2003 Chevy S-10 Truck won't idle

ALLBADLUCK

MEMBER
2003 CHEVROLET S-10

Engine Mechanical problem
2003 Chevy S-10 Automatic 80,000 miles

Problem starts 2 weeks ago. Won't crank. Jump started, but it won't idle. Battery check ok so, we checked connections, cleaned battery cables & the truck drives fine. Two weeks later. The truck won't start again. Leaking acid. This time, the battery tests bad. Replace the battery & it cranks immediately, but won't idle again. It will stay cranked as long as you keep revving the engine and seems to get better after driving it several miles. I'm wondering if whatever is causing it not to idle, also caused the dead cell in the battery or if we're looking at seperate issues. Any suggestions or ideas on what to check next? BTW. Alternator looks good, registering about 16 - 16.5.

2 Replies

JDL

MECHANIC
16,098 POSTS

Maybe a problem with idle air system? Any applicable trouble codes, at the least, you need an obd2 code reader? Thanks for the donate.

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Tuesday, October 19th, 2010 AT 1:01 PM

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,757 POSTS

Hi allbadluck. Welcome to the forum. Let's clear up some confusion first. When you say "it stays cranked", you mean it stays running, ... I assume. Cranking is what you do when you hold the ignition switch in the "start" position. This isn't a big deal but can confuse someone who might be trying to help.

Next, 16 volts is not acceptable. A fully charged battery will measure near 12.6 volts. When the engine is running, the battery voltage must be between 13.75 and 14.75 volts. At lower than 13.75 volts, the battery will not fully recharge. Over about 14.75 volts, the water will start to boil out of the battery. If you had acid coming out of the vents on top of your old battery, the excessive voltage is why. If the acid was leaking due to a crack in the case, that is a separate issue, possibly caused by it not being bolted down firmly.

Caradiodoc