Jump to content

  • Sign up for FREE! Become a GM-Trucks.com Member Today!

    In 20 seconds you can become part of the worlds largest and oldest community discussing General Motors, Chevrolet and GMC branded pickups, crossovers, and SUVs. From buying research to owner support, join 1.5 MILLION GM Truck Enthusiasts every month who use GM-Trucks.com as a daily part of their ownership experience. 

2011 Tahoe / LMG Vortec Engine - oil flush/engine cleaner additive ok?

Nils81gy
 Share

Recommended Posts

Nils81gy Enthusiast

Nils81gy

Posted
Posted (edited)

Hi there,

 

I bought a used 2011 Chevy Tahoe 4WD with 151k.

As soon the car is released and street legal in Germany, I do a full oil/fluid replacement incl. all filters + spark plugs and spark plug wires.

In regards to my engine oil change, this is my plan:

 

  • 1st engine oil change

            I plan to use an oil sludge remover to "clean" the engine from inside. Its called Liqui Moly Oil Sludge Flush. 

            With the new engine oil, I plan to add Liqui Moly Hydraulic Lifter Additive .

 

  • 2nd engine oil change (...when its due next time)

            I plan to use another engine cleaner called RAVENOL Professional Engine Cleaner to make sure that all debris

            are removed as much as possible.

            With the new engine oil, I plan to add an additive called TriboTEX Original

 

In regards to coolant change I want to use a coolant system cleaner  and  a radiator stop leakage which can be used preventively. 

 

I am also going to permanently disabling the AFM on software level done by a US car tuner.

 

I heard/ read that the Vortec 5.3L engine in those 3rd Gen Tahoes tends to build up oil sludge so I thought it might be a good idea for a good engine flush.  


Anything pro or contra? 

 

Any feedback is highly appreciated.

 

Please stay safe and healthy!

 

Niels

 
Edited by Nils81gy
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Colossus Senior Enthusiast

Colossus

Posted
Posted

Eh, I'd just run some of this stuff.  https://www.bgprod.com/catalog/engine/bg-epr-engine-performance-restoration/

and this

https://www.bgprod.com/catalog/engine/bg-moa-extended-life/#bg-product-1

 

Many professional mechanics swear by this stuff and I've had good experiences with it too.  Don't get it off of Amazon as the stuff on Amazon is likely fake.  BG doesn't allow their products to be sold on Amazon. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Black02Silverado Senior Enthusiast

Black02Silverado

Posted
Posted

Sounds like you got all the bases covered. 

 

I would first pull the valve covers and see how bad it really is under there.  You might be good just going to a high quality synthetic and doing frequent oil changes for a while and let that clean it out over time.  It didn't get the build up, if any over night so you can't expect to clean it out quickly.

 

As for the 5.3's being sludge motors, it might be more on the lines because people didn't take care of them. 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Nils81gy Enthusiast

Nils81gy

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)
58 minutes ago, Black02Silverado said:

Sounds like you got all the bases covered. 

 

I would first pull the valve covers and see how bad it really is under there.  You might be good just going to a high quality synthetic and doing frequent oil changes for a while and let that clean it out over time.  It didn't get the build up, if any over night so you can't expect to clean it out quickly.

 

As for the 5.3's being sludge motors, it might be more on the lines because people didn't take care of them. 

Hi,

 

thanks a lot for the info. I told a friend of mine (also mechanics which is owns its own body shop) about my plan and he said "no, don't do engine clean, check the oil 1st."

He said if there is sludge built up we will see it when the oil drains and under the oil cap. He doesn't like engine /transmission flushes mentioning that could even be counterproductive causing oil leaks and maybe even more issues. You usually have sludge build up when you only drive short distances and are very lazy with car maintenance. But since the car is 9 1/2 years old and has 151k miles driven, he doesn't expect to see any sludge built up. He also said if I use high quality oil, the additives should be good enough to clean the engine on the long run. Since the car got regular oil changes for at least the last three years and at least one new spark plug (that information is based on Carfax and the previous owner), I assume it should be fine. 

The engine oil I buy directly from the manufacturer called Ravenol, a German company. The Oil is called RAVENOL DXG SAE 5W-30   https://www.ravenol.de/en/application-area/passenger-cars-1/ravenol-dxg-sae-5w-30/  and should be a high quality oil. I use Ravenol products in my 2007 Honda Odyssey since years at this was the 1st company in Europe/Germany that provided engine oil with the correct viscosity and specs for the Odyssey. I think there is no Amsoil in Germany. 

 

 

Edited by Nils81gy
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
diyer2 Senior Enthusiast

diyer2

Posted
Posted

No flush.

Frequent oil and filter changes will clean it.

I have done this for years on my used vehicles.

2-  1 K mile oil and  filter changes first thing. This will tell if it's dirty inside by how dirty the oil gets in short mileage.

3 k mile changes.

:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
swathdiver Senior Enthusiast

swathdiver

Posted
Posted
On 4/14/2020 at 3:25 AM, Nils81gy said:

Hi there,

 

I bought a used 2011 Chevy Tahoe 4WD with 151k.

As soon the car is released and street legal in Germany, I do a full oil/fluid replacement incl. all filters + spark plugs and spark plug wires.

In regards to my engine oil change, this is my plan:

 

  • 1st engine oil change

            I plan to use an oil sludge remover to "clean" the engine from inside. Its called Liqui Moly Oil Sludge Flush. 

            With the new engine oil, I plan to add Liqui Moly Hydraulic Lifter Additive .

Niels

 

Welcome Niels!

 

   One of the problems with sludger removers in these engines is that the loose sludge clogs up the AFM system and causes the solenoids and lifters to fail.  We see this all the time when guys buy a truck that was not cared for and they switch it over to synthetic oil and or use sludge removers.

 

If the engine was cared for, there won't be any sludge to remove.  Go slow, just do regular oil changes at first.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
Nils81gy Enthusiast

Nils81gy

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hi,

 

We did 1st replacement of engine oil and engine filter. The oil smelled a bit like gasoline, probably because of the short distance drivings at the dealership and later at the shipping company, harbor, ... . We also replaced the front differential fluid and  all eight spark plug wires. The spark plugs looked evenly used but kinda on the worn out side. But not fouled, wet or burned and no deposit buildups.

Next week or the week after we will replace the other oils and fluids like transmission oil and filter, transfer case oil, rear diff oil, brake fluid and coolant. Also going to replace the A/C belt, belt tensioner, pulley and the serpentine belt (ordered kit ACDelco ACK060935HD). The engine squeaks a bit at cold start. Sounds a bit like a tensioner or pulley issue. The belt itself looks ok. But since I have no idea when those parts have been replaced last time, I just replace it. And so far I can see, it looks pretty easy to replace at that engine.

 

Anything to consider or to take care of when replacing the the belts and tensioner and pulley?

 

 

 

 
 
   

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
dsr611 Senior Enthusiast

dsr611

Posted
Posted
24 minutes ago, Nils81gy said:

 

Anything to consider or to take care of when replacing the the belts and tensioner and pulley?

 
 
   

 

 

Just FYI, there is not a tensioner on the AC belt.  There is a trick to replacing it using a couple of zip-ties, tie-wraps, etc, breaker bar and socket.

 

 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Nils81gy Enthusiast

Nils81gy

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

@dsr611 I have Gates 91030 Micro-V Stretch Fit Installation Tool. So based on the video the A/C Belt is installed the same way as on the L99 6.2L V8 engine? I have seen a A/C belt video from a 2007 Tahoe. But there was a belt tensioner. So they changed the design at the later models?

s-l640.jpg

Edited by Nils81gy
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
dsr611 Senior Enthusiast

dsr611

Posted
Posted

Yes...I don't know exactly what year they had the brilliant idea to omit the AC belt tensioner (want to say it was 09), but I know my '10 Sierra didn't have one.  I did mine just like the video above (I've even adapted the same technique on our industrial cooling fans at work and it works great)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Nils81gy Enthusiast

Nils81gy

Posted
  • Author
Posted
4 hours ago, dsr611 said:

Yes...I don't know exactly what year they had the brilliant idea to omit the AC belt tensioner (want to say it was 09), but I know my '10 Sierra didn't have one.  I did mine just like the video above (I've even adapted the same technique on our industrial cooling fans at work and it works great)

its kinda difficult to see how and what he exactly did, except seeing lots of zip-ties :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Similar Content

    • 01Silverado2wd
      2001 silverado 1500 5.3L secondary air monitor won’t complete
      By 01Silverado2wd
      hello gm-trucks commuinty i’m having issues with a smog readiness monitor not completing. any information on this issue would be greatly appreciated. my truck is a 2001 Chevy Silverado LS 1500 with a 5.3L v8 and it’s 4x2. all the readiness monitors complete except the secondary air system causing the truck to fail smog in california. i’ve heard the air pump turn on at cold starts and even replaced the passenger side check valve. also replaced the solenoid that sends vacuum. everything in the secondary air system seems to be operating properly but the monitor won’t complete. i’ve driven 100s of miles and done countless cold starts but no luck. even the smog referee said the system is working properly and i should just drive the truck more. anyone else experience this issue and what did you have to do to complete the monitor? there are no codes stored currently and the truck runs fine. thank you to anyone that helps
    • Michaelavh
      Water Pump Pulley 5.3
      By Michaelavh
      Good evening, I have 2020 Chevy Trailboss 1500 5.3 I recently ran into the issue of the water pump pulley breaking and wanted to see if anybody knows if it’s possible to just change out the pulley or would I have to change out the whole water pump?

    • customboss
      RIGHT TO REPAIR
      By customboss
      "Opinion ‘Car Talk’ host:
      Independent auto shops deserve the right to repair your car
      September 28, 2022 at 7:00 a.m. EDT
      (Washington Post staff illustration; images by iStock) Ray Magliozzi is one half of NPR’s show “Car Talk,” a longtime independent repair-shop owner, a Dear Car Talk columnist and a car reviewer on CarTalk.com.
      When your car breaks, what do you do? Okay, after you utter a certain word? You have to decide where to take the car to get it fixed, right?
      You really have two choices. You can go to the dealership or an independent repair shop. However, some car manufacturers don’t want to share key information for diagnosing and fixing cars with independent shops — and that’s something that’s not only bad for repair shops but also bad for you.
      As a radio host who has advised thousands on their car problems and as an independent shop owner myself, I know all too well that car owners benefit when they have more choices. Congress is considering a national “right-to-repair” law, and lawmakers need to pass it to protect your rights as a consumer.
      Story continues below advertisement
       
      Back in the old days, when people were still switching over from traveling by mastodon, you repaired cars with your eyes, ears, nose and hands — and, if you were desperate, a Chilton repair manual. Now, you often repair a car by first plugging a computer into the on-board-diagnostics port and seeing what the computer tells you is broken.
      So, what’s the problem? Carmakers and their dealerships want to maintain control of modern diagnostic tools, which forces customers to come to them for repairs. Even though independents are willing to pay to license these tools, dealers see an advantage in exclusivity.
      Dealerships have always had certain advantages. They have better coffee in their waiting rooms. Heck, they have waiting rooms. They have clean restrooms that don’t double as auxiliary air-filter storage. They also work on your particular make of car all day, every day. So they might be familiar with an oddball problem because they’ve worked on 4,000 Camrys.
      Story continues below advertisement
       
      Independent shops are small businesses, run by individuals — some of whom are terrific people and mechanics and some of whom will blame your car troubles on demonic possession and give you essential oils to fix it.
      But independent shops have their own advantage: price. Their labor and parts costs are usually much lower — hey, who do you think is ultimately paying for the dealerships’ coffee and fancy couches? Some research has found that dealers, on average, charged as much as 20 percent more than independent shops for the same repairs.
      This article was featured in the Opinions A.M. newsletter. Sign up here for a digest of opinions in your inbox six days a week.
      There’s also the matter of distance. Not every town in the United States has a stop light, let alone a dealership for every car brand. There are 16,752 franchised car dealers in the United States, according to the National Automobile Dealers Association, but there are nearly 240,000 repair shops — meaning that for a lot of people, an independent shop is the only nearby option.
      Story continues below advertisement
       
      At Car Talk, there are times we’ll strongly recommend an independent shop for standard work like brakes, shocks, the engine and regular service. And there are times we’ll recommend going to the dealership, like when you have a particularly rare problem that might be unique to your make and model. But at the end of the day, you should take your car to the dealer to be fixed because you want to not because dealers have hoarded all the key information.
      Beyond the information needed to diagnose and fix your car, dealerships also want to maintain control of your car’s telematics. What are telematics? Well, now that everything is connected to the internet, your car can notify your dealer when your car needs an oil change or has a blown sensor. Using the software they’re denying to independent shops, the dealer can then diagnose the trouble code, call you and schedule a repair. Most modern cars already have this ability.
      Car manufacturers point to the importance of keeping your car’s data safe — including your location, say — as a reason to deny independent shops access to these tools and codes. They are right about the need for data security, but part of privacy is that you should be the one to decide who has access to your data.
      Story continues below advertisement
       
      At least 17 states have laws on the books stating that your vehicle’s data belongs to you. Many independent repair shops will need to invest in tools to keep customer data secure, but just because they’ll need to invest doesn’t mean they can’t compete with dealers. Lack of choice — and competition — is never good for the consumer.
      So consumer groups and independent shops are promoting what they call right-to-repair legislation, guaranteeing consumers more choice by requiring automakers to license their data with independent repair shops. The voters in my fair state of Massachusetts approved just such a law in 2020. In 2021, 27 states introduced or passed similar legislation. Beyond those state laws, there’s a national push to protect consumers and independent shops. H.R. 6570, a national right-to-repair bill, has been sitting with the House Energy and Commerce Committee for months.
      My Car Talk colleagues and I know not everyone will support right-to-repair laws. Dealerships won’t like the level playing field. Mechanics might not like how much work they’ll actually have to do. Still, this is an issue everyone else can get behind. If you own something, you should be able to choose where to repair it. "
       
       
    • msteinkraus
      4L60E transgo sk kit issues
      By msteinkraus
      I am currently helping my father with his transmission rebuild for the 4l60e on a 2002 avalanche, he installed a transgo 4l60e sk shift improvement kit along with adding a corvette servo. he installed a cam on the 5.3 and the engine runs flawlessly and for the transmission he added a 3000 stall converter. the transmission will shift into reverse fine and will shift into second with using the manual shift, however the transmission will not shift into drive. the valve body has been checked over and over again and everything seems to be in place. Has anyone else had this issue or know what may cause this? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
    • rtr2000
      Extremely Poor Gas Mileage Troubleshooting
      By rtr2000
      I recently purchased a 2013 Silverado 1500 LTZ 5.3 crew cab and am averaging 13.6mpg. I understand it's a truck, but I figured it wouldnt be that terrible. I use cruise control and coast as much as possible, but still have the poor mileage. It has 117,000 miles on it. I have 33x12R20LT Trac Grip M/T Thunderer tires and XD series wheels. I feel like I should be getting better gas mileage than this. Suggestions?

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Forum Statistics

    242.1k
    Total Topics
    1.4m
    Total Posts

  • Member Statistics

    309,469
    Total Members
    8,960
    Most Online
    Travis Langston
    Newest Member
    Travis Langston
    Joined

  • Who's Online   7 Members, 0 Anonymous, 391 Guests (See full list)



×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.

  I accept