AFM delete

kFreeman · January 13, 2020

5.3L at just under 70,000 miles began severe oil lose. After a dealer service trip that didn't solve the issue and GM's silence on the issue, I chose to proceed with deleting the AFM feature. Glad I did, after opening up the engine several lifters were froze and two cam lobes damaged

The heads were badly carboned up.

$3000 in parts, machining, and labor I have the truck that is full of pep. Fleet EPA requirements with AFM might look good to some, but low mileage oil smoking cannot be their goal

Mikebtte · January 13, 2020

It's a shame you had to spend so much on an AFM delete. Parts normally around $800-$1000.

Good that your back on the road.

swathdiver · January 13, 2020

Seems like he had the heads done too.

kFreeman · January 14, 2020

Purchased a parts kit in that range, machining, additional parts not included in a kit were purchased since I had the engine opened up.

Wanted to go all out with a fresh start in the hope not to have a failure after this effort.

tigers2007 · January 17, 2020

This might be the proper way to go. I did the software disable via HP Tuners and I’m still burning through oil.

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flyboyron · March 31, 2020

I have the 09 Silverado with the 5.3 V8 and found a few years ago (around 60,000 miles) the engine using oil. I did the valve cover TSB and then I also got the Range. That plugs into the ALDL connector and keeps the engine from going into V4 mode. My oil consumption dropped to about 1/4 quart in 3,000 miles. I now have 97,000 miles on the truck.

It looks like I might have prevented problems with the lifters everyone has been talking about for years.

Grumpy Bear · March 31, 2020

On 1/13/2020 at 1:02 PM, kFreeman said:

5.3L at just under 70,000 miles began severe oil lose. After a dealer service trip that didn't solve the issue and GM's silence on the issue, I chose to proceed with deleting the AFM feature. Glad I did, after opening up the engine several lifters were froze and two cam lobes damaged

The heads were badly carboned up.

$3000 in parts, machining, and labor I have the truck that is full of pep. Fleet EPA requirements with AFM might look good to some, but low mileage oil smoking cannot be their goal

So your first clue that you had a problem was oil consumption although you had SEVERAL 'frozen' lifters and two damaged cam lobes and you didn't know that until "after opening up the engine". That's your story?

:wtf:

Grumpy Bear · March 31, 2020

3 hours ago, flyboyron said:

I have the 09 Silverado with the 5.3 V8 and found a few years ago (around 60,000 miles) the engine using oil. I did the valve cover TSB and then I also got the Range. That plugs into the ALDL connector and keeps the engine from going into V4 mode. My oil consumption dropped to about 1/4 quart in 3,000 miles. I now have 97,000 miles on the truck.

It looks like I might have prevented problems with the lifters everyone has been talking about for years.

Did you install the oil jet deflector in the pan? If not the reason your oil consumption dropped with the disable is more about that oil jet than the AFM. This was addressed in the 2014 and newer Ecotec3 motors.

flyboyron · March 31, 2020

I saw that in the TSB and didn't want to have to pull the oil pan. The next best thing was the Range, which prevents the engine from going into V4 mode and prevents the AFM Pressure Relief Valve from squirting oil on the bottoms of the pistons. This is what I believed help keep the rings from getting all gummed up.

I never really lost any gas mileage by sticking to V8 mode constantly. I don't know how they can market this V4 - V8 mode idea when it has never saved me any gas.

Grumpy Bear · April 1, 2020

1 hour ago, flyboyron said:

I saw that in the TSB and didn't want to have to pull the oil pan. The next best thing was the Range, which prevents the engine from going into V4 mode and prevents the AFM Pressure Relief Valve from squirting oil on the bottoms of the pistons. This is what I believed help keep the rings from getting all gummed up.

I never really lost any gas mileage by sticking to V8 mode constantly. I don't know how they can market this V4 - V8 mode idea when it has never saved me any gas.

Gummed up. Ever see the inside of a motor at 1500 rpm? Looks like a category 7 hurricane in a Pepsi bottle. There are allot of motors that utilize oil jets under the piston crowns for cooling. Including the Ecotec3 motors. Problem wasn't what it was squirting but where. Localized on one cylinder wall. That said and as many noticed it didn't hurt a thing for a very long time. Then one day, out of the blue, it started to use oil as the ring pack collapsed. Funny word to use for gummed up rings sticking in the lands, eh? Oil flow does not make oil gummy does it? What does?