But after reading this thread, Im a little concerned about the long-term reliability. I saw two Summit Racing kits, with different valley coverswhich one do I need for my Yukon? Install ls3 valley cover. I have a 2011 GMC with over 162,000 miles on it and it runs great! Batten, followed by several years developing performance pistons at Wiseco Piston Co. Today, Brian develops performance parts for Summit Racing Equipment and is a regular OnAllCylinders contributor. Drives way better for my mostly paved road driving. Installed them again, all facing upwards, will know tomorrow if that was the solution.If this is the cause i cant beleve why they arnt build so that it is impossible to install them the wrong way in the plastic holder.And altso that there was no warning or installation advice With the New lifters.If these are the only lifters in the Whole world that must be in September 2017, I got talked into trading for 2017 AFM this was a bad choice 5.3 engine. My daughters car had about 230,000 miles when she complained of the problem. I recently took a long trip and it burned 1.5 quarts of oil. HP tuners is not for someone like me that doesnt know how to use it and from what I read neither the range nor diablo plug and play device will work since the buicks pcm files are different than all other GM vehicles that came with afm because it was tuned in house at gms performance division. There may be an ignition related issue on that cylinder. Engine starts but is throwing a misfire on cyls 4,7. You can unplug the sensor on the vacuum booster and it will fool the computer into thinking there is a high demand on the engine and shut down the AFM system but you will have a Check engine light in your face for doing so . Give the folks in Summit Racings tech department a call (330-630-0240) and they can work on a solution for you. []. A problem with the software caused the engine to idle with most of their cylinders, thus overheating the exhaust . I have 4 GMCs in my driveway right now only one with AFM its always popping DTCs, 06 Yukon (not AFM)never had a light in 12 years! IMHO . I got as high as 23mpg on the highway in my 89 K1500 with 350ci and a five speed manual. Change your oil. I will keep reading and take notes. No problems with any to this point. Was a disaster then but a profitable disaster. module (ECM) will command the cylinder deactivation system ON to deactivate engine cylinders1, 7, 6, and 4, switching to a V4mode. Or is the shuddering indicative of failed/failing lifters that need to be replaced before moving forward? NOTE: Some parts are not legal for use in California or other states with similar laws/regulations. I cant stand seeing customers continuously going thousands of miles over on the oil and wonder why theres problems. When you drain the oil at three to four thousand miles its still clean. Ive only put a straight pipe exhaust, intake, and a boost controller on it. The vehicles affected were 2007 to Feb. 2011 AFM equipped engines (Aluminum or Iron block-L94, LZ1, L99, LC9, LH6, L76, LFA, LMG, and LY5). I just got new warranty engine and dont want this issue again? But if you dont like it. Dale, I have a 08 Tahoe thats doing the same thing.Any info you have on this would be appreciated, [] Do they have a downside? My 5.3 is. I bought a 2010 GMC Sierra 5.3L Truck in 2013 with 24K miles. This allows the engine to run in V8 mode. The trucks are only supposed to use two four. The 2nd went with a conventional valvetrain. Also, it is the easiest way [], [] for the 2010 Chevy Camaro SSis also a Gen IV 6.2L aluminum-block V8, but with the addition of Active Fuel Management and Variable Valve Timing. If you dont have VVT, you could use part number NAL-12561721 (LQ9) along with a 4-pole 3-bolt 2005 Corvette cam sprocket p/n NAL-12586481 to make it compatible with your ECM. Also I dont recommend doing this as you may be in violation of some emissions standard or manufacturers ethics code . I have read synthetic isnt good for AFM lifters. Then changed the oil. . Thats not all bad because it saves the cost of an AFM delete kit. They are being forced by the feds to use stuff like AFM to meet the CAFE requirements. Chris, when you did your delete, did you also change the cam at the same time? I still get a P0336 code every once in a while but still good to drive around town. I have already dropped a lot of money on this truck (08 suburban). Changing the sensor didnt help. Then again, it should have never been controlling those solenoids. AFM sucks Im paying for a truck that has broke down twice replace the cam and lifters and now its broke down again 105000 miles never heard of that in a 350 Chevrolet. [] For more information on AFM, including a comprehensive guide on how to completely remove it from your engine, check out this article. No movement on the rocker arms. Any help would be appreciated. Will the plug in deactivater fix the oil consumption or will it cause more consumption? It had the AFM wiring & lifter cover installed with solenoid pack in the original engine, we even removed it to inspect. Billy, there is some interesting trivia here on the L92. If i am successful locating a non-dod vin would i just need to have the ecm reprogrammed? The oil-pressure controlled system that operates the special lifters is VERY prone to failure, if the oil is not changed on time, OR if the wrong oil is used. Install the AFM disabler now or wait until my warranty just about to expire to get this AFM issue resolved? I wear hearing aids, but I thought I heard more engine noises, but after checking the gas cap, the light went out for a week. Its got a hundred forty-five thousand miles on it. Lost number four I have an 2004 1500 Suburban 4WD that I am about to replace the motor in. .IMHO . A lot more info with the ongoing GM 5.3l AFM engine issues on Cargurus. Its not possible to install them wrong? If the lifter actually fails so that the mechanism wont release, it wont work. I also notice that it doesnt go into V4 when it is cold. Junk . I contacted service manager in Gastonia, NC and he was kind enough to tell me the whole history of the problem.. EPA required better fuel mileage and less emissions and GM, Ford and Honda(V-6) came up with this failed AFM system. This valve is located on the oil pan rail and prevents excessive oil pressure from negatively impacting the AFM components. Active Fuel Management (AFM) is a trademarked General Motors technology that improves gas mileage by shutting down half of the cylinders under light-load conditions to reduce fuel consumption. I ordered a electronic disabler for it today. The engine has flex-fuel capability. And consider using a higher grade of engine oil like Mobil 1 or Amsoil, etc. Have an 06 Yukon with 5.3, original engine had bad knock, was told it was lifters so had them replaced. 50,000 miles. Only wish Id did my homework, nothing but issues, from 14,000 miles it starts this motor noise,as if lifters at cold starts, let set up for 8 hrs same noise, this noise is on the right side of engine, it lasts 5 seconds but never heard this until we had this cold spell in the state low temperatures or it was just time for this to start? Its not GMs choice to use AFM. Hi Mike, the metal shield you noticed is probably the windage tray. These engines made 270-400 hp from the factory will run smooth as silk for over 300,000 miles (unless you have AFM). i currently get 8 mpg with the vortec 350 and a 4l60, I have a 99 Sub k1500 that i get 16 to 18 hwy loaded lightly, I get about 14 on my 95 Tahoe 2 door with 5.7 and 4l60. misfire or anything. Dave, I also have a 2008 LTZ avalanche with 106,000 I have the exact same symptoms at this point I just want to sell it will the disabler help remove the check engine light wont pass inspection with light on thanks for your help Chris. I already ordered the parts to replace myself and remove the code. Apparently all passkey III keys are not the same,, I bought one that said for 2006 impala assuming all pk3 would be the same, and I could not get it programmed in my saab 9-7,, so how Im waiting on ones that specially said for saab 9-7. hoping they will work. Did gm make a non-dod version of the 5.3 with iron block that would work in my application? 91 GMC Sierra K1500 F44 6.2 NA Plow truck with 7.5ft Leo Plow 94 K3500 CC DRW 6.5TD DE exhaust . All ready done valve job . A new class-action lawsuit has been filed against General Motors over alleged issues with its Generation IV 5.3L Vortec V8 engines. On the caddis it helped to relocate the computer inboard the passenger compartment to keep them cool helped . I dont plan on installing the delete kit at this time. Given that, would you recommend buying one of the OBD-II devices to disable AFM? Accept i only have 60K on my truck and it hasnt recovered. It is a bad deal for sure.ive fixed a few best thing u can do is delete it in buy kit.no sense in fixing a flawed problem with the same flawed parts. 2011 Chevy Avalanche LTZ. NOTE:If you were in a situation where youve installed the AFM delete kit, but dont have access to a programmera disabler can still be a viable option. What was happening to the first is slowly (or quickly in your case) happening to the others. Call chevy.They should being paying most of that. Thank you again for the response. The LFA was upgraded with AFM and [], [] improvement over AFM, DFM has 17 different cylinder firing patterns and switches seamlessly between them to provide just []. The owner of the vehicle has apparently owned a few of these vehicles and stated that this vehicle doesnt have AFMnever did? What if I was able to trick the computer into thinking it is in 5th gear when it is actually in 6th? As the problem gets worse, youll hear a lifter tick and eventually you may see clearance between the pushrod and the rocker which will quickly destroy the cam. When a deactivated cylinder is reactivated, the control system opens the exhaust valve first to evacuate the trapped exhaust gas, before reactivating the intake valve to allow reactivated cylinders to revert to the normal operation of the compression/combustion exhaust/intake cycle. 8000 grand for the repair mine was 1,700.00 to repair, I had a 2004 small block v8(4.8) 331,000 miles on the truck,it was the usual on the maintenance front axles,etc. Now Im here tring to figure out what to do. We believe this confirmed that the AFM has never been operating in this vehicle. He used seafoam and changed to synthetic oil. Vehicle has 40k miles been maintained well and shows no signs of lifter concerns at present. Number 7 cylinder lifters stops moving when truck starts. I wont bother with blocking the relief valve. Their tech guys have seen it all and may have some thoughts on this as well. GM offers the following diagnostic steps in determining if this is the problem. Not sure which direction to go from here. Hello Keith, if your lifters are still in good shape, an AFM Disabler is a good idea. The original version sprayed oil on the cylinder walls and increased oil consumption. I ran 0W-20 on more the 5000 miles between changes. Unfortunately because of emission standards nowadays, manufacturers cant go back to those style of engines. When we removed the oil pan from the new block, we noticed a metal shield covering the bottom of the block. Never again, except for my gen4 Z28 that has a perfect engine/trans on an otherwise rolling pc of gm crap chassis. Send response to tkrieg@cox.net. NOTE: You can find engine specs and detailed engine upgrade advice for every LS and LS-based Vortec truck engine in one place: The Definitive Guide to LS Engine Specs and LS Engine Upgrades. thx Brian, Knock on wood I drive a 2011 silverado 44 Ltd with the 5.3 AFM/DOD not tuned out or delete being used and have experienced no problems or any sign of problems for that matter juat rolled over 210,000 all original factory parts would you suggest I tune it out or juat let it ride I change my oil religiously and also use lucas products for all aspects of my motor. Toyota will be my next truck unless GM owns up and makes wright with consumers. Is there any reaction to the disabler when pulling a boat or trailer? I ave noticed the point about excess oil spray. You will be placed in derate if the ECM does not see the correct resistance from the ATF intake. Brian, I just purchased and installed a remanufactured L76 AFM engine for my 2007 Suburban. I switched from gm to dodge in 1984, have had 3 1st gen Durango and 4 2nd gen Dakotas, all used, with impeccable reliability. Chevrolet 5.3 Engine Issues and Recommendations GM tried this on cadillacs about 20 years ago and if memory serves me correctly it was a disaster. Theyre also notorious for bad cam tower oil leaks. It is replaceable.. just remove oil pan and it will be on top at the filter. It is being covered under warranty since I only have 72,000 miles on it. I want to put a AFM disabler in it what all do I need to have done. I wouldnt trade my 2000 Silverado, 5.3 liter that has constantly gotten 20 mpg since I bought it 15 years ago, for a dozen of these new $50,000 POS. Plugs spark fine engine has power at higher RPMs although it is still in Limp mode / stabilitrack message, even after driving it a few times above 60 MPH then clearing errors with handheld programmer. What the biggest reported problem with Chevy Silverados? If you just crack it without it starting it moves all the time . Having it fixed now, just curious Seems like a problematic design. Why would GM ever produce such problems with such little to gain. What type of ODBII gadget did you use? TheAFMcylinders are opposite of one another in the firing order. CAM motion says no just have to disable the AFM and VVT with a stock tune as the camshaft is not an aggressive camshaft but a drop in. yep, you are 100% Right, I called a local saab shop and they filled me in, in 2005 the trailblazer and clones have DOD (displacement on demand), My next issue is getting extra ignition keys on the cheap. Perhaps a flaw by design would be a more appropriate description . Got rid of the bobblehead Rancho offroad shocks immediately and replaced with Bilstein coil overs. If I put my truck in manual 5, it doesnt try to go into V4 mode. .That was a year ago and now I have a collapsed lifter and the most inexpensive repair $2200.00 for a partial lifter replacement. A V8 firing all 8 cylinders sees 90 degrees between combustion events, while a 4 cylinder engine lengthens this to 180 degrees. They replaced all the lifters, said no other damage, problem lifters were on cylinders 6 and 7. Everything else looked good. Brian, we have a 2007 Yukon Denali in our shop with a 6.2L v-8 that has suffered a lifter failure with camshaft damage. Can you tell me what needs to be done with the VVT? The cylinders are deactivated by means of a double-stroke lifter which is FAR more prone to failure than a standard lifter. In 2015, I purchased a new Tahoe with the AFM and two weeks ago with 71K miles on it, the engine light came on. But not sure very annoying. put tran fluid in oil for a day till lifter became active, had to change the fouled plug. Yes a poor design but a flaw ? They learned that the oil level sensor was necessary and that we were supposed to have been advised that we needed to reuse the original oil pan. In 2010, GM added a deflector (p/n) NAL-12639759 to redirect in into the pan. The early part of his automotive career included working for engine builders Scott Shafiroff and C.J. Should I buy a Diablo AFM disabler to prevent the new block from dropping to 4 cylinder? . Ever since that which was Feb/March 2020 i get a intermittent rattle does not do it all the time and I am not getting any codes i.e. When an engine is contstantly running on oil that is broken down, it not only wheres out components because of no protection. The motor I pulled was a 2007 LY5 with about 77k on it. Is this due to the AFM being shut off? The wife however found this deal on an Envoy Denali . Since it is not costing me anything out of pocket, I did not go with the Delete Kit (did not want to spend the money). It essentially turns your V8 engine into a V4 which saves fuel. Didnt really notice a loss in power other than the surging, (wondering if thats the engine trying to switch between 4 and 8 cylinders). Because your Saab is mechanically similar to the Trailblazer, wed suggest that you are correct and no changes need to be made to the relief valve. Shame this happened. However I do have 7 year bumper to bumper warranty that covers this problem if I start to get lifter problems over the next 2 years.. On the other hand if get the AFM disabler installed I am pretty sure that I void the warranty from what I read on the policy. Per bulletin 10-06-01-0007b, 2007 L92 had first and 2nd design. I noticed this discussion mainly addresses Chevy Silverados and other trucks? What can I expect with the AFM in place, or, with AFM disabled (not deleted)? Do you think I can still disable AFM? WATCH THIS VIDEO https://youtu.be/1MJMf3nnQhQ. The system uses solenoids to deliver oil pressure to control. The market for nonhybrid gasoline-powered vehicles is expected to fall by 20 percent during that time, but with tech like smarter cylinder deactivationin these upcoming GM V-8 trucks, for . 330-630-0240. Toyotas 5.7 is one of the biggest gas guzzlers among half-ton trucks. Do not pay that amount. When you eliminate the AFM system, the extra oil is no longer needed. I went with the new motor for the warranty. I was getting ~ 30 mpg, so I love that. AFM or active fuel management is a GM/Chevy technology meant to improve gas mileage. They are taller and have special oil holes. With that said, the current global chip shortage has been affecting the industry on a wide scale, forcing production halt among several automakers. If you installed a performance cam intended for a car, it may be bleeding off some low end compression. I know a few guys with Tundras. Any problems to watch out for?Did you replace the VLOM? Hello. Getting 20 mpg in town and 24-28 mpg highway and love the truck now with these mild tweaks. Ive heard the Brand name Range thrown around in other forums, This is how mine started outthen 6 months later on the highway the service stabilitrak light and flashing engine light came on. . Hopefully more is known by then. My 2013 LC9 just had #6 lifter fail, got a misfire code but the ticking gave it away. The Tundra fares better but the frame has the rigidity of wet spaghetti and the 5.7 has had problems with VVT solenoids and the plastic timing chain tensioners. The Cylinder Deactivation system, known as the Active Fuel Management system by GM, shuts off some of the cylinders when extra power is not needed which improves fuel economy. If someone didnt want to spend gas buy a Toyota. You mentioned that it will shoot oil into the pan and on the cylinder walls possibly causing some oil consumption So i have a running vehicle and my only concern is making it as reliable as possible, should I disable the AFM or not?? Friend will send to me from Arizona. You cannot compare them to old 350s. []. It was good for about 10 miles and started with same loud knock noise. I have a 2014 Chevy Z51 [w/dry sump oiling etc.] Vehicle has been serviced more regular than the manual calls for and the AFM has caused problem after problem with fouled plugs. Ive got about 6 to 8 psi of oil pressure after the engine gets warm and I have to stop at a traffic light. I havent has any lifter or cam issues. . They layed over night in engine oil before instalation. I have no clue what to do now. I also have 08 Burb, but have different symptoms (high oil consumption, blue exhaust smoke at start, and now a really rough start after sitting overnight). The Oil pressure relief valve deflector added in Oct. of 2010 is small and its part number is NAL-12639759. GM get a clue! How do you know if the lifter has failed? With 40000 However, they are only functional on engines that usedAFM. We were getting a code that the cam position sensor was not functioning properly. Never did strand me on the side of the road way. I am a long time GM fan but after reading how they messed up the 5.3 ( I had a fantastic 2003 Z72 off road) Ill look else ware for my next vehicle. Have an intake and Borla exhaust. The oil pump is high volume, but there are a lot of people that dont change it and rely on the pressure valve to keep the volume manageable. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated. He unstuck it and I took it for a drive and same thing happened. From what I am reading this would eliminate the possibility of failure, prevent false check engine lights and continue to make the appropriate power??? Once I get it back, could I install the Disabler safely. Was thinking maybe I could trick the ruck into thinking the engine was not warmed up, however, this might cause some problems for other processes, such as mix ratio and timing. Replaced the engine with remanufactured one and had the AFM turned off with a computer hooked to the ECU. Looking to tear down myself. Unfortunately, I found out about the lifters too late. This happened on a camping trip with my kids last friday night. A 17 with 5.3. Pulled the inntake and replaced valleypan With all the solenoids. Required fields are marked *. I have the towing package on my 13 Tahoe LTZ. On the AFM lifters that dosnt work i have installed them With the oil hole Down! If you installed a factory truck cam, there shouldnt be any particular reason for it to be down on power. I would rather stay a V8 full time than deal with AFM issues in the future. Replace the cam or do the delete kit? AFM Sucks!!! Brian, When cylinders are deactivated, the number of crankshaft rotation increases between firing pulses. It replaces the AFM components with standard parts. My 2012 Silverado 5.3L just did the same thing as your Tahoe Brian. (Bought car 1 day before lifter died!) Get this, rebuild is only rings and maybe lifters. I recently bought a low mileage 2013 Silverado and the lifters collapsed. Love the truck. Most will want to get rid of the AFM immediately and VVT isnt for []. For fun, he runs his 427-powered C5 Z06 in ECTA land-speed racing, at OPTIMA street car events, and at a mix of autocross, drag racing, and track days. Every one of these engine will have a lifter fail, this is a travesty! I just took a long trip and it used 1.5 quarts of oil. Active Fuel Management (formerly known as displacement on demand (DoD)) is a trademarked name for the automobile variable displacement technology from General Motors.It allows a V6 or V8 engine to "turn off" half of the cylinders under light-load conditions to improve fuel economy.Estimated performance on EPA tests shows a 5.5-7.5% improvement in fuel economy. Yesterday my motor (116,000 miles) felt like it went into limp mode when decelerating from 8 cyl to 4 cyl but it recovered.This is the second time that this has happened in 6 months so I think that I am on the slope. Oil flows to the special lifters through theAFMtowers. Truck ran fine before that. Todays computers are faster so it does work. I have a 2011 Chevy Tahoe with the 5.3 Gen 4 LS (VIN Code 0) and I bought a CAM motion DOD/AFM delete kit, 3 bolt drop in CAM Motion stage 2 camshaft, VVT delete kit and finally a Diablo Predator 2 Premium for GM programmer. If thats the case, Summit Racing has dedicated truck cams that will increase power through the rangebottom to topbut the meat of it is in the mid-range where your engine spends the most time. My fear now is not will it happen but when! Why have you not gotten a reply from Mr Nutter, Buying a Silverado 6.2L. She started to have the lifter problem again after 60,000 miles more. Covers me to 100K. Hello Brian, I just purchased a 2018 Silverado with a 5.3 AFM engine, I have 200 km on it. It depends on the failure mode of the lifter however, certainly worth a try. I am confused about the plug in disabler. I speak from some experience. I traded in a 2004 4.8 L with 256000KM on it that ran like a clock and never gave me a problem. Once the failure has occurred, the AFM shut off methods other than that probably wont work. Look for the following: TheAFMcover is called the Lifter Oil Manifold Assembly (LOMA). Weve written some articles on the various Vortec engine upgrade paths, such as this one on LQ4 and LQ9it discusses some of the better options for choosing a cam intended for use in a truck. Will the plug in cause my truck to burn more oil or will it fix the oil consumption issue? Seems my oil pressure sensor is bad, are showing the same oil pressure at all times, even when it dosnt run.Dont know it that fault was there before i replaced the lifters. When you don't need the full power of the engine, it provides better fuel economy." Fortunately, the old engine hadnt been shipped back to the remanufacturer. RANGE TECNOLOGY.COM. My 2011 Tahoe has a LMG motor in it with a build date of May 2011. There is no way cylinder deactivation and the resulting temperate decrease, with sudden piston heat expansion when all cylinders are engaged, can't have undo wear and tear on the rings, valves, piston and bore. Had nothing but trouble out of it. I ran 0W-20 no more the 5000 miles between changes. http://www.autoserviceprofessional.com/article/91652/ticking-gm-v8-lifters-and-dtc. This should be added to your earlier model if you experience oil consumption. This is my second Avalanche and I never had any issues with either of them. There are so many more oil passages on engines these days. There are two ways to disable or delete Active Fuel Management on your GM or Chevy Gen IV LS or LS-based Vortec engineone is to install an AFM Disabler, and the second is to install an AFM Delete Kit. . Jasper makes aGM engine that deletes AFM & will warranty the engine to a 100,000 miles parts & labor . Would you get enough power to drive at freeway speeds? Took the heads off again. Most of the complaints show up in the 2009 to 2011 model years.