Hi all,
I have a 2000 silverado LS Z71 with 5.3l and 66k on the clock. The truck hasn't been driven much in the last year and until recently ran perfectly. I always turn the key to the run position for about 3-5 secs before starting so that might have caused the issue also.
Currently the truck starts instantly when cold. As soon as I hear the motor turn over, the truck is started. If I run the truck at operating temperature, turn it off and immediately restart, it starts instantly. The problem is when I leave it sit for 30-90 (all I have verified) mins. If the temp guage in the dash reads below 200 but more than 160, I seem to have a hard time starting. It cranks for 5-7 seconds, kicks a bit and then runs like crap for about 10 seconds. After that, the truck runs fine. I don't notice any power loss and no codes are stored either. It has been happening more and more often but the symptoms don't seem to change and it's very intermittant.
One more thing, one time I heard a clicking sound under the hood when I turned the key to the run position with engine in affected temp range. That noise lasted for about 3 seconds and then went silent. I could not get the clicking noise back again turning the key off/on repeatedly. Sounded like it came from the drivers side near the firewall on top of the engine.
Does this sounds like a fuel pressure regulator? If so, are these a DIYer job and is there a way to test mine to know for sure?
TIA (sorry for the long post, but I want to get all the details I can),
Derek