2014+ AFM (Active Fuel Management)

[TxTruckMan]

Free extended warranty, that would be nice :-) I also agree turning off AFM should have no adverse effect on the engine or trans, but installing a after market product that alters/tricks your ECM/PCM to do something not intended. Well, that may just give the dealer enough to void you on certain included aspects of the warranty. Tapatalk via Moto X

Yes, that's a slight concern. There's actually a TSB out there for techs to look at the OBD/Comm ports for installed "accessories" (insurance monitors, tracking devices, speed limiters, etc.) that might be causing communication issues and unwanted faults. I'd just be sure to remove the Range Module before going to the dealer for any work. I doubt they can tell that it was installed, but they might notice that it is installed - especially since almost any work they do now involves connecting a scan tool to the engine.

[fondupot]

Free extended warranty, that would be nice :-) I also agree turning off AFM should have no adverse effect on the engine or trans, but installing a after market product that alters/tricks your ECM/PCM to do something not intended. Well, that may just give the dealer enough to void you on certain included aspects of the warranty.

 

 

 

Tapatalk via Moto X

 

 

There have been people who have put thousands of miles on their vehicles with the range module installed, and haven't reported issues.

 

Keeping a V8, in V8 mode all the time is NOT going to hurt it at all. Unless we have seriously gone back in technology and only engineered a motor capable of being in V8 mode for 2/3s of the time.....

 

And the module does not alter shift points so the transmission is not affected either.

 

The Range unit is pretty much risk free guys.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone.

Edited February 19, 2014 by fondupot

[anthony2558]

There have been people who have put thousands of miles on their vehicles with the range module installed, and haven't reported issues.

 

Keeping a V8, in V8 mode all the time is NOT going to hurt it at all. Unless we have seriously gone back in technology and only engineered a motor capable of being in V8 mode for 2/3s of the time.....

 

And the module does not alter shift points so the transmission is not affected either.

 

The Range unit is pretty much risk free guys.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone.

 

 

Like I said... There should be no adverse effect on the engine or trans. But if you have a electrical short and god for bid you forget to remove it before the dealer sees it.. Don't think your issues are going to be covered under warranty without being questioned.

 

Pretty much risk free.... Means there is risk.

 

Also I will continue to use Range. I think its a great product and I hope the the service light for brake assist and stabilitrak was just a fluke. Dealer said there were a bunch of U0073 (loss of communication...) codes that came up that were stored in history.

 

Tapatalk via Moto X

 

Edited February 19, 2014 by anthony2558

[Mutau95]

Now if a software tuning company can create an AFM disabler that will not show to the dealer unless they physically see it then why not a Torque Management disabler? The market to create such a device that doesn't reflash the PCM and TCM but essentially works only when plugged in would be huge. If hackers can break the codes of super computers and retailers then tricking a Chevrolet PCM without leaving a fingerprint should be a walk in the park.

 

I guess its always a cat and mouse game with a manufacturers and aftermarket.

[MikeNH]

I actually sent a PM to the Range guys asking that when they first came here but never heard back.

[Ulukslo]

Now if a software tuning company can create an AFM disabler that will not show to the dealer unless they physically see it then why not a Torque Management disabler? The market to create such a device that doesn't reflash the PCM and TCM but essentially works only when plugged in would be huge. If hackers can break the codes of super computers and retailers then tricking a Chevrolet PCM without leaving a fingerprint should be a walk in the park.

 

I guess its always a cat and mouse game with a manufacturers and aftermarket.

 

Thats a great thought or imagination to have but these ECMs and TCMs use torque measurements to apply this and that and how to and when to do this or that. Removing TM is not the best way however I understand what you are getting at!! Manage it less GM!!! Come on give us more more!! We can handle it!! Whenn tuning the TCMs you actually dont wanna turn TM off you wanna use it to tune the trans and the ECM. You can just make it lower management or greater torque limits.

[KARNUT]

Depends on the dealer and relationship with the dealer. If you buy all your cars and trucks at one dealer he may work with you. I had a trailblazer ss that I tuned all the TM out of the trans. When tranny went south, they reminded me to pull my tune out before I brought it in. I even supplied then with the (stock) converter to put in

[anthony2558]

So I've had the Range V8 plugged in for about a week. If you have any gripe with AFM, even just the littlest one I highly recommend this product. Driving this truck in full time V8 is so much more enjoyable. It drives better, power curve is better, no useless loss of power on slight inclines, no useless down shifting. It clearly is a night and day difference. MPG's have not suffered, and in my case have increased by as much as 1 MPG. My aftermarket air intake sounds better now that it no longer switches to V4. Im sure this would also have a the same positive effect with an aftermarket exhaust. Its is a wonderful product and I would highly recommend this to anyone.

 

 

 

Tapatalk via Moto X

 

Edited February 21, 2014 by anthony2558

[bsinhc50]

My truck wasn't seamless at all. I own a 2009 Sierra 4x4 with a 5.3 and 4 speed, & 3.73 gears I bought a year ago. Initially, I thought the AFM was a great thing to have because most of my driving is around town and I'd average 13 mpg. The only thing that seemed odd from the first day I drove it was the transmission which shifted a lot. Then, when the weather got really cold, I thought the tranny was going bad because it began shifting more and the truck would jerk at times, too. Being it came with a GM certified warranty, I took it to the dealer and explained what was happening and said I felt the tranny was going bad. They took it in, checked it out, and the service manager told me it was the AFM causing the transmission to shift a lot and it was normal and not to worry about it.

 

Well, I didn't care for his explanation and felt sooner or later something was going to give so, long story short, after doing some research, I found this forum and another one that talked about the Range AFM disabler. After reading a few posts by people who said there truck seemed to shift better with the disabler on, I went ahead and bought one. It's been on for a week now and honestly, it's like I'm driving a completely different truck. The 4 speed shifts smoothly and there's no more jerking PLUS, my around town mpg has increased to 14.5 which has me stumped because I thought it would go down. Has anyone else tried the Range and are getting better mpg's?

 

I know it's only been on a week and, as time goes on, I'll add updates If I notice any major changes but for the price of the disabler, I feel it's well worth the bucks I spent because my truck is so much better to drive.

[Dnt]

I had a 09 that had the 5.3 with the 6 speed it was a good tranny. Probably just need to go ahead and pony up for the 2014??? What color are you going to get my old one was white

Edited February 25, 2014 by Dnt

[GM MAN VINCE]

Just curious if any of you guys will be disabling your AFM or if you already have? I've read horror stories about guys having problems with it mainly just oil loss.

 

Any of you not had any problems with it?

 

My fiancé has a 2012 Yukon with about 60000 miles on it with afm and her truck doesn't burn a drop of oil between 6000 miles changes. Opinions on the afm?

[iCryWheniGoPoop]

I only have 9k miles on my truck (6 weeks old so it hasn't shut off much) and I have no noticeable oil loss. I check oil regularly just for that reason and when I checked it just before my oil change at 5k miles, it was to the line and still pretty transparent. Its my understanding that the DOD has been improved but I couldn't tell you how. I have other family and friends with late model DOD trucks/suv's and I can't recall any of them coming to me about an issue and I'm usually the one they come to.

 

With all that being said, It's obvious that there has been some reports of DOD related oil consumption and lifter failure issues, I just couldn't give you an accurate failure rate. Either use your warranty and chance the unknown odds or you are proactive and tune it out. Because once it starts using oil, its not going to get better by removing the DOD afterwards, and I really don't think that the Warranty will be much good for most oil consumption issues because its my understanding that GM thinks a 2qt oil loss is acceptable between oil changes.

 

This is one of the conundrums for people that are on the fence about tuning.

 

Steve

[TJay74]

I have yet to see any reports of lifter failure or oil consumption issues on the new engines. They are a clean sheet design from the ground up and were designed with AFM from the get go.

[Jon A]

I'm going to disable it. No matter how much they've improved it, it just can't be a good thing to do to an engine. Cylinder wear during the block distortion of running four cylinders cold and four hot (which is certainly not how they were honed) just can't be good long-term.

[iCryWheniGoPoop]

I'm going to disable it. No matter how much they've improved it, it just can't be a good thing to do to an engine. Cylinder wear during the block distortion of running four cylinders cold and four hot (which is certainly not how they were honed) just can't be good long-term.

 

Maybe thats why we have aluminum blocks now, to keep from having so much distortion. It is a good point, I never thought of the temperature variance between the holes. I almost think it would be pretty localized to the cylinders though but I guess its possible for it to be enough to possibly have a long term effect.