Jump to content

Question on AFM collapsed lifter failure

Doublebase

By Doublebase
in Engines & Drivetrain

 Share

Recommended Posts

Doublebase Enthusiast

Doublebase

Posted
Posted

I don't know much about this system, how it operates, the stress that is placed on the lifters during cylinder deactivation. How common is this failure? Been watching some YouTube videos on the repair and it's very labor intensive...heads have to come off, etc. I see that you can buy the entire kit (lifters, gaskets) for around $500.

 

Have a friend that told me...just change your oil, you'll be fine. The number one cause of this failure is neglected maintenance. That true? Or is it an inherited problem with the design of the system? 

 

The system came out in 2007, there must be some improvements made to it since then, no? 

 

I must say that the AFM is allowing me to get some excellent fuel economy out of a full size truck.

 

So is this a common problem, or are there people with 200,000 on these trucks that never had an issue with it?

  • Replies 41
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Popular Posts

Grumpy Bear
Grumpy Bear

Not enough to mount a class action 😉    There is a small percentage of these motors that had actual stress failures due to some manufacturing defect like a heat treat issue. But by and large

WesternMike
WesternMike

115,000 on my 14 with not a single problem, like not one issue at all with this truck. Mobi 1 every 5k 91 octane since purchase Diablo Trinity with AFM and DoD disabled 91 octane tune Super 10 muffl

Colossus
Colossus

You might be surprised how many dealers out there don't even know an issue with AFM and lifter collapse exists until they get one for the first time. 

swathdiver Senior Enthusiast

swathdiver

Posted
Posted

Dirty oil is AFMs worst enemy.  The lifters and VLOM and other parts have also been updated since it was first introduced making it more reliable.  How reliable?  Well, many people have issues just over the 100K mile mark while others double that without trouble.  It also seems that the system is even more reliable in the Gen V motors. 

 

AFM adds moving parts and moving parts wear out.  A Suburban with a 5.3 is not going to benefit from AFM as much as a Tahoe or regular cab pick up truck as it is much heavier.  There's a saying, by deleting AFM, one gets Gen III reliability with Gen IV durability.

 

Many people disable AFM through a tune or disabling device, the parts are still there and can fail, but still better than if it was operating.  One frustration is that when it usually goes, there's no warning, it starts with a collapsed lifter.

 

In your 2018, I don't think you'll have to worry about it for a long long time.  Keep your oil clean and run Dexos/synthetic, don't switch brands/types which can lead to sludge problems, and change it before 7500 miles, preferrably every 5k miles and call it good.  

  • Like 1
Doublebase Enthusiast

Doublebase

Posted
  • Author
Posted
30 minutes ago, swathdiver said:

Dirty oil is AFMs worst enemy.  The lifters and VLOM and other parts have also been updated since it was first introduced making it more reliable.  How reliable?  Well, many people have issues just over the 100K mile mark while others double that without trouble.  It also seems that the system is even more reliable in the Gen V motors. 

 

AFM adds moving parts and moving parts wear out.  A Suburban with a 5.3 is not going to benefit from AFM as much as a Tahoe or regular cab pick up truck as it is much heavier.  There's a saying, by deleting AFM, one gets Gen III reliability with Gen IV durability.

 

Many people disable AFM through a tune or disabling device, the parts are still there and can fail, but still better than if it was operating.  One frustration is that when it usually goes, there's no warning, it starts with a collapsed lifter.

 

In your 2018, I don't think you'll have to worry about it for a long long time.  Keep your oil clean and run Dexos/synthetic, don't switch brands/types which can lead to sludge problems, and change it before 7500 miles, preferrably every 5k miles and call it good.  

Thanks. Unfortunately disabling it is not an option at this point - 500/700 miles of commuting per week - but maybe after it's paid off I'll consider it. I'm simply amazed at the fuel economy I'm getting out of this truck; highway with the cruise set is giving me between 22-30 plus depending on the hills...stays in V4 most of the time, and on backroads this thing is doing great. I'm averaging 25mpg in my first 1,000 miles. 

 

I definitely will be running a decent quality full synthetic. I find that when motors age and start getting over that 120,000 mark, the 0w20 tends to burn. Guess I'll worry about that bridge when I cross it. But I'll keep my intervals to 5,000 miles (experimented with longer intervals in the past and it did my engine no favors long term).

 

I need to make a decision on when to have my first oil change done, I'm a little over 1,000 miles right now, not sure I'm comfortable going much further with some of the metal particles that are in that oil from the break in process.

swathdiver Senior Enthusiast

swathdiver

Posted
Posted

I think you're fine to keep it active and to change your oil soon and set up 5k mile intervals.  Most folks do this and use Mobil One synthetics.

WesternMike Enthusiast

WesternMike

Posted
Posted

115,000 on my 14 with not a single problem, like not one issue at all with this truck.

Mobi 1 every 5k
91 octane since purchase
Diablo Trinity with AFM and DoD disabled
91 octane tune
Super 10 muffler
Cold air Intake

Run the sea foam every oil change or two as well, will only help! YouTube the process.

If we look after these trucks like we do our bodies.. they will last.

  • Like 2
  • 4 weeks later...
greyjimmy Enthusiast

greyjimmy

Posted
Posted

That mileage is incredible.  My 2015 gets an average of 17 mpg.  Rarely gets over 21 even on the highway.  Has there been a significant change in three years?

I bought it two months ago with 60,000 miles and at 62,000 the #7 cylinder lifters collapsed.  Dealership was great though, towed it and turned it around in three days.

  • Like 1
Doublebase Enthusiast

Doublebase

Posted
  • Author
Posted
21 hours ago, greyjimmy said:

That mileage is incredible.  My 2015 gets an average of 17 mpg.  Rarely gets over 21 even on the highway.  Has there been a significant change in three years?

I bought it two months ago with 60,000 miles and at 62,000 the #7 cylinder lifters collapsed.  Dealership was great though, towed it and turned it around in three days.

I don't think there's really been a change, not sure. My buddy has a 2014 and he asked me the same thing, but I've driven his truck before and averaged 24 with it no problem. I think it's just driving tendencies.

 

Weather plays a huge roll in it too - if it's under 40 degrees my mileage drops 2 mpg's.

  • 5 months later...
2018chevysilverado New Member

2018chevysilverado

Posted
Posted

I got a brand new 2018 Silverado and got halfway home after leaving the dealership for the first time and it drove terrible and went back to the dealership and cometo find out the lifter in cylinder 7 had collapsed. It had about 40 miles on at that time. It's insane that it can happen that early

  • Sad 1
Centex14 Enthusiast

Centex14

Posted
Posted

I get 20mpg easy on the highway with dod//afm disabled.

Almost a 120k miles with no issues. Dod//afm disabled for the last 4K.


2014 z71 LTZ
Volant Intake
Borla Exhaust
Diablo
Bilstein 5100
Rough Country Level

  • 7 months later...
Eileen Droese New Member

Eileen Droese

Posted
Posted
On 11/17/2018 at 6:09 PM, 2018chevysilverado said:

I got a brand new 2018 Silverado and got halfway home after leaving the dealership for the first time and it drove terrible and went back to the dealership and cometo find out the lifter in cylinder 7 had collapsed. It had about 40 miles on at that time. It's insane that it can happen that early

I just got a brand new 2019 Silverado 5.3 it has 700 miles on it, we’ve had it for 2 weeks and it’s in the shop because lifter 4 collapsed. It’s very disappointing, I have had Chevy trucks since 1990, never had any problems

  • Sad 1
Grumpy Bear Senior Enthusiast

Grumpy Bear

Posted
Posted

Ever notice that the people reporting disaster do so on their first post? No just a bad lifter but one out of the box. 40 miles, 700 miles. Driving out of the lot. :rolleyes: Pattern? :P Just an observation. Then poof, their gone never to be heard from again...until now...cornered. 

  • Like 1
KARNUT Senior Enthusiast

KARNUT

Posted
Posted

I bought a new 94 dodge diesel 1 ton. Wasn’t my first. First automatic diesel. Before 1K miles the transmission lines came apart. I would have went online to an enthusiast site if I could. As I did with my other rides up to my 14 GMC. It’s not un common especially if there’s a problem, misery love company.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

3tspapat Enthusiast

3tspapat

Posted
Posted

So of all of the GMs produced with AFM and is currently out on the road, what is the percentage of ones that have failed so far? 

Paintor Enthusiast

Paintor

Posted
Posted
10 hours ago, 3tspapat said:

So of all of the GMs produced with AFM and is currently out on the road, what is the percentage of ones that have failed so far? 

Ask Melling. They make the lifters. They say allllllll the failures are from oil pressure dropping below....read:

 

https://www.melling.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Melling-tech-bulletin-on-GM-LS-Deactivation-Lifter-Issues-3.1.18-1.pdf

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Latest Articles

  • Posts

    • Atlas
      PF63 Oil Filters Going Away?

      By Atlas · Posted

      I only have a few of the ACDelco blue remaining. One or two of the (old, old) ACDelco Professional boxes, and a couple of the newer style GM boxes with the simulcast in Chinese along with English. FWIW they've all been pretty good, regardless of where they are made, and in 20 years I've never had a problem with an e-core filter.   Now I have a couple of the "A" series in my home inventory. They come in a plain white box with the GM hologram sticker and model information. Have not installed one yet, want to use up my oldest inventory first.
    • asilverblazer
      2015 Sierra Denali L86 cyl 5 misfire at idle

      By asilverblazer · Posted

      Compression test? Weird noises? Fuel trims?
    • asilverblazer
      Wow I'm in a pickle. (Broke down truck) and a story.

      By asilverblazer · Posted

      I suspect at some point in the near future, the hardware will be free and you pay a subscription to access the vehicle - alldata style.
    • parthery
      BAK MX4 EZ-Lift Install and Review

      By parthery · Posted

      I've been eyeing an upgrade to my tonneau cover for a bit now.  Intrigued by the BAK MX4 EZ-Lift with the torsion spring and went for the upgrade.  Thoughts and musings during unpacking, install and a few days of usage.   Once my order went into Realtruck, it took about 4 days to ship.  Unfortunately, FedEx Ground destroyed the box and contents and it was unusable upon receipt.  To Realtruck's credit, one email with pictures and an RMA was sent to me to send the first one back, and another unit was shipped out.  It arrived 3 days later, unscathed.   I opened the box and it looked like every other BAK MX4.   Biggest differences are the rails and retaining clamps, and of course the spring attached to the cover itself.     NOTE - if you are upgrading from a MX4 to the EZ-Lift, you will have to replace the rails.  The EZ-Lift rails have a notch cut in them to allow the new style retaining clamps to fit properly.  The new retaining clamps also have 2 knobs/carriage bolts and there are two tracks underneath the front panel. The strap clips are mildly different (more like the Undercover Flex clamps) in that the screws go in from the underside.  Personally I prefer these over the BAK clamps that use the nutserts that are a nuisance to install.  The remainder of the parts in the box (drain tubes, rail clamps, and bumper pads) are standard issue BAK.     I did not replace my front bed seal at the time because it seemed to be in decent shape.   BAK recommends shims on the GM trucks unless you place the clamps on the flanges about 1/3 of the way in from both the front and rear of the bed.  I shimmed the front and the middle, and initially placed the clamps equidistant.  This also turned out to be a mistake, because when I set the cover in place, the new style retaining clamps wouldn't clear the front clamp.   New style clamp inserted in the track:     And the issue which occurred because the front rail clamp was too far forward:     Once I removed the shim from the front of the bed, and slid the clamp back to the front flange, everything cleared fine.     The cover set on the rails without issue and I installed the strap clamps.  After I completed my adjustments, I pulled the pin to activate the torsion spring.  Mistake #3 on my part.  PULL THE PIN AS THE VERY VERY VERY LAST STEP!  The reason is, once you pull the pin, the torsion spring is activated.  If you have to loosen the front clamps and adjust the cover, the front panel will - by virtue of the spring, refuse to lay down.  The only way to get it to lay down so you can reinstall and tighten the clamps is to fully open the panel against the back of the cab, which will then allow the front panel of the cover to lay down and be tightened.  Not a big deal unless you haven't installed the foam pads yet (typically the last step) because minus the foam pads, you will need to place something between the frame of the cover and the back window so it doesn't get scratched.  The next time I install one I will install the foam pads before I pull the pin and activate the spring.   After using it for a few days:   The spring assist is great.  You literally can open it with one hand.  My shoulders aren't getting any younger and this was part of my motivation to swap out. The second panel latches and unlatches itself as you open and close the cover.  Neat in concept, however it took me a minute to get used to closing the cover and not hearing the "latching" sound that would tell me it was locked in place. The paddle handles are a huge upgrade and I wouldn't be surprised to see them become the standard across the Realtruck line.  They effectively eliminate the concern that a thief could coat hanger the cover open and get to the contents in the bed. I'm not sure why the very front panel on my cover has a different finish from the other 3 panels.  I have a request into Realtruck to find out if mine was not manufactured properly or if it was by design.   All in all I'm pleased.  Same level of protection, looks good, keeps stuff mostly dry (they all leak around the tailgate) and easy to install.
    • KARNUT
      PF63 Oil Filters Going Away?

      By KARNUT · Posted

      Thanks not an answer 

  • GM-Trucks.com Clubs

  • Popular Contributors

×
×
  • Create New...