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The Spanish international doubled his tally for the season with a brace -- his first home goals since scoring in the 6-3 rout of Arsenal on December 14 last year -- and Yaya Toure added a late third.
The defending champions were forced to go into the game without a recognised striker and with versatile utility man James Milner pressed into action as an emergency centre-forward.
Injuries to Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic and an illness affecting young reserve Jose Angel Pozo left City manager Manuel Pellegrini in a predicament, and the absence of a predatory front man was keenly felt in the first half.
City pieced together a number of enterprising moves, but with Palace well drilled and committed, too often they found at least 10 visiting players blocking their path to goal.
Aside from a number of shots from relatively long range, it took until the 24th minute for the hosts to carve out a meaningful chance when Silva's close-range shot deflected wide via Mile Jedinak.
And it was not until the closing minutes of the first period that the Palace goal was seriously threatened again.
Another flowing move ended with Toure threading through a pass for Pablo Zabaleta, who dinked his shot inches wide from close range after visiting goalkeeper Julian Speroni went to ground too early.
Instead, City were left to face occasional anxious moments of their own as Palace showed speed and some unorthodox moments on the counter-attack, with Yannick Bolasie looking particularly lively for the visitors.
After 16 minutes, the France-born Democratic Republic of Congo international tested Joe Hart with a dangerous cross into his six-yard area.
He then headed on a free-kick to Fraizer Campbell, who broke City's offside trap and sent an overhead shot agonisingly wide of the City goal.
Those misses looked particularly costly as City opened the second half in far more energetic and direct fashion, taking the lead within four minutes of the restart.
Fernandinho's perceptive pass picked out Zabaleta's darting run into the area and the full-back pulled back a short pass for Silva, whose 12-yard shot deflected off Scott Dann and looped over Speroni.
It was the start of a period of relentless City pressure that led to a decisive second goal for Silva after 61 minutes.
Fernandinho's pass found the overlapping Kolarov on the left wing and the left-back's accurate low cross was met by Silva's clinical left-foot finish from eight yards.
City needed a four-goal victory to move above Chelsea into first place on goal difference, for 48 hours at least, but seemed content to coast towards the final whistle with victory assured.
But after Palace's James McArthur had a header ruled out for offside -- incorrectly, as replays showed -- Pellegrini sent on Frank Lampard for Silva to add some bite to his midfield.
It was left to Milner and Toure to complete what was eventually a routine victory, 10 minutes from time.
The England man broke down the left on the counter-attack before picking out Toure, who powered the ball into the net, left-footed, from 10 yards.
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