Tahoe Intermediate dieing/sputtering

[BoostJunkE]

Hello people,

The names Ray and I found your site while searching the net for help on my wife's Tahoe. I was wondering if anyone could help?


I have a 2004 Z71 Tahoe we bought new back in August of '04. It's completely stock outside of a new set of tires and a new cluster gauge...oil pressure gauge took a dive a few months ago. The clock reads around 85k and about 70% or more of that is HWY miles. We put 40k in the first year alone with only one issue...some 4x4 sensor switch had to be replaced. Then last November it died on my wife coming back from a small 100 mile road trip. She pulled over and called me. While waiting she tried to start it and it turned over and was able to make it home under it's own power. When I checked it out there was no check engine light and everything ran smooth. In fact it ran perfect for another 6 months without one issue. Then it happened again while we was on our way to Sadona, AZ...we live in West Texas. I was about 20 miles outside of Phoenix when it started sputtering and loosing power. But it never died! I couldn't move but it would still idle. I let it set for a few before trying to move/give it gas. This time it started moving as if nothing happened. Well she drove along like this for about another hour when this time it died. I was on I-17 and had to pull over. I cut everything off and waited a few minutes before trying to start it. As before with my wife, it started right up and ran again for about 30 mins. Then it started sputtering but never dying....although it didn't die, it was on and off sputting for about 15 minutes.

I was low on fuel this time and up in elevation. So I figured I may have loaded up on some bad gas or need more octane. At this time we was at out distination and I desided to sleep on it. The next day I took it down to the nearest station and loaded it up on 91 octane. There for a small time I figured everything was good. We drove around for a week with zero problems including our return trip back down to Tucson where we have been renting a house for the summer. That was 8 days ago and everything was going good until today. My wife went shopping with a friend. She pulled up to the first shop wich wasn't but a few miles away and parked. When she came back the Tahoe wouldn't start:mad2: She called road side...me and our son was at the theater. After about 15 mins, she tried starting the Tahoe which it turned over as if nothing happened and got her home.

Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions as to WTF is going on? This is our second Tahoe and have had great luck with them...outside of this issue and some lady running a red light killing our last one.

I have tried to include everything I could think of that may help. The truck has been well maintained since day one. I use Moble 1 and Moble filter every 3,000-5,000 miles. FYI: It's never given us a single check engine light. It's has mention the 4X4 system twice.

Thnk you for everything and I'm sorry for the long first post. I have worked on cars on and off for years. I know in my experience the more details the better.

Ray

 

[73shark]

Welcome to the Tahoe Forum. My first guess would be the in-tank filter on the fuel pump and second would be the regular fuel filter.

 

[BoostJunkE]

Thanks,


Thats a good place to start...I can't recall ever changing the external filter. Do you know when either one should be replaced? I can't seem to locate that in the owners manual :confused2:

 

[73shark]

Not sure there is an external one anymore. If there is, it is probably on the inside of the frame rail. I believe the 07+ just have the one in the tank.

You might try posting this in the earlier Tahoe section.

 

[JennaBear]

The flex-fuels have the filter in the frame rail and the gas-only have em in the tank.

 

[73shark]

Is that true for the 07+ too?

 

[JennaBear]

Is that true for the 07+ too?

Not sure, just know that cause I have an 04.

 

[TrueNorthAK]

sputtering..

I was running into the same problem with my 992dr. Found out it was a clogged fuel filter, mech said he was surprised it was even starting. It also was messing with the factory readings for the 02 sensors and throwing those off, my mass airflow sensor had to be replaced at the same time, and it took the truck a couple runs before it got itself off of the factory presets and realized it was running clean again. Hope this helps.

 

[BoostJunkE]

Well hell, now the damn thing want start at all :ack:

I had it towed to a local shop and told them to change the fuel filter. So hopefully this will solve my issue. I would do it my self but I'm out of town on vaction. The filter is an external and inside the frame rail but I really don't want to mess with it. We rented an 07' Tahoe for the time being. So far the new design is nice. I like the climate controls a lot more than our old one. My wife is really into the door cup holders...oh the little things lol

 

[BoostJunkE]

Well it wasn't the fuel filter although that was close...it was the fuel pump. I thought the pump sounded strange but I figured this was due to a pluged filter.

 

[Black Dog]

Well it wasn't the fuel filter although that was close...it was the fuel pump. I thought the pump sounded strange but I figured this was due to a pluged filter.

You could be right, let's hope it doesn't still have a bad filter, which wrecked the pump, and that the new pump only works because it's new and strong, and that it will eventually go out too... Or even worse, that they said the pump because it made them more money, when it was the filter all along. I'm paranoid. But if I changed a pump I'd still want a new filter anyway.

 

[BoostJunkE]

You could be right, let's hope it doesn't still have a bad filter, which wrecked the pump, and that the new pump only works because it's new and strong, and that it will eventually go out too... Or even worse, that they said the pump because it made them more money, when it was the filter all along. I'm paranoid. But if I changed a pump I'd still want a new filter anyway.

Yes sir, I told the shop to replace the fuel filter either way. I figured it was probaly straining the hell out of the fuel pump. Anyhow, I rarely let people work on my cars but we're on the road. It's also still under warrante, so it shouldn't brank the bank.