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2003 Silverado 1500

fourwheelerjeff

fourwheelerjeff

I spend too much time here
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I inherited my dad's 2003 Silverado 1500. it only has 138000 miles on it. it has some rust in the bed and cab corners, and the front bumper is bent where he hit a hog. I have found another bed and bumper for it. I really don't need another pickup but since it was my dad's I guess I'll take it. right now I have been using it to move stuff from my old house to my new; although it is pretty light duty and a trailer really bogs it down.

once I get moved I would like to put a cold air intake on it along with a cat back exhaust. lower it 2" in front with spindles and 2-3" in back with drop shackles. I found some later model 17" wheels for it my dad had that my brother probably gave to him. figure it will be good to run to the store in and keep my Dodges for towing.

I keep thinking it is a new truck, hard to believe it is 20 years old.
 
what would be a good cam for the 5.3 in this truck?
@folkenheath

www.michiganmotorsports.com

Brian Tooley BTR Truck Norris LS Camshaft for Gen 3/4 4.8L 5.3L 6.0L LS1 1999-2013 Cam Kit

Upgrade your 1999–2013 GM Gen 3/4 LS engine with the BTR Truck Norris Camshaft Kit. Designed by Brian Tooley Racing, this camshaft delivers increased power and torque across the RPM range, featuring a 212/22X duration, .552"/.552" lift, and a 107 LSA. Compatible with 4.8L, 5.3L, 6.0L, and 6.2L...
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TSP Texas Speed CHOPacabra 99-13 LS Truck/SUV Cam Kit with Install 4.8 5.3 6.0L | eBay

TSP CHOPacabra Low Lift Truck Camshaft (Specs : 214/222. 550"/.550" 108 LSA). Introducing the CHOPacabra cam! This is a nasty little beast of cam. Designed to work with LS6 valve springs and a factory torque converter.
www.ebay.com
 
centexk5 said:
What are you trying to accomplish? Both cams are popular manufacturers.
Click to expand...

just a little more go; this truck is not suited for towing and I have never had a muscle car and with all the talk about how easy it is to up the LS thought I would try it. I know it will need a tune afterwards and have a buddy that can do it
 
I’d go long tubes before cam. Those with a tune are a solid 20hp and won’t lose you anything in the curve. Speed engineering offers a real cheap but real nice setup. Ran them on my 2014.

If you are going for towing, gear it. The cams you are showing are pretty hefty and aren’t great to tow with.

I’d call both companies and talk to them. I know BTR can (or used to anyways) do custom grinds and TSP has got a wide range of offerings.
 
Those are both good companies, both of those cams have a very tight LSA, which are going to have a choppy idle and be very peaky with the power and lose more low end. I would say other than the LSA, they are somewhat mild cams. If you want a choppy idle I can get you a rattler or motha thumpa cam that will have similar results, and they typically advance the cam more so you lose less low end. I notice the cams above don't say the ICL they are ground on, that can be moved with a good 9 keyway timing chain though.

I have several questions for you before I would select a cam, we can talk on the phone or I could send you a list here or at PM? I typically find the best off the shelf grind for your application from several companies, but can do custom grinds as well. I am just not a fan of the "stage 1 or 2" cams.

I agree on the long tubes, long tubes are worth it, and even more worth it with a cam.

Gearing is also worth it if you want more acceleration even in a toy without towing.

I don't agree on calling them but I am bias, I suggest call me... ..:D

(262)495-8861
 
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centexk5 said:
I’d go long tubes before cam. Those with a tune are a solid 20hp and won’t lose you anything in the curve. Speed engineering offers a real cheap but real nice setup. Ran them on my 2014.

If you are going for towing, gear it. The cams you are showing are pretty hefty and aren’t great to tow with.

I’d call both companies and talk to them. I know BTR can (or used to anyways) do custom grinds and TSP has got a wide range of offerings.
Click to expand...

see, I didn't even know you could put headers on these newer models.

no towing, just a play truck. I still have 3 Cummins for towing
 
Oh ya. Really easy platform to work on.

If this is a toy then I'd still call Heath and have him spec you something better than a poser cam.
 
Yes getting rid of the factory Y pipe with some long tubes can unleash the ponies.
 
I am having 2 issues with my 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 with the 5.3:

first is blower motor; it goes out intermittently. sometimes I could hit the bottom of the dash and it would come back on. or driving it will cut off for a few seconds and them come back on. However, I can't get it to come on now. I understand that is a common problem on these; time for a new blower motor?

second is dash issues. when you start it, where you can pick what language just constantly scrolls between the 3. however, if you turn the key on without starting it you can put it to the correct language but as soon as you start it the display just starts scrolling. I do know how to change the language but holding the reset in does nothing when it is running. any ideas?
 
Down by the passengers feet inside the cab.
Blower motor resistor.
 
If I remember right they had a recall on the connector from the blower resister to the blower. They had a tendency to run hot and melt. We did many on those trucks at the dealer.

The digital display is dictated by the steering wheel controls. I’m betting you have a sticking button or a shorted wire in the harness or sir coil.
 
My 04 Duramax will do something very similar with the roulette wheel of languages Every 5th or 6th time I go to start the truck, it'll start rolling through the languages,
but it will lock me out of using any of the steering wheel buttons for 30 seconds to a minute afterward.

Mine has to be a problem in the harness somewhere, because Ive put three different steering wheels on this truck with no change.


My 00 6.0 truck also had a bad habit of eating blower motors, and they would do exactly as you described, sometimes needing a kick to get going. With the exception of the very first time, when i lost every speed but 5, and needed a new resistor module, they've been dying of rust. Filling up with water somehow.
 
this is the only GMT900; edit to GMT800 (thanks @Blue85) truck I have any experience with. the shift lever is very loose. I have wondered if they are all that way or if that is a contributing factor.

I inherited this truck after my father passed. usually I can get the blower motor going by hitting the cover around where the blower motor is. wouldn't you know, the first real cold spell and that doesn't work anymore.
 
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A 2003 would be a GMT800. I know you can disassemble the shroud on the column and inspect where the lever ties in and how the cable connects. Something could be getting loose. Usually in these, the connection at the transmission stays tight, unlike the '900s which spit out a bushing there and leave you somewhere with no ability to take the truck out of gear :eek1: (on mine, fortunately it happened in my driveway and I was able to drive out on the road, turn around and get back in the garage before shutting it off.) If you do open the column cover, inspect the wiring for the tow/haul button. It wears out eventually, but isn't hard to repair the wires while you're in there.
 
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