GuyGene

I'd go 45,000 then. Most of us probably drive a bit more severe than GM normal.

I just read this entire thread! And, I have a few simple questions: all this valve mess is due to direct injection?!? My '96 Silverado extended cab long bed 350 got 19.84 mpg on the last trip I checked it. That's good I think. So, is direct injection for better mpg, more power, etc.? At the expense of maybe shorter engine life?Y'all can see I'm one for long term usage of my trucks...

Oh me, why, why is it so hard to buy a truck?! Seems like there could be at least ONE maker that could produce a decent truck. I know, a few come off the line with no vibration, no water leaks from roof, transmission that will go 100,000 mile or more before burning up, no oil consumption, no bad frame rust, etc. I reckon. But man, I can't find a forum that has many!

Grommet/gasket/seal to firewall has been where I've found leaks, except one windshield...

It's the Mexican jumping beans they use for bearings. Oh well, it's all I can think of... GM needs to make this right!

Wow, GM is making it hard for me to buy their trucks! I'm supposed to go this week to test a Costco buying program Chevrolet Silverado. Buying trucks has gotten to be like voting - trying to pick the one that's "well, maybe not too bad..." It's really a lot more stressful than buying a house! Oh, I think I'll cancel my drive appointment. Just keep my '02, it's still got a lot of life, and NO rust!

mrp, that rusted bolt on a '14 does not look good! That is fast rusting. I live in south, so we don't have so much of a rust issue, but we still have rust. I hate rust on my trucks. I bought a used '93 Dakota in '97 with 47,000 miles from Ohio. It was treated by previous owner with that Ziebart stuff - WOW - it works!! I still have that Dakota with not a bit of rust! Love it.

Thanks boys. Y'all have helped me. Ok, DI is here to stay, got it, will have to deal with it. So, catch can and BG cleaning service every 15,000 miles or so, eh? I can handle that. Back to my plan to test a '15 GM now...

Whew boys, I spent he whole morning reading all the posts! Me old haid is spinning. Here's my conclusion, correct me if I'm wrong. I thought I was one time... Which truck maker does not use direct injection? If none, I'll keep my 13 year old truck and keep fixing what breaks as needed. I have come to loathe direct injection engines. What a stupid engineering system! Valves getting that gunked up because of it?!? Somebody mentioned Toyota developed a system to send some fuel over the valves to keep them clean. So, makers know this is a serious problem. I'm wanting a new truck, but have decided to try my best to not get direct injection. Ok boys, tell me wha' I'm missing.

I've been watching this oil usage issue a long time now. Sick of it. My '96 5.7 used NO oil! And I could get 20 mpg highway. Extended cab, loooong bed too. Dagnabbit, GM is running customers away.

Now y'all boys are speaking my language! None of this, "I've got 36,000 trouble free miles on my truck" mess. Of course you do. A Yugo would about do 36,000 trouble free miles! I like seeing this real mileage! That's wha' defines a good truck.

Now, that is the ticket indeed!! Just changed one valve cover? How ye disabled that AFM mess? I just wonder why in the world GM won't put the right kind of valve cover on trucks?! I like cow's idea of doing whatever you do straight away. Stop the mess before it gets started!

Ok, I've been reading all I can about this issue, and it seems to me the combination of disabling AFM and using oil catch can when truck is still really new (1,000 miles or less) just might be the ticket! I really think old cow hit on it with his '13 by doing those two things right away.

Cow, a pint in about 7k miles is might good! By the way, do you think the catch can you installed when ye truck was still new is helping? Maybe you've posted somewhere and I missed it.

Mav, how many miles before you put the Range on ye truck? I'm wondering if done like old cowpie, when new, if that will really stop this oil usage mess.

Well, all I have to do now is get a new GM truck so I can put the Range on it!

Grate, Wolf, we are speaking the same language too. Don't want nary oil using trucks.

But Wolf, is ye truck using oil?

Even the 6.2 (or is it 6.0 now?) has aluminum? I guess they all are that way now for weight.

I hope that's true, service. I usually buy used, so now, I'll make sure my next truck is '13 or newer when I finally buy. Are all 5.3s aluminum blocks? I sure like iron better, but I'm old fashioned.

Rat, that's great! Did you have an extended warranty, or was it still under normal warranty?

I'm not having this oil using problem because my trucks are older and don't use oil (wow, what a thought! My OLDER trucks don't use oil!). I'm just doing pre-buying research. Plan to buy in about one or two years, and reading these forums is a good way to see what real drivers are saying about their trucks. Plus, I am not so brand loyal, reliability is #1 to me. Oil consumption does not bode well for reliability.

I agree! You'd think GM would have oil usage figured out by now. I've been watching this thread for a long time and hard to believe so many people are having oil consumption issues. Not so many with the the 6.0 and 6.2 engines, so something must be wrong in the 5.3 engines. I'll be buying a truck in probably a couple of years, and these forums are one way I do research - to see how real people are doing with their trucks. So far, GM isn't looking so great.

hillbilly and greywolf, y'all are right I think. I've had Chevy, Ford, Dodge (Dakota, not full size), and it's hard to say which I like best, except for the Dakota, which I still have - it has been the best vehicle of any in my many years of driving (over 50!). It is a '93 with the 3.9L engine. My last Chevy was a '96 5.7L was it? The old 350. Now, that was a tough engine for sure. I guess the 5.3 is made on the same basic foundation (?), but to me, using oil is not good, not matter what GM says is okay. I mean, wow, not 1.5 or 2 quarts in 2,000 or so miles! I presently don't have a 5.3 engine, but this kind of information helps those of us who are presently looking to trade. I hope all goes well with your 5.3s.