5.3 Afm Lifter Tick Need Knowledge

spankrz · August 19, 2011

my 07 nnbs silverado with a 5.3 and afm started a bad tick. started couple days ago, would tap on startup for around 3-5 seconds. was hauling an enclosed trailor on about a 100 mile run today, and on the second half of the run i noticed when i would pull a steep hill, it would tap. almost sounds like a manifold gasket leaking from inside the cab. it does it on startup, and when under load, so it can only get worse... i think it is the afm lifters, but i am not sure.

this may or may not be related, but i heard a breif grinding noise when i started on the way back, but i thought it was a wheelbearing in the trailor, and i checked and the bearing had play.

i need advice. how long will this thing run untill it fails? it has 140,000 miles so the powertrain warrenty doesent mean squat.

to top it all of, i start college classes in under a week, and this is my DD

i am a power freak, and do not like afm. i would like to put a 6.0/4l80 combo in , but i don't know how much would have to be changed. motor, tranny, pcm, and what else???

please point me in the right direction, i need all the help i can get

greentourismo · August 19, 2011

Leave it and see if it gets worse. Change your oil.Buy some ac delco engine oil suppliment. Talking about swapping a motor and trans because you have a slight lifter tick occasionally? crazy talk.....well either that or you have too much money. Ive seen cars develop lifter noise at 30,000 miles and run to 200,000 with no failure. Half the chrystlers, bmw's and volkswagens out there do it most of thier lives

my 07 nnbs silverado with a 5.3 and afm started a bad tick. started couple days ago, would tap on startup for around 3-5 seconds. was hauling an enclosed trailor on about a 100 mile run today, and on the second half of the run i noticed when i would pull a steep hill, it would tap. almost sounds like a manifold gasket leaking from inside the cab. it does it on startup, and when under load, so it can only get worse... i think it is the afm lifters, but i am not sure.

this may or may not be related, but i heard a breif grinding noise when i started on the way back, but i thought it was a wheelbearing in the trailor, and i checked and the bearing had play.

i need advice. how long will this thing run untill it fails? it has 140,000 miles so the powertrain warrenty doesent mean squat.

to top it all of, i start college classes in under a week, and this is my DD

i am a power freak, and do not like afm. i would like to put a 6.0/4l80 combo in , but i don't know how much would have to be changed. motor, tranny, pcm, and what else???

please point me in the right direction, i need all the help i can get

spankrz · August 19, 2011

it always had some, on cold starts and so on. it is just rapidly getting worse, and i am trying to sort out what i am going to do, so i can start putting back the money. trust me, im gonna run er till she blows, i just dont have a good feeling..

greentourismo · August 19, 2011

it always had some, on cold starts and so on. it is just rapidly getting worse, and i am trying to sort out what i am going to do, so i can start putting back the money. trust me, im gonna run er till she blows, i just dont have a good feeling..

If You had a bottom end knock you may wanna start planning the new motor your getting. try the supplement I mentioned, its great stuff. If it keeps getting worse you may have to take a look into a camshaft and new lifters.

nick3941sd · August 19, 2011

If it is the lifters and you dont like the AFM you can look into getting rid of the AFM all together. You also said you like modding your truck so if you plan on keeping it you may want to purchace the AFM/DOD delete kit and a aftermarket cam to stop the problem and add some power while your at it. Thunder Racing is one place that sells both these items. LINK TO AFM DELETE KIT. If you do go this route you will also need a tune if you dont have one or get the truck retuned if you do.

rdnkcpa · August 19, 2011

If it is a stuck lifter, replacing the lifters is not too bad of a job. You'll need new head gaskets & head bolts, but you should be able to do the job pretty cheap. Order the shop manual and have at it. It will be a lot cheaper than dropping a 6.0 in it.

spankrz · August 20, 2011

greentourismo: is the oil suppliment you mentioned compatible with synthetic? i may have to give it a shot for good measure. for some reason, it has seemed to work itself out. i still get the occasional tick for a short time period on cold starts like so many of these trucks do. two days ago it had a HARD knock on cold starts. also found a friend that has a 6.0 with bout 40,000 on it with a couple lobes rounded on the cam i could trade him out of without much trouble. may not hurt to have it in the garage for a nice winter project

greentourismo · August 20, 2011

Im pretty sure its fine, have to check the bottle when you get it.It should be fine tho. I did a quick search on it and the funny thing is now they say not to use "engine oil supplement" as a supplement lol. They consider it a break in fluid only. It seems the reason for the switch (exact same product tho) is because long term can mess up catalytic converters due to high zinc levels and problems passing air care. If your really worried, throw a bottle in a few hundred miles before oil change time, but you shouldnt have any problems with the stuff.