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I'd rather hit my thumb with a hammer than...


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...start shopping for a truck again.  My 2010 Chevy Silverado (only 74 K miles) has been in two different shops for 4 weeks now, and nobody can figure out the problem.   Going down the road, it drops rpms for a second, then goes right back to normal.  Has thrown only two engine codes; an overheat and a low voltage to the throttle position sensor.   But it's got to where it's doing it more and more frequently, and for longer duration.  

 

 Best unscientific guess from the mechanics so far is something in the electrical system.  They've checked out the fuse assembly, the battery and all terminals, and connections. 

 

Unless somebody comes up with something soon, I'm gonna be looking for another vehicle.  And I hate vehicle shopping.

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Maybe mechanic shop first?

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1 minute ago, Dantankerous said:

Maybe mechanic shop first?

Started out at a local shop I trust.  They couldn't fix it, so it's at the nearest Chevrolet dealership.  They've had it almost two weeks now.

 

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1 minute ago, LawMan Mark, SASS #57095L said:

Started out at a local shop I trust.  They couldn't fix it, so it's at the nearest Chevrolet dealership.  They've had it almost two weeks now.

 

Does not bode well.

 

Have you gotten on a Chevy truck website/message board and posted your truck's symptoms? Those guys might have some good suggestions.

 

 

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2 minutes ago, Dantankerous said:

Does not bode well.

 

Have you gotten on a Chevy truck website/message board and posted your truck's symptoms? Those guys might have some good suggestions.

 

 

I will later today.

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I will bet that it’s a ground issue. Chevy has grounds all over that engine bay for everything. Do a search for schematics for your particular model and year. Look specifically for the “ground” or “return” circuits. Since it’s a cooling and throttle body fault look at the grounds at the frame in front of the engine for corrosion. If you spill coolant it gets on the frame where the grounds are, yeah? This causes electrolysis between the frame and ground lug over time. 

Also, there are grounds on the back of the engine for the throttle and computer. The wires get vibrated quite a bit. Look for loose wires and connections there as well.

 

Troubleshooting these things is an “Easter Egg Hunt”. If you can’t do it tell the half-assed mechanic at the front desk you want to talk to the best “technician “ - not “mechanic”, they have and tell him to look at your grounds for those particular systems.

 

Have you priced new trucks? HOLY $#&@, Batman!

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Just now, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

...Have you priced new trucks? HOLY $#&@, Batman!

 

No kidding. My sentiments exactly. 

 

I'll chase problems with a used vehicle any day over paying new car prices. 

 

As a Jeep owner this is what I'm used to doing anyway. ;)

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35 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

I will bet that it’s a ground issue. Chevy has grounds all over that engine bay for everything. Do a search for schematics for your particular model and year. Look specifically for the “ground” or “return” circuits. Since it’s a cooling and throttle body fault look at the grounds at the frame in front of the engine for corrosion. If you spill coolant it gets on the frame where the grounds are, yeah? This causes electrolysis between the frame and ground lug over time. 

Also, there are grounds on the back of the engine for the throttle and computer. The wires get vibrated quite a bit. Look for loose wires and connections there as well.

 

Troubleshooting these things is an “Easter Egg Hunt”. If you can’t do it tell the half-assed mechanic at the front desk you want to talk to the best “technician “ - not “mechanic”, they have and tell him to look at your grounds for those particular systems.

 

Have you priced new trucks? HOLY $#&@, Batman!

 

Had a 95 Buick Roadmaster that had a gremlin somewhere.   About the third trip to the shop they discovered a common ground post under the dash that had corroded and was loosing its connection.  

 

Some 10 years ago I had an intermittent problem with an individual loader.  I was convinced it was the solenoid that kicks the starter in.  Replaced that with great difficulty and some painful cost.  Still had the problem.   Called in help from local farmer that's a pretty good mechanic.  He looked things over while I gave it a try.  Turned out to be a bad connection where the negative cable was clamped into the terminal.  We soldered the connection and all was well again.  

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35 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

I will bet that it’s a ground issue. Chevy has grounds all over that engine bay for everything. Do a search for schematics for your particular model and year. Look specifically for the “ground” or “return” circuits. Since it’s a cooling and throttle body fault look at the grounds at the frame in front of the engine for corrosion. If you spill coolant it gets on the frame where the grounds are, yeah? This causes electrolysis between the frame and ground lug over time. 

Also, there are grounds on the back of the engine for the throttle and computer. The wires get vibrated quite a bit. Look for loose wires and connections there as well.

 

Troubleshooting these things is an “Easter Egg Hunt”. If you can’t do it tell the half-assed mechanic at the front desk you want to talk to the best “technician “ - not “mechanic”, they have and tell him to look at your grounds for those particular systems.

 

Have you priced new trucks? HOLY $#&@, Batman!

I took one quick peek at new truck prices.  I'm still in shock.  Best bargain I've seen so far is a 3 year old 3/4 ton with 80,000 miles.  It's only $28,000. 

 

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I would bet it's a short or grounding issue as described by Pat and Warden.

When I had those kind of problems, the automotive shop I was at just re-wired instead of trying to find it.

Mind you, that was an older Ford Ranger and you could do that sort of thing on.

 

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2 hours ago, LawMan Mark, SASS #57095L said:

I took one quick peek at new truck prices.  I'm still in shock.  Best bargain I've seen so far is a 3 year old 3/4 ton with 80,000 miles.  It's only $28,000. 

 

 

Lawman,

     If you do decide to purchase another truck,

     make sure it has all that new technology in it,

     like this cell phone holder, for example....;)

 

    1406154365_PhoneHolder.jpg.86b74dc1162a21f0badc060865bea67d.jpg

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When I was working on equipment I would start pulling on wires.Sometimes wires were broke internally.would heat up & seperate.

I would also take a small hammer & tap on all the electronic boxes.Usually something would happen.

All while the engine is running.

                                                                                                                                       Largo

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If, worst case scenario, you do need a new truck, I’ve bought m6 last two vehicles via dealers on the Internet. It was great. I also hate going into a dealer and having to taLk to salesmen and dicker over price.

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8 minutes ago, Utah Bob #35998 said:

If, worst case scenario, you do need a new truck, I’ve bought m6 last two vehicles via dealers on the Internet. It was great. I also hate going into a dealer and having to taLk to salesmen and dicker over price.

I've done two days worth of shopping on line.  The truck I've found that I'm interested in is about 60 miles away. Now if I can convince myself I don't need as much truck as I think I do.

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52 minutes ago, LawMan Mark, SASS #57095L said:

I've done two days worth of shopping on line.  The truck I've found that I'm interested in is about 60 miles away. Now if I can convince myself I don't need as much truck as I think I do.

I bought a car from a dealer 100 miles away. They delivered it for free.

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I'm assuming that the Chevy dealership would have hooked it up to one of thoses super duper diagnostice machines that is suppsoed to tell one everything that is wrong? If they did and cannot determine the problem it makes me wonder if these newer vehicles will have issues that they cannot repair.

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Friend of mine had a similar problem with a ford, no mechanic could find the problem. He took it to a transmission specialist. They ran a diagnostic as they drove the truck, turned out the speedometer was bad, speedometer tells the tranny what gear you need to be in, if it starts sending bad info to the tranny all sorts of havoc can happen.

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39 minutes ago, J. Mark Flint #31954 LIFE said:

I'm just busting your balls.  I have a hammer and your address, it'll be on the way tomorrow!

 

I can always use another hammer.  Make it a bigger one.  Daddy always said you need a bigger hammer.:P

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Intermittent problems are the worst to find. Try to duplicate the conditions like the last time it acted up. Then try to convince the service writer to actually listen AND pass on the info to the tech. Good luck and I hope you enjoy your new truck.

 

Imis

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Bad GNDS cause most of the issues today.

Also-No dedicated code for this.

I would tell this dealership to look hard at the ign switch.

Also have them confirm the engine to frame to body GND is to OEM specs for circuit load.

Have them test the altenator for volt/amp output.

When the rpms drop-Do the headlights dim??

OLG

 

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16 minutes ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Bad GNDS cause most of the issues today.

Also-No dedicated code for this.

I would tell this dealership to look hard at the ign switch.

Also have them confirm the engine to frame to body GND is to OEM specs for circuit load.

Have them test the altenator for volt/amp output.

When the rpms drop-Do the headlights dim??

OLG

 

Cant' say for sure about the headlights. The original shop checked the ignition switch and said it was ok.  I will for sure mention the grounds and alternator.

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5 minutes ago, LawMan Mark, SASS #57095L said:

Cant' say for sure about the headlights. The original shop checked the ignition switch and said it was ok.  I will for sure mention the grounds and alternator.

I would also suspect the battery-Could have broken plates.

I would go with a new alt and battery.........

OLG

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2 minutes ago, LawMan Mark, SASS #57095L said:

Battery is less than 2 years old, but I'll have it checked as well.  

2yrs old mean nut'n-

I've seen brand new batteries with intermittent internal issues that are caused from the shaking of the vehicle going down the road.

Does the RPM drop happen, when stopped?

OLG

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3 minutes ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

2yrs old mean nut'n-

I've seen brand new batteries with intermittent internal issues that are caused from the shaking of the vehicle going down the road.

Does the RPM drop happen, when stopped?

OLG

It can. I've seen it do it when sitting with the truck in park, idling.  

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1 minute ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

If this truck was mine-------I would R&R the altenator.

 

OLG

Thanks...I will point it out to the tech.

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2 minutes ago, LawMan Mark, SASS #57095L said:

Thanks...I will point it out to the tech.

Have them do a test drive with a volt meter attached to the battery leads, to monitor voltage from the alt.

If the voltage drops at the meter-then it's the alt/battery issue.

If there no drop in the meter when the rpms drop down. You have other issues like fuel pressure to the injectors.

BTW-When was the last time you changed the fuel filter?

OLG

 

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