GM V8 gas engines are junk now

[Brains]

Features that nobody wants? Yep, definitely have a lot more of those, and they come with a bonus subscription plan to use 'em. And a remote kill switch, just in case.

 

[Havok1]

Features that nobody wants? Yep, definitely have a lot more of those, and they come with a bonus subscription plan to use 'em. And a remote kill switch, just in case.

Take a look around. People are mostly buying the highest optioned vehicles they can get. vehicles are safer, more fuel efficient, and much more powerful than they were back then. Not everyone is putting subscription services and remote kill switches in vehicles, but those were both a thing in GM vehicles back when you say the industry was at its peak.

 

[Grumps21]

The automotive peak was about the mid 2000's.

Yep thats my thoughts as well. Some of the carryover cars were okay in later years until they got a refresh, but generally speaking I think you are right. Things really started to go tits up I think around the mid teens, when we started with the infotainment, lane assist and all the crap that went along with it. Our oldest car a 2011 is still relatively conventional to drive. No cameras, no backup sensors, no lane assist, a regular radio, regular transmission and no DI. Only safety gremlins are air bags and ABS. 2014 truck has backup camera which is handy for trailer docking, but the backup sensors and the traction control piss me off because you can’t fully disable them. Dad got stuck earlier this year in his similar 2014 truck because TC engaged the brakes and he couldn’t keep momentum to get out of the bog. Our 2019 I don’t expect to last as long without developing a pricey problem with the gee wiz gadgetry..

 

[Grumps21]

Take a look around. People are mostly buying the highest optioned vehicles they can get. vehicles are safer, more fuel efficient, and much more powerful than they were back then. Not everyone is putting subscription services and remote kill switches in vehicles, but those were both a thing in GM vehicles back when you say the industry was at its peak.

Haha ya I had a 2005 GMC with the stupid Onstar. It stopped being supported because the technology was obsolete so I was stuck with a useless antenna on the truck

 

[lonestardiver]

Haha ya I had a 2005 GMC with the stupid Onstar. It stopped being supported because the technology was obsolete so I was stuck with a useless antenna on the truck

Had a 2007 GMC extended cab 2WD truck, 4.8 engine. No onstar (aka ratstar) or other stuff to jack with. It was a decent truck for the small engine. At least with it you could adjust the shift points of the transmission and run a higher line pressure to reduce wear on the clutch packs.

 

[dsgrey]

Take a look around. People are mostly buying the highest optioned vehicles they can get. vehicles are safer, more fuel efficient, and much more powerful than they were back then. Not everyone is putting subscription services and remote kill switches in vehicles, but those were both a thing in GM vehicles back when you say the industry was at its peak.

I have one vehicle with way too much technology. I believe I read an article in Jalopnik a few months back where someone was out a few thousand dollars for a tail light due to it having sensors. My 2019 truck doesn't have all the sensors but it does have the backup camera. My gripe is some issues that will eventually surface due to the engine-stop-start design so I easily bypassed that system 4 years ago.

 

[Coon]

Ok, so I’m not a car mechanic any more, (I recently retired from fixing airplanes) but I can kind of follow along with this thread. I keep seeing you guys talk about pre-2012 GM engines. I have a 2011 GMC 5.3 and it has AFM that is causing me problems. 184k miles. The truck’s value isn’t worth deleting the AFM, so I’m in the market for something newer. All of that being said, of the big three, which is my best bet for a 1/2 ton crew cab? Or should I buy a 3/4 ton?

 

[vmax]

Ok, so I’m not a car mechanic any more, (I recently retired from fixing airplanes) but I can kind of follow along with this thread. I keep seeing you guys talk about pre-2012 GM engines. I have a 2011 GMC 5.3 and it has AFM that is causing me problems. 184k miles. The truck’s value isn’t worth deleting the AFM, so I’m in the market for something newer. All of that being said, of the big three, which is my best bet for a 1/2 ton crew cab? Or should I buy a 3/4 ton?

I had the same question you had back when this happened to me.
and I read and watch alot ..and if I absolutely HAD to buy a gasoline half ton truck now it would be a
1. Tundra
2. RAM Hemi

I personally went to 3/4 ton diesel with Ram 2500 4X4

 

[vmax]

| Danny Medina | dmedina705 · Original audio

. dmedina705 · Original audio

www.facebook.com

 

[Destroyer357]

Ok, so I’m not a car mechanic any more, (I recently retired from fixing airplanes) but I can kind of follow along with this thread. I keep seeing you guys talk about pre-2012 GM engines. I have a 2011 GMC 5.3 and it has AFM that is causing me problems. 184k miles. The truck’s value isn’t worth deleting the AFM, so I’m in the market for something newer. All of that being said, of the big three, which is my best bet for a 1/2 ton crew cab? Or should I buy a 3/4 ton?

If the afm is not ticking or getting stuck, I’d at least use HPTuners to turn it off so it won’t be an issue. Worked on hundreds of fleet police Tahoes with 5.3 and that usually takes care of it

 

[vmax]

If the afm is not ticking or getting stuck, I’d at least use HPTuners to turn it off so it won’t be an issue. Worked on hundreds of fleet police Tahoes with 5.3 and that usually takes care of it

My AFM was disabled at 5500 miles and mine still failed lifters
I even called Range who made my tuner and they said the same thing.
Disabling AFM only keeps the engine in V8 mode..does nothing to prevent lifter failure


Disabling the software can't prevent the poor mechanical design of the lifter springs from failure

 

[Axxe55]

My AFM was disabled at 5500 miles and mine still failed lifters
I even called Range who made my tuner and they said the same thing.
Disabling AFM only keeps the engine in V8 mode..does nothing to prevent lifter failure


Disabling the software can't prevent the poor mechanical design of the lifter springs from failure

TRUE MODIFYING OR DISABLINGSOFTWARE PARAMETERS WILL NOT SOLVE ACTUAL MECHANIICAL ISSUES

 

[Coon]

If the afm is not ticking or getting stuck, I’d at least use HPTuners to turn it off so it won’t be an issue. Worked on hundreds of fleet police Tahoes with 5.3 and that usually takes care of it

It ticks pretty good. I have a cyl. 8 misfire code just about all the time. It was a nightmare getting it to pass inspection (Montgomery county) this year.

 

[TEXAS "All or nothing"]

If someone wants to bitch about auto makers then ford and dodge really sucks! Fords electrical system is bad enough and dodge just falls apart especially on rough terrain (exception on old power wagons of the 60's). From my 1st purchase of any auto in '82 till '16 they've all been chevy (only 1 caddy). Only 2 failures out of 12 vehicles (1 2-piece dl carrier bearing in an '02 heavy half & '01 half ton suburban fuel pump). Milage was 110k on suburban and 168k on heavy half. What I will complain about is the sealed bearings and no grease fittings to grease the suspension!

 

[vmax]

I posted a link above on the new Ford half ton truck with the oil soaked timing belts coming apart at 60k and blocking the oil pick up..disaster

 

[dsgrey]

I posted a link above on the new Ford half ton truck with the oil soaked timing belts coming apart at 60k and blocking the oil pick up..disaster

Sounds as bad as the GM 2.4 engine used in Terrain/Equinox from around 15 years ago. The skinless oil filter would shed and block oil ports. Luckily it would throw an early code so the dealership could disassemble the engine as a fix. I owned one.

But Chrysler had a V6 car around 2000 where the exhaust manifold was too close to the engine near the firewall. It would cook the oil and cause ports to clog. Easily diagnosed by flooring on the highway and the engine light would flash during that time.

I've read about the recent GM AFM and Ford issues in auto forums. You'd think they'd get better at building engines that don't self-destruct. Last month Nissan was noted with engine failures on a possible half million vehicles...but it's Nissan.

 

[Destroyer357]

My AFM was disabled at 5500 miles and mine still failed lifters
I even called Range who made my tuner and they said the same thing.
Disabling AFM only keeps the engine in V8 mode..does nothing to prevent lifter failure


Disabling the software can't prevent the poor mechanical design of the lifter springs from failure

We never had good luck with those plug in AFM disablers - we physically reprogram the computer to disable it. Springs getting stuck is when it go from v4 to v8 so if it’s in v8 mode all times, it shouldn’t even be compressed and released

 

[Destroyer357]

It ticks pretty good. I have a cyl. 8 misfire code just about all the time. It was a nightmare getting it to pass inspection (Montgomery county) this year.

If it’s been ticking pretty good for a while, unfortunately your camshaft is probably gone too; at that point we usually just pull the engine from a wrecked unit and swap motors

 

[Coon]

If it’s been ticking pretty good for a while, unfortunately your camshaft is probably gone too; at that point we usually just pull the engine from a wrecked unit and swap motors

That might be my only choice. With the illegitimate administration we are currently slaves to, interest rates and truck prices are too high to buy a new one.

 

[Two Gun Bob]

A list I found online, don't know how accurate but it does show the LT4. It does NOT show the Blackwing LTA, so the CT6-V is still (barely) on my list of 'new' cars to consider.

• 3.0 V6 LGW (Twin-Turbo)
• 3.6 V6 LGX
• 3.9 V6
• 3.9 V6 LZ8
• 4.2 V8 LTA (Twin-Turbo)
• 4.3 V6 LV3
• 5.3 V8 Vortec 5300
• 5.3 V8 LS4
• 5.3 V8 L83
• 5.3 V8 Vortec
• 6.0 V8 Vortec MAX
• 5.3 V8 Small-Block
• 6.2 V8 L99
• 6.2 V8 LT4
• 6.2 V8 LT1
• 6.2 V8 L86