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AFM....How long have you ran your Avalanche with it?

Bought deactivator 2 months ago. Can't really tell any difference but did monitor 8 to 4 mode and truck stays in v8 now. Am getting about 18mpg currently. 13mpg towing 5000# camper in mountains here in Colorado.
 
Bought deactivator 2 months ago. Can't really tell any difference but did monitor 8 to 4 mode and truck stays in v8 now. Am getting about 18mpg currently. 13mpg towing 5000# camper in mountains here in Colorado.
That's AWESOME fuel mileage, I'm lucky if I get 15 mpg, I drove from Cincinnati Ohio to Englewood Florida without towing anything and only averaged 14.2 mpg, and driving back and forth to work I only average 13.5. I've even put an economy tune in it , before that I was averaging 12.5 mpg.
 
Bought mine about two months ago....holding steady at 13.6mpg city only, with A/C running... Not happy about it..but should of known better when I bought it...
The only thing I have noticed, if I get heavy footed(when I need to move it) it doesn't always downshift.. not sure its from the Range or just the way it is, ??
Soon the truck will be gone anyway :)
 
I deactivated mine within 1 year of buying it, new(2009). Before and after deactivating the AFM, I was getting about 20mpg on the highway; after 6 years and about 80,000 miles, I wanted "MORE POWER!!"; so I put a magnacharger supercharger on it, and had it dyno-tuned. Now I get 17-18mpg on the highway(but it's a "POWERFUL" 17-18mpg!). :)
 
I decided to put my Range up for sell because I'm selling my truck, But I removed it at the last tank fill up to see if it increases my mpg from 13.5mpg.. We will see
 
***** WARNING ****** LONG WINDED AND RAMBLING AVALANCHE POST

I have a 2010 LTZ 4wd. I am one of those guys that "puts it in drive and just goes". I am 100% stock (down to my 22inch factory wheels, ok I upgraded the radio quite a bit but you know what I mean). I have 82k miles on it and I read a lot about AFM and I am concerned but I will tell you this:

1) I have had no problems with AFM (I can turn the screen on in the driver center and see it switching all the time on the highway , etc) I never notice any lurching, popping, shudder or exhaust note change that many speak of. It is honestly transparent to me.
2) I change my oil every 8-10 months (usually when the oil life meter is till at like 65% or 70% just on time alone). Oil changes are cheap insurance on any motor that uses oil
3) I burn no oil, nothing, nada. I check my oil at every fill of the gas tank and I have not added any oil ever. I do not run synthetic. I run the same dinosaur oil the manual recommends (I am also careful to see it has the correct dexos designation. My local Chevy dealer sends out some crazy oil change coupons so I either have them do it when its really inconvenient or I just do it myself).
4) I am probably jinxing myself
5) I have a ton of other problems (crap power mirrors that break constantly, driver seat that won't adjust up and down, rear diff started popping at 80k so I put a new, factory diff in to replace it, I just started having the gas won't flow in while filling up without clicking off problem) so don't think I don't have issues. I just don't have any of the AFM ones.

I worry that it will happen. I will drive it until it does. when it does I will have the motor re-done and have it done at one of the shops that does the full AFM delete (the VLOM , everything). I would not replace the truck with anything else because nothing else does what this truck does. I wish it was a Toyota for the reliability but.

1) It fits in my garage , I have 219 inches and it fits, barely. Nothing else with a bed this size and 4 doors will
2) It carries supplies for me rehabbing houses great, even in the rain (Love it at Home Depot when I can stack a bunch of 4x8 sheetrock or ply-wood in the back with the covers on and door closed watching everyone else trying to find plastic to cover up the stuff in their truck beds.
3) It is not a great SUV, honestly the back seat doesn't have that much room, but it is still an SUV that seats 4/5 people in relative comfort
4) It is not a great pickup truck, it has low carry capacity and the towing is abysmal at 5k lbs, but it does have a tuck bed, carries stuff and will pull 5k lbs with relative ease
5) It does not get good gas mileage, but it does pretty well. Empty in mixed driving I get around 16/17 mpg. 13 when I don[t pay attention and lean into it at stoplights etc instead of focusing on driving smoothly
6) It is an LTZ and has really poor ground clearance for when I drive off road at my land lease (but I can pull off the front chin spoiler pretty easy and it does ok)
7) It has a single speed transfer case for 4wd and no manual locking diff, but it has 4 wheel drive and a posi in the rear. I have been fairly adventurous but not stupid and it has gotten me out of everything I have got into at this point

I guess what I am saying is that it is not really great at anything but it is pretty good at everything, for me. The locking bed with the cargo covers (still do not leak a single drop for me but I have used the grease to keep the seals supple) makes it for me. It is a mix of things is does pretty well and meets most of my needs where so many other trucks fall short (or too long for my garage in some instances). Would I buy another Avy? Yeah, ok but it needs to be a 2500 4wd in super shape with reasonable miles ( I shop all the time, I can't find one for sale) or a new one (which we know Chevy will not make and even if they did I could not afford it (common, be honest, it would be $60k or more).

Mine is scary clean, always garaged (which explains the freakishly new appearance since initial purchase even by original owner. I am owner #2). I paid south of $20k for mine (it's and LTZ loaded as hell) two years ago with 62k miles on it with new brakes and brand new tires already done.

It dropped a differential, I paid Chevy $2k for that and some small stuff they found, to fix it all. If it drops the motor I will end up putting $5-7k in it I suspect. the fact of the matter is that I own it and it is a nice truck. For me to get a new pickup that will do 2-3 of the 5-6 things I need it to do better but won't do the other 2-3 at all doesn't help me. Not to mention that I would have to pay $60k for a truck nearly this nice or loaded and make stupid payments for like 60 months or more. The Avy is cheaper to maintain than a new one is to own. Don't even start talking about depreciation on a new truck either.

So I will keep mine, look for an Avy 2500 (If I can find one that is not as dirty as a 90's Brittany Spears video) and keep using it. It is the cheapest, nicest truck,SUV, carry, thingy I can afford to own.

and I like it and think it looks cool...

If anyone is still awake thanks for reading my rant... I hope it makes sense...

Lovin' life in Texas

TriCoatLTZ
I am on the cusp of buying 2010 LTZ with 70,000 miles…the dealer is pushing me hard on an extended warranty (I believe it to be a new revenue stream for the brick and mortar dealers) and so your words have given me added confidence to move ahed without dropping $2,500 for a 4-year security blanket that may or may not pay for itself - at the western edge of the eastern time zone Indiana.
 
I am on the cusp of buying 2010 LTZ with 70,000 miles…the dealer is pushing me hard on an extended warranty (I believe it to be a new revenue stream for the brick and mortar dealers) and so your words have given me added confidence to move ahed without dropping $2,500 for a 4-year security blanket that may or may not pay for itself - at the western edge of the eastern time zone Indiana.
it's not what i'd call new, but yes, it's their second largest revenue on a used vehicle.

If it's running well, you're probably better off disabling it with a plugin device as discussed in this and other threads.

If you want to use it for the gas mileage, your number one priority should be to check the carfax and see how often it's had it's oil changed.

If you're still temped on the warranty keep in mind the following things:

  1. No matter what they say, the price is negotiable. Either directly, or by them changing the deal price on the truck. They're making money on the warranty too.
  2. Know what it covers - make sure it covers all concerns
  3. Know what they offer as replacements. OEM, Used, Aftermarket?
  4. Any labor hour restrictions or does it pay full rate?
  5. Does it cover you for down time. Rentals, ect?
  6. Know who accepts it, and how big of a company it is. Some are great, even better than OEM hassles. Others are not as much. Make for damn sure whatever dealer or shop you want to use takes it for damn sure. Call and ask.
  7. What are their outs? Maximum gross payouts, maximum single incident payouts, ect.
  8. What would the deductible be?
  9. Know your outs - Can you get out of the warranty? How much will it cost you at any point. both years AND mileage. Dont bother with anything that wont let you sell it if you dont keep the truck or it gets in a wreck.
 
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So am I to understand from your comment and other posts that the AFM is bad news…like Cadillac's ill-conceived 4-6-8 engine? I keep reading about owners on here disabling the AFM? Is it just a matter of staying totally "white on rice" about the oil level/oil filter? or is there something more critical to it?
 
So am I to understand from your comment and other posts that the AFM is bad news…like Cadillac's ill-conceived 4-6-8 engine? I keep reading about owners on here disabling the AFM? Is it just a matter of staying totally "white on rice" about the oil level/oil filter? or is there something more critical to it?
I have 246k miles on my 2010 Avy and I just did the AFM delete on it last year, I have kept the oil changed regularly and never had a problem with it, the reason I deleted it was I noticed that when I was using cruise control it would struggle pulling hills, by the time it would go back to V8 mode and then try to pick up speed, it would make my transmission downshift 2 gears and it would almost redline the engine. And when I put my flowmaster exhaust on it, it would sound a little funny when it was in 4 cylinder mode.
 
So am I to understand from your comment and other posts that the AFM is bad news…like Cadillac's ill-conceived 4-6-8 engine? I keep reading about owners on here disabling the AFM? Is it just a matter of staying totally "white on rice" about the oil level/oil filter? or is there something more critical to it?
I still agree with my post on page one of this thread.....
I have been saying for years when new site members worry about buying an AV because they constantly read the Problems section, I encourage them to understand what you mentioned above. Most AV owners aren't a member in general, then the ones who join a website are looking for solutions to a problem and they can be very vocal and start several threads for the same issue so it inflates the true percentage of owners who have that problem.
You are right in that most members don't post threads like "drove my AV today and nothing bad happened!"
What you can read are threads like If you had it to do again would you buy an AV, or high mileage club threads or the usually yearly thread about rumors of a third gen AV coming out due to popular demand etc.
To answer your question, I have a 2008 and it doesn't have the six-speed transmission or any programing or device to deactivate AFM and if my luck holds out I am not burning any oil. I drive it like an old man and get regular maintenance to maintain and watch out for future problems.
 
I still agree with my post on page one of this thread.....
I have been saying for years when new site members worry about buying an AV because they constantly read the Problems section, I encourage them to understand what you mentioned above. Most AV owners aren't a member in general, then the ones who join a website are looking for solutions to a problem and they can be very vocal and start several threads for the same issue so it inflates the true percentage of owners who have that problem.
You are right in that most members don't post threads like "drove my AV today and nothing bad happened!"
What you can read are threads like If you had it to do again would you buy an AV, or high mileage club threads or the usually yearly thread about rumors of a third gen AV coming out due to popular demand etc.
To answer your question, I have a 2008 and it doesn't have the six-speed transmission or any programing or device to deactivate AFM and if my luck holds out I am not burning any oil. I drive it like an old man and get regular maintenance to maintain and watch out for future problems.
It really all comes down to how well you maintain your vehicle, if you change the oil regularly and keep it maintained, you'll have minimal problems, when I purchased mine it had 136k miles on it and a clean carfax, not every scheduled maintenance showed up on the fax but it wasn't always service at the dealership. After I deleted my AFM (DOD) I still had the problem of low power using the cruise control, it turned out that after about 200k miles I needed a new catalytic converter, they tend to get somewhat clogged around that mileage, I had a new converter installed and my power was restored and my Avy is happy again, it brought her back to life. Regular maintenance is key to ensuring your vehicle will last for a long long time. I'm not getting rid of my Avy anytime soon and I'm going to see how many miles I can put on her before the engine goes, I'm guessing she'll outlive me, lol
 
I still agree with my post on page one of this thread.....
I have been saying for years when new site members worry about buying an AV because they constantly read the Problems section, I encourage them to understand what you mentioned above. Most AV owners aren't a member in general, then the ones who join a website are looking for solutions to a problem and they can be very vocal and start several threads for the same issue so it inflates the true percentage of owners who have that problem.
You are right in that most members don't post threads like "drove my AV today and nothing bad happened!"
What you can read are threads like If you had it to do again would you buy an AV, or high mileage club threads or the usually yearly thread about rumors of a third gen AV coming out due to popular demand etc.
To answer your question, I have a 2008 and it doesn't have the six-speed transmission or any programing or device to deactivate AFM and if my luck holds out I am not burning any oil. I drive it like an old man and get regular maintenance to maintain and watch out for future problems.
+2

I drive my 233K Avy daily with no stress now that my Bolt is on fire (the last part is a joke but living above my garage isn't 🤣)
 
I'm curious how many people don't worry about the AFM system and just put it in "D" and go?? and has it ever gave you trouble?
Mine seems to work fine with no vibrations or weird shifting,
I bought an one owner AV LTZ 4WD on 16 Dec 2020 with 122,XXX miles on it. Owner had oil changed every 3K miles and had every repair order since new. Shortly after purchasing I was kinda bragging about it at work. One in the conversation asked if it had AFM and went on to say what an issue it is or will become. When I got home I researched it and sure enough he was right. I purchased a Diablo Sport Predator tuner to disable the AFM and changed ECM to performance mode which still enables towing at factory specifications. I average between 16-17 mpg but consider no payments, low insurance and property taxes I can manage the gas price increases. Compared to a Tundra I have A LOT more options.
 
I just got my 2009 AV a couple months ago and took it on a 150 mile trip today. Stopped at a restaurant to eat came out and started it up and a big puff of smoke rolled across the parking lot. It was almost embarrassing but it didn't last but a few seconds and cleared up. Drove the trip back home and after setting about 30 minutes I started it up and here comes a big puff of smoke. It has never done this before on any around town commutes. I turned off the AMF/DOD several weeks ago and I've put right at 2500 miles sense oil change , I just checked the oil and it might be a half pint low. I'm going to do a complete AMF delete but I'm wondering now if the motor is going to need overhauling.
 
I just got my 2009 AV a couple months ago and took it on a 150 mile trip today. Stopped at a restaurant to eat came out and started it up and a big puff of smoke rolled across the parking lot. It was almost embarrassing but it didn't last but a few seconds and cleared up. Drove the trip back home and after setting about 30 minutes I started it up and here comes a big puff of smoke. It has never done this before on any around town commutes. I turned off the AMF/DOD several weeks ago and I've put right at 2500 miles sense oil change , I just checked the oil and it might be a half pint low. I'm going to do a complete AMF delete but I'm wondering now if the motor is going to need overhauling.
Are you using any coolant? Or possibly Oil? And what color is the smoke and how long does it linger in the air? Sorry for all the questions, but it's almost necessary to try and diagnose.
 
Are you using any coolant? Or possibly Oil? And what color is the smoke and how long does it linger in the air? Sorry for all the questions, but it's almost necessary to try and diagnose.
Smells like oil, it's not steem.
 
The pcv lines from head to intake manifold have a bit too much vacuum & pull alot of oil to be burned through engine. Mine I still have a catch can on both sides, usually only have to empty drivers side much less often after mod head replace drivers side.
My 2007 I also just removed intake manifold to check AFM plate, these sometimes have loose bolts holding it on.
Mine had only 3 bolts tight all the rest I loosened with fingers on socket no wrench.
A mechanic posted on YouTube a video for a stuck lifter trick & tool he made.
But he mentioned many not torqued bolts on that plate aswell most engines he sees.
I'd recommend all Avalanche owners have those bolts checked.
I hopefully cought mine before pressure loss caused lifter problems.
Photos show mine was oozing oil & very dirty, cleaned torqued back. Fingers crossed I extended my engine life.
 

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Also wanted to show the oil stains inside head, I cleaned it with toothbrushes & seafoam injection spray before re assembly.
I don't much like running the cleaners though running engine, if don't have experience or time enough pull manifold better than nothing.
My 07 has 160k I only drive it take kids school and home & errands around town still working out bugs last owner & used dealer stuck me with but almost finished & love this truck. Getting to know inside & out cleaning frame & areas most mechanics even ignore & don't bother with. Plan on keeping this truck As long as I can make it last
 
Smells like oil, it's not steem.
It sounds like the valve covers are stopped up and when you start it it is burning off the oil that has sucked into the Plentum after turning it off, or the valve seals are bad and oil is getting into the cylinders between the valve stem and the valve guide. I would pull the valve covers and see what the top of the cylinder head looks like, if it has a bunch of sludge in it you'll have to clean it up and flush out the PCV system in the valve covers. There is a baffle in them that gets clogged due to not doing proper oil changes.
 
It sounds like the valve covers are stopped up and when you start it it is burning off the oil that has sucked into the Plentum after turning it off, or the valve seals are bad and oil is getting into the cylinders between the valve stem and the valve guide. I would pull the valve covers and see what the top of the cylinder head looks like, if it has a bunch of sludge in it you'll have to clean it up and flush out the PCV system in the valve covers. There is a baffle in them that gets clogged due to not doing proper oil changes.
That sounds like good idea I had to clean the passenger side valve cover sludge someone liked the oil self sealing products thst like to stick everywhere. Hoping I got most of the areas in mine cleaned.
Takes much longer every time but cleaning helps prevent future problems.
Oil pan & rocker area I also de sludge when opened to check.
 
It sounds like the valve covers are stopped up and when you start it it is burning off the oil that has sucked into the Plentum after turning it off, or the valve seals are bad and oil is getting into the cylinders between the valve stem and the valve guide. I would pull the valve covers and see what the top of the cylinder head looks like, if it has a bunch of sludge in it you'll have to clean it up and flush out the PCV system in the valve covers. There is a baffle in them that gets clogged due to not doing proper oil changes.
Thanks, I'll check the covers this weekend.
 
This pretty much sums me up to a "T." I was in on this thread pretty early and wasn't sure if the previous owner had it turned off or not. We just took my Avy from TN to AZ and it was a 5269.9 mile trip. I had plenty of opportunities with open road and the road to myself to try and "make" it go into V4 and I watched closely and it never did.

I had an 02, 04, & 06 Av and to be honest just never worried about anything. I'm pretty meticulous with maintenance so I just took care of them and they took care of me. I had a Dodge Ram between my 06 Av and 13 Av and they call it multi displacement something (MDS maybe?) and the first tranny blew at 88,801 miles. Second tranny at 135,456 and my Hemi dropped a valve and grenaded at 140,901. I never had the MDS deleted on the Dodge.

Third tranny went at 197,401 as did the rear end and AAA towed me to dealership to get this 13 Avy. When I had the "new factory installed" Hemi put in it went thru a qt of oil every 800 miles right off the bat. It was under warranty and Dodge told me it was "within spec." Although it suggested changing the oil every 5500 miles and with 7qts to play with it would be empty before I hit 5500. So I carried two 5qt oil jugs at all times and continuously topped off. People would ask how often I change my oil and I'd tell them "I don't, it changes itself. I change the filter every 3 mos."

I've got the broken door pulls and cracked dash but I put a dash skin on it and very impressed with that and did the trick I read on here for the door pull with expandable foam and good to go. I use my rig as a DD, camping, hunting and tournament bass fishing. I toyed this past two weeks on a truck or maybe a Jeep Gladiator that was maybe a bit more offroad capable. Here in TN we don't rock crawl but do need clearance for ruts.

Like your post I need 5-6 things and couldn't find another vehicle that could do but maybe 2-3 of them. That midgate is just so important for me. I have a kayak trailer for my 12' Hobie but if it's a long way there I don't like pulling a trailer. Putting it in the bed with the midgate down and still retaining the bed cover is hard to beat. I have maybe 1- 1 1/2' over the tailgate and my kayak is covered for the most part.

I installed a roof cargo basket last week and putting a 2" lift up front today so my 33s don't rub in front and keeping my Avy. If GM decides to make these again and NOT electric I'll be first in line.
 
My experience with AFM on 1st avalanche, a 2008, was at about 35K it started burning about 1 to 2 quarts of oil between changes, dealer said it was within accepted norms. Then one morning got a message on the DIC to stop engine on my way to work. I had just checked oil before I left house and it was full, checked oil on side of road and it was 1/2 quart low (only about 5 miles from house). Restarted engine and message was gone. Drove straight to dealer and when I was about 100 feet from service department the message appeared again, checked oil again and it wasn't touching dipstick. Dealer replaced the lifter valley cover saying it was full of oil. After that it went back to the typical oil burning between oil changes. Traded 2008 in on a 2013 when dealer made a deal could not say no to. The first thing I noticed is that my 2013 oil pressure was about 20lbs at idle where my 2008 had about 35 lbs, Dealer said the oil pressure on the 2013 was fine. Then within the first 1500 miles it would occasionally puff smoke out tail pipe on acceleration. I ordered a Diablesport tuner and disabled the AFM before having 3K on the truck and now at 90K have never seen any more puffs of smoke or oil burning between oil changes. I also loaded one of the canned tunes from tuner into engine and transmission and immediately noticed improved throttle response and better shifting.

However some of the research I have done lately suggests that even with the AFM disabled the AFM lifters can still collapse and cause problems. Here is one of the links which has me concerned https://chevroletforum.com/forum/2007-2013-gmt900-109/my-5-3-afm-rebuild-experience-84428/

So now I am trying to decide if I should start planning on doing the full DOD delete as I plan on this being my last truck.
 
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