P0301 Code thrown

[PBandJs_PPV]

NEW to the Tahoe:

On the way home from East Texas, the truck threw the code, I limped her home and started researching. I went and picked up a new coil and spark plug this morning. Removed the spark plug and it looked like THIS. Also, the Traction Control and Stabiilitrak went offline.
I've NEVER seen a plug with this much gunk on it! Had anyone else seen this?

I installed the new plug and coil. She's marginally better but still missing. Went back, got the codes read and still has the P0301 code and also threw a Mass Airflow Sensor code so I bought some cleaner. Removed and cleaned that sensor but, still a marginal miss. The Traction Control and Stabiilitrak are back online.

So, has anyone seen a plug come out looking like this and, what else could I be missing to get rid of the miss.

2014 PPV

 

[j91z28d1]

that is an impressive bad looking plug.

I'm. guessing oil burning. the 2 things that. Come to Mike is search donjetman threads about rings coked up and what he did to free them up. if it's older than 2011 and you haven't done it. there's an updated valve. cover for. better oil. control. less being sucked into the intake. and then add a catch can.


byond that. I don't know besides a rebuild

 

[Foggy]

Oil Consumption for sure!! Check some other plugs as well.
Updated valve cover, Rings, maybe bad valve and/
or valve seal/valve seat
will allow tons of oil into the chamber
Do a compression test as well

To add: whenever you get hard codes like misfire, the stabiltrack/abs/etc
will all light up.. That's normal.. due to it being disabled by the Engine Codes being
thrown

 

[PBandJs_PPV]

that is an impressive bad looking plug.

I'm. guessing oil burning. the 2 things that. Come to Mike is search donjetman threads about rings coked up and what he did to free them up. if it's older than 2011 and you haven't done it. there's an updated valve. cover for. better oil. control. less being sucked into the intake. and then add a catch can.


byond that. I don't know besides a rebuild

Would it be worthwhile to run a quart of ATF in her for ~50 miles and dissolve what apparently is a lot of gunk in the cylinder heads before performing an immediate oil change?

 

[donjetman]

@PBandJs_PPV
I've written about this for 6+ yrs on this forum.
https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/sparkies-no-beno.108579/
and
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2014/MC-10114272-9999.pdf

 

[j91z28d1]

Would it be worthwhile to run a quart of ATF in her for ~50 miles and dissolve what apparently is a lot of gunk in the cylinder heads before performing an immediate oil change?

there's a lot of debate on if the atf actually cleans anything. I don't believe it's doing much in your case. you need to keep the oil from getting into the cylinders and burning. either from the intake port or piston rings. which is why you pour the solvent into the spark plug hole and let it set for a while and try to eliminate it getting in thru the pvc system, with the updated valve cover and catch can.

byond that, it's replacing parts. like those valve guide seals, I believe those can be done without pulling the heads. but they are under the valve spring.

 

[PBandJs_PPV]

@PBandJs_PPV
I've written about this for 6+ yrs on this forum.
https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/sparkies-no-beno.108579/
and
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2014/MC-10114272-9999.pdf

I feel so completely over my head as I'm new to Chevy's. How do I know if I do or don't have the AFM version of engine?

 

[donjetman]

@PBandJs_PPV
Read the links & TSB I provided you. Even the TSB has pictures of the valve cover and their differences.

Type in "donjetman" in the search bar here and go back to my 2018 posts and read to your hearts content. You have a lot of homework.

Here is a pic of my original GM pisspoorly designed valve cover and the new updated design.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

I feel so completely over my head as I'm new to Chevy's. How do I know if I do or don't have the AFM version of engine?

If it's a 2014 truck, you have AFM. Take @donjetman 's advice and view his posts on the topic.

 

[j91z28d1]

do the cop car ones have active afm? I guy that works a few shops down from me has one. it's really high mileage but says he's never seen 4cyl on the dash.

just made me wonder. I forget the milage but I was surprised it was alive for active afm

 

[PBandJs_PPV]

Since there are valve covers that help with this sludge mess I'll get those however, my immediate focus is on dealing with the miss.

I bought a couple different affordable OBD readers and it's giving me some data. Although, I'm not certain if I'm understanding it.

Does the fact that it's seeing issues with Bank 1 and Bank 2 mean that there's a miss on Bank 2 that isn't being registered as an official miss?

 

[PBandJs_PPV]

do the cop car ones have active afm? I guy that works a few shops down from me has one. it's really high mileage but says he's never seen 4cyl on the dash.

just made me wonder. I forget the milage but I was surprised it was alive for active afm

I have never seen "4cyl" on the dash. Perhaps it is disabled through programming?