Multiple Symptoms... How Many Problems?

[zibzer]

so i have a few problems with my 2000 Silverado 4.3l. I dont know if 1 problem is causing everything or if it is several problems.. but maybe you guys can help.

 

1st Problem:

five or six in the last 2 months my engine RPMS will surge fast and slow for about 10 seconds and then go back to normal. this always happened while accelerating at slow speeds. and 2 of the 6 times it was in rain, and 1 of the times it was right after a car wash. At first I thought my tranny was slipping from first to second gear but the second time it happened (out of the car wash) i stopped immediately, popped the hood, and saw the engine jumping all over the place almost like 1 or more cylinders werent firing or it was starving for fuel and randomly firing cylinders.

 

2nd Problem:

engine will sometimes be very hard to start. Most of the time my engine fires up easily. but occasionally (once or twice a week) it will not fire up without me holding the gas peddle to keep the rpms high. It will start immediately rev to 1500 (like it always does when first starting) and then die immediately (once it stalled like this while sitting at a stoplight).

 

3rd Problem:

lights will flicker on radio and (if dimmed halfway) the Park, Netral, Drive cluster will flicker also. But this does not happen all the time. Today i experimented and it would only start doing this after driving for 1-2 minutes . (very weird). if i shut the engine off and start it back up, it is fine for another 1-2 minutes.

 

4th Problem:

gurgle in heater core. i drained about half the fluid from the rad and refilled it and this problem seemed to have diminished a LOT. I think if i was to have it professionally flushed and refilled and burped, it would stop gurgling... but i could be wrong!

 

 

well guys. if anyone can help in any aspect please do!

 

btw. oil done 3500Km's ago, wires and plugs done 3500kms ago (ngk iridiums + NAPA brand high quality wires-lifetime warranty), KN Air Filter.

 

not sure about other stuff such as fuel filter seeing that i have only owned the vehicle since November.

[rjirvine]

Try this for the gurgling:

 

http://gm-trucks.com/home/content/view/149/25/

[rjirvine]

I would definately change the fuel filter before trobleshooting further. Don't forget to use flare nut wrenches. After you do that, I'd clean the MAF and the throttle body with some Throttle Body cleaner, just to make sure those are okay before going further.

[Bish]

I would check the Idle Air Control mounted on the Throttle Body too. Mine idled like crap and the IAC was covered in crud. Cleaning it cured the idle problem.