gm cylinder deactivation problems
I have a 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 with the 5.3. So now at 168 thousand miles it still runs good but gets bad gass mileage. I have driven it now for 2 days without issue but I am having the AFM disabled/tuned out today. Oil flows to the special lifters through theAFMtowers. Mine did at the exact same time. These trucks cost too much to have a terrible product. The oil pump is high volume, but there are a lot of people that dont change it and rely on the pressure valve to keep the volume manageable. My question is: do I install the electronic disabler on the new engine to avoid future issues? Can I (should I) also change to a standard volume oil pump? Did Obama make them do this? Battery was unplugged for a week.. AFM or active fuel management is a GM/Chevy technology meant to improve gas mileage. Happened once 1yr ago, truck was not used for a week and worked fine when i started it back up. Correct me if Im wrong- If such an item was available couldnt you then just replace the lifters in the 4 AFM cylinders and then just run a disabler or have your ECM/PCM reprogrammed to have AFM disabled permanently. Clean oil is crucial. what deleter (if thats a real word) have you heard good things about. Dave, I also have a 2008 LTZ avalanche with 106,000 I have the exact same symptoms at this point I just want to sell it will the disabler help remove the check engine light wont pass inspection with light on thanks for your help Chris. A custom tune by a knowledgeable tuner with access to a chassis dyno will pay a lot of other dividends other on top of turning off afm and VVT. Theyre also notorious for bad cam tower oil leaks. Our 2013 yukon with 47k miles just failed. Id wait until the warranty expires then disable. You could also have tried that if the trans oil didnt work. I called my service station and they told me to get it in ASAP. My tech just installed the engine, only to notice that he doesnt have anything to plug the AFM solenoid pack into. Basically rebuilt most of the engine while in the vehicle. Because your Saab is mechanically similar to the Trailblazer, wed suggest that you are correct and no changes need to be made to the relief valve. Dont follow just anybody I know where it originates but in todays world I found found it to be amusingly accurate. When you drain the oil at three to four thousand miles its still clean. I have the towing package on my 13 Tahoe LTZ. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. GM switched over to the 4100 v-8 in 1982. Gary, [] 3 engines didnt have AFM (Active Fuel Management) or VVT (Variable Valve Timing), so you dont have the expense of an AFM or VVT delete []. Ill Never Ever buy another gm. General motors sent out a service bulletins to their dealers however, all dealers will not tell you about the bulletin. Then again, it should have never been controlling those solenoids. You were lucky that it worked. My point is that the engine likely on uses dod a small percentage of the time so can not really imagine that the delete causes any more issue than normal which may be the high oil consumption but do all of these engines with dod consume a lot of oil? Still have no power. Per bulletin 10-06-01-0007b, 2007 L92 had first and 2nd design. All Cylinders. What if I was able to trick the computer into thinking it is in 5th gear when it is actually in 6th? We are looking into the AFM Disabler option, but my question is- how do we know if a lifter is already bad or not? While the system sounded good, the microprocessors scrambled to activate, deactivate, and then reactivate cylinders as driving conditions quickly changed, causing the car to hesitate, buck, and stall. Hello! Im considering just replacing the 5.3 ( should be LMG, 2007 YUKON ) with the L96 crate engine. is it still working good since you have done that with the trans fluid? At least Dodge admitted they had junk transmissions in the early 2000s and picked up sales each. I know I felt the same way. Well, they move a couple of times after startup thats all.Asume its the same on syl 7 on the other side.Disconected the Connector to the solenoids, no difference. This reduces expense when you build it [], [] intake, and a cable-driven throttle body, plus Im also installing Trick Flows VVT and AFM delete kits. It has AMF. Should I wait until the warranty runs out, or will that be too late to stop possible damage? But the problem at that time was the computer technology. Question is, since my 2004 ECM and wiring harness were made before the AMF came about will this motor work properly as a V8 or will I need to replace the lifters, cam, oil sensor, etc as the delete method mentions? I had an 82 caddy 4100 with alumn block and cast iron heads ,, Exploded in Philidelpha, Garbage.. We were getting a code that the cam position sensor was not functioning properly. Its Chrysler and Ford. Junk . .or something similar . Regarding the cylinder deactivation impact on fuel consumption . If so what would the vin code be? You may eventually see a check engine light from a misfire code and the ECM dialing everything back to protect your engine. I have successfully used a gadget that plugs into the ODBII. I have a 2007 Yukon XL with the 5.3L and am planning to do this as my lifters have failed and it rattles loudly if it starts, and runs limp. The most common issue GM vehicle owners with AFM report is increased fuel consumption. i have a 2007 suburban 6.0 and the number 4 intake lifter took a dive.i have already started to disassemble the engine as i plan on replacing all the lifters and reassemble the engine as i never had any other problems with it. The early part of his automotive career included working for engine builders Scott Shafiroff and C.J. On the caddis it helped to relocate the computer inboard the passenger compartment to keep them cool helped . The older truck gets 19 mpg the newer truck with fuel management gets 14. I ordered a electronic disabler for it today. I have a 07 Yukon with 180K and no issues what so ever. All eight cylinders are now powering the engine. This will spray oil on the bottom of the cylinder walls which can cause oil burning, especially in high-rpm engines. There are so many more oil passages on engines these days. Any problems to watch out for?Did you replace the VLOM? Did not help. I would rather stay a V8 full time than deal with AFM issues in the future. Why have you not gotten a reply from Mr Nutter, Buying a Silverado 6.2L. Send response to tkrieg@cox.net. I have an 07 Silverado 1500 ltz. Does the Pressure relief vavle ever go bad?? Whats the next step? [], [] rugged iron block 6.0L came with VVT, but without Active Fuel Management, which saves you the cost of an AFM delete [], [] The LH6 engine is a 5.3L Gen. IV aluminum engine that replaced the LM4 in 2005. I can tell you for the past 2 years I changed out my LC9 5.3L fully synthetic oil every 3,000, even though Mobile Oil claims 10,000 miles or more. Plus the 5.7 has its own problems with VVT reliability and the rest of the truck is flimsy junk. If you are using VVT, you could use the NAL-12612273 (L92) cam. Anyway, after some pushing and pulling I took it to the Dealer who sold it to me. This is my project car and will be my drive (about 5000 miles a year). Then had to drive the truck back to Tampa from Cheifland Fl. Most will want to get rid of the AFM immediately and VVT isnt for []. Sometimes it will do it all the time and other times can drive it for 10 miles and then it starts but doesnt do it constantly when driving. Where can I buy a bolt to replace this relief valve ?? As the problem gets worse, youll hear a lifter tick and eventually you may see clearance between the pushrod and the rocker which will quickly destroy the cam. Thank you again for the response. No other truck my ass .lol my 99 silverado 1500 with the junk LR4 4.8l and 320k miles 9n itgets 21mpg all day long with 93 octane gas in it. 4,7 plugs foul runs rough at idle. Now you tell me AFM works and I will tell you; that you are full of shit! I have always loved Ford and Chevys , I dont like this Vehicle not one bit, starring shaft has to be lubed or it whines, front A arms has done been replaced, tapping in motor, leaf springs has been lubed, retorqued, put completely new leaf springs back in on the rear , grease all down from rims to body of truck, you have to clean often,console shakes as if milk shakes in console which later they also put rubber bushings in front of coils of shocks ( front end) .You lock it down in 44 it s metal to metal , As of now Im at 32,000 done gone threw all the arbitrator laws depending on how it goes? They have plastic casing, so you can imagine what will happen with aged plastic. They lasted one year with big problems. You will be placed in derate if the ECM does not see the correct resistance from the ATF intake. With the AFM tuned off, it shouldnt be trying to switch over to four cylinder mode. Look for the following: TheAFMcover is called the Lifter Oil Manifold Assembly (LOMA). so the trans fluid worked for you then? Getting 20 mpg in town and 24-28 mpg highway and love the truck now with these mild tweaks. Told her that it would not last and that she needed to find a different way to get around. One must anticipate this. [], I have 2007 5.3 its a new motor this truck scares me 9000.00 these trucks are jokes Im praying that my RangeTech buys me a few years. I love the car so far. It is replaceable.. just remove oil pan and it will be on top at the filter. I wont bother with blocking the relief valve. The Tundra fares better but the frame has the rigidity of wet spaghetti and the 5.7 has had problems with VVT solenoids and the plastic timing chain tensioners. It uses a M14 x 1.5 thread plug like Dorman 65217. Hello Brian, I just purchased a 2018 Silverado with a 5.3 AFM engine, I have 200 km on it. [], [] as the LS engine familys hybrid engine in trucks and SUVs. Took it to the dealer and was told I had a collapsed lifter. I had purchased an extended warranty when I bought the truck new. [] for performance, LS9 engines didnt use Active Fuel Management (AFM), Variable Valve Timing (VVT), or Flex Fuel (E-85) technology. If someone didnt want to spend gas buy a Toyota. I only have ~ 5k miles on it, and it hasnt been driven hard, so Im assuming the lifters are fine. Also replaced push rods rocker arms and rocker plate guide because if wore push rod and crack in rocker arm. I have a 2008 Buick Lacrosse super that I am having a hard time finding a tuner or a tune shop that can turn off the afm. If you scroll back, you will find that it is recommended to change lifters and camshaft and looks some more. Replace the cam or do the delete kit? Brian, I have a 2010 burb with the exact same symptoms and questions as Shawn please help! There are a few potential causes for Chevy cylinder deactivation problems, including oil consumption problems, harmful to the environment, sludge issues, and lower cylinder temperatures. They may be able to find some of those missing ponies. AFM Sucks!!! When you don't need the full power of the engine, it provides better fuel economy." Would you get enough power to drive at freeway speeds? Any advice that you could offer would be great. Keith, were happy to help. There are no changes in the valves or the springs. I just bought a 2018 Silverado. They learned that the oil level sensor was necessary and that we were supposed to have been advised that we needed to reuse the original oil pan. Toyota has their own problems. Cylinder deactivation is very effective in reducing fuel and reducing the emissions of harmful gases. Would installing the Disabler solve this? What makes you think it was a design flaw ? I was getting ~ 30 mpg, so I love that. Now it appears GM and their handlers want to push the electric market with throw away junk that is mechanically weak . The engine will switch to operating on fewer cylinders when cruising at a constant speed. The car runs great apart from the shuddering at those speeds. The Service Traction Control and Check Engine lights also came on again but went out after a few minutes. I have seen more internal engine failures in the last 5 years or so than I have in the first 15 years in the business. There is a filter screen under the oil pressure sender that may be clogged and not getting enough oil to supply the solenoids. I have 4 GMCs in my driveway right now only one with AFM its always popping DTCs, 06 Yukon (not AFM)never had a light in 12 years! My 2013 LC9 just had #6 lifter fail, got a misfire code but the ticking gave it away. The engine has flex-fuel capability. How did your turn out? 2011 Chevy Avalanche LTZ. HP tuners is not for someone like me that doesnt know how to use it and from what I read neither the range nor diablo plug and play device will work since the buicks pcm files are different than all other GM vehicles that came with afm because it was tuned in house at gms performance division. The cylinders are deactivated by means of a double-stroke lifter which is FAR more prone to failure than a standard lifter. If doing that, the full blown AFM delete is about $1000 depending on how far you go (full overhaul or cam with lifters only). Why cant u just unplug the solenoid on back of engine by oil pressure sensor? I only had 81k on the motor. Absolutely agree, but we all know GM cant afford to recall them all & definitely wont, gettin a Toyota, but first will go to GM dealer and ask to see a truck without AFM & when they say they dont have it Ill say See ya, I have an appointment with the Toyota dealer! Always had GMs never anything else till now. Thanks for the advice Brian! December 20, 2021 A GM lifter recall should allegedly be ordered for Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC vehicles equipped with 5.3L, 6.0L or 6.2L V8 engines. General Motors Active Fuel Management Cylinder Deactivation Technology Active Fuel Management (AFM), otherwise known as Cylinder Deactivation is a General Motors engine technology that. The vehicles affected were 2007 to Feb. 2011 AFM equipped engines (Aluminum or Iron block-L94, LZ1, L99, LC9, LH6, L76, LFA, LMG, and LY5). Wed recommend a call to our partners at Summit Racing. Ive only put a straight pipe exhaust, intake, and a boost controller on it. Are there errors or something only the dealer can clear? But if you dont like it. Friend will send to me from Arizona. I had #4 lifter stick and now i am looking at replacing the engine with a non-dod version. The owner of the vehicle has apparently owned a few of these vehicles and stated that this vehicle doesnt have AFMnever did? IMHO . [], [] LS Tech: How to Delete VVT or DisableAFM []. [] 5.3L engines start in the $600-$1,000 range and go up to a little more than $2,000 for the 6.0L and 6.2L engines. The cost of just rings $4,000.00, [] Disable your Chevy AFM: https://www.onallcylinders.com/2017/11/30/how-to-delete-or-disable-active-fuel-management-afm-on-gm-… [], [] like front timing cover, knock sensor location, cylinder head style (cathedral ports), AFM (Active Fuel Management), and other components are key clues to which engine family youre looking []. My 2002 I had over 298K on it with no engine related issues. Also, it is the easiest way [], [] for the 2010 Chevy Camaro SSis also a Gen IV 6.2L aluminum-block V8, but with the addition of Active Fuel Management and Variable Valve Timing. I havent has any lifter or cam issues. I wii be using this truck to haul a camper for full time RV living and am thinking of a tuner to shut off AFM and maximize performance and economy. Happened to me twice 2009 Silverado, finally deleted DOD and installed a performance cam and lifters. GM offers the following diagnostic steps in determining if this is the problem. Fuel pump failure is the most common problem and can occur due to a number of reasons, such as a clogged filter or a faulty pump. Any guidance would surely be appreciated. Hello Mike, if you dont have any obvious signs like check engine lights etc., there are couple different possibilities. However, the fuel savings are not always as much as expected. https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/Discussion-t30884_ds822284. That inherently less smooth operation requires additional NVH dampening. Yes, always change all the lifters at once. However, they are only functional on engines that usedAFM. Put everything back together proper torque, gakets, valve seals, etc. This replacement engine has the same camshaft sensor plug plug, 5 wire like the AFM would use, instead of the 3 wire. The engine is close siblings with the LMG which shared many of the same featuresexcept the LMF isnt saddled with AFM. will feel like a jerk asking the clerk at lowes to cut them again. Engine starts but is throwing a misfire on cyls 4,7. Replaced the engine with remanufactured one and had the AFM turned off with a computer hooked to the ECU. No other V-8 truck of similar weight can do that (except another GM with AFM). I didnt have lifters fail, I had the 4 cylinders 1,4,6,7 have such blow by that my choice was a valve and piston job or a new motor. There are two ways to disable or delete Active Fuel Management on your GM or Chevy Gen IV LS or LS-based Vortec engineone is to install an AFM Disabler, and the second is to install an AFM Delete Kit. There are two ways to disable or delete Active Fuel Management on your GM or Chevy Gen IV LS or LS-based Vortec engineone is to install an AFM Disabler, and the second is to install an AFM Delete Kit. . Hi Mike, the metal shield you noticed is probably the windage tray. $8500.00 fix. The LZ1 was upgraded with AFM and []. Never did strand me on the side of the road way. An AFM Disabler is an electronic device that plugs into the OBD-II port, under the dashboard. A lot more info with the ongoing GM 5.3l AFM engine issues on Cargurus. I know a few guys with Tundras. Number 7 cylinder lifters stops moving when truck starts. I tried the trans fluid in the oil. There is a note in the TSB that states the bulletin doesnt apply to the LH6 used in the Rainier, Trailblazer, and Envoy due to a different design oil pan and AFM relief valve. I drive the same 320 mile trip every two weeks and drive the same route and full tank. Is there any potential down-side to doing this in other words, might this do more harm than good? On the AFM lifters that dosnt work i have installed them With the oil hole Down! I had one fail and it chattered the cam to the point that I had to Install a new cam. If I were to put a 2006 5.3L in a 2007 Avalanche and buy the unit to plug into my OBD2 port would it work? You may want to update your post. I did and they diagnosed it as being on Cylinder 3, not one of the cylinders that deactivates. Unplugged AFM engine only runs on 4 cylinders #2,3,5 and 8. Disable the afm. Once the failure has occurred, the AFM shut off methods other than that probably wont work. Below youll see references to the L99 as a result. Would never take it on a long trip. This may show as low oil pressure or code P0521 or P0523 and is a relatively inexpensive fix as well. I guess what Im really trying to ask is,, are there any cons/disadvantages to installing the AFM delete Electronic module? GM get a clue! Call chevy.They should being paying most of that. Active Fuel Management (AFM) is a trademarked General Motors technology that improves gas mileage by shutting down half of the cylinders under light-load conditions to reduce fuel consumption. Good point which begs the questuion, why does the Service Stabilitrak error seem to coincide with lifter failure? Put an S&B cold air intake on last week with huge oiled filter and it made a big improvement in throttle response and it appears possibly a slight improvement in mileage. Who knew? Also I dont recommend doing this as you may be in violation of some emissions standard or manufacturers ethics code . I went ahead and purchased a Disabler on Amazon, for preventing it happening in the future. General Motors has issued a service update for 2021 model year full-size truck and SUV models that are being shipped to dealerships and may be affected by valve lifter problems. Never again, except for my gen4 Z28 that has a perfect engine/trans on an otherwise rolling pc of gm crap chassis. Hello Keith, if your lifters are still in good shape, an AFM Disabler is a good idea. [] engines is that when VVT (variable valve timing) appeared and was later followed by AFM (which is Active Fuel Management, when the engine deletes four cylinders under light load) both of these packages drastically affect []. This happened on a camping trip with my kids last friday night. Got rid of the bobblehead Rancho offroad shocks immediately and replaced with Bilstein coil overs. Do you think I can still disable AFM? Because I want to. As you said, the ECM was never seeing the AFM so I think youre good to go. Im always sorry to hear when people run into issues like these. The engine was not Flex Fuel (E85) capable and did not use Variable Valve Timing (VVT) [], [] TheL76like its LS2 siblingis a 6.0L, Gen. 4, aluminum small block engine that was used both in GM cars and trucks. Cylinder Deactivation to the Rescue. The secondary pressure relief in the back of the pan began to open at 55 psi and was completely open by 75 psi. Some drivers want V8 power under their foot at all times. It has has 9000 miles and no lifter or other issues or codes so far. also in the pan is another AFM oil filter near the external engine oil filter. I went with the new motor for the warranty. Weve written some articles on the various Vortec engine upgrade paths, such as this one on LQ4 and LQ9it discusses some of the better options for choosing a cam intended for use in a truck. TheAFMcylinders are opposite of one another in the firing order. Install an AFM Delete Kit There is no light on my dash or anything that indicates the system is active or exists, so its very confusing, Im still not sure if my vehicle has it or not. I don know what else would cause the surge, but Id research the misfire code and see which cylinder is problematic. On one hand it has an aluminum block, which is nice. We need availability of a replacement engine without the AFM. I just did the delete and replaced the cam as well. I am confused about the plug in disabler. Heres what you need to know: An AFM Delete Kit is recommended when an AFM lifter fails or when doing performance upgrades. Will this AFM DISABLER damage anything???. Brian, I repaired a 2012 GMC Yukon Denali as the AFM lifter on #4 I take failed. When I first bought my newer truck with fuel management, the GM tech at the dealership told me; if I wanted the engine to live a long life keep the RPMs below 4500. Can they be faulty? He claims that GM used the same engine whether it was or was not equipped with AFM in this year and model? 2015 SILVERADO 1500 44 crew cab with 5.3L engine: So two weeks ago with approx 70K miles, I had an odd noise when accelerating and then engine light flashing and riding rough. Excess oil will be pushed out of the pressure relief valve into the oil pan. Its not GMs choice to use AFM. A 14 gmc 5.3 Sierra 85000 miles I call it active obama fuel management .A scam . You also need the disabler installed in your obd connector. And consider using a higher grade of engine oil like Mobil 1 or Amsoil, etc. In 2015, I purchased a new Tahoe with the AFM and two weeks ago with 71K miles on it, the engine light came on. Ever since that which was Feb/March 2020 i get a intermittent rattle does not do it all the time and I am not getting any codes i.e. I am trying to prevent same issue. I have a 08 6.0L out of a Silverado with an aftermarket oil pan that has no provision for a pressure relief valve. What would you do if you were in my situation? I have an 07 Yukon with 230k on the engine. AFMis good for gas mileage and can be 5-7 percent more fuel-efficient under certain conditions. I sold them when they were new. Learn how your comment data is processed. Then it takes out the lifter again and again until you bite the bullet and replace the cam. Now I get 24 to 26 with deactivation locked out and full power. Given that, would you recommend buying one of the OBD-II devices to disable AFM? I am worrking on a 2007 chev Silverado 6.0 engine, [] the L76 that was equipped with AFM and had a ribbed valley cover, the L98 cover was []. What the biggest reported problem with Chevy Silverados? It will show up as a misfire code in a cylinders 1,4,6, or 7. Just like Ram and their trash MDS system or Ford and their throwaway Ecobust engines. Traded it with 180K miles and did not experience any problems. Only thing I noticed with the oil consumption issue. These engines made 270-400 hp from the factory will run smooth as silk for over 300,000 miles (unless you have AFM). If i am successful locating a non-dod vin would i just need to have the ecm reprogrammed? I am not in a position to have a new cam and lifters installed but Im also not in a position to not having a running truck! Ive read at many websites that the GMCs envoys, Chevys and saabs did start to come with AFM in 2005 with the LH6 motor,It says here it started in 2006 on the saabs, then the pick-ups got AFM in 2007. It was the first Gen. IV LS truck engine and offered Active Fuel Management (AFM). GM should recall every vehicle with this terrible design flaw! I have a 2013 1500 with the LC9. This is what I keep telling people. The wife however found this deal on an Envoy Denali . 1. . The detergent. Hopefully he can free up the stuck/collapsed lifter. Have a lifter problem on my 2010 5.3 Silverado. [] cherry on top is that it isnt saddled with Variable Valve Timing (VVT) or Active Fuel Management (AFM) found on some Gen. 4 engines. Here are a few of the issues that you'll want to keep on your radar if you drive a 2017 Chevy or GMC vehicle with a 5.3L engine in it. This is in response to pretty much everyone. 91 GMC Sierra K1500 F44 6.2 NA Plow truck with 7.5ft Leo Plow 94 K3500 CC DRW 6.5TD DE exhaust . Once the lifter has been damaged, the cam is probably also damaged. As long as a lifter hasnt started to fail, you can get by with a less-expensive disabler as preventative maintenance.
