How to Deactivate AFM, DFM, MDS, and Start/Stop To Prevent - Holley On June 4th you stated 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) I am looking at purchasing a 2012 Tahoe with the LMG per the build sheet. 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. In October of 2010, GM added a deflector (p/n NAL-12639759) to keep oil from being sprayed directly on the rear cylinders. How about if they just let us have a manual transmission agains for fuel mileage? General motors sent out a service bulletins to their dealers however, all dealers will not tell you about the bulletin. Fortunately I received a reducing in house shop hourly rate. I only had 81k on the motor. After a stint in the U.S. Air Force, Brian Nutter studied at the Houston, TX-based School of Automotive Machinists in 1997. AFMlifters have a history of failing and oil consumption can be a problem. No problems with any to this point. Just one or two. How long did it take? I have an 07 Yukon with 230k on the engine. 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. I am having that done today on my 08 Suburban and its only costing me $225. Took it to a shop and they advised that it could be due to the AFM system not functioning properly. Given that, would you recommend buying one of the OBD-II devices to disable AFM? Double digit MPGs in my 98 K1500 would be a dream lmao. 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 tune is the best bang for the buck outside a cam swap anyway and what Id recommend. Told her that it would not last and that she needed to find a different way to get around. i just bought a 2018 Silverado with the 5.3 It has AMF. They replaced all the lifters, said no other damage, problem lifters were on cylinders 6 and 7. Brian, I have a 2010 burb with the exact same symptoms and questions as Shawn please help! Next day, fired it up to take the the junk yard and it ran great. The computers had not evolved enough to control the sytem. We did take it apart to check for metal possibly being trapped inside, it looked like brand new. I service plenty of these vehicles with AFM, and the ones I have to open up the engine for repair because of a failure doesnt surprise me anymore. No movement on the rocker arms. I cant stand seeing customers continuously going thousands of miles over on the oil and wonder why theres problems. Theyre also notorious for bad cam tower oil leaks. I have ordered an ATM disabler and will be putting a can of Textron in the gas at the next fill up. When you eliminate the AFM system, the extra oil is no longer needed. The owner of the vehicle has apparently owned a few of these vehicles and stated that this vehicle doesnt have AFMnever did? It uses a M14 x 1.5 thread plug like Dorman 65217. Its job is to direct the flow of pressurized engine oil to the active fuel management intake and exhaust valve . A 17 with 5.3. This is in response to pretty much everyone. Although the last oil change I had they offered a more expensive oil that would let me go every 5,000 miles and when this happened I was almost at 4,000 so needless to say I will never do that again. I have a 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 with the 5.3. Should I buy one to disable the V4 mode? .or something similar . Chevrolet 5.3 Engine Issues and Recommendations Im always sorry to hear when people run into issues like these. It has 8,000 miles on it. I would say maybe 5% of my customers keep up on their oil changes. I asume low oil pressure cant make some of the DOD lifters to malfunction? Getting 20 mpg in town and 24-28 mpg highway and love the truck now with these mild tweaks. Perhaps a flaw by design would be a more appropriate description . Have there been improvements in more recent model years employing AFM [2014 or newer]? What if the pressure relief valve is stuck OPEN and the oil pressure never gets up to where it needs to be? I also have 08 Burb, but have different symptoms (high oil consumption, blue exhaust smoke at start, and now a really rough start after sitting overnight). On the AFM lifters that dosnt work i have installed them With the oil hole Down! Dale, I have a 08 Tahoe thats doing the same thing.Any info you have on this would be appreciated, [] Do they have a downside? If AFM has been deleted, its common just to use a Dorman drain plug (m14 x 1.5) to remove the pressure relief valve entirely. The only solution is to replace the entire cylinder head. The engine is close siblings with the LMG which shared many of the same featuresexcept the LMF isnt saddled with AFM. [], [] as the LS engine familys hybrid engine in trucks and SUVs. Driver reported this occurred suddenly while driving down the highway. Good point which begs the questuion, why does the Service Stabilitrak error seem to coincide with lifter failure? the vehicle has 120,000 on it and 30 to 60 psi of oil pressure never lower or higher. I didnt even think about AFM until I got to drivee it on the highway and encountered the 4 cyl syndrome. I wouldnt trade my 2000 Silverado, 5.3 liter that has constantly gotten 20 mpg since I bought it 15 years ago, for a dozen of these new $50,000 POS. Constant engine and transmission problems. More information can be found in the GM TSB bulletin number 10-06-01-008g. If you already own this engine you will need to deactivate the AFM system or even better DO NOT buy any GM vehicle with this engine. You can search our site by engine code to find some of the upgrade articles weve published and more are on the way. how many miles do you have on your engine? Just one. GM Releases Valve Lifter Service Update For V8 Engines Are there errors or something only the dealer can clear? The AFM activation and deactivation is controlled by the Valve Lifter Oil Manifold or VLOM. Replaced all 16 lifters due to collapsed lifter on CYl #4. Dont drive it if you have a dead cylinder due to afm failure. My 2012 Silverado 5.3L just did the same thing as your Tahoe Brian. [] For more on that, read:How to Delete or Disable Active Fuel Management (AFM) on GM Engines. Never did strand me on the side of the road way. I noticed this discussion mainly addresses Chevy Silverados and other trucks? Cost about $250, but it is not fool proof. The 1 Big Problem People Are Having With the Chevy Silverado - MotorBiscuit So I researched and got an AFM disabler. Number 7 cylinder lifters stops moving when truck starts. Thank you again for the response. The cylinders are deactivated by means of a double-stroke lifter which is FAR more prone to failure than a standard lifter. what deleter (if thats a real word) have you heard good things about. any help? Brian, we have a 2007 Yukon Denali in our shop with a 6.2L v-8 that has suffered a lifter failure with camshaft damage. Any truth to that? 8000 grand for the repair mine was 1,700.00 to repair, I had a 2004 small block v8(4.8) 331,000 miles on the truck,it was the usual on the maintenance front axles,etc. We recommend taking the truck to a local chassis dyno tuner and talking with them about a reflash. Lost number four If doing that, the full blown AFM delete is about $1000 depending on how far you go (full overhaul or cam with lifters only). The engine will operate on 8cylinders, or V8mode, during engine starting, engine idling, and medium to heavy throttle applications. I have the towing package on my 13 Tahoe LTZ. Your email address will not be published. Since no air can get in or out, four cylinders provide no power. It has has 9000 miles and no lifter or other issues or codes so far. Please report back if you have any issues, but I think you are in good shape. Also replaced push rods rocker arms and rocker plate guide because if wore push rod and crack in rocker arm. It does seem that when they start goingthey go quickly. Definitely dont want to do anything to fix one problem and create another. Another option is to plug it entirely if the AFM is already removed. It seems this tough engine has everything incorporated into it. No clue what to do. the body is in great shape. 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. It was good for about 10 miles and started with same loud knock noise. Im looking at the Range Disabler but want to make sure it is required/suggested/recommended/safe? This allows the engine to run in V8 mode. When a deactivated cylinder is reactivated, the control system opens the exhaust valve first to evacuate the trapped exhaust gas, before reactivating the intake valve to allow reactivated cylinders to revert to the normal operation of the compression/combustion exhaust/intake cycle. Toyota will be my next truck unless GM owns up and makes wright with consumers. They are being forced by the feds to use stuff like AFM to meet the CAFE requirements. I went ahead and purchased a Disabler on Amazon, for preventing it happening in the future. It was the first Gen. IV LS truck engine and offered Active Fuel Management (AFM). 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. Stopped at nearest gas station and found I was a quart low on oiladded oil and lights eventually went off and luckily we made it the 5 hour drive home. Our 2013 yukon with 47k miles just failed. Get this, rebuild is only rings and maybe lifters. I went with the new motor for the warranty. Put everything back together proper torque, gakets, valve seals, etc. Im servicing a 2011 Chevrolet 5.3 with AFM. My tech just installed the engine, only to notice that he doesnt have anything to plug the AFM solenoid pack into. Not sure what else it can be. thx Brian, Knock on wood I drive a 2011 silverado 44 Ltd with the 5.3 AFM/DOD not tuned out or delete being used and have experienced no problems or any sign of problems for that matter juat rolled over 210,000 all original factory parts would you suggest I tune it out or juat let it ride I change my oil religiously and also use lucas products for all aspects of my motor. Love the truck so far. 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. So for all of you that continue to complain about how bad these things are. The 2nd went with a conventional valvetrain. Ditto , never buy a throw away vehicle again is my recommendation and my fix . Had similar problems under warranty, no telling what they rigged me up with at the dealer. What was happening to the first is slowly (or quickly in your case) happening to the others. I did and they diagnosed it as being on Cylinder 3, not one of the cylinders that deactivates. Whats the next step? Just recently, GM announced a temporary closure. Only wish Id did my homework, nothing but issues, from 14,000 miles it starts this motor noise,as if lifters at cold starts, let set up for 8 hrs same noise, this noise is on the right side of engine, it lasts 5 seconds but never heard this until we had this cold spell in the state low temperatures or it was just time for this to start? . Most of the complaints show up in the 2009 to 2011 model years. Chevy 5.3 Engine Problems Are They That Long-Lasting? - Motor Verso Jusy 3 weeks ago I quit driving it because of the lifter, but it worked fine when i started it back up. Most will want to get rid of the AFM immediately. 5.3-liter Chevy Engine Problems: What Should You Look Out For? Loved the looks and interior and thought a I got a great deal at $6k even. With that said, the current global chip shortage has been affecting the industry on a wide scale, forcing production halt among several automakers. This should be added to your earlier model if you experience oil consumption. I tried the trans fluid in the oil. I own a reputable repair shop. He stated if I continued to exceed 4500 RPM it would blow the lifters out. Would it be fine to go ahead with the AFM Disabler? Don't even get me started on the shortened life of the cooling, starting and charging systems. "The idea behind cylinder deactivation is that when you're cruising down the freeway and there's low load, the engine can turn off half the cylinders and in theory burn half as much gas. This is my project car and will be my drive (about 5000 miles a year). All these comments on the 5.3 are blowing my mind!!!. Replaced all lifters. The only problem is the extra spray on the cylinder models if a deflector isnt used and this can show up as increased oil consumption. My Chevy truck with fuel management can not touch my 2000 Chevy with out fuel management. He claims that GM used the same engine whether it was or was not equipped with AFM in this year and model? I would appreciate it if you let me know how you make out. Seems like the AFM disabler device is working for a number of people including myself as the 5.3l AFM engine has inherent design faults. I ordered a electronic disabler for it today. What makes you think it was a design flaw ? GM 6.2 Active Fuel Management Problems: What They Are and How - CarAraC Brian, I have been reading your article about the AFM. How do you know if the lifter has failed? i currently get 8 mpg with the vortec 350 and a 4l60, I have a 99 Sub k1500 that i get 16 to 18 hwy loaded lightly, I get about 14 on my 95 Tahoe 2 door with 5.7 and 4l60. Took it to my dads and he tore things apart and found that I had a lifter that was stuck. Im a little confused on the problems too, Im reading that the 2007 pick-ups with 5.3 really had bad oil consumption and plug fouling problems, but is the 2005 5.3 that came in the trailblazers, envoys, and sabb 9-7s the exact same design as these pick-ups and prone to the same failures? Its a CA EMMISIONS TRUCK. Delete the AFM, buy a tuner/chip, take it to a performance place and get an actual tune done that fixes it, replace the AFM lifters with non AFM type, change other engine components with thisetc..etc..etc??? Install ls3 valley cover. 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 []. The market for nonhybrid gasoline-powered vehicles is expected to fall by 20 percent during that time, but with tech like smarter cylinder deactivationin these upcoming GM V-8 trucks, for . Cylinder deactivation--branded Active Fuel Management by GM--shuts off some cylinders when extra power isn't needed, to improve fuel economy. Thanks to a properly maintained 5.3 with AFM, I can routinely get over 20 MPG on the highway. Pulled the inntake and replaced valleypan With all the solenoids. [], I have a 2012 Silverado Z71 bought new. This may show as low oil pressure or code P0521 or P0523 and is a relatively inexpensive fix as well. When an engine is contstantly running on oil that is broken down, it not only wheres out components because of no protection. I have a 08 6.0L out of a Silverado with an aftermarket oil pan that has no provision for a pressure relief valve. If the lifter actually fails so that the mechanism wont release, it wont work. The Service Traction Control and Check Engine lights also came on again but went out after a few minutes. If you installed a performance cam intended for a car, it may be bleeding off some low end compression. I have an 08 Suburban that is currently getting the lifters replaced a second time within a three month span. Dont want to make a move on a new truck or jump to a 2500 yet. She started to have the lifter problem again after 60,000 miles more. Chris, when you did your delete, did you also change the cam at the same time? Was a disaster then but a profitable disaster. Ive heard the Brand name Range thrown around in other forums, This is how mine started outthen 6 months later on the highway the service stabilitrak light and flashing engine light came on. But then she passed away from cancer. I did a delete on an 07 avalanche and no have no power, any thoughts on what might be going on? Oh,the throw away vehicle has 77,000 miles and has always had meticulous maintenance . The motor I pulled was a 2007 LY5 with about 77k on it. This system was originally used in early 1980s Cadillacs. Have a lifter problem on my 2010 5.3 Silverado. please respond with your opinion. It had the AFM wiring & lifter cover installed with solenoid pack in the original engine, we even removed it to inspect. Take a look at what bmw did in its R1250 bike. With the nipple, or without? Would installing the Disabler solve this? My daughters car had about 230,000 miles when she complained of the problem. Hello Mike, if you dont have any obvious signs like check engine lights etc., there are couple different possibilities. Thanks. This will spray oil on the bottom of the cylinder walls which can cause oil burning, especially in high-rpm engines. Ive been reading, with disgust and concern of the lifter/cam situation. 4,7 plugs foul runs rough at idle. My 2013 LC9 just had #6 lifter fail, got a misfire code but the ticking gave it away. According to CarComplaints.com, several drivers have had excessive oil consumption issues for a while from 2007 to 2011. Brian, thank you for the quick response. Id wait until the warranty expires then disable. For fun, he runs his 427-powered C5 Z06 in ECTA land-speed racing, at OPTIMA street car events, and at a mix of autocross, drag racing, and track days. Stop-start cylinder deactivation, direct injection, variable valve timing, thermal management, and continuously variable oil pump; are just some of the Silverado features of . In 2010, GM added a deflector (p/n) NAL-12639759 to redirect in into the pan. The Range AFM/DFM Disabler allows your V6 or V8 GM vehicle to run in full cylinder mode at all times, preventing the Active and Dynamic Fuel Management systems from dropping cylinders. I have driven it now for 2 days without issue but I am having the AFM disabled/tuned out today. Next day I drove my car to work and was fine but when I left work all lights came back on and terrible noise in the hood. Once I get it back, could I install the Disabler safely. We believe this confirmed that the AFM has never been operating in this vehicle. I got the AMF disabler anyway and so far so good. All Gen IV engine blocks haveAFMtowers and oil passages cast in. As GM issued 13 updatesnone of which workeddealers disabled the system on their customers' cars, leaving them permanently in V-8 mode. Engines withAFMalso use a special camshaft, a high-volume oil pump, and a pressure relief valve in the oil pan. Where can I buy a bolt to replace this relief valve ?? [] 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. WATCH THIS VIDEO https://youtu.be/1MJMf3nnQhQ. I have an 07 Silverado 1500 ltz. When we removed the oil pan from the new block, we noticed a metal shield covering the bottom of the block. Oil 0w or 5w -20 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. The biggest problem is nobody changes their oil on time. Its not possible to install them wrong? I just bought a 2015 5 3 17000 miles I was thinking about eliminating the 4-cylinder if I delete it with just the programmer will it hurt my motor? TheAFMsystem can be identified by its components. At least Dodge admitted they had junk transmissions in the early 2000s and picked up sales each. I was told that before I start the vehicle up I will need to have the AFM and VVT disabled in the ECU but that would require a custom tune from a tuner as the ECU cannot just be told that the AFM and the VVT is gone. Do you think I can still disable AFM? Todays computers are faster so it does work. have yet to find a read that shows an escalade with high oil consumption and i have read a lot on the hybrid. . That inherently less smooth operation requires additional NVH dampening. GM Lifter Recall Needed, Says Class Action Lawsuit Corvette that does employ AFM. 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. misfire or anything. 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. I speak from some experience. I quites down to nothing after running for about a minute. The VLOM consists of 4 electronically operated solenoids and is bolted to the top of the engine block beneath the intake manifold assembly. This valve is located on the oil pan rail and prevents excessive oil pressure from negatively impacting the AFM components. a little burning oil is a minor thing, my main concern is avoiding a multi-thousand dollar repair needed to the motor. Ive been a Ford guy my whole life, so I was unaware of AFM until a recent trip where I did a lot of highway driving and happened to bring up the real-time mpg display, where I saw it switch between V6 and V4. Basically rebuilt most of the engine while in the vehicle. I have a 2014 Silverado with a 5-3. I asked my local Chevy dealer, from whom I purchased the engine, to find out why the oil pan lacked the fitting. But I can replace all of the other engine parts without doing the pistons and bearings so that is what I plan to do. Then I guess I have to spend a bunch of money and get the delete kit. I will keep reading and take notes. Change your oil. All the time. .IMHO . If you dont have VVT, you could use part number NAL-12561721 (LQ9) along with a 4-pole 3-bolt 2005 Corvette cam sprocket p/n NAL-12586481 to make it compatible with your ECM. The engine also had 799 or 243 casting heads which are closely related to the LS6. Regarding the cylinder deactivation impact on fuel consumption . Every one of these engine will have a lifter fail, this is a travesty! New plugs and wires. Ive got about 6 to 8 psi of oil pressure after the engine gets warm and I have to stop at a traffic light. How did your turn out? NOT GOOD!! Look for the following: TheAFMcover is called the Lifter Oil Manifold Assembly (LOMA). Vortec 5300s featuring LH6 and LC9 engines are prone to failing spark plugs due to carbon build-up. 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. I am a long time GM fan but after reading how they messed up the 5.3 ( I had a fantastic 2003 Z72 off road) Ill look else ware for my next vehicle. []. Hi Mike, the metal shield you noticed is probably the windage tray. I just bought a 2018 Silverado. Cylinder Deactivation to the Rescue. Im considering just replacing the 5.3 ( should be LMG, 2007 YUKON ) with the L96 crate engine. NOTE: You can find engine specs and detailed engine upgrade advice for every LS and LS-based Vortec truck engine in one place: The Definitive Guide to LS Engine Specs and LS Engine Upgrades. Have an 06 Yukon with 5.3, original engine had bad knock, was told it was lifters so had them replaced. My question is: do I install the electronic disabler on the new engine to avoid future issues? Is the Pressure relief valve replaceable? If you left the original cam in, the AFM cylinders will be down about 25 lbs. The engine has flex-fuel capability. I had #4 lifter stick and now i am looking at replacing the engine with a non-dod version. Anyway, after some pushing and pulling I took it to the Dealer who sold it to me. Seafoam with syn oil change only fixed for a week. 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. 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? So I did the job one more time. 2019 Chevy, GMC Trucks Get Smarter Cylinder Deactivation - Car and Driver What can I expect with the AFM in place, or, with AFM disabled (not deleted)? The valve itself is part number W0133-2574213. 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. 1981 Cadillac V 864. Didnt really notice a loss in power other than the surging, (wondering if thats the engine trying to switch between 4 and 8 cylinders). I just took a long trip and it used 1.5 quarts of oil. They took the engine down today found so much damage inside they ordered a new engine from Detroit. Thats not all bad because it saves the cost of an AFM delete kit. 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?