2007 5.3 year compatibility

[tjoyce81]

Im pretty sure my 2007 Tahoe LMG, vin0, engine cam broke (or cam chain broke?). Just shut off on highway, threw a code P0340. Removed cam sensor, stuck my finger in, rotated the engine by hand, and couldn't feel or see the reluctor wheel spinning. Verified by looking down the oil fill, rocker arms not moving.
So, with 352000 miles - completely stock - AFM operational until this - I am pulling the motor.

I plan on deleting the AFM, and installing the proper kit too do so - cam, block off plate, lifters, ecm delete, etc. etc.

Question I have - IF the engine I have cannot be used, what years can I use to replace the one in my 07 Tahoe?
Is there any 5.3s that do not have the AFM/DOD setup that will work?

The cam sensor is in the front cover, and the knock sensors are on the side of the block (easy accessed).
I am not looking for any type of performance upgrades (other than the afm delete) or larger displacement - just a job that can be easily done - because its getting cold and I'm doing this on the street lol.

Thanks for any help

 

[Doubeleive]

@iamdub @swathdiver

 

[Dustin Jackson]

I think the LMF is a 5.3 without AFM but they are not very common.

If you are going to pull the motor apart any 07-14 5.3 should work, you'll just need to delete the parts of it that you don't want, like AFM or VVT and keep the flex fuel injectors if you want to retain that feature.

 

[strutaeng]

Im pretty sure my 2007 Tahoe LMG, vin0, engine cam broke (or cam chain broke?). Just shut off on highway, threw a code P0340. Removed cam sensor, stuck my finger in, rotated the engine by hand, and couldn't feel or see the reluctor wheel spinning. Verified by looking down the oil fill, rocker arms not moving.
So, with 352000 miles - completely stock - AFM operational until this - I am pulling the motor.

I plan on deleting the AFM, and installing the proper kit too do so - cam, block off plate, lifters, ecm delete, etc. etc.

Question I have - IF the engine I have cannot be used, what years can I use to replace the one in my 07 Tahoe?
Is there any 5.3s that do not have the AFM/DOD setup that will work?

The cam sensor is in the front cover, and the knock sensors are on the side of the block (easy accessed).
I am not looking for any type of performance upgrades (other than the afm delete) or larger displacement - just a job that can be easily done - because its getting cold and I'm doing this on the street lol.

Thanks for any help

Yikes! That does not sound good indeed. That's remarkable mileage though. I wonder what happened to it? I would pull the valve covers too.

I can't think of any 5.3 that did not have AFM/DOD off the top of my head The 8 lug full sized Express Vans did not have AFM/DOD, but oddly enough, GM skipped the 5.3s on those, so you 4.8s and 6.0s as only options.

But I don't understand why it matters; if your engine is not rebuildable, just find yourself any Gen IV 5.3 and do the AFM DOD delete on it.

Gen IV means 58X reluctor (with the gray crank sensor), and the cam sensor on the front cover and knock sensors on each lower bottom side as you pointed out.

You could even mix and match internals if you had to. Like 24x reluctor wheel swap (black crank sensor on that one) to 58X and vice versa. Not that you should, but it's an option.

 

[tjoyce81]

Yikes! That does not sound good indeed. That's remarkable mileage though. I wonder what happened to it? I would pull the valve covers too.

I can't think of any 5.3 that did not have AFM/DOD off the top of my head The 8 lug full sized Express Vans did not have AFM/DOD, but oddly enough, GM skipped the 5.3s on those, so you 4.8s and 6.0s as only options.

But I don't understand why it matters; if your engine is not rebuildable, just find yourself any Gen IV 5.3 and do the AFM DOD delete on it.

Gen IV means 58X reluctor (with the gray crank sensor), and the cam sensor on the front cover and knock sensors on each lower bottom side as you pointed out.

You could even mix and match internals if you had to. Like 24x reluctor wheel swap (black crank sensor on that one) to 58X and vice versa. Not that you should, but it's an option.

I am not sure, yet, if the engine is not rebuildable. Just want to be prepared for that.
I too, am curious as to what happened, and I will certainly learn the answer as I tear it down.
The crank turns - but the cam does not. I will post the answer to these questions as soon as I can.

 

[swathdiver]

Im pretty sure my 2007 Tahoe LMG, vin0, engine cam broke (or cam chain broke?). Just shut off on highway, threw a code P0340. Removed cam sensor, stuck my finger in, rotated the engine by hand, and couldn't feel or see the reluctor wheel spinning. Verified by looking down the oil fill, rocker arms not moving.
So, with 352000 miles - completely stock - AFM operational until this - I am pulling the motor.

I plan on deleting the AFM, and installing the proper kit too do so - cam, block off plate, lifters, ecm delete, etc. etc.

Question I have - IF the engine I have cannot be used, what years can I use to replace the one in my 07 Tahoe?
Is there any 5.3s that do not have the AFM/DOD setup that will work?

The cam sensor is in the front cover, and the knock sensors are on the side of the block (easy accessed).
I am not looking for any type of performance upgrades (other than the afm delete) or larger displacement - just a job that can be easily done - because its getting cold and I'm doing this on the street lol.

Thanks for any help

2007-2009 LMG or LC9, you could use an LY5 or LH6 motor and swap over your injectors to retain FlexFuel and not have to program the computer. The LH8 did not have AFM but is quite rare.

Most kits come with a camshaft smaller than the one in your motor, costing you 10-15 horsepower. The L33 camshaft is the exact same grind as yours minus AFM and is Gen III pattern.

 

[petethepug]

You’re overthinking this. Grab an 08+ 6.0 motor from a 1/2 or 3/4 ton truck. They’re plug n play and only require the existing BCU to be re-tuned so the AFM/DOD is tuned out.

Low price, low effort, increased hp/tq, retains Reg fuel and it’s a factory No AFM/DOD motor dream swap.

 

[donjetman]

@tjoyce81
Here's a definitive guide to LS engines and upgrades:
https://www.onallcylinders.com/2019...de-to-ls-engine-specs-and-ls-engine-upgrades/

 

[tjoyce81]

You’re overthinking this. Grab an 08+ 6.0 motor from a 1/2 or 3/4 ton truck. They’re plug n play and only require the existing BCU to be re-tuned so the AFM/DOD is tuned out.

Low price, low effort, increased hp/tq, retains Reg fuel and it’s a factory No AFM/DOD motor dream swap.

Wow, thanks a lot for this info!
By saying "existing bcm", you mean the engine computer - right?

Just so I'm straight - my existing (5.3 lmg) engine computer can be used with an 08+ 6.0 motor?
If so, does my existing computer have to also be tuned for the different injectors used in the 6.0?

 

[petethepug]

Yes, sorry I didn’t include the thread where another owner just did this. I believe he used hypertuners to remove the AFM off his BCM/ECU.

It’s an amazing flipping swap that also yields an upgrade for 5.3L owners and 6.2L owners can change cams and the tune for a little more to get the matching 403hp wrung out of the 6.0L on regular fuel.

It was another TYF member that posted the info. I don’t have to use it yet, knock on word, but I’m grateful too.

 

[Marky Dissod]

ecm engine control module
tcm transmission control module
fpcm fuel pump control module
bcm body control module
etc

Your 5.3L ecm IS the same used by a 6.0L, it's just a different version of the program.
Depending on the tuner's mood, they might
edit your engine program file
overwrite yours with an OE 6.0L engine program
splice a new file using both yours and a 6.0L engine program - depending on which set of (IDENTICAL) injectors you decide to use

If a non-OE type cam is used, you'll likely pay the tuner more because they'll need to use additional talent and energy to extrapolate several tables

 

[Dustin Jackson]

@petethepug If you already have AFM tuned out would you be good to go or are there other tuning things that need to be done to make it compatible?

 

[tjoyce81]

Yes, sorry I didn’t include the thread where another owner just did this. I believe he used hypertuners to remove the AFM off his BCM/ECU.

It’s an amazing flipping swap that also yields an upgrade for 5.3L owners and 6.2L owners can change cams and the tune for a little more to get the matching 403hp wrung out of the 6.0L on regular fuel.

It was another TYF member that posted the info. I don’t have to use it yet, knock on word, but I’m grateful too.

Thanks again! I kind of hope I cant rebuild my 5.3 now.. LOL

 

[Marky Dissod]

... kind of hope I cant rebuild my 5.3L now ...

Progress.
Your 5.3L is probably rebuildable, but a 6.0L would be a better bang for your buck.

 

[petethepug]

The AFM software that is usually sold as a AFM defeat or disabler can simply trick the trans from going into overdrive keeping the AFM from turning on. All the troublesome mechanicals are still in the motor so if you’re referring to tuned off, its really not.

You’d have to have a tuner write a program to tune it out. That’d be far easier than using the 6.0L BCM and adding all the existing trucks features to the donor motor profile. After the AFM is tuned out of the BCM, then you need the 6.0L motor that never had AFM or the existing 5.7L motor with all its AFM mechanicals removed.

 

[Marky Dissod]

There's different types of glade plug-ins that 'disable' V4 mode, by somehow tricking the ecm into thinking that one or more of the conditions that would prevent V4 mode happens to be in effect.
The plug-in that tricks the TCM into 5speed mode would cost some MpGs.
Not sure that's the most clever way of avoiding V4 mode, long-term.

What IS clever about those plug-ins, is that while the plug-in is plugged in,
How does one get any realtime ecm / tcm data? How does one look at what the plug-in is actually doing?

(petethepug, V4 mode is tuned out of the ENGINE control module, not the body control module, even if other modules can say something to the engine control module to prevent V4 mode.)

 

[the 18th letter]

352k with AFM is better than a lot without AFM lol impressive!

 

[petethepug]

Where is the body control module and what does it do?

 

[strutaeng]

Where is the body control module and what does it do?

I didn't read all responses but I think they meant ECU or ECM? That's where the operating tune for the engine is stored and controls injector pulse, spark advance/retard, and anything engine (and transmission) related based on data from crank/cam sensors, O2s, MAP/MAF, etc. This is the computer in the engine bay.

The BCM is underneath the dash and controls things like lock/unlock, interior lights, stereo, etc. through all the different body modules.

The two do have some communication but it's the ECU/ECM the one that gets reflashed when doing a "tune."

 

[petethepug]

In GM’s schematics and breakout diagrams for purchasing parts, what is the component they list as the BCM?