2003 Suburban just getting broke-in

[Rat407]

This is a friend of ours from church. It is a 2003 Suburban with the 5.3. All original drive train. Only problem he is having is it will go into limp mode. He turns it off and starts it back up and it is fine for a while. Also it has an oil leak. A little worse than normal but he said it only uses a qt of oil in 3k miles so I don't think it is to bad.

The other thing is this thing has seen a rough life. Oil changes were ignored before I started doing them two years ago. He also ran what ever oil was the cheapest in it. He still does with me. But I get the discounted oil like at Auto Zone. I picked up about 80 qts around me of Mobil 1 5w30 and 0w-30 as well as the Havoline full synthetic. So I have been running Mobil 1 in this for the past year. Considering it only cost me $2 a qt I pass the savings on to them.

Just thought you guys might be interested.

 

[53' Stude]

Good job helping others

Nice haul of oil also. I have a 100+ quart stash thanks to 2 local Autozone's also

 

[Leo99]

Nice! If it made it to 361k miles and only has a small engine leak, I'd wouldn't call it a rough life.

Is is throwing any engine codes? Get a reader on it and see what's up. I accidentally put my Corolla into limp mode by forgetting to plug the MAF back in after I cleaned it.

 

[Rat407]

No codes from what he has told me. I guess once it hard breaks and throws a code then it will be easier to track down and fix. I hate spark chasing.

 

[sdowney717]

Originally Posted By: Rat407
No codes from what he has told me. I guess once it hard breaks and throws a code then it will be easier to track down and fix. I hate spark chasing.

Engine codes differ from trans codes and do not show up on the check engine light. At least they dont on my 1994 Roadmaster.
Trans shop tells me they have a code reader for the trans separate from code readers for the engines.

 

[spk2000]

My limited experience with limp mode meant transmission issues. There may be other reasons but that has been mine. At least it got me home and would come out of limp mode after setting a while.

 

[Carbon12]

The intermittent limp mode sounds like an issue with throttle body or gas pedal sensor

 

[BigD1]

Check it for stored codes.

My old 92 Oldsmobile went into limp mode all of a sudden a couple months back, and was running like [censored]. It has the old OBD1, but a check engine light did come on, but it went off afer I turned the engine off, and cranked it back up. It ran fine when the light was off. Checked the stored code, and it was a MAP sensor code. Changed that out, and it has been running fine ever since.

 

[dlundblad]

For whatever reason, the 5.3 gets a bad rep here by a few members.. Not sure why.

Probably one of the more popular gas engines in service vehicles that don't exactly see the easiest lives.

Work vans, farm trucks, delivery vehicles, trailer towing etc. A friend has a little under 400,000 on a truck that is used for his towing business. Darn thing drives like new.

 

[Ramblejam]

Originally Posted By: sdowney717
Originally Posted By: Rat407
No codes from what he has told me. I guess once it hard breaks and throws a code then it will be easier to track down and fix. I hate spark chasing.

Engine codes differ from trans codes and do not show up on the check engine light. At least they dont on my 1994 Roadmaster.
Trans shop tells me they have a code reader for the trans separate from code readers for the engines.


You're correct that transmission codes will not illuminate the MIL/Check Engine Light.

However, you don't need a special ($$$) reader; I use a $19.99 OBD2 adapter from Amazon, and an app on my phone. It'll scan all subsystems on these GM vehicles.

 

[sdowney717]

Originally Posted By: Ramblejam
Originally Posted By: sdowney717
Originally Posted By: Rat407
No codes from what he has told me. I guess once it hard breaks and throws a code then it will be easier to track down and fix. I hate spark chasing.

Engine codes differ from trans codes and do not show up on the check engine light. At least they dont on my 1994 Roadmaster.
Trans shop tells me they have a code reader for the trans separate from code readers for the engines.


You're correct that transmission codes will not illuminate the MIL/Check Engine Light.

However, you don't need a special ($$$) reader; I use a $19.99 OBD2 adapter from Amazon, and an app on my phone. It'll scan all subsystems on these GM vehicles.

That sounds great, can you link me to the Amazon sale?
I have been thinking of buying something like this.
Does it also work with engine codes?

 

[Ramblejam]

Yes, engine codes as well.

Adapter (this is the one I have, and it works over wi-fi; there are others available that use bluetooth): http://a.co/1JQDh6G
App: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=scantech.cardiagnosticpro

P.S. - When I say it'll work on "these GM vehicles", I'm referring to the '03 Suburban, not your '94 Roadmaster.

 

[BigD1]

Going to get this sooner or later. Supposed to work good with Torque Pro.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NL...=A2VZTJP6N0Z6QL

 

[gonefishing]

Might be worth cleaning the MAF sensor

 

[Jarlaxle]

I wonder if the O2 sensor(s) might be nearing the end of its life.

 

[Rat407]

I cleaned the MAF sensor. No change. O2 sensors I think are original. I would have to ask.