I have a 2003 S-10 Pickup stepside 4.3 4x4 with only 49,000 miles on it.

I have driven it most of the day off and on (Doc appts), they after sitting maybe an hour or two got in to go the store and it started but run like crap, then the Check Engine Light came on. I gave it some gas and the light went out then on again and now on and running like crap....I pick up the truck about a yr ago with 48K on it and did a paper trail on it and its legit mileage and so on was org from Ill. Now in AZ.. But looking at the engine I can see what appears the intake taken off and put back on, don't know what work was done. I can also see the power steering pump had been replaced (Now a pretty chrome one). And it appears the eng was taken care of. So maybe its just time for things to go bad...or a little more. (Why the intake was taken off at that low mileage in beyond me)...Where should I start?....I have not done anything yet except squirt some carb clearer down the throttle body but it look pretty clean..It starts fine..just idles like crap and sounds like a miss, but then I get going and it smooths out or it appears to...

I had a 2000 LT 4x4 Blazer that you all help me with a lot but I had to turn it out to pasture or shot it....it was beginning to be a money pit with 0nly 106K on it and I put most of them on it...I sure hope this one doesn't lead me down that path...sure is a pretty red step side...and use to run great... I plan on looking at the dist first when the engine in cold (in the morning) then the plugs, fuel filter egr...etc..work my way around it...

Thanks for any help

Dennis

 

Put a Fuel pressure gauge on the line in the back to see where it sits at when you turn the key on. Should stay not sure of the psi maybe 50-55? . It could be leaking from the spider injectors. here's a video yours may be a lil different cause of the year.

 

In that video, is the guy blaming the bad fuel pressure on a bad fuel injector? A really bad one?

 

Will have to do that. Went out this morning crank it up started fine, ran better then yesterday but still felt a like a little miss, nothing like yesterday where if felt like it was firing on 3 cyls. But that leads me to believe I still have a problem...going to Auto Zone in a little bit and get a tester...Also crawl under the truck to see where the fuel filter was at and old boy is that going to be a trick to get off..its not like a Blazer where its hard but doable, this is going to be a monster to take off. BUT...The threads look rusty on on one end...telling its been awhile since change like maybe when 1st bought in Ill...and the drive shaft look almost brand new and had a sticker saying three rivers on it..will have to look that up to see if they change it out, then to figure out why? Can they fool DMV and not have it show a savage vech? and I just bit the bullet..if so. the person I bought it off of is in some serious trouble! Eng change out? I don't think DMV would look for that...unless told so....Things are taking on a different smell and it ain't good!

 

Well, on my way to change that fuel filter...if you don't here from me call help and report me mia fuel filer replacement!

 

Change that Damn fuel filter...My arms look like they been through a war...I take blood thinners...Anyhow that was the ticket...runs great like it did before....However also notice that a new muffler was also put on...48K why so much work?....Never did get that bracket back on....Pssssssss.......Just be careful what fuel like you disconnect on the front end, there are two, one drains your tank (My first dumb choice) only got about 4 quarts before I said self this isn't right...look again with a flash light and said ah shi*...even got gas in the eye I just had cataract surgery on...double burn!!! Used lots of water...hope its all right. First time laying on my back on concrete since I fell off a ladder and landed on concrete blocks (I have not been having a good yr) broke 6 ribs on the left and 4 on the right..put me in the hospital for awhile and yes I have been back up on the ladder..dumb...Thanks for all the help...now rest and heal time...

 

Rest rest heal is always good. Happy it worked out for you!

 

One more question. How do you get the Check engine light off without a disconnect of the battery?

Thanks

 

Well guess what folks Johnny back!!!! Service engine light came on took it to my mech he ran a code checker on it and said the solenoid on the fuel tank was bad..tried to put a after market one on there and it would not fit so he is still looking, mean while when it was running no#1 started to miss, he put the code checker on there and it said it was running way to lean, before it was to rich. Said maybe the MAFS senor was bad (Brand new one about two weeks old and ran fine just a little rich, now lean, bad MAFS?) As I have stated before it looks like this engine has had a lot of work done to it before I pick it up with only 48,000 miles on it, now 49,000 and change...The car fax came back good. But one never knows what the previous owner did to it and it was a one owner vech before me...Maybe a lemon and the owner had enough and dump it (On me) can't get a hold of him now...hmmmmmmm. I don't know if I have a bad mech or a bad motor as in a lemon...Intake has been taken off prior to me...leads me to think fuel problems ( At less then 48K ) New power steering pump, new muffler???? and a host of other things like work on the front end, tie rods etc...Did I just get taken to the cleaners on this truck? I'm thinking so....

Any bad news will be welcome, better then no news....

Thanks

 

Nah you have just the typical S10 - Love Hate relationship - Maybe they salted the roads back where it came from and salt is hard on things under the truck and for the chrome power steering pump he prob changed out the outer cover just to add a lil chrome under the hood, not my choice tho hate things i have to polish - several reasons to remove the air plenem I had a vehicle come into my small shop that had under 50 tho miles on it and had backfired hard enough to blow it apart, that was two or three years ago but if I remember right when scanned it showed a bad maf or map sensor