2003 Silverado 5.3 issue

584 Views | 5 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by BigRobSA
BigRobSA
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Okay, this beast has been a trusty, trusty workhorse since I bought it in 2009, 9 yrs ago. Very little has gone wrong. It just runs.

Well, starting last week, it has been having an issue and I don't know what it is, for sure.

I noticed the voltage gauge showing a little wonky earlier, the needle would fluctuate between points (never going lower than 13.x or higher than 15) but it ran fine.

Then it started to idle really low, like it was going to die. Our 17 yr old, who drives it normally, said "Oh, it's been doing that for a few days!"....but never told me. So, while turning into the 6 yr old's school, it died. Like the battery came loose or something. I reached down and grabbed the positive cable and everything lit back up and it started but kept idling funny.

I got it back home and drove it one other time, but it idled wonky as hell.

Could it be a bad battery? I changed the alternator a little over a year ago. I haven't even checked the belt or anything to be honest. So busy with newborn and family life.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

"The Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution was never designed to restrain the people. It was designed to restrain the government."
3rdgenAg2010
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I have an 2001 silverado 5.3 and had to change the alternator on it a few times.

If the voltage is going up and down I would say the alternator is going bad.
3rdgenAg2010
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The weird idle though is interesting.... Only time i ever had an idle problem was when the fuel pump was going out. Does it have any issues starting? That was my early warning sign that I ignored and one day left me on the side of the highway.
BigRobSA
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3rdgenAg2010 said:

The weird idle though is interesting.... Only time i ever had an idle problem was when the fuel pump was going out. Does it have any issues starting? That was my early warning sign that I ignored and one day left me on the side of the highway.


No issues starting. Had a new one put in September 2017. Left me stranded in BFE Missouri.
"The Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution was never designed to restrain the people. It was designed to restrain the government."
Ag for Life
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AG
I would check the battery first. Corroded terminals or cables? Corrosion on grounds?

Maybe your truck is giving you the middle finger for those years of living in Iowa
1agswitchin4lanes
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AG
Side post? replace bolts for terminals.
BigRobSA
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Ages for Life:
No visible corrosion.

Definitely hated Iowa. Even with DTC codes turned off with HPTuners, when it was below zero, it would still throw codes for cats not warming fast enough.

JuanAgs:

Side. Will mess with it whenever it decides not to be rainy. Grassyass, ameego.
"The Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution was never designed to restrain the people. It was designed to restrain the government."
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