5.3 LC9 AFM DOD Cam issues
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5.3 LC9 AFM DOD Cam issues I'm new to this forum, so point me in the right direction if there is already a thread on this. I have a 2008 Chevy Silverado 1500 with a 5.3. The 8th digit of the vin is 3, so I was able to confirm it has an AFM/DOD motor. Motor has 144k miles. A few months ago I noticed it started using some oil. Maybe 2-3 quarts every 5k miles. There was a slight tick in the morning & idled a little rough, but went away once going down the road. So a few days ago truck suddenly starts to miss & check engine light comes on. Checked codes & found #1 misfire. Investigated same & found #1 intake valve not opening.Rocker not even moving, Checked all plugs & all tan except #1 which had oil on it. Did compression test on all cylinders. All checked 150 except #1, which had 0.
Through alot of investigation I found these AFM motors are known for oil comsumption, cam issues, and carbon on rings.
I am an old school SBC guy, so I don't know alot about these newer motors. I'm assuming I have a bad lifter & cam. $1200 for stock cam & lifters through dealer. I need some imput on which way to go here. I wouldn't mind putting an rv cam in, but I don't know how to delete the AFM. I also don't know the procedure of how to change out the cam in this motor. They say the heads have to come off.
Should I go with an aftermarket cam & remove the AFM or should I just stick a stock cam & lifters back in? I'm also concerned about the oil consumption. Would a bad cam & lifters cause it to use oil? I'm guessing rings probably carboned up, but I'm going to do a leak down test to see. I like performance, but I'm on a budget,
Thanks
Through alot of investigation I found these AFM motors are known for oil comsumption, cam issues, and carbon on rings.
I am an old school SBC guy, so I don't know alot about these newer motors. I'm assuming I have a bad lifter & cam. $1200 for stock cam & lifters through dealer. I need some imput on which way to go here. I wouldn't mind putting an rv cam in, but I don't know how to delete the AFM. I also don't know the procedure of how to change out the cam in this motor. They say the heads have to come off.
Should I go with an aftermarket cam & remove the AFM or should I just stick a stock cam & lifters back in? I'm also concerned about the oil consumption. Would a bad cam & lifters cause it to use oil? I'm guessing rings probably carboned up, but I'm going to do a leak down test to see. I like performance, but I'm on a budget,
Thanks
Teching In
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I would delete the dod and do a camp swap at the same time. It entails pulling the heads, changing to ls7 lifters, changing the valley cover, and tuning the dod out using HP Tuners. While you are doing this I would use ARP head bolts instead of oem because torque to yield is not fun while the motor is in the truck. I would change the chain dampener to a ls2 style the truck style is known for coming apart. Let me know if I can help you I have already done this in my 2008 silverado.
Joined: May 2004
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From: Halfway back on the Highway to Hell...again!
We get at least one of these a week in the dealership. One or more of the AFM lifters locked. GM's fix is to replace all lifters & AFM manifold (center plate). But what intels the expensive part is all the goodies to go along with it. gaskets, o-rings, head bolts, cooant, oil, etc etc. I keep the parts list saved. Tech walks in, I pull up list, put on Repair Order, pull parts. Our best tech has it done & out the door in about 3 hours. His torque wrench is the key to that level of quickness.($900) We actually have had a few customers wait in the lounge if they want and if we had all parts on hand.
On The Tree
Joined: Oct 2012
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From: Fort Worth, Texas Area
In 2008 I was told By GM there is a recall with the 5.3's with DOD due to lifter failure. #2 cyl. went out on me. My truck was still under warranty so GM picked up the $2500 bill.. Do a cam Swap! Do some looking around on the kind of build you want to do... But for sure Get HPTuner for programing!!
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Sapper, with the long weekend I was able to tear it down and find out exactly what was going on. Check this out.... BTW any chance you can email or pm me that list? I would like to know what all is involved, and what I should do about putting this back together, and interested in what the dealer would charge, and recommends doing. So far I have only pulled the driver head. I found exactly what I expected, except the cam looks fine, the bore for the lifter also looks fine, but the push rods and all the lifters show signs of neglect or abuse, or heat. This is why everyone should check a vehicle history, the previous owner obviously did not change the oil regularly or used junk oil. I had decided prior to pulling head off that if it needed a cam I was going to do the DOD del kit. But since the cam is fine I am either going to do just the lifters for cyl 7, or all of them, or at least soak whatever I dont replace in diesel, to clean them.
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Verdad Gallardo If you google, 5.3 dod delete kit, it will come up. Scoggin dickey has a kit for $342 but it doesn't include timing cover stuff, or the non dod cam. So it would probably end up running $600 or there abouts to get it done and on the road with the dod being deleted out of the tune as well.
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Reviving this thread, I have the same deal going on with my 2007. I have misfire on cylinder 4. Did you do this job yourself Clare-Branden Jones? What did it cost you? Trying to put some figures together and weight my options.
Thanks!
Thanks!
I think I can do the dod delete and still save money over what they want.How big of a PITA is it to do a dod delete?
Teching In
Joined: Dec 2006
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2009 5.3L LY5-AFM new engine I am preparing this new crate engine to swap into my 2004 Silverado w/ a 4.8L. I will delete the AFM function and lifters before the swap. Can someone recommend the best GM cam for low end torque? I read the hotrod test: http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/engine/..._plusone_share. and have concluded that these are the best cams for low end torque:
1. gm part #12561721 196/207, max lift 0.479/0.467, LSA 116
2. gm part #12560967 191/190, max lift 0.466/0.457, LSA 114
The #2 above is the cam in my 2004 4.8L, I think it will give the most torque. but maybe #1 is best.
my AFM cam is part #12563207(also part #12625436, I have removed it from the 2009 5.3L LY5 and have measured max lift @ 0.480/0.480. Can I use this cam if I remove the AFM function. The other specs are nut published by GM. Maybe this is the best cam for low end torque.
Any advice would be appreciated. GM has sent me the detailed drawing for this cam but I cannot interpret the duration from the drawing. I can send it to you if you would like.
1. gm part #12561721 196/207, max lift 0.479/0.467, LSA 116
2. gm part #12560967 191/190, max lift 0.466/0.457, LSA 114
The #2 above is the cam in my 2004 4.8L, I think it will give the most torque. but maybe #1 is best.
my AFM cam is part #12563207(also part #12625436, I have removed it from the 2009 5.3L LY5 and have measured max lift @ 0.480/0.480. Can I use this cam if I remove the AFM function. The other specs are nut published by GM. Maybe this is the best cam for low end torque.
Any advice would be appreciated. GM has sent me the detailed drawing for this cam but I cannot interpret the duration from the drawing. I can send it to you if you would like.
Teching In
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From: Cumming, Ga... this week.
The DOD Delete I am currently doing the DOD Delete on my 2013 Caprice. The noise you heard... is only the beginning of something MUCH worse.
Here is why there is oil on the plug.
Let it keep going and you will have a lifter that ends up looking like this.
I ended up having to find a LS2 block and rebuilding the whole thing! The machine shop I use is repairing the block with a bronze sleeve in the lifter bore... I will use that block for a later turbo build.
Click this link to follow the entire build.
Here is why there is oil on the plug.
Let it keep going and you will have a lifter that ends up looking like this.
I ended up having to find a LS2 block and rebuilding the whole thing! The machine shop I use is repairing the block with a bronze sleeve in the lifter bore... I will use that block for a later turbo build.
Click this link to follow the entire build.
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Lc9 5.3 vin #3 Hi new to this sight but find it very interesting I am having problems with my 2007 chevy avalanche 5.3 lc9 afm dod engine was going to install a new jasper engine in it due to no compression in my #6 cylinder but after doing some reading in here and many other sights I decided to tackle this job on my own prob is I haven't built a motor in at least 10 yrs and oh boy they have change anyways after pulling off my heads I found a lifter had pulled apart as I was removing them so I guess my question now is if all looks good cam ect do I just replace those crazy lifters with new ones or should I look into this delete kit that I hear so many talking about and if I go that way what exactly is something like this going to cost me I know very little about ecm stuff or how to deactivate something like that so any help at all would be appreciated maybe a complete parts list I would love to get my truck back on the road thanks again in advance for any help 
Teching In
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From: Mobile,Al
Are those of you with the single cam bolt camshafts replacing the bolt upon installing the new cam?
I'm told that the factory bolt it TTY and should be replaced. However, I cannot find any literature on the matter. Furthermore, the previously listed cam swap article never mentions having to replace the bolt.
The torque is something like 55lbs/ft and an additional 50 something degrees.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Jose
I'm told that the factory bolt it TTY and should be replaced. However, I cannot find any literature on the matter. Furthermore, the previously listed cam swap article never mentions having to replace the bolt.
The torque is something like 55lbs/ft and an additional 50 something degrees.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Jose
Teching In
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Most of us are installing a non DOD 3 bolt cam and sprocket and taking out the single bolt cam/sprocket. Therefore we are basically installing a Gen 3 cam solution. If you are going back in with a single bolt cam then spend the $5 for the TTY cam bolt from GM or maybe go with ARP solution. NOTE: torque specs are different so keep that in mind. DO NOT torque the 3 bolts to single bolt specs.
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Cylinder 7 misfire, oil consumption, lifters?? I have a 2007 Chevrolet 1500 4x4 with 137k miles. It's got a code popping up for cylinder 7 misfire and the service stabilitrak comes on about every two miles going down the road and turns back off. It keeps reaccuring and it's driving me up the wall. I've changed plugs,wires, and swapped 5 and 7 injector and it still shows on cylinder 7. And also it is using oil excessively. Probably a quart every gas fill up. I've had the afm turned off and had it tuned recently. I hear it could be a collapsed lifter. Any ideas, suggestions, possibilities? Help!!
Teching In
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Hate to hear about your engine troubles. Unfortunately with that amount of oil consumption you likely have a lot of work to do. I had the same problem + a knock in my engine. Easy way out would be to simply replace the engine. I suspect every piston ring in your motor is stuck with carbon buildup.
I built my motor and did away with all AFM hardware.
I installed new:
Pistons/rings, rod bearings, a mild 212/218 non afm cam, LS 7 lifters, LS6 valve springs, valve seals, oil pump, non AFM valley cover, shorty stainless headers for good measure and a tune.
I have driven 5000 miles since build and have used 1/4 of a quart of oil. I did lose approx. 1 mpg on fuel economy.
I built my motor and did away with all AFM hardware.
I installed new:
Pistons/rings, rod bearings, a mild 212/218 non afm cam, LS 7 lifters, LS6 valve springs, valve seals, oil pump, non AFM valley cover, shorty stainless headers for good measure and a tune.
I have driven 5000 miles since build and have used 1/4 of a quart of oil. I did lose approx. 1 mpg on fuel economy.
Teching In
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DOD delete I am currently doing a DOD delete on my 2007 LH6 5.3L motor. Cylinder 7 had a misfire code and registered 0 psi during compression check. Pulled the valve cover and the intake valve was not moving. So I am assuming that the lifter has collapsed. I have ordered a new GM cam and LS7 lifters, also you have to replace the valley cover. I sent the ECM out to get reprogrammed to tune out DOD. There are several good pages on the web showing/listing the parts.
http://lt1swap.com/afm_delete.htm
This page lists the parts and numbers. That is where I sent my ECM to get it programmed. . I will eventually get an HP Tuner setup so I can try to learn how to tune cars/trucks.
I ordered almost all mine through Amazon, about $500 using almost GM parts. Pretty decent.
Currently taking all the stuff out of the front of the truck so i can swap in the cam. I had to order a fan clutch tool, because i couldn't get that damn thing off and the parts store didn't have tool to rent.
Well I hope to have it apart this week and will take pics along the way.
Wish me luck.
Another good link to a good article describing GM's DOD technology. http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/eng.../0405sc-gmdod/
http://lt1swap.com/afm_delete.htm
This page lists the parts and numbers. That is where I sent my ECM to get it programmed. . I will eventually get an HP Tuner setup so I can try to learn how to tune cars/trucks.
I ordered almost all mine through Amazon, about $500 using almost GM parts. Pretty decent.
Currently taking all the stuff out of the front of the truck so i can swap in the cam. I had to order a fan clutch tool, because i couldn't get that damn thing off and the parts store didn't have tool to rent.
Well I hope to have it apart this week and will take pics along the way.
Wish me luck.
Another good link to a good article describing GM's DOD technology. http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/eng.../0405sc-gmdod/
Last edited by chevynut; Dec 27, 2015 at 11:00 PM.
had the same thing happen in a lc9 5.3l at shop. the extended warrenty just ended up putting in a used engine. I got to keep the old for free. am now doing a afm and vvt delete and installing a ls3 cam I got for $50. all parts to do the swap are costing me about $300 but I do get a good discount on parts. I should be done in about a week or two. also going to polish the heads while im changing valve springs. I hope it ends up well. ive seen youtube videos of it putting 300 hp and 300 ftlb at the wheels. were gonna have it dyno tuned. I can post results here.