5.3 cutting out

[cash talks]

my wife has a 2001 tahoe with a 5.3. when you get just below a 1/4 of a tank, it surges real bad mainly on grades and under power. once you fill up, it runs fine. it just started about 10 tanks ago and doesnt get worse yet. i am thinking it is the sock in the tank halfway plugged up, but not sure. tell me what you guys think. all help is appreciated
thanks, luke

[Defunct SO]

stick a fuel pressure gauge on it. See what pressure is at idle, driving with full tank, and when low.

[HotRodV6]

sounds to me like its a bad fuel pump, and with the low fuel it gets hot and start to cut out, but with a full tank it in in fuel so it stays cooler and runs fine.

[2500Ak]

Does the engine just cut out then jerk back to life. I just had my pump replaced and that's what it was doing, only under throttle, and at first it was only below 1500rpm, then 2300rpm, in the end I had to limp it back in third gear just to keep it above 4000rpm. The condition was progressive and the engine characteristics became increasingly violent, I think it was a bad tank of gas that killed it. You might try some seafoam in the tank, didn't help for mine but worth a try.

[cash talks]

thanks for all the help. i tried seafoam already. it is a constant surge only over 1/2 throttle and mainly on grades. it lonly does it when the guage gets slightly under 1/4 tank, then when you fill up, it is fine. again, thanks for all the help. i will run it till it quits. the tahoe has 125K on it and this is the first thing that has ever gone wrong with it, so i am pleased with that. i also suspect my wife frequently of runnin it too low on fuel

[PurpleMinivan]

sounds to me like its a bad fuel pump, and with the low fuel it gets hot and start to cut out, but with a full tank it in in fuel so it stays cooler and runs fine.

My 03' GMC and my brothers 01' chevy did just this. Changed fuel pumps. It never did it again.