Friend with GMC 5.3 problem.

[dodge man]

I have a friend with a GMC pickup with a 5.3 engine, 55,000 miles. It’s a 2017. He called and then stopped by, said he had a ticking sound. Yes it’s pretty distinct and I listened around with mechanics stethoscope and it was loudest on cylinder number 6, passenger side, when held to the exhaust manifold.

The first thing I asked was does it drop down to 4 cylinders, yes it does. I knew they could be problematic. He took it to a local mechanic who is busy and said it’s not good and take it to the dealer. The dealer said we see this a lot, it probably has a valve spring in a bind and a bent push rod. They are tearing into it. Worse case it might need a cam.

My question is I know they make something you can plug into the OBD port and turn off the cylinder deactivation. Do these work well and do they help eliminate future problems?

 

[nybirdman]

One product is "Range",we installed one in my son's 5.3 two years ago;they do what advertised.He hasn't had any problems.Cost about $200.Only problem there is a slight electrical draw,not a problem if you drive regular.

 

[ruffdog]

One product is "Range",we installed one in my son's 5.3 two years ago;they do what advertised.He hasn't had any problems.Cost about $200.Only problem there is a slight electrical draw,not a problem if you drive regular.

For local driving, I shift into M5 (older 6 speed) which keeps in 8 cyl mode all the time.

edit: I also have a Range and it works as advertised. I normally have it off as it does draw power as you say.

 

[dodge man]

An update. The dealer tore into his truck already, the mechanic didn’t mess around. Bent push rod, he said the lifter was probably bad also. He will replace the 4 lifters that work on that bank and are the AFM cylinders. He will also replace the part that controls the cylinder deactivation which I think sits in the valley between banks. You could tell this wasn’t this mechanics first rodeo in fixing this problem.

In my first post I said a valve spring in a bind, it’s actually a spring at the top of the AFM lifter that binds and bends the lifter.

 

[BravoXray]

One product is "Range",we installed one in my son's 5.3 two years ago;they do what advertised.He hasn't had any problems.Cost about $200.Only problem there is a slight electrical draw,not a problem if you drive regular.

I put the Range dongle on my Suburban last December, and it's worked perfectly so far. Didn't notice any difference in performance or gas mileage.

 

[RayIN]

One product is "Range",we installed one in my son's 5.3 two years ago;they do what advertised.He hasn't had any problems.Cost about $200.Only problem there is a slight electrical draw,not a problem if you drive regular.

I bought and plugged in a Ranger on my Silverado 5.3 in 2013 when it was new, only time it has been removed is just before i turn off the engine at the dealers. Today it has 88K on the odometer and has that ticking sound. Took it to the dealers; service manager said that's normal for that many miles; then said my oil pan gasket is leaking, and that's normal for the mileage, $3,000 to replace the oil pan gasket. I told him NO! I'll just keep adding oil, it's way much less money

 

[Jstpssng]

My Colorado doesn't have anything like that and at 128k it's got a definite valve tick. I've changed the oil religously and expect a well maintained engine to easily go 200k+ miles.

 

[super55]

The OBD DOD/AFM disablers work. I have on my 2014 Denali with 240k on it. It is absolutely worth it. That cylinder deactivation has been a problem since it came out in 2008. Even after disabling the AFM my fuel mileage only dropped about by about 1 1/2 miles per gallon.

 

[dodge man]

A picture from the internet of the AFM lifters on deactivated cylinders. It’s the spring at the top of the lifter that binds and bends the push rod not the actual valve spring.

 

[BravoXray]

I bought and plugged in a Ranger on my Silverado 5.3 in 2013 when it was new, only time it has been removed is just before i turn off the engine at the dealers. Today it has 88K on the odometer and has that ticking sound. Took it to the dealers; service manager said that's normal for that many miles; then said my oil pan gasket is leaking, and that's normal for the mileage, $3,000 to replace the oil pan gasket. I told him NO! I'll just keep adding oil, it's way much less money

$3K to change an oil pan gasket?
Do they have to pull the engine to do it?
I think I have seen YT videos changing it it a few hours.