is to change the entire CPI. They can be had for under $200 if you shop a little. The nut kit are the lines that are attached at the rear of the plenum and carry the fuel to the CPI and the return to the tank. That is a dealer item only and is about $56. My first CPI went at about 140K and the second went about 188K. The regulator was leaking a little and I went for the whole thing.

I have a 1994 S-10 Blazer that gets 21 - 23 mpg so how can you say the max mpg is 15 - 17.

Have you had your timing checked. After I had my distributor replaced the tech did not reset my timing so it was off by 4 degrees. My mpg dropped to 17 mpg. After they reset the timing my mpg was right back at about 22 mpg.

I have a 1994 S-10 Blazer that gets 21 - 23 mpg so how can you say the max mpg is 15 - 17.

yea sure it does rofl, maybe i should have said on average 17 max. if you average city and highway.

Have you had your timing checked. After I had my distributor replaced the tech did not reset my timing so it was off by 4 degrees. My mpg dropped to 17 mpg. After they reset the timing my mpg was right back at about 22 mpg.


My mechanic told me that the timing of my motor ('97 Blazer) was not adjustable... That the computer does it automatically. Is this true? Either way, please tell me how you adjusted your timing.

Texwill,

Your CPI injector has blown a regulator or your nut kit is leaking badly.

Check the oil and smell the dipstick and smell for gas.

You need to inspect inside of the plenum NOW for this.

Letting this continue will ruin you engine VERY quickly.