2 issues with my 2000 Silverado...

[LuckyLightning]

I tried searching the forums for answers on these 2 issues but found nothing. So forgive me if the answers are already here - I just couldn't find them.

Issue 1: my tailgate won't open. It's stuck in the closed position. The handle will lift, and I can feel and hear the usual unlatching sound, but the tailgate won't budge. I took the handle off but couldn't spot anything on the inside that would indicate something is broken.

Issue 2: my gas pedal sticks at the initiation of acceleration. It's most noticeable in the mornings after the truck sits over night, but it's still pretty sticky throughout the drive. I found a few web pages on the internet that addresses this issue:

http://www.alldata.com/techtips/2002/20020920c.html

and

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question...=1006052221824

While they both address gum/gunk in the throttle body, only one mentions keeping the truck running while cleaning it out (with a rag, it seems is the popular "tool" of choice). The first also says to use WD-40 while the second link says to use injector cleaner.

Is there a difference between the lubricant/cleaner for effectiveness? How difficult is this to do for someone who is "mildly" mechanically inclined? I know nuts and bolts and changing my oil, but when it comes to carburetors or fuel injectors, I get a little panicky.

Incedentally, I couldn't find anything on the internet addressing my issue with the stuck tailgate, but I found tons on the cable recall.

Any advice would help. Thanks!

[LuckyLightning]

Oh and one other thing: my condensor sprung a leak and needs to be replaced (no more cold air)... do I really need to flush the system if I replace it? A garage I took it to for a quote etimated $500 to replace the part and flush the system. I'm wondering if I can find the part myself and swap them out without (hopefully) needing to flush out the system (which I have no experience doing).

[67ChevyRedneck]

1. Lift the tailgate handle and look between the back of the bed and the tailgate (on the inside) to see if you can see the latch being released. If they are not you can stick a small flathead screwdriver in there to get it open and go from there. One of the arms probably came disconnected?

2. Go to autozone or whatever and get a spray can thingy of throttle body cleaner. Pull the plastic piece off the front of the throttle body and spray away. I usually park on a hill with the front of the truck facing downhill so all of that gunk doesn't flow back to the intake. Spray the crap out of it and use a rag or paper towell to clean the stuff off. You're not going to get it all this way, but you should be able to get it clean enough for the pedal to stop sticking. You can remove it by removing the 4 screws that hold it down, but I don't know if you need to replace any gaskets or anything, so I haven't done it to mine yet.

3. You mean your A/C condensor, right? Go to a junkyard, get a new one, swap it out, go to wally world or wherever and get the R whatever it is stuff for A/C and refill it. Flush the system??? That sounds like BS. When something in the A/C springs a leak all of the gas escapes. What's left to flush??? Maybe they meant to refill the system?

I'm no expert, but I hope that gives you some ideas.

They're great trucks, mine has 90K and no problems at all yet, just routine maintenance. I do use fuel injector cleaner in my tank at least once a month and I clean the throttle body about once a year.

[Jonboy]

A dirty throttle body will also have a really low idle. I would just wet the rag with carb cleaner, and wipe the gunk off.

The tailgate handles have a tendency to crack the arms that go to the tailgate latch rods. Pull the bezel off, and watch the arms. Most likely they aren't moving far enough, and the handle will require replacement.

On the condenser, don't worry about flushing it. Replace the condenser, and pull a vacuum on the system to ensure there are no leaks. Refill and enjoy cold air again!

[Joe67]

The tailgate - on those trucks (I have a 2000 Sierra) you need to disassemble and relube the tailgate latch mechanisms every couple of years to prevent this.

Same goes for the throttle body. 99-2001 vortec motors tend to have excessive carbon buildup and must be cleaned as stated above.

I use Throttle Body cleaner, a clean rag and some qtips

[LuckyLightning]

Wow, you guys rock. Thanks for all the great input! I'll definitely be giving these suggestions a try over the next few days.

[Huck]

Cleaning the throttle body is simple--just remove the plastic that connects from the air cleaner to the metal throttle body unit. The throttle body has a metal flap that opens and closes to allow air in. This flap tends to stick as the walls of the thing build up with oil crud over time. My Tahoe needed cleaning with just 35K miles!! My 2000 silverado with 156K miles gets it cleaned once a year. Spray the throttle body cleaner in there, wipe it out with a clean rag, then check for the likage to work smooth. That should do it. Takes about 10 minutes. Run a bottle of "Techtron" through your gas tank once a year to help keep your injectors clean will also help.
If your truck has the tow/haul feature, expect that to stop working around 50-70K miles. the fine wires from the shifter stalk will break inside the steering column--simple fix as well. You can also expect the anti-lock brakes to give you trouble--recall to clean the rust off the sensor mount.
And your Vortec motor will start to give you start up noise like valves tapping which is common to all of them. This will make you nervous but it normally stops within 10-15 seconds after a cold start. Mine has been doing that forever with no noticeable problems.

[LuckyLightning]

Wow Huck, thank you very much. I figured I would have to do some research on the internet for locating and accessing the throttle body. I also feel much more comfortable knowing that these issues are not limited to me but are actually very common.

[centsless]

The buildup in the throttle body is very common. Spray the cleaner on the throttle plate and in the bore. Hold the throttle open and make sure you spray the back side of the plate. Use an old tooth brush to clean, then wipe as much as you can off with a rag. The tailgate handle is probably in need of replacement, as jonboy said. Just my 2 cents.

[LuckyLightning]

Thanks centsless, and everyone else, but I just sold my truck two days ago on Friday. I'm eye-ballin' a '95 Z-71 whch I assume may also lay victim to the gunked-up throttle body. These tips are priceless for me.

I'm assuming that when I'm cleaning the throttle body, the engine is off, right?

[Jonboy]

Yep. You definitely want it off. The 95 will have a TBI engine. Same principal, but laid out a whole lot differently.