Advice on new Silverado 1500 purchase

newdude · January 16, 2021

10 hours ago, TNTSilverado said:

My understanding is you can tune the custom Trailboss because it uses the older AFM 5.3L engine and 6 spd transmission. That’s what I was talking about.
I know it costs about $3k to tune the new engine. I already got quote from performance shop. Waiting/debating if I wanna do that. Kinda hoping price will go down the more Pulsar LT’s they sell and get all the bugs worked out of them

No they use the same ECM as all other engines in T1 so same paywall to open the ECM.

BossTaco2020 · January 16, 2021

12 hours ago, JoJo1 said:

Thanks. Are the tranny issues on the 6, 8 and 10 speeds?

I've only heard of issues with the 8 speed. Haven't heard much about the 6 speed at all and nothing but good things on the 10 speed.

redwngr · January 16, 2021

Currently, the only way to get the 10 speed in an LT or an Elevation is with the 3.0.

Currently, lowest trim with 5.3L 10 speed combo is the 4wd SLT.

5.3L 10 speed isn't currently offered in silverado, and is currently discontinued on lower trim sierra's.

all 3.0's have the 10 speed -- LT, RST, LTZ, HC, SLE, Elevation, SLT, AT4, Denali

all 6.2's get the 10 speed (also all 6.2's are 4wd) -- CustomTB, RST, LTTB, LTZ, HC, SLT, AT4, Denali

Edited January 16, 2021 by redwngr

OliverDennis52 · January 16, 2021

Everyone has different needs and priorities. You should evaluate what's important and what you plan to do with the truck. On road, off road, towing, highway, commute distance, daily driver, looks, etc. To me, the powertrain is the most important aspect of a truck.

I had the 8 speeds in other GM vehicles and I wasn't really impressed. It also has a history of issues (shudder) but from what I've read, its been resolved for the most part with the switch to the non hydroscopic fluid. I drove multiple combinations and liked both the 5.3 and 3.0 coupled to the 10 speed. The 5.3 was very hard to find near me outside of the Trail Boss and the Sierra's were mostly 3.0s. The mileage advantage with the 3.0 is likely a wash with the 5.3 due to higher diesel price and having to add DEF every once in a while. Don't let anyone scare you about the 3.0 citing high/costly maintenance, as that's largely a guess as this point. You have to change the fuel filter more often, but it's so easy, a monkey could do it. Like others said, you're likely going to need some maintenance at 150K anyway. I liked the Sierra better so I went with the 3.0, AT4 10 speed.

The diesel likely wouldn't be a good fit if you have a lot of short trips as it needs to go through a particulate filter regeneration every tank or so and that may take about 30 minutes or so of driving to complete. Some say it takes a while to get up to temp, but my experience leads me to believe that's a myth or leftover folk lore. Mine gets up to temp very quick in the first few miles. Lots of factors to consider, best of luck

amxguy1970 · January 16, 2021

22 hours ago, TNTSilverado said:

If you go with a Custom Trailboss and get the older style 5.3L with AFM and 6 Spd you can tune it and get rid of the AFM and never have any issues with that motor. I bought a Hypertech handheld tuner for $300 at AutoAnything on my 2018 Sierra with AFM and it ran so much better and also got better fuel economy, if I stayed off the gas!! And you don’t have to tune it for 91+ octane. They have a regular 87 tune for 11HP and 9TQ. You can also play around with the transmission for better shifting as well. And when you take it into the dealership for work just reset it to stock. I never had an issue with mine going in for work.

The new 5.3L and 6.2L truck have DFM and it seems to be better than the old AFM. I haven’t seen or heard of anyone having oil consumption issues like AFMs did. My stepdad has a new 5.3L with 10 spd combo ina GMC SLT and it’s awesome, but it’s very limited on the Chevy on how to get it. Chevy makes you still get the 8 spd on most truck trims for some stupid reason, and that is a coin toss on whether you will have issues or not with that transmission.

I can speak for the 6.2L and 10 spd combo. I absolutely love it. It has tons of power but yes if you want ALL 420HP you have to spend it on premium. It’s not a deal breaker for me, but it is “annoying” at times having to pay for it; especially when I fill up the wife’s new Acadia with regular gas and see the price difference. It’s about $12 each time. Not “huge” when your paying the amount of cash for these vehicles nowadays, but over time it does add up!

I don’t have any experience on the 3.0L except for driving it and it was very nice. The power was linear and solid. You have to take into affect diesel prices and DEF with diesels. Also over time their maintenance is much higher if anything goes wrong. The belt I have heard is an issue at 150k but maybe with it being out for a few more years local shops instead of dealerships will have a few cracks at it and won’t charge the higher prices that dealerships do??

Good luck with your decision and if you go the GMC route you can get the 5.3L and 10 spd combo in a few more choices. My next truck will be another GMC because they to me they feel more refined and quieter. I had 3 GMC Sierras before this Silverado.

Take care.

Well that just isn't true. There have been people who have tuned out AFM with issues and people with AFM that never had an issue (most are the latter) it isn't going to magically make it more reliable tuning it out, there is zero evidence of that just internet theories that don't consider the other side of not having it work. I am starting to think that tuning companies or those that work for them are behind this theory. There are so few that have had issues with AFM that should be zero concern, there are millions of those engines out there and failures are minimal (in the decimal percent); it is a machine built and assembled by people so there will be rogue failures, nothing to scare others about.

The better mpg wasn't because of the AFM being turned off but tuned to be more efficient, if you had it tuned how it is now and run AFM you would be getting even better MPG. AFM does save mpg over always running on 8 cylinders no mater which way you slice it...

Finally the oil consumption is mostly attributed to early LS 5.3 architecture and the piston rings used, 2014 in the redesign to LT architecture those were changed as well as many other parts and designs and not much is out there about any oil consumption now. People tend to hang on old issues and think they apply to new ones and that is not the case. Just like the valve build up, that was from early adapters of direct injection, most new models it is minimal as they have learned how to handle that side effect, but people still think it applies today and their valves are going to look like an early 2000's VW or Audi...

OP, don't worry about the reliability of the 5.3, stock it will most likely last you a very long time with proper maintenance as it is the most widely used. The two newer motors (3.0 and 2.7) should as well as they do so much testing and validation on them both in real world and with computers. My buddy had a pre 2014 Tahoe with the 5.3 and AFM (2012 I believe?) that went nearly 300k with out issue before trading it in, he drove a lot for his job and these newer gen 5.3's are even more reliable.

Tyler

Edited January 16, 2021 by amxguy1970

diyer2 · January 16, 2021

Cheap insurance to me no matter what you buy is more frequent oil changes. My 2 cents.

Grumpy Bear · January 16, 2021

On 1/14/2021 at 9:58 PM, Jojos said:

My first choice, mainly driven by looks, is the custom trail boss. The cons I found so far are lower fuel mileage and no height adjustment on the drivers seat. I read an article that someone said that the manual seats have the driver sitting in a hole. I'm not that short, but prefer to sit up higher than lower. Problem is that no dealers around have this truck in stock, so I'm looking for a WT with the manual seats to compare. The other concern is the engine/tranny. I would most likely go with the 5.3L AFM over the 6.2L, based on not needing the extra power and the extra money spent on premium fuel over 10 years. What are the thoughts on the 5.3L with a 6 speed? What about the 4.3L V6? Any good or skip? A local dealer told me that the 10 speed tranny is a 6 speed and the remaining 4 gears are manual? I didn't get a chance to research that yet...My first choice was to go with the 6.2L based mainly on the tranny choice, but those motors are very hard to find nowadays and again, definitely overkill for minimal towing.

GMs redheaded stepchild. I own one and LOVE IT. This motor and transmission combination has been around since 2014 and is well sorted. The few issues common to the six speed don't happen to those behind the V6 because they don't use the same troublesome JMBX torque converters.

I have 135,000 on mine and runs like a sewing machine. Sweet!

TNTSierra · January 16, 2021

1 hour ago, amxguy1970 said:

Well that just isn't true. There have been people who have tuned out AFM with issues and people with AFM that never had an issue (most are the latter) it isn't going to magically make it more reliable tuning it out, there is zero evidence of that just internet theories that don't consider the other side of not having it work. I am starting to think that tuning companies or those that work for them are behind this theory. There are so few that have had issues with AFM that should be zero concern, there are millions of those engines out there and failures are minimal (in the decimal percent); it is a machine built and assembled by people so there will be rogue failures, nothing to scare others about.

The better mpg wasn't because of the AFM being turned off but tuned to be more efficient, if you had it tuned how it is now and run AFM you would be getting even better MPG. AFM does save mpg over always running on 8 cylinders no mater which way you slice it...

Finally the oil consumption is mostly attributed to early LS 5.3 architecture and the piston rings used, 2014 in the redesign to LT architecture those were changed as well as many other parts and designs and not much is out there about any oil consumption now. People tend to hang on old issues and think they apply to new ones and that is not the case. Just like the valve build up, that was from early adapters of direct injection, most new models it is minimal as they have learned how to handle that side effect, but people still think it applies today and their valves are going to look like an early 2000's VW or Audi...

OP, don't worry about the reliability of the 5.3, stock it will most likely last you a very long time with proper maintenance as it is the most widely used. The two newer motors (3.0 and 2.7) should as well as they do so much testing and validation on them both in real world and with computers. My buddy had a pre 2014 Tahoe with the 5.3 and AFM (2012 I believe?) that went nearly 300k with out issue before trading it in, he drove a lot for his job and these newer gen 5.3's are even more reliable.

Tyler

Turning off AFM will make the truck more reliable and useable. GM has had numerous law suits over oil consumption due to AFM. Why do you think they changed it to DFM? There are countless mechanics out there that will state getting rid and AFM will prolong the longevity of the engine.
I’m not hanging onto any issues. It’s a none problem with these engines. Not as bad as the first batch of 07-09 5.3L with AFM which were a nightmare but the 14-18 models also had there fair share. Don’t be naive. And no my truck got better FE after AFM was off and it ran much smoother instead of hunting for V8 mode then back to V4 mode constantly in the highways.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/gmauthority.com/blog/2020/12/gm-hit-with-class-action-lawsuit-over-vortec-v8-engine-in-full-size-suvs-and-pickups/amp/

Look, I’m not trying to get into a pi$$ing match with you. I’m just letting the OP know there are issues with AFM and since switching over to DFM. GM hasn’t had any widely known issues like they did with AFM. And yes the 5.3L is a fantastic motor and very reliable and is more reliable if you get rid of AFM.

TNT!

Edited January 16, 2021 by TNTSilverado

TNTSierra · January 16, 2021

2 hours ago, newdude said:

No they use the same ECM as all other engines in T1 so same paywall to open the ECM.

Thanks. I learned something new today. I thought they used the older ECM. Thanks for clarifying.

JoJo1 · January 17, 2021

Thanks for all the great info. Truly appreciated!

I hit the dealer today and test drove the Custom TB in the 5.3L 6speed, LT in the 5.3L 8speed and the RST in the 3.0L TD. As much as I love the look of the TB, I'm agreeing with most of you to look at the LT or RST instead. The extra touches and drivability on the LT and RST are better suited for my needs. I can always put on off-road tires and a lift kit later on if I want.

I really liked the way the 5.3L accelerated a lot. The 3.0L also felt really nice, just prefer the sound of a naturally aspired engine more than the turbo sound, but power was plenty on both. Right now I'm leaning towards the 3.0 for the MPGs, the 10 speed tranny, 100k powertrain warranty and hopefully longevity. I've never owned a diesel before, but have heard stories about costly injector replacements. Anyone know if and when they're expected to need replacing? I looked up scheduled maintenance on the 3.0 that they posted up to 150k and don't see anything besides oil, fluids, filters and oil pump belt. What costs (in general) should I expect up to 100k, 150, 200k? Thanks again!

LowCountryDenali · January 17, 2021

The 3.0 Duramax will not disappoint you. Excellent performance and the mpg cannot be beat!

Bigfoot98 · January 17, 2021

1 hour ago, JoJo1 said:

Thanks for all the great info. Truly appreciated!

I hit the dealer today and test drove the Custom TB in the 5.3L 6speed, LT in the 5.3L 8speed and the RST in the 3.0L TD. As much as I love the look of the TB, I'm agreeing with most of you to look at the LT or RST instead. The extra touches and drivability on the LT and RST are better suited for my needs. I can always put on off-road tires and a lift kit later on if I want.

I really liked the way the 5.3L accelerated a lot. The 3.0L also felt really nice, just prefer the sound of a naturally aspired engine more than the turbo sound, but power was plenty on both. Right now I'm leaning towards the 3.0 for the MPGs, the 10 speed tranny, 100k powertrain warranty and hopefully longevity. I've never owned a diesel before, but have heard stories about costly injector replacements. Anyone know if and when they're expected to need replacing? I looked up scheduled maintenance on the 3.0 that they posted up to 150k and don't see anything besides oil, fluids, filters and oil pump belt. What costs (in general) should I expect up to 100k, 150, 200k? Thanks again!

While I do not own or plan to own a diesel, keep a few a few things in mind.

1. Diesel and gas prices fluctuate, it may be cost effective now to have a diesel but in a few years the price may skyrocket. So just "the mpg" is not the most to consider. See #3

2. The warranty is only 5 years regardless of the motor OR 60k miles for all motors except the diesel at 100k miles. So I would calculate your mileage and determine whether or not you will exceed 60k in less than 5 years, most average people put around 10k on the clock per year. If you put more than 12k a year on the vehicle then you get less than 5 years on the power train warranty and it ends at the specific mileage, less than that and you get the full 5 years as long as you have not exceeded mileage.

3. Typically* everything with a diesel costs more, fuel, DEF, filters, injectors, are typical expenses.

Remember that diesels like to be driven, not short commutes and little trips, if the DPF clogs up it can and will be expensive to fix, it can even start to affect the turbo and eventually the motor itself, and other components like the EGR. My company has a sprinter with the diesel and due to short trips in it, it is always causing some sort of issue. And now has other problems most likely attributed to the DPF and EGR/turbo being affected by it. They also need to regen.

4. The 10 and 8 speeds are both good transmissions. There have been few complaints about the new ones and they are people not understanding that if the solenoids are empty you get a harsh shift upon startup that goes away after the TC and VB fill up. Or they dont like the garage shift, which is on the 10spd as well, that the first shift into gear after sitting for extended period of time is delayed by 3 seconds for "safety" and to allow the trans to catch up. A vast majority of people have zero issues with the transmissions now, its the original 8spd that problematic, the new ones with the new fluid are very smooth.

They all feature adaptive learning and can behave different after someone else drives the truck. In my case the **** tech at the dealer thought he needed to verify my concern that after he screwed up my alignment that the steering wheel was not centered. He floored the vehicle 5 times from a stop on the highway and aggressively braked each time as shown on onstar. This caused a harsh downshift 2-1 that I had to relearn myself. This is also why I dont let the dealer touch the truck unless gm is paying anymore. But the relearn fixed it. Other than that it is a nice truck and a crap ton better than the ford 10r80 if you ever had one.

5. There is no perfect 100% reliable anything anymore. People have the 5.3 from the original afm without issues and a brand new 6.2 that has shot lifters with piston damage meaning the brand new truck is completely taken apart and a new motor put in it. The ford 5.0 can either be 100% perfect or eat oil like a homeless guy at a buffet and crap out the cams with less than 10k on it and the ram 5.7 can last forever or kill itself shortly after birth.

Nobody can tell you what to get, and everyone has an entirely weighted opinion on trucks. Just do your homework and pick what makes you happy. For me it is the L84 5.3 8spd but others like the 3.0 and 10spd, some want the 10spd so bad they get the TB or a GMC so they can pick it. It is all your choice and yours alone.

Dunn · January 18, 2021

On 1/16/2021 at 6:59 AM, redwngr said:

Currently, the only way to get the 10 speed in an LT or an Elevation is with the 3.0.

Currently, lowest trim with 5.3L 10 speed combo is the 4wd SLT.

5.3L 10 speed isn't currently offered in silverado, and is currently discontinued on lower trim sierra's.

all 3.0's have the 10 speed -- LT, RST, LTZ, HC, SLE, Elevation, SLT, AT4, Denali

all 6.2's get the 10 speed (also all 6.2's are 4wd) -- CustomTB, RST, LTTB, LTZ, HC, SLT, AT4, Denali

i thought the high country and LT trail boss had 10spd with 5.3?

OP: yeah i would really check out RST or LT before you choose custom.....not that you wont like it but this site is FULL of threads where custom owners are trying to add features that come stock on both of those trucks, its always more expensive to do interior later and sometimes it cant be done at all (steering wheel)..i myself came really close to getting a custom but went RST instead.......if you like TB look its fairly simple to do and GM sells kit

either way good to know b4 you go.....

at least custom has storage now on console, lol