'88 s-10 blazer problems

[blazer_boi]

1988 s10 blazer, 2wd, 4.3L

ok.. i let my blazer sit for about 1 1/2 to 2 years, and have been driving it again for about the past 8 months or so.

First i was having troubles with it sputtering during acceleration from a dead stop, to the point where i would have to slam on the gas from every dead stop. With spark plug, plug wires, and distributor cap change the problem went away except for an occasional stutter now.

So with that little background info out of the way.. here are my two real problems now.

Problem #1
I hear a loud cracking/cricking/clicking noise coming from the front end. Also if i am at a dead stop and pump the brakes, letting the truck move a little then stopping quickly, the front passenger wheel moves out and i hear a loud clunk noise as well as feel the truck jerk from that side. What would be the problem? I think the clicking noise is the ball joints? I replaced the front passenger side wheel bearings and that didnt fix the problem, even though the inner wheel bearing was really loose and moved around.


Problem#2
The other night i turned the truck on to see a "service engine soon" light on. The truck drives like crap all the way home. At stop lights the truck was bogging down and the battery gauge was moving up and down a little. Once on the interstate and up to speed, when i would let off the gas the truck would jolt/surge to the point where my body was moving forward and backward in my seat. I get home and let the truck idle in Park, and it keeps wanting to bog down. I revved the engine up slowly and at 2000 rpms it didnt wanna go any further unless i punched the gas to get it past the 2000 rpm mark. Only other thing i can think of is that i also heard a rattling noise on the interstate when i would get on the gas after it would jolt/surge back and forth. The next day when i cranked it up the truck acted fine... but the it did the same thing tonight on the way home as far as acting up on me and i heard the same rattling noise again when i would get on the gas at cruising speed. The battery gauge was also fluctuating slightly at idle tonight. Oil pressure seems to be the same when it is acting normal compared to when the "service engine" light is on.


I checked the EGR valve yesterday i think... is this a plunger looking thing on the back side of the IM / TB setup? If it is, i pressed it and it seemed to be moving ok. If that is the EGR valve, there is a wire coming off of it that goes to a small filter on the left side of the IM/TB setup.. attached to this filter is another unfamiliar piece to me. Is this unfamiliar piece the MAP sensor? Whatever it is... one of those two things is making a buzzing noise. Dunno if that is part of my problem or not, just trying to hit all my problems.

Also could my problem be an O2 sensor or maybe a clogged cat since there has never been any exhaust work done to it?

And will a code still show up in a scan if the check engine light isnt on when i get it scanned? or does the light have to be on to have a code show up?

Anyway.. sorry for the long post.. just looking for some answers and wanted to give all the info i could. If u need any more info, just ask.

Thank you

[tom3]

Front end noise surely sounds like a ball joint and when you can hear them, not long before it breaks and leaves you stranded. Running problem might be the EGR, just unplug the vacuum line at the valve and put a small bolt in the line. (This is not a wire but a hard plastic tube.) Really sounds to me like a fuel pump going bad, they'll warn you for a good while but will quit at some point.

[blazer_boi]

how in the heck do i get the EGR off? I cant really turn the two bolts good with all the other lines in the way. Do i have to take all those off to get the EGR off?

And about the fuel pump.. that is what i have thought from the beginning.. but my friend who is pretty well mechanically minded said no. I will try to get the fuel pressure tested and see if that is a problem as well.


back to this EGR for now.. i'll be back with an update

[blazer_boi]

well i couldnt get the EGR valve off.. but i sprayed it with cleaner to try and get any buid up i could out of it... all that didnt really do much to the problem.

This morning the engine light was on again, and the blazer ran like crap... almost bogged out at dead stops and i heard the same rattling noise when i pressed on the gas. It only does that rattling noise when the engine light is on.

About the only other thing i found was that i have an exhaust leak at the rear of my muffler.. it is cracked around the pipe that exits the muffler... doubt that is the problem?

Im gonna go try to pull that tube out of the EGR valve and plug it with a small bolt like u said.... what does this do anyway?

If it acts up tomorrow im just gonna go get it scanned saturday somewhere and see if there are any codes and see if i can get the fuel pressure checked. Question though... could the fuel pump act up only sometimes or would it just act up consistently until it poops its pants?

edit**.... i took the tube off of the egr valve and capped it but nothing really happened. Only new thing i found was that if i took off a small hose/tube that runs from the front of the TB to the air intake tube the RPMS went up about 500... I dunno what else to do.. truck smells terrible like it is running rich or lean.. dunno which is which.

[fly4awyteguy]

It may sound weird for this to be the problem,but I also had the same problem with my 88 jimmy.I had to replace the temp. sensor. The sensor right in the middle front of your intake. it makes the computer think the engine is at extreme temps. making it go through different revs in idle and driving.

[blazer_boi]

yeah.. after looking up that hose i took off the TB that made the rpms go up.. i read that it has to do with the intake and temp sensor.. so i was wondering if maybe that could be my problem... anyone else have any say on the temp sensor? would this make the service engine soon light come on?

[blazer_boi]

well i was reading my Haynes manual and saw how to check what the SES codes were... i used a jumper wire and found that i was getting a code 42 - Electronic Spark Timing (EST)... Electronic Spark Timing bypass circuit or EST circuit is grounded or open. A malfunctioning HEI module can cause this code.


So now i ask, does this go along with my problems i stated above? And what is a HEI module? Would this cause my service engine soon light to come on sometimes and not other times? Or do u think it may be my EGR valve with some carbon buid up in it that keeps getting blown out and then new carbon coming in causing it to stick and the SES light to come on? I still couldnt get the EGR off though to clean it out really good.

[89s10pu]

check the valve lash to see if that is the cause of your engine running rough and as far as the poor handling it definitely sounds like ball joint problems.

[busa_4]

you are wasting your time. you have a check engine light on? scan it to see what the code/s are first before you start throwing parts at it and wasting your time by cleaning and blocking off important parts. the check engine light will give you an idea what to look at instead of guessing. get a manual and it will tell you how to retrieve the codes and what they mean.

[BlazerLT]

Poor handling also can be becuase of worn out shocks or sway bar bushings and end links.