Ideas? Help with a DOD/ AFM Deleted 2011 Escalade 6.2

[rdezs]

Hopefully.... Your oil pump is new, clean, and your timing components look like this after removing the oil pump. Minus that tensioner pin on the left that's still installed of course.

 

[rdezs]

A couple more notes.
1. I like to soak a new timing chain overnight in oil. Then I towel dry it with a lint-free cloth. Right before putting the front cover on, I put some assembly lube on the chain while turning the engine over by hand slowly.

Permatex Engine Assembly Lube https://a.co/d/8W8GwB4https://a.co/d/8W8GwB4

2. Prime the oil pump after everything's together. If you're in front of the engine staring at the harmonic balancer, on the right side of the engine, towards the front, just behind the power steering pump you'll find an allen head plug. You can use a syringe and put several ounces of oil in there and then reinstall the plug. I personally use an adapter with a 1/8 hose barb on it and a dedicated weed sprayer full of oil.... Allows me to pump a few quarts in, filling the oil filter and beyond, until I'm oil coming up the push rods. In your case unnecessary, unless you end up pulling the heads and replacing lifters.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

I'm sure there are knowledgeable people out there regarding the GMT900 platform and I would appreciate some advice.

To start, I have a 2004 Escalade 6.0 and much experience with the GMT800 platform, and thus have hitherto avoided the GMT900 trucks because I didn't want to deal with the AFM/DOD system. I got married and wanting to continue being debt free, my wife let me pay cash for her to have a truck of her own, and she found this 2011 Escalade 6.2 she really wanted. The seller told me it had been recently AFM/ DOD deleted so I bought it. It has the smooth valley cover along with other indications of the work being done so I trusted the people that it was so.

The 2011 Escalade 6.2 runs decent most of the time, but has problems losing power when at a light cruise, feeling like it is choked and "surging," being much weaker than my 2004 with the 6.0. The issue doesn't always appear, and it is much more common under my wife's driving habits than mine.

It has an enjoyable exhaust on it, and it never sounds like a truck in the AFM/ DOD mode, it just feels a little starved for fuel.

The truck has a lot of power when it has it, it idles just fine and if you drive aggressively it will never have a hiccup; but if you ever let it slip into a moment of weakness, it gets really weak.

If you pull out from a "rolling stop" or are in town in traffic, it feels like it is in overdrive but wont come out, with something of a "surging" feel. Using the manual shift mode helps, but not a lot. The problem is very obvious if you're trying to pull up a hill while it is behaving choked like this. It will be like this for several seconds until you force it to wake itself up. Again, it's more like it "surges" back to life than kicking itself awake.

It shows a P0011 Code most of the time, but not always.

I wonder if they did not properly finish the AFM/ DOD delete with a tune? Does anyone know where to start looking for what is causing the problem of power loss?
View attachment 459329

Welcome to the Forum from NH.

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[swathdiver]

Did you get information about the delete from the seller? Was a VVT camshaft used? They're not very common.

A bi-directional scan tool is going to be needed for proper diagnostics. Tech-2 time.

 

[rdezs]

Well the OEM L92/L9H is ideal to retain VVT and keep the original horsepower, a lot of the so-called kids substitute the cam for a 6.0 with VVT.

Going in blind not knowing is not a good situation to be in.... Which is why I would tear it all apart and redo it. (What if the guy left the AFM camshaft in? Would it even run? I've never tried that and I don't want to. )

Regardless of diagnostics, I think he has to go in anyway just to make sure it was done right.

The timing being advanced too far is about the only known item. Pretty much limits it to what's behind the front cover. I think that diagnosis alone from the ECM justifies opening the front cover to verify valve timing, replace the VVT actuator, the solenoid in the cover and verify the end play on the camshaft and make sure it has an oil pump compatible with retaining VVT.

Hard to say what he's going to find in there though. I suppose it's possible he finds a three bolt aftermarket cam without VVT.....and VVT was not turned off in the ECM? Definitely needs a visual on everything.

 

[Jeffdylanproctor]

Thanks again for the gold mine of information.

I'm almost contemplating getting a new camshaft and being done with the VVT altogether.

Also, the Camshaft Phaser Magnet and Solenoid I ordered are both AC Delco...I've had a horrible time with aftermarket parts lately...stuff being absolute junk. Hence I'm glad to get a reccomendation on the Melling Oil Pump.

 

[Jeffdylanproctor]

I'm going to order the Bi-directional scanner, the link worked fine for me in English, lol.

Right now, the oil pressure reads close in the 40s on start up, but drops to the 20s after warm, getting as low as 22-23 psi. My 2004 6.0 usually runs above 40 at startup, and is lower after warm, but not as low as this 2011 6.2.

So I doubt this 2011 has a new oil pump. It has 176,000 miles.

I haven't ordered the timing chain kit yet, but I may go ahead and do that and just redo the whole front, as that seems the best route forward

 

[Jeffdylanproctor]

By the way, the real estate mom I bought it from had been driving it like this for about 6 months, and she bought it from her son who supposedly did the work to it...that's all the history I know on it.

 

[rdezs]

I'm curious if he plugged the oil pressure relief port in the oil pan. Lol, feel like pulling the oil pan also?

 

[Jeffdylanproctor]

I don't mind pulling the oil pan (it's a lot happier than doing a rear main seal, lol, which was surprisingly faster than expected when I had to do it to my 2004).

But I'm not sure I know what the oil pressure relief port looks like? Is it what's below the oil pump?

 

[rdezs]

You can't miss it. It's threaded into the oil pan, and acts as a oil pressure relief valve to protect the AFM solenoids. Should be removed and plugged when AFM is deleted. Overtime the valves get weak and bleed off too much oil pressure. I'll see if I could find you a picture of one

 

[rdezs]

Here you go. There's a few people online, even on Amazon that sell the perfect length stainless steel bolt with a copper washer to replace it. That curved hood you see was added on later by GM to keep the oil spray from spraying up in the cylinders, causing oil consumption issues.

 

[rdezs]

If you drop the pan you'll know that the OEM oil pan gasket is held in place with two rivets. The rivets are very soft, just take a small drill and they will come out. Recommend the felpro oil pan gasket.
If you do drop the pan, it makes removing the pickup tube from the oil pump much easier, and installing a new o-ring.

 

[Jeffdylanproctor]

Ok yeah, I know what that tube is, I just didn't know what it was called.

Just for curiosity, how reusable is the front cover gasket? Does it require gasket glue in the corners?

It's not that don't plan on replacing it, but I might have to put the truck together a couple of times getting it sorted and would like to be able to avoid waiting overnight for the gasket glue to dry...

 

[Charlie207]

Ok yeah, I know what that tube is, I just didn't know what it was called.

Just for curiosity, how reusable is the front cover gasket? Does it require gasket glue in the corners?

It's not that don't plan on replacing it, but I might have to put the truck together a couple of times getting it sorted and would like to be able to avoid waiting overnight for the gasket glue to dry...

When I was assembling a fresh 6.0 in my basement I had the front cover on/off several times, after torquing it down with RTV in the corners, due to forgetting a couple things on the inside (oil pickup tube aftermarket girdle, double-checking loctite on the cam bolts, timing chain tensioner) but it's not leaked a drop in the year I've had it running.

I don't think torquing a new gasket down for a day or three is going to permanently deform it vs. months/years of heat cycles and oil exposure.

 

[Jeffdylanproctor]

what is considered the healthy /ideal oil pressure for an engine that still has the VVT camshaft?

 

[Charlie207]

what is considered the healthy /ideal oil pressure for an engine that still has the VVT camshaft?

Depends on if the engine is cold or hot, at idle or cruising. Between 30-50psi hot cruising is fine.

But, you could have a totally healthy engine, with a worn out o-ring that's causing incorrect pressure. Or, a dying oil pressure sender.

 

[rdezs]

Yeah that won't be a problem if you have to pull it off and put it back on. Normally just a touch of RTV in the bottom corners

 

[rdezs]

I guess this is a good time to mention the oil pickup tube girdle, allows you to use both the bolt holes in the oil pump to secure the pickup tube. Factory only uses one of them. Probably saved seven cents per vehicle.

 

[Jeffdylanproctor]

Here is another question I have (and again, I very much appreciate the very detailed answers and pictures, I am learning a lot and paying attention to it all), is how different does the VVT camshaft and non-VVT camshaft look from the front?

Will it be extremely obvious when I pop the front cover off?