Is it when or if on lifter failure?

spikesputnik · May 5, 2022

Haven been here much in recent years but I still have my 09, though it’s been relegated to farm/beater so to speak. But still a valuable member of the family and just rolled over to 100k miles. At less than 5 k miles I had Blackbear delete AFM and do a very mild tune, as well as to the tranny ECU. I’ve been very good about oil/filter changes at around 50% on the OLM. A few oil analysis came back fine every time. May have used 1/2 qt last change. No engine or trans problems despite pulling 4000# boat at highway to freeway speeds for 10-15k miles over a few years I’d guess. Got a dedicated better puller in 2018 and 2022 ….from the dark side

Anyways, so I’m jump back on here and refresh myself with the goings on with these trucks and see a lot of talk about lifter failures….

Question on consensus- is it just a matter of time till my lifters fail? Anyone take a guess as to a percentage of these 5.3 AFM that will despite short interval high quality oil changes?

As I understand it, neglect could make it more likely with clogged screens and low pressures. But it also seems there is a degree of randomness (suboptimal lifter design) to the problem?

I’ve heard of crazy expensive repairs, and replacing the lifters prophylactically might not make financial sense. I’d like to keep this truck for hauling stuff as well as hauling the dog, but don’t necessarily want to hang onto a grenade.

Edited May 5, 2022 by spikesputnik

shakenfake · May 5, 2022

Oh brother here we go again....

Personally I would delete it ASAP. It is probably less than 10% of vehicles that have lifter issues though.

spikesputnik · May 5, 2022

8 minutes ago, shakenfake said:

Oh brother here we go again....

Personally I would delete it ASAP. It is probably less than 10% of vehicles that have lifter issues though.

Well, it was deleted 95k miles ago…

But the percentage is encouraging.

shakenfake · May 5, 2022

It's not deleted if the hardware is still in there.

spikesputnik · May 6, 2022

Gotcha, thanks.

shakenfake · May 6, 2022

But seriously I would consider deleting it. It is not a very difficult job to do at home in the garage if you have the space for it.

nqabigt · May 6, 2022

08 here 166+++ miles

range device since 60k

also 1/2 quart between changes

I wouldnt worry about it,

spikesputnik · May 6, 2022

10 hours ago, shakenfake said:

But seriously I would consider deleting it. It is not a very difficult job to do at home in the garage if you have the space for it.

LOL I have lots of space, but not that much bravery or skills- dirt bike top ends is about as far as I’d go!

But I do have a shade tree type guys with the skills.

diyer2 · May 6, 2022

I think your more frequent oil changes are a huge factor and your worrying about something that may not happen. Now is not the time to be buying any vehicle.

spikesputnik · May 6, 2022

14 minutes ago, diyer2 said:

I think your more frequent oil changes are a huge factor and your worrying about something that may not happen. Now is not the time to be buying any vehicle.

True that. It took me around 4 months to get my ordered truck. Yea, I’ll probably just keep an ear on it for now.

Grumpy Bear · May 6, 2022

Let's recap here:

100K miles of trouble free service.
The AFM is tuned out.
You do approx. 3500 mile OCI's.

Your way past the point were a defect in metallurgy (heat treat) would be an issue EVER.

Knowing that most lifter failures (99% of the >1% that fail) happen as the result of a mistimed switching event (oil foaming or low oil pressure) and yours NEVER EVER switch....

Your OCI length keeps lifter guides happy....

What is your concern again? :dunno:

Give it a sharp and complete tune up (including trans, diffs, UOA) , keep doing what you do and drive it another 10 to 15 years.

They sky is not falling......

And if you still can't sleep drop it off at my place......

I'll take that grenade off your hands, for free naturally, me taking all that risk. :crackup:

JimCost2014 · May 6, 2022

Is there some sort of prize involved if we answer correctly?

shakenfake · May 6, 2022

What diyer2 and grumpy said are true no need to worry about something that most likely will never happen to you

BUT I hear a lot of this stuff saying how frequent oil changes are why the lifters never fail and that is a laughable claim imo. The K2XX with AFM that my father owned got it's oil changed whenever the truck's oil light popped on, and we all know that thing comes on when it feels like it, and that truck lasted over 150k miles and went on many a trip with no issues. I know some guys who change it religiously at 3.5k-5k and they still had failures.

I just think it is mostly random. :fingersx:

Edited May 6, 2022 by shakenfake

KARNUT · May 6, 2022

39 minutes ago, shakenfake said:

What diyer2 and grumpy said are true no need to worry about something that most likely will never happen to you

BUT I hear a lot of this stuff saying how frequent oil changes are why the lifters never fail and that is a laughable claim imo. The K2XX with AFM that my father owned got it's oil changed whenever the truck's oil light popped on, and we all know that thing comes on when it feels like it, and that truck lasted over 150k miles and went on many a trip with no issues. I know some guys who change it religiously at 3.5k-5k and they still had failures.

I just think it is mostly random.

I ask a service writer when my vehicle was approaching 120K miles if there was any reasonable time frame to replace certain parts. I referring to wear parts such as starter, alternator, wheel bearings things that could ruin a trip, especially now. Of course certain things effect that life, highway miles or town driving. With the exception of my past collector vehicles 120K miles was the max in mileage for me or 5 years. They were little help.

spikesputnik · May 6, 2022

2 hours ago, Grumpy Bear said:

Let's recap here:

100K miles of trouble free service.

The AFM is tuned out.

You do approx. 3500 mile OCI's.

Your way past the point were a defect in metallurgy (heat treat) would be an issue EVER.

Knowing that most lifter failures (99% of the >1% that fail) happen as the result of a mistimed switching event (oil foaming or low oil pressure) and yours NEVER EVER switch....

Your OCI length keeps lifter guides happy....

What is your concern again?

Give it a sharp and complete tune up (including trans, diffs, UOA) , keep doing what you do and drive it another 10 to 15 years.

They sky is not falling......

And if you still can't sleep drop it off at my place......

I'll take that grenade off your hands, for free naturally, me taking all that risk.

Thanks for the thorough recap, Grumpy. What I didn’t know was that metallurgy related failure would be unlikely at this juncture, though it kinda makes sense.
I’ll be sampling for a UOA before running in for a bit my occasional pre-change 1/2 quart MM oil- another part of my routine. I know the MM may be controversial or snake oil, but I like the smell! My thinking is it may get goo and boogers in solution to be filtered out and dumped. Well, probably not goo and boogers, but I have no idea what be accumulating there on the inside.

Edited May 6, 2022 by spikesputnik