national backorder

okay guys this is mainly focus on those 98 s-10 owners. but anyone feel free to comment. this is in regard to the "recall" that us owners got on the cat convertor going bad on the 98 s-10s, hopefully someone knows what i am talking about, but anyway i took my truck in over 2 months ago to get it serviced and the cat convertor is still on backorder, anyone else having this problem i have been told both by my local dealership and the national GM customer service that it is on back order indefinitly, and i now have a feeling that it is messing up other things in my truck as far and internally in the engine i have lost precious gas mileage and power only getting maybe 17 MPG on the highway which is horrible, i normally get about 24 - 27 MPG but do you guys think i should just say screw it and got buy a cat and try to get chevy to pay for it or what should i do, i cant afford to pay out the ass like i am for gas as im sure a lot of people on here are, but i hope to look for some input and if i go buy my own what is the likelihood that GM would reemburse me for it. anyone know?

The cat probably is most of your problem, but a quick tune up might help with your mileage a bit.

I'm going to sugest that you contact GM Canada, just to see if they have cat converters in stock.
If they do you might be able to hint to your local dealer that they get it for you, telling them that yours apeares to be plugged right up. GM Canada, and U.S. are seperate companies but still work together when needed

Good Luck

i own a 98 4.3, and damn i want your moter, mine has never gotten that good of gas mileage, even after my cat plugged up and i got sick of waiting, i wound up doin a whole exhaust from crossovers back, even then i got 22 on the highway when i drive nicely, ill get around 18 when im matting it and playen with those little forign things, in reguards to your problem, go get a nice cat made for your truck, then call up the dealership and tell them, theres a recall, im sure theyll be aware of it if it exists, and tell them they can set up an appt. to install it and you will bring the bill for the cat, or you can have a shop do it and send them the total bill, either way

thanks guys i think i am going to do that..i want new exhaust anyway so i figure i might as well spend the money and get it all done at once just so that i was i dont have to worry aboiut it, although i talked to the dealership and the service manager said that GM wont cover the warranty if you have aftermarket exhaust so im screwed either way, but hey its cool anyway... now i have an excuse to buy new exhaust :-)


and oh by the way dmbrisket, i can sympathize with you i used to have a 92 blazer with the 4.3 in it so i know how fast the gas goes in those things;-)

This might help your mileage a bit Doug, if you decide to try it.

I tried J-Ri's acetone in my gas bit, http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=385048 and am seriously getting at least 30% better fuel economy. I've been running it for about 3 months now, and when I forgot to put it in my mileage was about 15 compaired to about 25 (still sucks in my opinion)

I've got 5+ friends that have tried it in newer F.I. cars and they also really notice the difference at the pumps.

My mom even tried it on her Diesel Nissan pickup and her economy went from 55mpg to 65.

Although I haven't tried it on my Diesel Topaz yet.
I've only filled it up twice since it was fixxed up 3 months ago after a little accident.
The 600 miles on the tank of that little car goes a long ways when you also drive your 4x4 around

thanks, we have gallons of the stuff layen around the shop (dad owns paintin company) so ill swipe some of it and see what it gets me... what mixture % are you usen?

I'm using about 2 ounces for every 10 U.S. gallons.
I've been so impressed that I haven't tried experimenting with different ratios.

They say that you can run up to 3 ounces for every 10 gallons, but every car seems to get the best mileage with a different ratio.

I use a turkey baster to add it to my Blazer, since it has the ounces listed right on it.

Let me know how it does!. I know that you'll be impressed

heres an idea for ya if want to save money and fix it permently gut the cat drive a pipe through it and put it back on gas milage will improve and torque and power gains of about 15 each and it will still pass inspection with empty shell on it

flaw in the idea: 98 has an obdII computer, obdII has a post-cat oxygen sencor, so you gut the cat, throw an ses code, and lose your power and gas mileage you gained

jegs sells an o2 sensor loop fairly cheap and the code won't read after that

acetone in the gas... u nuts! in the norhteast we have enough problems because of the etanol in the gas! just lettin you guys know, acetone will deteriorate the gauge sender on your vehicles, as does the alcohol. it will also deteriorate your fuel pumps, injector seals, and fuel lines if you have a newer vehicle so epuipped. not to mention fuel pressure regulator, and possibly fuel rail or spider injectors if got a vortec. not to mention, you may also damage your fuel filters as some of them have the element glued in place. if you have a diesel, add to these the passibilty of ruining you injection pump. not worth a little extra mileage!
- jon automotive parts specialist ASE certfied, and former certfied mechanic.

Sorry to say this jon automotive parts specialist ASE certfied, and former certfied
mechanic "but still not a chemist"

But I'll believe the people that have actually done the research into this subject.

Plus the extra power, and fuel savings that I see.

Besides if you use fuel injection cleaner your using Acetone in your gas

Besides how do you loose your mechanics certfication, unless you do something wrong