We haven't seen this Blazer...
We haven't seen this Blazer run this strong...ever! After realizing this, we tried to list Dr. Injector as our primary physician for our company health plan, but all it got us was a nasty call from the HR department.
Is it worth all the trouble? Is that old vehicle in your backyard destined to some day blast down dirt roads, kicking up big rooster tails of dirt-or is it a lost cause, too tired and in too poor of a shape to put any effort into? In this case, our friend had a '96 S-10 Blazer that hadn't run in a few years, plagued with fuel injection problems and other telltale signs that showed a lack of general maintenance. There was a choice to be made: let our friend get rid of the thing or give it to us to build into a dirt-hungry beast, capable of eating miles of rough trails and desert roads. And with all the letters and emails we get from readers asking about S-10 trucks, there was no question that we had to get our hands on this thing. We finally had an S-10 project. We made a plan and got to work on how we would build this off-roader, first dealing with the fact that it wasn't running.
We got started with a call to Dr. Injector, one of the best places we know of to get our hands on fuel injection parts. Dr. Injector carries injector kits for just about every vehicle you can imagine, including new and reconditioned options you can choose from. We ordered up the recently updated spider injector kit and got to work.
After getting the injector kit, we went to the local auto parts store and went on a shopping spree. We picked up new spark plugs, plug wires, a new distributor, an 02 sensor, and a new serpentine belt. After changing and flushing the various fluids in the Blazer, we installed all of this stuff and then turned the truck over to a trusted local shop for the injector install.
A few days later we picked up the Blazer...and it purred like a kitten. Until, of course, we stepped hard on the gas pedal. Then, it roared like a lion, pushing us back into the seats with more oomph than we ever remember the little SUV having before. Excited by our progress, we decided to get more air to the engine by way of a Volant intake, which went on easily and loosened up even more power from the 4.3L engine. Before we closed the hood, we dropped in an Optima Red Top battery to ensure some fresh cranking power. Finally, we feel like the Blazer is ready to rumble, and we can start on fun mods like suspension, wheels, and tires.
So without further adieu, we'd like to introduce our newest project, the Almighty Dime. Next up: suspension, wheels, and tires. Stay tuned!
 Here's the solution to our...  Here's the solution to our injection problems: the spider kit from Dr. Injector, all shiny and new. The good folks over at Dr. Injector always recommend using a new fuel filter when installing a new injector kit, and they stock these kits for just about every vehicle. We chose to have a pro do the install work, but with a little help from the knowledgeable crew at Dr. Injector, we think we could have done it ourselves. |  Cracking into the Blazer's...  Cracking into the Blazer's 4.3L V-6 wasn't really all that fun, but needed to be done. We figured it would be a good time to replace the plugs, distributor, belt, and a few other items. We also flushed all the fluids and gave everything a good check. We were lucky-besides the injectors, filters, and the battery, nothing else had gone bad on us. |  There's been a lot of progress...  There's been a lot of progress in the fuel additive marketplace during the course of the last few years, and the Dr. Injector gang is all about keeping your injectors healthy. They recommend and sell the FSM (fuel system maintenance) solution on the right, and offer the Stanadyne Performance Formula on the left for diesel applications. These aren't bottles of snake oil-they help keep the injectors clean, protected, and lubricated. |
 We've ripped out about a million...  We've ripped out about a million stock air intake systems, and it's always pretty similar. Unscrew a few bolts, grab the airbox housing, and start pulling. It's an easy process, and in a few short minutes the factory intake was history. |  The Volant intake we chose...  The Volant intake we chose for the Blazer retains the hose that connects to the throttle body, so after the stock intake was removed, we were ready to get the install started. It took less than a half hour. A new airbox bolted in right behind the driver side headlight, the supplied filter fit right in, and hose clamps secured a connector to the air hose. That's really about it. We like parts that go on easily! |  Volant's Cool Air Intake for...  Volant's Cool Air Intake for this '96 S-10 Blazer utilizes one of their Pro 5 filters. Four cotton gauze layers and one synthetic layer comprise the pre-oiled filter, which is cleanable and reusable. We were already impressed with the engine's power after the injector replacement, but paired with this intake we were astounded. The Blazer seems pretty happy now that it sips gas and gulps air more effectively than ever before. |
 Our old battery looked like...  Our old battery looked like some kind of science experiment gone bad. Corrosive growth covered the beat-up posts, and it hadn't turned a starter in many months. Optima came to the rescue with a brand-new Red Top. It won't ever leak, provides us with 720 cold cranking amps, and can take one heck of a pounding (we've run these in our trucks for years). Now we don't have to think about the battery anymore-it's good to go. | | |