Thinking of a used Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra? You’re in luck, the experts at 1A auto went over the most common problems with the V8 engines available in the 2007-2013 Silverado/Sierra. While both the 5.3-liter and 6.0-liter V8s are relatively reliable engines, thanks to quality parts like a timing chain instead of a timing belt, there are some minor issues you’ll want to meet.
Error in the oil pressure transmitter causing inaccuracies in the manometer
You may notice that the engine oil pressure gauge on your Silverado or Sierra fluctuates up and down. Or maybe it’s showing very low oil pressure. If you’re lucky, this is just a problem with the sensor (also called the sender) that reads your oil pressure and sends it to the gauge. Unfortunately, this sensor is stuck behind the air intake, so your best bet is to remove the air intake and then check the sensor. A problem may be a clogged filter screen below the sender. Another may be a faulty sending unit.
A rarer cause of a fluctuating gauge can be a failing oil pump. If you ignore this problem, you may feel your engine getting louder as your lifters become oil starved. Eventually, this can cause serious damage to your engine. You will likely need to hire a professional to take the engine apart, remove the oil pan and replace the pump.
Burns oil and causes oil levels to drop
Another oil-related problem you may experience in your Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra pickup truck is a low oil level. If you have no visible oil leaks, your engine is likely burning oil along with gasoline. This sounds like a serious problem and on some vehicles it usually means a blown head gasket or even piston rings. But in the V8-powered Silverado/Sierra, it might be easier to tackle.
Like all engines, General Motors V8s have a positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) system. This valve and one-way tube allow excess gases to escape from the crankcase and then burn them back into the cylinders. When this valve wears, engine oil leaks into the intake and burns next to the gas. Fixing this problem is as easy as removing and replacing the valve cover.
Check engine light caused by knock sensor malfunction
An engine’s “knock sensor” is essentially a vibration sensor that detects irregular knocks in a misfiring engine. If it detects this problem, it sends a signal to the ECU to adjust the engine timing. But if that doesn’t work, a check engine light will come on. If you’ve read your check engine light and find that the problem is supposed to be a misfire, but you never feel like your engine is misfiring, you might want to look at the knock sensor.
On older Chevrolet/GMC trucks, these knock sensors were put behind the intakes and very difficult to replace. But on the 2007-2013 Silverado/Sierra, these sensors are located on the bottom of the engine and are easy to access once you lift the truck.
The experts at 1A Auto called General Motors’ V8s, both the 5.3-liter and the 6.0-liter, “virtually bulletproof.” But since every engine has components like sensors and PCV valves that eventually wear out, it’s good to know what to check in your Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra.
Below, check out the top 4 problems with the Silverado/Sierra in general or watch the 1A engine trouble video here:
