2017 Surburban running rough/stalls

[ncway]

2017 Surburban 5.3 123k miles. First post, but have searched along the forums and gotten help before, but this one has me stumped.

24k miles ago (98k miles), had all the lifters replaced on the passenger side as well as the plugs, wires, and coils.
Less than 20k miles ago (106kish) had a rebuilt transmission put in. (should have traded it then, but I was thinking i just poured all that money into it so maybe we'll be good for another 100k)
Back in the summer, I had to replace my battery that wasn't even a year old when it just randomly went bad.
It's also always had that what feels like a misfire while sitting at a redlight, but the RPM doesnt move and you don't feel it all the time. I started using only Chevron gas and that seemed to help that out a good bit. I have mentioned to my wife before that maybe I should change the fuel pump to see if that would help that issue.

Fast forward to a week and a half ago, I had stopped near my house at store when I cranked it up, it was very rough idle and I was only a mile maybe from home so I drove there and it was running rough skipping like misfiring. As I was about to pull in, the engine light started blinking and the TSC light came on. I shut it off and went inside for a bit, then got my code reader and cranked it back up to pull the codes and it was running smooth, no lights, but it gave a pending P0304 misfire. I've had plenty of coil pack trouble with a F150 I used to own so to me it seemed obvious that coil was maybe going bad so I picked up one and switched it out. No more codes, no more running rough, until a week later, I left home and got about a mile down the road and when I was slowing down at a light, the car starts skipping and jumping again and running rough so I immediately turned around and headed back. It skipped probably 3/4 of the way back, then it seemed to clear up and it ran ok, not perfect, but definitely not like it was. No engine light, but I checked it anyways and got a pending P0106 MAP/BARO Sensor code. It was time for an oil change anyways so I went ahead and changed the oil, put a new air filter in, cleaned the throttle body, MAF sensor and put a new MAP sensor in (again, previous F150 owner so sensor going out seemed obvious to change it). I cranked it back up after all that and let it run while I was cleaning up and it ran for a few minutes until it all of a sudden started to skip and the skip got worse until it stalled out. I was a bit over it at that point so I let it sit for a while and came back out later and cranked it up and it was running fine so I decided to take it to the end of my street, drove down and back, all was good, then drove down and back again, and all was good. Let it sit for a min idling and I did notice a bit of a ticking noise, but nothing to out of the ordinary, I went to take it back down the street again and it started skipping as I passed my neighbors house. Turned back and let it idle and it stalled out. Cranked right back up, but almost immediately stalled again. Still nothing but a pending P0106. I checked all the wires to and from the battery and disconnected it to drain capacitors and give a reset maybe. Cranked a couple hours later and same thing, stalled right out.

I'm a bit puzzled. When I had a lifter go out before, it ticked, but it was faint enough I didnt notice that until it got to where it would just hesitate when trying to go. Once you went, it was ok, it was mainly when you would hit the gas, it would lag. My first thought since it seemed a bit intermittent and random, it seemed maybe electrical, then I took myself down the lifter path again, but after reading more forums and stuff, I am in the thinking that the ECM could be going out. As I thought back at other things it was doing recently, the only thing I noticed every now and then was that when it would downshift, it seemed to gear down weird sometimes.

Any help or direction as to narrowing down what it could be will be greatly appreciated. I plan to try and find the grounds and check those and take the plugs loose from the ECM today to see if any of them are corroded or anything.

 

[Fless]

First of all, I'd say to forget about the Ford issues and their solutions -- they don't necessarily apply to the issue with the Suburban. Changing parts that are "maybe's" or possibilities just add unnecessary variables to the issue. Save your old OE parts and reinstall them if you can, especially if the issue continues after changing them out.

Using a good bi-directional scanner would allow you to look at some of the live data, as well as freeze frame data when you have a code. That could significantly narrow down the cause.

I have heard of the high pressure fuel pumps doing some odd things to these when they're going bad. I'm not saying to change that, but it's something to keep in mind. This could be something as simple as a stuck open evap purge valve.

I'm sure other members will post suggestions.

 

[ncway]

First of all, I'd say to forget about the Ford issues and their solutions -- they don't necessarily apply to the issue with the Suburban. Changing parts that are "maybe's" or possibilities just add unnecessary variables to the issue. Save your old OE parts and reinstall them if you can, especially if the issue continues after changing them out.

Using a good bi-directional scanner would allow you to look at some of the live data, as well as freeze frame data when you have a code. That could significantly narrow down the cause.

I have heard of the high pressure fuel pumps doing some odd things to these when they're going bad. I'm not saying to change that, but it's something to keep in mind. This could be something as simple as a stuck open evap purge valve.

I'm sure other members will post suggestions.

Yeah, part swapping isn't my favorite thing to do at all, but when it was a cheaper part, I figured it was worth a shot. I talked to a friend of mine who's a chevy owner too and he mentioned fuel pump. I know that sensor code can mean there's too much air in the system, which would track with not getting enough fuel. Could also have something to do with after running for a while, it'll skip out and die if the fuel pump isnt constantly delivering like it should, but does on the initial surge on start up. I've been wanting to upgrade my scanner to one I can view live data with but I just haven't pulled that trigger.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

Welcome to the Forum from NH.

Lots of knowledgeable folks here who freely share their knowledge, experiences, and perspectives. Knowledge is power.

I hope that you will become a participating member in the Forum's discussions.

Pics of the truck, please.

You are already receiving sage advice from the knowledgeable folks on this Forum.

I suggest that you get yourself a quality bi-directional scanner, and do some deeper troubleshooting, like @Fless suggested. Otherwise, you're just pi**ing in the dark, and firing the parts cannon, and it is unlikely that you will resolve your issue. Autel makes some great bi-directional scanners. You can test many of the truck's electronic functions with the scanner, in order to determine the source of an issue. You will also be able to reset/delete trouble codes, after taking corrective action. You will literally save thousands of dollars in diagnostic and repair costs over the life of your truck, and you will most likely recoup the cost of the scanner within 1 year.

Buying/renting a mechanical pressure gauge to confirm whether on not your fuel pump is an issue would be a next step, as well.

 

[ncway]

I just wanted to update my post in case anyone else has this problem. I ended up taking it to the shop who did work on the lifters before. Found my paperwork from that and had a 2yr 24kmile warranty on parts and labor. Owner of the shop told me that he'd do what he could do to honor the warranty. I was literally 145 miles over the warranty miles. Either way, they ended up working towards inspecting the lifters and the guy told me right as he was about to write it up as failed lifters, he noticed I had a bent push rod on cylinder 4 which is where the misfire code came from and then of course the sensor ended up being shown as not working because of that too. There was no other damage and parts were all retrieved so they put a new push rod in and recommended I tune the motor to not switch between 4 and 8 anymore. Had it back a week now and it's running good again. What's weird is that when they replaced the lifters the first time, the same cylinder had a bent rod. The mechanic told me he was surprised that there isnt a class action law suit already on all the models with those flex engines. Said he had to warranty an engine after they had already replaced the lifters a couple times. GM told him to keep replacing them until it tears up something down in the engine and it finally did at only 60k miles. Either way. Hopefully if someone else runs into the same issues I had, this post will help.