What are the risks of letting AFM self destruct?

[thefrey]

My 6.2 likes to tell me knock knock jokes about its top end in the mornings… I don’t particularly appreciate this when I’m half awake heading to work LOL

Even my wife noticed one morning… I feel like if your wife notices when something is wrong it’s not right

Everyone says it’s the “Chevy tick”, so don’t know how much a red flag listening to the knock knock jokes are



So… is there any harm in letting AFM self destruct? If it’s going to die, all the parts are going to get replaced anyways.

I don’t particularly love the Denali platform with the AWD looking forward to what I want out of a vehicle. Great for daily driving, but I am wanting something more off-road capable

I mention this because I don’t know if I’m interested in making this a 300k+ vehicle for myself. I got a quote to delete AFM from a local shop (3k). I realistically see myself driving this vehicle for another 25-50k so 1-2 years.

If I can, I want to ride it out to see if I can keep AFM when I sell and so I can put the $$ into another vehicle maybe.

Edit: another view perhaps is I’m trying to determine if I can ride it along with AFM for a little while, or if a new to me car should be first thing on my radar.

 

[the 18th letter]

My 6.2 likes to tell me knock knock jokes about its top end in the mornings… I don’t particularly appreciate this when I’m half awake heading to work LOL

Even my wife noticed one morning… I feel like if your wife notices when something is wrong it’s not right

Everyone says it’s the “Chevy tick”, so don’t know how much a red flag listening to the knock knock jokes are



So… is there any harm in letting AFM self destruct? If it’s going to die, all the parts are going to get replaced anyways.

I don’t particularly love the Denali platform with the AWD looking forward to what I want out of a vehicle. Great for daily driving, but I am wanting something more off-road capable

I mention this because I don’t know if I’m interested in making this a 300k+ vehicle for myself. I got a quote to delete AFM from a local shop (3k). I realistically see myself driving this vehicle for another 25-50k so 1-2 years.

If I can, I want to ride it out to see if I can keep AFM when I sell and so I can put the $$ into another vehicle maybe.

Any rimshots aka check engine lights with the jokes?

 

[MrMonte]

AFM failure can be just a separated lifter which is what I had on my 2018 Yukon Denali or up to complete destruction of the engine.

$3K for an AFM delete is a great deal and would be a wize investment if the rest of the vehicle is in good shape. That will help with resale or you want to keep it‍

 

[thefrey]

Any rimshots aka check engine lights with the jokes?

Nah. It runs great honestly just a little noisy.

None of my lifters are collapsed, I know that for sure. I just have always had a noisy lifter since I bought it. I think that is the one that did collapse, though. I unstick it and tuned out AFM and have driven about 7k since.

 

[thefrey]

AFzm failure can be just a separated lifter which is what I had on my 2018 Yukon Denali or up to complete destruction of the engine.

$3K for an AFM delete is a great deal and would be a wize investment if the rest of the vehicle is in good shape. That will help with resale or you want to keep it‍

Yeah I was surprised when they mentioned 3k.

The interior is solid, not the best but not the worst. It’s got some rust issues on the rockers so that’s kind of keeping me from putting money into the engine. But I might learn how to do body work and fix the rust since I’ve always wanted to learn how to do body work. It’s got 208k on it so not sure how much I’ll be able to get for it at this point

 

[tom3]

Might look into upper cylinder cleaning? Valve and stems get sludged and crusted up and can cause this. Couple different ways to do this and dealers have some special stuff that seems to work. Not a tear down deal.

 

[thefrey]

Might look into upper cylinder cleaning? Valve and stems get sludged and crusted up and can cause this. Couple different ways to do this and dealers have some special stuff that seems to work. Not a tear down deal.

Are you saying that it could be a dirty valve that would allow some slop in the rocker(s)?

 

[tom3]

What I've read, the valve stem gets oily and crusted due to the DI and when cold it will cause the valve to stick a bit in the guide, once it gets warmed up it loosens up. Could be something to it? Would hurt to try some cleaning. Ideally pull the heads, pull the valves and clean, put a new set of lifters in with the usual small items. I'd probably not go that far.

 

[thefrey]

What I've read, the valve stem gets oily and crusted due to the DI and when cold it will cause the valve to stick a bit in the guide, once it gets warmed up it loosens up. Could be something to it? Would hurt to try some cleaning. Ideally pull the heads, pull the valves and clean, put a new set of lifters in with the usual small items. I'd probably not go that far.

Does this happen with port injection? Mine is not DI

 

[tom3]

Probably not so much. No DI in a 2013? But I notice that 207k miles, that's amazing!

 

[Marky Dissod]

No DI in a 2013?

Gen5 LT1 L83 & L86 debuted for the 2014 model year.

DI started in 2014 for pickup trucks, and 2015 for SUVs.

 

[swathdiver]

My 6.2 likes to tell me knock knock jokes about its top end in the mornings…

Has the o-ring for the oil pump pickup tube been replaced yet? What your running oil pressure while stopped at a traffic light? I think we talked about this but cannot remember.

What kind of off-roading are you wanting to do?

Gen5 LT1 L83 & L86 debuted for the 2014 model year.

For the K2 1500 pickups. The SUVs were still running the GMT900 platform; and the HDs in 2014.

 

[thefrey]

Probably not so much. No DI in a 2013? But I notice that 207k miles, that's amazing!

Yep, 208k now. Driving it about 2500 miles a month probably.

Are you thinking 208k is a lot? I figured it has another 50k left at least lol

 

[thefrey]

Has the o-ring for the oil pump pickup tube been replaced yet? What your running oil pressure while stopped at a traffic light? I think we talked about this but cannot remember.

What kind of off-roading are you wanting to do?



For the K2 1500 pickups. The SUVs were still running the GMT900 platform; and the HDs in 2014.

Yes, I replaced my o-ring in May. Which I think is why my lifter collapsed since it raised my pressures lol

45ish cold start, will get above 50+ on cold acceleration, I’d say around 30-35 cruising, 18 idle.

I just changed my oil with the Quaker ultimate protection 5w30 and it doesn’t seem to have made much of a difference. Not sure if the standard full synthetic oil would better but might try that for my next oil change


I am wanting to get into overlanding, some rock crawling, etc. nothing too crazy, just going out and having fun on the weekends and going places not a lot of other people are. Since I don’t have 4x4 and just AWD, I don’t see myself doing too much with my Yukon long term. Also the lack of aftermarket support I think would be a hindrance considering I would need some mods to get into more off-road stuff, possible lift, maybe new front bumper since the stock one is super low, etc

 

[GMCChevy]

If you want to get 25-50k more miles out of it spend the 3 grand to fix it. Otherwise chance it and drive it till it dies.

 

[B-train]

Yeah I was surprised when they mentioned 3k.

The interior is solid, not the best but not the worst. It’s got some rust issues on the rockers so that’s kind of keeping me from putting money into the engine. But I might learn how to do body work and fix the rust since I’ve always wanted to learn how to do body work. It’s got 208k on it so not sure how much I’ll be able to get for it at this point

I'd save your money and just run it. With 208k and RUST starting to show, it's going to become a perpetual money vacuum. These trucks are pretty well built, but when rust does show up, it's been working at awhile and will not stop at that point.

I've been a mechanic in the Midwest most of my working life, so I have come to loathe rust......I only buy clean vehicles and then rust proof them myself so I can keep them for years and still enjoy working on them and looking at them. I can't count the number of vehicles people kept limping along trying to beat rust when they could have just been proactive on day one, or found something cleaner.

Do what you will ultimately, but since you have AFM tuned off just keep the oil clean and see where it leads you. Do you have lifter noise when cold, or piston slap? 2 different animals that have 2 very different outcomes long term.

 

[thefrey]

I'd save your money and just run it. With 208k and RUST starting to show, it's going to become a perpetual money vacuum. These trucks are pretty well built, but when rust does show up, it's been working at awhile and will not stop at that point.

I've been a mechanic in the Midwest most of my working life, so I have come to loathe rust......I only buy clean vehicles and then rust proof them myself so I can keep them for years and still enjoy working on them and looking at them. I can't count the number of vehicles people kept limping along trying to beat rust when they could have just been proactive on day one, or found something cleaner.

Do what you will ultimately, but since you have AFM tuned off just keep the oil clean and see where it leads you. Do you have lifter noise when cold, or piston slap? 2 different animals that have 2 very different outcomes long term.

Yup this is a Midwest truck so it is what it is lol

The frame and other components up front are actually decently solid. I think an oil leak possibly saved most of it is my guess. I’ve driven it 11k miles so the rest is unknown.

I think the last owner drove a lot on gravel roads which I think maybe chipped some of the paint on the rockers which has accelerated the rust.

I bought it cheap, so in return it’s not clean. It wasn’t really meant to be a forever car for me, just more of an intermittent car while I get my career started.

This is the worst side. The passenger side there isn’t anything visible (yet) but it’s coming…

I may fix it myself. But I think next car I’m going to be buying a southern car and rust proofing it. I’m in TN now so it’ll be a bit easier.


Hm. The loud ticking in the morning might be piston slap. I got a video earlier so I’ll work on getting that uploaded. I know there’s definitely lifter tap when warm, though.

 

[thefrey]

Do you have lifter noise when cold, or piston slap?

Ignore my squeaky serpentine lol. Doesn’t like to get wet.

Seems to be louder under very slight acceleration. I can barely hear it if my foot isn’t on the gas.

But it’s never that loud when it’s warm. So it could be piston slap.

 

[B-train]

Based on your pictures I'm going to guess it was a Michigan truck, maybe Ohio. That level of rust is permanent, but if you want to learn body work you don't have much to lose LOL.

After listening to your video, it kind of sounds like piston slap, hard to tell for sure without being there. If it goes away after the engine warms up, then I'd say that's probably the case and it will run for many miles like that.

Since you bought it cheap, keep it that way. Just run it without putting any money in it. Use those funds to find a truck in TN, NC, SC, or GA that are close to your area of residence. You wont regret getting a rust free starting spot........then do your AFM stuff, etc if you desire.

Best of luck, happy searching!

 

[thefrey]

Based on your pictures I'm going to guess it was a Michigan truck, maybe Ohio. That level of rust is permanent, but if you want to learn body work you don't have much to lose LOL.

After listening to your video, it kind of sounds like piston slap, hard to tell for sure without being there. If it goes away after the engine warms up, then I'd say that's probably the case and it will run for many miles like that.

Since you bought it cheap, keep it that way. Just run it without putting any money in it. Use those funds to find a truck in TN, NC, SC, or GA that are close to your area of residence. You wont regret getting a rust free starting spot........then do your AFM stuff, etc if you desire.

Best of luck, happy searching!

yup... Ohio lmao...

Nobody down here in the south is going to want to touch it... so I either have to repair some of the rust or take it back up north to sell it.

But no experience doing body work (yet)... a bad paint job is more appealing to a seller than a rusty hole in the body LOL