Where is my oil going? Update

PipeLyfe · April 6, 2017

2009 Chevy Silverado LT 5.3L flex fuel four-door 2 Wheel Drive.

Last month or so I noticed my truck riding funny. Sluggish only intermittently but still enough to notice. At a red light with my window down I could hear it ticking. I pulled over to check the oil. Bone dry. I started using of mobile one synthetic and get it changed at the same place. Actually have only had two oil changes there because I have not had the truck very long. First time was a regular change the second time I opted for synthetic. It was late and I needed some oil bad Walmart was the only place open. So I go in there and there's not much for choices in synthetic oil's so I figured I would give royal purple a shot. I did in my truck seem to run dramatically different not sure if it was because there was actually oil in it or it was the royal purple. I reset my oil life gauge back to zero. Well today I come out of the supply house and noticed my truck is ticking loud as shit. It has been idling pretty rough here lately as well. There is 60% life still left on the oil indicator. The truck was dry of oil. Nothing registering on the dipstick. This puzzles me. There's no oil anywhere under it leaking there is no oil on my shop floor anywhere. It's not like I have to compare puddles of old oil and ask who's is leaking. My shop floor is an epoxy floor and there is no oil drops anywhere. So where is this oil going to. I'm a plumber not mechanic so I really don't even understand the mechanics of the motor. Any input would be appreciated. My truck is a 2009 Chevy Silverado LT 5.3L flex fuel four-door 2 Wheel Drive.

It is my daily driver. Something I do that a lot of people don't do is I'll let my truck idle a lot sometimes when I'm on service calls it's not uncommon for it to idle for a couple of hours or more. Could this be burning up my oil in someway. Way I see it if it's burning up in there has to be a lot of gunk in my motor correct it's not like it burns away clean. Just a shot in the dark any help is appreciated. Meanwhile I'm about to run in here and get some more royal purple from Walmart.

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davester · April 6, 2017

any oil in the coolant expansion tank?

you may also want to remove one of the rad hoses to also check if oil is floating there.

If your truck was burning oil, it would be pretty obvious with a good blue haz behind you, given how quickly you say the oil level is going down, so that's unlikely.

But whatever you do, check the oil level more often and fill it up. There aren't many other things that will make your motor die an early death as fast as running low on oil will.

PipeLyfe · April 6, 2017

I understand about checking the oil level. I preach this to people all the time. If you don't do anything else check and change the oil. I figured it hasn't been long enough to use this much oil? 60% left on the oil life. So theres no smoke and no oil on the ground - where does a full 4 qts of oil go. I say 4 because if it was 5 I'd probably be making a far different post right now.

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j-ten-ner · April 6, 2017

http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/topic/127812-is-your-gmt-900-truck-or-suv-using-oil/?hl=oil%20usage

Welcome to the club.

so long

j-ten-ner

OneShotOneKill · April 6, 2017

Just because the dipstick doesn't show any oil does not mean the truck is burning through 4 or 5 quarts. the difference between the dipstick showing the oil at regular level and none at all is only about a quart.

are you actually adding 4 qts every time this happens?

KARNUT · April 6, 2017

Iv had 3 oil users, 94 Z28, a 99 ford 4.6. The Z went 130K miles with me using 1Qt every 2500 miles, added cats at 100K. The Ford went 100K with me with and added S/C at 20K using 1Qt every 2500 miles. Last is 92 Chevy truck had it 5years so far 383 stroker with a whipple @ 10LBs boost uses a Qt every 500 miles. Almost blew it up when I first got it from not knowing it used oil. No issues no smoking no fouled plugs. The cats I guess. Change my additude on oil use. The other two the dealer said falls under normal range. Just keep it check.

MaverickZ71 · April 6, 2017

http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/topic/127812-is-your-gmt-900-truck-or-suv-using-oil/?hl=oil%20usage

Welcome to the club.

so long

j-ten-ner

+about a million angry GMT900 (2007-2013 half ton truck) owners. There is a reason GM had to mandate Dexos oil, says to check your oil at EVERY FUEL STOP, and made their new generation of pickups hold 8 quarts of oil. It's called the infamous GM AFM (Active Fuel Management [gelding a V8 down to 4 cylinders], or as I like to call it, the All your oil is Frakkin Missing) system oil usage nightmare. A mixture of bad engineering, bad parts, and indifferent assembly tolerances. Welcome to the club. Sorry you have to be there, but you're not alone! GM issued numerous TSB's on this topic (and it is still questionable if their 'fixes' work or not), but too many dealers stonewalled by refusing to recognize the problem until the trucks were off warranty. Then they were glad to 'tear into it' for thousands of dollars. There should be a class action lawsuit on this!!

flyboyron · April 6, 2017

My 09 with the 5.3L was using 2 qts between oil changes before I replaced the valve cover per the TSB and then installed "The Range" to prevent the V4 mode from activating.

I am using maybe 3/4 of a quart between oil changes which are around 8,000 miles. My gas mileage is about the same.

I found my answers here on the GM-Trucks forum.

Good luck with your truck.

06pirate · April 7, 2017

I don't have an answer to the oil usage, but I just have to ask......what's the reason for letting the truck idle for a couple of hours when on a service call?

2strokesmoke · April 9, 2017

Read up on this!

PipeLyfe · May 20, 2017

I don't have an answer to the oil usage, but I just have to ask......what's the reason for letting the truck idle for a couple of hours when on a service call?

No reason other than I used to have a diesel and I'm in that habit. I found out though that it does not idle in v4 mode so that shoots down my theory.

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PipeLyfe · May 20, 2017

Ok so afm is the cause. I get that. So what is the next best step to make sure I don't damage anything. My passenger side is already ticking and when input a stethoscope on it it sounds like a damn powerstroke on knocking. Would a port and polish help this ?

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dsr611 · May 20, 2017

Ok so afm is the cause. I get that. So what is the next best step to make sure I don't damage anything. My passenger side is already ticking and when input a stethoscope on it it sounds like a damn powerstroke on knocking. Would a port and polish help this ?

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Port and polish isn't going to do anything...the problem is the AFM lifters failing (that is the ticking you are hearing). You need to install an AFM-DOD delete kit. You can get the kit configured how you want, but to do away with all non-AFM parts it will run you right at $600, then you'll have to get the AFM tuned out with a handheld tuner ($300 or so) or have it professionally tuned. While you're in there, you may as well go ahead and change the oil pump also (another $150 or so). Add in labor if you're not mechanically inclined (or don't have time like I did) and you're going to be close to $2500-$3000

If the cam isn't scarred up (mine was), you can replace just the AFM lifters with the same thing (supposed to be an updated lifter not prone to failure as much as the older ones) and hopefully get by on the cheap. You'll still want to tune out the AFM or get the Range AFM disabler device to turn it off and hope the AFM parts dont fail.

http://www.texas-speed.com/p-717-dod-afm-delete-kit-for-536062-engines.aspx

PipeLyfe · May 23, 2017

Port and polish isn't going to do anything...the problem is the AFM lifters failing (that is the ticking you are hearing). You need to install an AFM-DOD delete kit. You can get the kit configured how you want, but to do away with all non-AFM parts it will run you right at $600, then you'll have to get the AFM tuned out with a handheld tuner ($300 or so) or have it professionally tuned. While you're in there, you may as well go ahead and change the oil pump also (another $150 or so). Add in labor if you're not mechanically inclined (or don't have time like I did) and you're going to be close to $2500-$3000

If the cam isn't scarred up (mine was), you can replace just the AFM lifters with the same thing (supposed to be an updated lifter not prone to failure as much as the older ones) and hopefully get by on the cheap. You'll still want to tune out the AFM or get the Range AFM disabler device to turn it off and hope the AFM parts dont fail.

http://www.texas-speed.com/p-717-dod-afm-delete-kit-for-536062-engines.aspx

I'm in Houston. Who has experience with this and will do a good job in my area?

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PipeLyfe · May 23, 2017

My 09 with the 5.3L was using 2 qts between oil changes before I replaced the valve cover per the TSB and then installed "The Range" to prevent the V4 mode from activating.

I am using maybe 3/4 of a quart between oil changes which are around 8,000 miles. My gas mileage is about the same.

I found my answers here on the GM-Trucks forum.

Good luck with your truck.

how much did this cost total?

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