Fast idle in extreme cold

Tiny
MIKE1961
  • MEMBER
  • 2003 CHEVROLET 1500
  • 5.3L
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 140,000 MILES
When it is very cold out (-20 C or colder), my truck will start okay but will not fast idle long enough to remain running. It stalls after about thirty seconds. This problem is new this winter. I can manually rev the engine up for a minute or two and then it will be okay. The check engine light does not come on. My engine does not have an idle air control valve.
What is the most likely culprit? A sensor of some sort? The computer?
The truck runs perfectly fine otherwise.
Wednesday, January 10th, 2018 AT 6:51 PM

5 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 47,513 POSTS
Hello,

To me it sounds like you have a engine coolant temperature sensor that is off slightly not enough to cause a check engine light but enough to create a engine runnability problem.

Here is a guide to help you see what you are in for what changing the sensor out:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/coolant-temperature-sensor-cts-replacement

Below is the location on your truck.

Check out the diagrams (below).

Let us know what happens and please upload pictures or videos of the problem.

Cheers, Ken
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Friday, January 12th, 2018 AT 11:44 AM
Tiny
MIKE1961
  • MEMBER
  • 24 POSTS
So! The PCV valve on my truck has never been changed. It has a very tiny hole on the engine side that was carboned-up a bit, so I changed it out. I was talking to a GM parts guy and out of the blue he suggested I buy some throttle body cleaner and clean up any varnish or deposits on or around the butterfly valve in my throttle body. When I took the intake air hose off, which was difficult, sure enough it was dirty in there. I cleaned the valve and all around it, and sprayed some more fluid into the engine, and voila!
Problem solved! Yahoo!
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Sunday, February 18th, 2018 AT 2:49 AM
Tiny
KEN L
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  • 47,513 POSTS
Good to hear, please use 2CarPros anytime we are here to help. Here is a guide to the repair so others can see what you did.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/throttle-actuator-service

Cheers, Ken
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Monday, February 19th, 2018 AT 9:44 AM
Tiny
MIKE1961
  • MEMBER
  • 24 POSTS
Thank you Ken for bothering to follow up on my problem and solution. Much appreciated!
Many thanks, Mike
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Tuesday, February 20th, 2018 AT 12:55 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 47,513 POSTS
No problem :) any luck on the issue?
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Tuesday, February 20th, 2018 AT 12:06 PM

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