hillbilly4u

Hard to believe its been 5 yrs since I asked that this poll be set up. What's harder to believe is, this issue is still going strong. I understand brand loyalty. I have owned Chevys all my life. But, that loyalty supposed to go both ways. Without customers you have no business. The 5.3 AFM should have been dropped, instead GM is counting on customers looking the other way. I meet people every day with NB Silverados, that when I ask if they are using oil, 7 out of 10 say yes and don't know what's going on till I tell them. Me, I took advice from a member here and got rid of the problem, an 07 NB that I had to go thru hades to get fixed. My 06 non AFM Silvy uses no oil.

Finish a consumption test before 100k, then it is on record that u have an oil burner. Contact GM and get a service request number. Once you establish that consumption is excessive, demand the cover,all 8 pistons and rings be replaced. I would never have agreed to anything but a single breakdown, and that is what I received at no charge. Customer service was in contact with my dealer the whole time.

See post #445. Study it carefully. The answer to all you guys problems is there. Valve cover, pistons and rings is the fix.

Sad

Thought I would drop back in for a spell. I see there are more guys trickling in on the oil usage thread.The fix is rings, pistons and valve cover. I had to pay for new plugs. Although the dealer done a good job on mine, it still gave me unease to know my engine had been broken down.

DataSponge, I hear you. Worked my truck every day. Oil consumption was about par with yours. Then one 250 mile trip, she almost drank the crankcase dry. If I hadn't been keeping a close eye, it would have ruined the engine. Chevy did fix it, after the hassle of going thru the motions. Better take time to get the consumption test. At least you'll have paperwork if it goes south fast. Hope they give you a decent trade value, because the problem is getting well known. I sold my NB style Chevy and got a good deal on a pre 07 low mileage one. She don't use a drop.

If you can live with it, then thats great, but there's nothing normal about using that much oil. At the price we pay for new vehicles, they should last till 300k with good maintenence. Just my opinion.

Hey guys. Haven't logged on for a while but I have read the posts. Wow 300 + posts. Glad GM is stepping up and helping out our fellow consumers. While I still enjoy my Silvy, I'm going to sell before it hits 30k on the rebuild job. Just don't trust AFM to not start using oil again. I will not buy another GM product if it has AFM. If I find someone I trust not to lie, with a Silvy for sale, then maybe I'll buy a used one then. There's gonna be a lot more traffic to this site and a few others. All you gotta do is google 5.3 and all links lead here.

Frank. Take it back in and have them remove the excess oil or your consumption test will be wrong.I had the same problem with first test.Manual says 6qts but it don't hold that much.

Update: Just hit 1000 miles since the piston/ring job. Oil is right where it was when I picked the truck up.Full. It is also a clean honey color still. Before the job it was dirty after 500 miles at oil change. So far so good.

Yeah, I saw the heads off and some shiny new pistons. Anyway, I've put 300k so far and no consumption. By now, after an oil change the oil would have already turned color. Checked it today and it was still honey colored.

They charged me 80 bucks for plugs. Said mine were in good shape and GM wouldn't pay for them. Can't figure out how the rings were stuck from carbon but the plugs were fine. did you get it back in piece?, how's she run? The job only took 3 days. Can't tell any difference in power. The AFM is more pronounced when it kicks in, for some reason. Sounds like a small air compressor under the hood. Could be just a vibration. Have only put a couple hundred miles on it so far, so I can't comment on the oil issue just yet.

Any one else that had the piston and ring job, get plugs included?

They charged me 80 bucks for plugs. Said mine were in good shape and GM wouldn't pay for them. Can't figure out how the rings were stuck from carbon but the plugs were fine.

Did they finally agree to put the job under warranty?, when you get it back are you going to get a tune and turn off the AFM? Yeah, they did it under warranty. Having an early consumption test may have helped. Hope I don't regret major surgery. Gonna go pick it up in the morning. As for a tune, would rather find the cheapest handheld to turn it off.

Update: Took truck in for pistons and ring job. Hope this cures it. Worried about the plugs, O2's and cats tho. That much oil burning has to foul something up.

Update: Just got back from the dealer. 1 1/2 qts. low at 969k. Told to come back in another thousand. They see its using oil, why drag it on.

I have found that, with the proper fill, if I check oil level 15 minutes after hot shutdown, the level will show right at the full mark on the dipstick. However, if I check it prior to startup after an overnight or longer sit, the level will show exactly as you described. The wife drove the truck today about 25 miles round trip. I went out and checked the oil level about 20 minutes after she shut it off and the oil level was still showing overfull. I think I'll drain it down to dead on the top of the hash marks like it should be so I don't have to make another trip to the dealer thats a pain. I guess it's not the end of the world but I've put about 200 miles on it since I had it serviced, wish I had made sure it was dead on before I drove it all. Don't they mark the drain plug to see if its been tampered with?

Going in tomorrow for my first 1k check. Second test. 918k and she's settin barely on the stick. Had to tell them not to overfill. Then after I got home noticed they got the mileage wrong. After a phone call they wanted me to drive 70 mile round trip back to correct it. Yeah right. This is gettin old fast.

Take it back in and make them do it right or you won't get an accurate measure. They checked my consumption the first time by the top of the hash marks.

Only my opinion, but don't sell. You may be one of the lucky ones. But then again, as the truck ages, you will reduce your equity. Also as time goes on, and more people learn of the fault with the 5.3, it will be harder to sell. The word is getting out, either by mouth, forums, or search engines, and the latter is usually used after a customer has already purchased, then tries to find out what the heck is going on.

And the fact that it doesn't have AFM is a real plus too.

I mentioned this forum during my first call to GM, about the consumption problem. They didn't recognize any internet forum, as a serious source of how big the problem is. If this forum is causing an internet inspired "epidemic" , with no validity. then why has a customer service rep been assigned here? Also, why are many of our members, jumping ship and going the 6.2 route, if they are not sick of the 5.3?

Update: 86k on the clock. District specialist did call. I have to pay for the consumption test, because I am out of warranty, which isn't much. Even then, if I am using the 2 qts. per 3k, It will still be considered normal. I am losing power and using more fuel. I suspect the cats, plugs and O 2 Sensors are getting fouled.