5.3 power?

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Yukongk

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Posts
776
Reaction score
12
Location
NY
Had 6 adults (including me) in my Yuk today and some luggages. Was taking some back roads on a road trip and hit a pretty steep hill. Felt like my Yuk was struggling, I had my gas pedal to the floor, and was barely able to maintain 30mph. Is this normal for a 5.3 in 2001? Should I have manually shifted into 2 or 1?

Thanks,
 

07Burb

GM fan for life
Staff member
Moderator Supporting Member Administrator
Joined
Jan 3, 2011
Posts
50,968
Reaction score
19,480
Sounds like there is something wrong unless you were going up a really steep incline and all 6 of you and luggage weigh A LOT!!
 

soulsea

Elite Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2011
Posts
11,857
Reaction score
667,430
Location
Bar
Had 6 adults (including me) in my Yuk today and some luggages. Was taking some back roads on a road trip and hit a pretty steep hill. Felt like my Yuk was struggling, I had my gas pedal to the floor, and was barely able to maintain 30mph. Is this normal for a 5.3 in 2001? Should I have manually shifted into 2 or 1?

Thanks,

If you had the pedal to the floor, shouldn't it have downshifted on its own?
 

Z-56 Hoe

What do I do????
Joined
Jan 18, 2010
Posts
2,573
Reaction score
164
Location
Houston
No it's not.
How much together roughly did all people weigh? And then how much weight in luggage? Also what kind of. Grade was the hill? And how hot was it outside?
 

mfdrookie516

Loading.......
Joined
May 21, 2013
Posts
192
Reaction score
1
Hmmm.... did you happen to have a 10,000lb trailer hiding behind you? Definitely doesn't sound right, unless your passsengers were elephants hitching a ride from the zoo. Might wanna check your cats and fuel pump...
 
OP
OP
Yukongk

Yukongk

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Posts
776
Reaction score
12
Location
NY
No it's not.
How much together roughly did all people weigh? And then how much weight in luggage? Also what kind of. Grade was the hill? And how hot was it outside?

People= ~1,000lbs
Luggage = 100lbs
Not sure what grade the hill was, but a fairly steep incline, much steeper than all the other hills I drove on without issues today.
It was about 88 degrees and I had the front and rear A/C going.

Had fuel pump changed last month. Tune up 2 months ago. Cleaned my air filter 2 months ago.

I'm thinking if I would have let off the gas, and pressed on it that I may have downshifted ( maybe the tranny got confused)?
 
Last edited:

erald01

Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2012
Posts
31
Reaction score
0
Coolant temperature? Was it almost at the red line? It sounds like u hit engine thermal protection mode
 
OP
OP
Yukongk

Yukongk

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Posts
776
Reaction score
12
Location
NY
Yes I was in the Pennsylvania mountains.

I didn't check my engine coolant temp and didn't even look at my rpms, will do if it happens again..

I have less power with the A/C running, wondering if it would have been a significant difference with it off.
 
OP
OP
Yukongk

Yukongk

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Posts
776
Reaction score
12
Location
NY
I'm going to put some fuel system cleaner in my tank today to make sure my injectors are clean. Any way I can test the MAF sensor?
 

07Burb

GM fan for life
Staff member
Moderator Supporting Member Administrator
Joined
Jan 3, 2011
Posts
50,968
Reaction score
19,480
Mine either :shrug: The last time I had A/C make a difference was in my 2.8L powered '93 S-10 back in the day and the power output of that thing was also affected by a bag of groceries in the bed so that ain't saying much :D
 
OP
OP
Yukongk

Yukongk

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Posts
776
Reaction score
12
Location
NY
I noticed my lights dimmed when I was driving last night and put the back windows up at the same time. Is it possible that this is related to the electrical system? I hooked up my scanner and there aren't any stored codes. How should I go about diagnosing the problem?
 

07Burb

GM fan for life
Staff member
Moderator Supporting Member Administrator
Joined
Jan 3, 2011
Posts
50,968
Reaction score
19,480
Have you had your alternator and battery checked out?
 

Vette66

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2013
Posts
196
Reaction score
10
Location
Fresno, Ca
You guys are funny. I pulled a 3000 lbs tent trailer this weekend and it makes a difference if the AC is on or not. A 20hp reduction in power with the AC on you can feel. I went up some pretty steep inclines and it struggled a bit, I just used the tow/haul button and all was fine. Granted most of the turns and hills (up and down) I would not do the posted 55mph with a trailer so did not really notice a major reduction in speed. 308 ft of elevation to 6000 ft in 60 miles there are a few steep hills.
 
OP
OP
Yukongk

Yukongk

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Posts
776
Reaction score
12
Location
NY
Have you had your alternator and battery checked out?

Well, when my fuel pump died a couple months ago, I killed the battery trying to get her running. Mechanic that replaced the fuel pump said the battery was fine after he charged it up for me. Didn't exactly check the alternator.
I run a 300Watt amp and sub if it makes any difference
 

Forum statistics

Threads
138,109
Posts
1,999,248
Members
103,033
Latest member
JasonW4141
Back
Top