Thread:

Balless towing 454

My brother and I both have 2000 Chevy crewcab duallies C3500 with the last of the 454s. We are both experiencing a severe case of ball lessness when towing. Both used to be great tow vehicles towing anything but lately and intermittently, the trucks will barely go 25 up a hill even with a small trailer. The dealers say there is nothing wrong, I have had O2 ensors changed thinking that was the problem, If it was the Cat t would be all the time, but it feels like a clogged cat when it is happening, the more gas you give the less power I have. It is embarrasing. Ha anyone had this problem before and what cured it?

Originally Posted by moneysucker

My brother and I both have 2000 Chevy crewcab duallies C3500 with the last of the 454s. We are both experiencing a severe case of ball lessness when towing. Both used to be great tow vehicles towing anything but lately and intermittently, the trucks will barely go 25 up a hill even with a small trailer. The dealers say there is nothing wrong, I have had O2 ensors changed thinking that was the problem, If it was the Cat t would be all the time, but it feels like a clogged cat when it is happening, the more gas you give the less power I have. It is embarrasing. Ha anyone had this problem before and what cured it?

when you put a load on the cat, it's probley glow'n red and closing, then when it
cools it upens back up,

also the maf sensor as said,

Originally Posted by moneysucker

My brother and I both have 2000 Chevy crewcab duallies C3500 with the last of the 454s. We are both experiencing a severe case of ball lessness when towing. Both used to be great tow vehicles towing anything but lately and intermittently, the trucks will barely go 25 up a hill even with a small trailer. The dealers say there is nothing wrong, I have had O2 ensors changed thinking that was the problem, If it was the Cat t would be all the time, but it feels like a clogged cat when it is happening, the more gas you give the less power I have. It is embarrasing. Ha anyone had this problem before and what cured it?

Just install new balls,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I have had the maf sensor cleaned prior to delivering my big trailer that I sold due to the towing problem and of course it worked fine. It seems to do it again in a few months. Both our trucks have K&Ns which I am thinking that the k&n oil ma be gunking the MAF sensor faster than it should. Thanks for the input guys, It sounds like the MAF sensor is the first thing to either clean or replace. unfortunately, the dealers and mechanics cannot duplicate the problem. The cat if clogged, would be getting progressively worse as more build up occured. Thanks for the input guys. I will go pick up some of those chrome balls that go under the truck and try that too.

Originally Posted by moneysucker

Both our trucks have K&Ns which I am thinking that the k&n oil ma be gunking the MAF sensor faster than it should. Thanks for the input guys, It sounds like the MAF sensor is the first thing to either clean or replace.

I can assure you that K&N, as well as similar air filters, are a well known cause of MAF sensor related drivability issues and check engine lights. If they are only very lightly oiled, you are probably OK. The real problem comes from over-oiling as the oil will eventually contaminate the MAF sensing wire causing it to send a signal indicating less airflow than actual. We(myself and fellow techs at a Toyota dealership) learned all about a few particular OBD codes back in about 2000-2001 specifically as the result of K&N filters installed in Tacomas and 4-Runners. Some were throwing codes at less than 10,000 miles. The same codes are not normally seen in non K&N-equipped vehicles until they are many years old with mileages in excess of 100,000.

Cy, cleaning the MAF is not rocket science. Quick spritz of brake cleaner or electrical contact cleaner followed by a blast of air is usually sufficient.

Thanks. I never thought that was the problem until now but I have been known to spend thousands chasing a problem that was easily fixed by reversing tha last thing that was done prior to the problem beginning. Duh. Thank you all for your input.

Cy

if its the older vortec 454 with a dizzy still, pull the dizzy and check the gear, i see them wear out all the time by 60k miles on em will make them dogs and it'll eventually start shearing the nose of the starters

take the truck to a muffler shop and have them pull the frt (pre cat) o2 sensors out and do a backpressure reading on each cat. anything above 5psi is tooooo much.

Originally Posted by moneysucker

My brother and I both have 2000 Chevy crewcab duallies C3500 with the last of the 454s. We are both experiencing a severe case of ball lessness when towing. Both used to be great tow vehicles towing anything but lately and intermittently, the trucks will barely go 25 up a hill even with a small trailer. The dealers say there is nothing wrong, I have had O2 ensors changed thinking that was the problem, If it was the Cat t would be all the time, but it feels like a clogged cat when it is happening, the more gas you give the less power I have. It is embarrasing. Ha anyone had this problem before and what cured it?

I have a Hypertech programmer that would help that lame 454.It came off my 2000 GMC dually with a 7.4L engine.It helped alot pulling my 40FT gooseneck trailer.Let me know if you are interested in it.

Jim S

Originally Posted by moneysucker

My brother and I both have 2000 Chevy crewcab duallies C3500 with the last of the 454s. We are both experiencing a severe case of ball lessness when towing. Both used to be great tow vehicles towing anything but lately and intermittently, the trucks will barely go 25 up a hill even with a small trailer. The dealers say there is nothing wrong, I have had O2 ensors changed thinking that was the problem, If it was the Cat t would be all the time, but it feels like a clogged cat when it is happening, the more gas you give the less power I have. It is embarrasing. Ha anyone had this problem before and what cured it?

I have a pair of 99 suburbans (customers) with vortec 454s under the hoods of them and they both have the same identical problems. we have checked and tried everything under the sun and they both still couldn't pull a sick whore off the shitter. if you fix this or have fixed it if you would please let me know what did it i would greatly appreciate it. there was a third one with a similar problem but a set of cat's fixed that one.