What was/is GM Thinking???

[NHUSA]

Long story -- I had a fantastic 2003 Silverado extended cab Z-71 off road with the 5.3 motor.

It was a weekend toy that was sometimes used to tow a car trailer.

It Never - Never had a motor problem and would not require the addition of any oil between changes but the truck had New England rust issues.

At about 130,000 mile we redid the rear wheel wells and rockers.

Then a few months ago at 200,000 it would not pass inspection because of rust and a few other things.

This time it was the rear wheel wells again, rear backing plates, and loose front suspension.

Since it was at 200,000 miles I decided to get another Silverado.

 

It took a bit of work but I found a rust free 2013 4X4 extended cab 5.3 with a little over 100,000 miles.

It has the GU6/G80 3.42 posi ratio, KNP trans cooler, KC4 HD engine cooler, Z85 High payload package, and among a long list of other goodies - the freekin AFM system.

 

It drives great but in the first 600 miles it used about a 1/2 quart of oil with no signs of smoking or leaking.

I did a web search and found that the issue is most likely the AFM .

 

What is GM thinking????

Who in their right mind would take a great dependable motor and turn it into a POS that uses oil?

 

I have ordered a Range Technology disabler to see if that will help, but can't believe GM would be that stupid.

 

By the way, this is my 4th GM truck in the last 30 years and may be the last.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 26, 2019 by NHUSA

[MaverickZ71]

Agreed.  Welcome to the AFM party.  Anybody who buys a used GM truck from 2007 (GMT900) to 2019, well, like they say, you throw down your $ and you take your chances.  If a used truck looks too good to be true, chances are, it'll eat 1/2 quart of oil before you get it home.  Read the "Does your GMT900 use oil" poll pinned at the top of the GMT900 forum for more details on what's been tried to fix it.  

Edited February 26, 2019 by MaverickZ71

[diyer2]

18 minutes ago, MaverickZ71 said:

Agreed.  Welcome to the AFM party.  Anybody who buys a used GM truck from 2007 (GMT900) to 2019, well, like they say, you throw down your $ and you take your chances.  If a used truck looks too good to be true, chances are, it'll eat 1/2 quart of oil before you get it home.  Read the "Does your GMT900 use oil" poll pinned at the top of the GMT900 forum for more details on what's been tried to fix it.  

Disagree.

My 2012 has been good.

Bought in November of 2015 with 41 K miles.

They are not all problem trucks.

 

[NHUSA]

It looks as if I should have done a bit more homework before getting another Chevy.

 

It is now decision time -

Keep it as is, change the oil every few thousand miles and hope.

Keep it and completely swap out the AFM system now.

Keep it and get a 5.3 crate motor if things break.

Dump it and get a Ford. -

I once had a Ram. It ate transmissions every 40,000 miles and the body fell apart around a great motor so it is not a consideration.

 

[NHUSA]

4 minutes ago, diyer2 said:

Disagree.

My 2012 has been good.

Bought in November of 2015 with 41 K miles.

They are not all problem trucks.

 

Three questions..

How many miles now?

What oil do you use?

And how often do you change it?

[Grumpy Bear]

This debate is endless and as it is allot has been written and discussed about it. I can't say I've read it all. Can't even say I read the majority, but I read enough that it started to repeat a pretty common pattern. They seem to fall into about four categories.

 

1.) Early models (pre-GM fixes that included shields in the pan and valve cover baffling) that were never updated and use.

2.) Early models that were updated, some use and some don't. (how early the modifications were made)

4.) Late models that are not well taken care of that use.

5.) Late models that are well taken care of that are flawless in regard to AFM and oil usage caused by same.

 

I don't know if anyone else sees the pattern here but what I note is that in every category the result is/was in the owners hands.

 

Caveat: I am not including trucks that had outright physical defects such as poor heat treat or tolerance issues.

 

Just an observation  

[diyer2]

15 minutes ago, NHUSA said:

Three questions..

How many miles now?

What oil do you use?

And how often do you change it?

65 K miles now.

3 K mile oil and filter changes.

Started with Quaker State semi synthetic 5 W 30 and fleet oil filters.

Last oil change switched to Castrol GTX Magnatech 5 W 30 full synthetic and a Wix 57045 oil filter.

On a cold start my oil pressure is 50 + psi.

Warm idle 20+ psi.

Oil pressure has gone up since I bought it.

IMO my frequent oil and filter changes cleaned out the motor.

 

[Northman]

59 minutes ago, diyer2 said:

Disagree.

My 2012 has been good.

Bought in November of 2015 with 41 K miles.

They are not all problem trucks.

 

You don't have enough miles yet. It will start to smoke at startup and start using oil around 75000 miles.

[amxguy1970]

Most don't use oil. This is the same song and dance for other mostly non issues from some complainers that try to make it seem as if it is some epidemic when really the actual impact is down under 1%. Vibration issue, AFM failures, oil consumption, etc. This is a forum, most people come on to complain. Many join just to do that and start with a insult or jab to get attention to their whining, such as what was someone thinking or design failure; along those lines. There are millions of these trucks/drivetrains out there and most have nary an issue. You have oil consumption, that sucks. It isn't a big deal. Check it regularly and add it as necessary, if you are at all a car guy that does their own regular maintenance it isn't an issue. Really it helps keep the oil a little fresher if you look at the silver lining. My GF's old Rav4 consumed oil, not a big deal. Checked it and added when needed and off it went long down the road. AFM is a good tech that is nearly imperceptible when it changes and saves fuel. There have been a few bad apples but it happens to anything. If you don't like it then move on, it hasn't left you stranded, failed and costs you big repairs so not sure why the complaint and need to move. Personally I would rather have a truck who's motor lasts 300k eating a little oil rather another brand that runs good for a 150k then fail. 

 

Tyler

[Grumpy Bear]

8 minutes ago, Northman said:

You don't have enough miles yet. It will start to smoke at startup and start using oil around 75000 miles.

86,000 miles no smoke, no oil usage. 5 K OCI. Red Line High Performance. 

 

Now watch it drop over dead when I start it today. 

[amxguy1970]

9 minutes ago, Northman said:

You don't have enough miles yet. It will start to smoke at startup and start using oil around 75000 miles.

Most don't/very few do that. So you are making it sound like all will. We have a few of this generation and many friends that do too. Shoot, my buddies Tahoe with the 5.3 (2011) went 240k when he traded it in. Didn't use oil or have any issues. How about you state some facts? Even checking polls on these forums the percentages are low and it is filled mostly with whiny complaints. 

 

Tyler

[Grumpy Bear]

4 minutes ago, amxguy1970 said:

Most don't use oil. This is the same song and dance for other mostly non issues from some complainers that try to make it seem as if it is some epidemic when really the actual impact is down under 1%. Vibration issue, AFM failures, oil consumption, etc. This is a forum, most people come on to complain. Many join just to do that and start with a insult or jab to get attention to their whining, such as what was someone thinking or design failure; along those lines. There are millions of these trucks/drivetrains out there and most have nary an issue. You have oil consumption, that sucks. It isn't a big deal. Check it regularly and add it as necessary, if you are at all a car guy that does their own regular maintenance it isn't an issue. Really it helps keep the oil a little fresher if you look at the silver lining. My GF's old Rav4 consumed oil, not a big deal. Checked it and added when needed and off it went long down the road. AFM is a good tech that is nearly imperceptible when it changes and saves fuel. There have been a few bad apples but it happens to anything. If you don't like it then move on, it hasn't left you stranded, failed and costs you big repairs so not sure why the complaint and need to move. Personally I would rather have a truck who's motor lasts 300k eating a little oil rather another brand that runs good for a 150k then fail. 

 

Tyler

Remember the Toyota commercial where they welded the hood shut and drove it some insane number of miles? Yea, our only "Toy" started using oil around 95 K. Ran like a top to past 300K.

 

Tyler's post is on the money. Issues are a small percentage of the data set and it isn't a life ender. 

[SS502]

1 hour ago, diyer2 said:

Disagree.

My 2012 has been good.

Bought in November of 2015 with 41 K miles.

They are not all problem trucks.

 

 

37 minutes ago, diyer2 said:

65 K miles now.

3 K mile oil and filter changes.

Started with Quaker State semi synthetic 5 W 30 and fleet oil filters.

Last oil change switched to Castrol GTX Magnatech 5 W 30 full synthetic and a Wix 57045 oil filter.

On a cold start my oil pressure is 50 + psi.

Warm idle 20+ psi.

Oil pressure has gone up since I bought it.

IMO my frequent oil and filter changes cleaned out the motor.

 

I had (and now a friend owns it so I can speak of it) a 2008 Avalanche LTZ with the 5.3 and it has never had any engine problems, in fact the only non-scheduled visit to the dealer was for a drivers door lock quit working. I sold it with 180XXX trouble free miles, it now has 240XXX miles. Never had any oil loss/consumption issues. The oil was changed about every 3-5K miles regardless of the OLM. The AFM never bothered me at all, I could not feel or hear it changing but I had the stock exhaust on her. I am very close to completing my 5th decade on this planet and that ugly ole Avalanche to date has been the most reliable vehicle I have ever owned. I am thinking my old Avalanche was more representative of the majority, I should have kept it but I wanted a newer truck and am hoping this one does me proud too.

[NHUSA]

When your neighbor gets laid off it is a recession.

When you get laid off it is a depression.

 

When my friend's truck fails because of the AFM it is an issue.

When my truck fails because of the AFM it is a disaster.

 

When it hasn't happened to you it doesn't exist.

When it happens to you it is real.

 

[diyer2]

23 minutes ago, Northman said:

You don't have enough miles yet. It will start to smoke at startup and start using oil around 75000 miles.