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5.3 L Chev and GMC Oil Consumption Issue

103K views 339 replies 112 participants last post by  Tylerspage 
#1 ·
I want to start tracking oil type and OCI on these trucks, to see if there is any correlation in oil types to the consumption issue some of us are seeing, related to carbon build up. If you have a 5.3 L, please share the following:

Do you have AFM (Active Fuel Management), aka "cylinder deactivation".

Current mileage?

Mileage when oil consumption began (put "n/a" if you are not using excessive amounts of oil).

What type and weight of oil do you use, and how often do you change it?

Also, have you used a cleaner regularly (like Sea Foam, etc)?

Finally, if you know it, please list whether you have an iron or aluminum block, as there seems to be some difference related to the consumption issue.

NOTE: This is not a thread for ranting about oil consumption issues on your truck. This is for data gathering information only. Thanks.
 
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#2 ·
I will go first:

AFM = yes
Mileage = 37,500
n/a
Amsoil XL and Amsoil Signature Series, 5w30.
Changed whenever the OLM told me to. Planning to go 15,000 miles with Signature Series
Yes, I use Sea Foam in the oil and gas at every oil change.
 
#3 ·
This seems like a really good idea; Can we adjust settings for this thread so we can edit our posts at a later time if the situation changes or would you rather just see a separate post.

AFM = yes
Mileage = 5,000
n/a
Amsoil XL 5w30; changed at 1,000. Expecting 7,000 miles. May try signature series on next change.
No cleaner yet.

(with such a new truck, my info may skew you data, feel free to delete/disregard my post, i mostly wanted to ask that question i led with.)
 
#5 ·
AFM = yes
Mileage = 16,100
1 qt low last oil change
Valvoline full synthetic, 5w30.
Changed every 5000 miles
No on cleaner.
 
#7 ·
09 crew
5.3l AFM...according to window sticker(??)
87150 on mileage....bought with 74,400....oil comsumption ever since I purchased(April 2012)
Changed oil at 85,&some change) down half a quart
Signature Amsoil 0w30
Change oil when truck tells me too....about every 10,000 miles
Down to 71% on oil
Been letting truck warm up some!!!!!
Hope this helps :)
 
#8 ·
ok i am not going to swap back and forth with metric/imperial (this will all me in metric)

Do you have AFM - Yes

Current mileage - 33,000km

Mileage when oil consumption began - n/a (but I will start now watching it before I go for my next oil change)
What type and weight of oil do you use, and how often do you change it? - about 1000km before the sticker tells me, next one in in 4000km or at 37000km, I run 5w30 and what ever the dealer puts in it, before I book my next time I will see if they will switch to Amsoil, or Mobil 1

Also, have you used a cleaner regularly? - Never
 
#10 ·
Good idea
2007 nnbs silverado= 5.3 AFM

I use Amsoil XL or Pennzoil Ultra 5w30 full synthetics since new

I change oil every 6/months or 3k miles on the Amsoil and evrey 4 months or 3k miles on the Pennzoil Ultra synthetic

At 30k miles on truck, I was using about 1.5 quarts

Got the TSB fix. New drivers side valve cover, deflector shield and soaking of pistons and rings at dealer.

After the fix= i now have 39k on my truck, im close to an oil change and im down about 1/4 quart(one dot low on top of dipstick)

Ive been using seafoam/and or lucas fuel stabilizer in gas since i bought the truck new.

Since I heard about these rings/piston issues, I have been using seafoam in crankcase 100 miles before every oil change. The fix as well as seafoam has helped so far, but still burn a little(1/4 qt), but well within GM's acceptable rate
 
#11 ·
If anyone is having the oil consumption problem occur and it is not being addressed adequately, please let us know so a case can be set up for your vehicle. If you PM us, please include the VIN#, your name, contact information, dealership who you're working with, and the situation. Thank you and I hope everyone is doing well despite the truck issues.

Matt,

GM Customer Assistance
 
#12 ·
2007 Silverado Crew Cab 5.3L
AFM= Turned off with Superchips Flashpaq tuner about 800 miles ago
Miles =69,000 Bought it with 66,000
Oil consumption= Only been keeping track for about 1000 miles. About 1/3 quart in 1000 miles
not sure when it started, bought a oil burner I guess
Oil= Valvoline Full Synthetic 5w-30, gonna change about 4 or 5 thousand miles
I talked to a dealer to check my warranty and they told me it was up last May and that the previous owner had the deflector installed
I used seafoam in the vacuum line a few days ago and used it in the gas tank once. Plan on using it in the oil when i get close to change time
I sold a 12 year old 5.3 that didn't use any oil at 150000 miles for a newer oil burner. Almost to the point I would rather have a Ford and just drive with a bag over my head.
 
#14 ·
Willfull04 said:
This seems like a really good idea; Can we adjust settings for this thread so we can edit our posts at a later time if the situation changes or would you rather just see a separate post.
Posts can only be edited for about an hour. So, please repost if your situation changes. Thanks!

So for, no statistical correlation that I can see....but it's early in the data gathering. ;)
 
#15 ·
2007 sierra slt 5.3 about 126,000kms on the engine, purchased truck in june with 108,000 kms and the truck still had powertrain warranty left when i bought it....Warranty expired in july I believe or august, whenever the truck was purchased in 2007.

Previous owner had it in over the oil issue previous, they did the ring soak, pcv valve, new lifters for the bad cold tick and the splash shield... Not long after the truck was traded in (wonder why)

After I bought it (was never told any of this work was done to the truck before hand) I Only started to notice oil consumption after warranty expired... Changed oil at 16,000 kms,8000 kms after first change, noticed it was down in oil but thought nothing of it, was maybe a liter or more... i drove it and checked here and there and was down a bit more each time ... Added a bit here and there. Changed it again a few weeks back with close to 25,000 and was down 2 liters, now I got concerned

This is not normal in modern engines ...I asked a friend at my local dealer about it but never really got a clear answer... he had he'd seen another truck come in with bad oil consumption

Id really like some help on this issue because I bought it used from the local dealer and they sold me a damn oil burner

Every oil change has been quaker state ultimate durability... Use lucas upper cylinder lube every few fillups... no seafoam yet...Used one bottle of rislone last change
 
#17 ·
I dont have the 5.3 (4.8L) and I dont have AFM, but I have been running this test to see if there is a diffrence between oil consumption between 10w-30 and 5w-30 and I have found that I used about 300ml less oil when using 10w. Im going to do more testing come summertime.

It doesnt matter if you have the 5.3 afm or 4.8L you will have oil consumption it comes down to how can we reduce it, I sometimes wonder how much $$ this oil consumption adds to vechicle ownership over its lifetime.
 
#19 ·
2013Chev Silverado with 3319 miles. Went on a 2000 mile trip over Christmas and checked oil when I got back to NC.

AFM: on
Mileage: 3319
Oil consumption: .75 quart
Oil:Dexos
No cleaner
Aluminum block
 
#20 ·
2007 Sierra 5.3 flex-fuel

AFM: On
Mileage 54,000
Consumption 2qts over last 5,000 miles
Oil: Castrol 5w30
1 qt Lucas Oil Treatment each oil change
Use Lucas Fuel Treatment on each oil change
Pretty sure Alum Block

Started really using oil at 40,000 miles. Currently at the dealership and I am awaiting word. Bad thing is the truck is out of the powertrain warranty, but from my understanding GM is going to fix these issues since its a known issue. anyone know if a class-action lawsuit has been started yet??
 
#21 ·
This has been a very common issue that started with the introduction of the 4.8L and the 5.3L, its just a bad engine design that has no fix, GM has no intention on fixing it. No class action lawsuit has been filled on this issue, but there was one with Dexcool.

I have had oil consumption issues on my 3.4L and 3.8L V6's, any engine that has piston slap consumes oil(well all the ones Ive seen anyway). I really hope for GM's sake this is not the case with the new 2014 trucks/Suv's, that's the one thing Ill be watching.
 
#23 ·
McGyver119 said:
2007 Sierra 5.3 flex-fuel

AFM: On
Mileage 54,000
Consumption 2qts over last 5,000 miles
Oil: Castrol 5w30
1 qt Lucas Oil Treatment each oil change
Use Lucas Fuel Treatment on each oil change
Pretty sure Alum Block

Started really using oil at 40,000 miles. Currently at the dealership and I am awaiting word. Bad thing is the truck is out of the powertrain warranty, but from my understanding GM is going to fix these issues since its a known issue. anyone know if a class-action lawsuit has been started yet??
Hopefully they get this figured out for you. I have a 07 that ate about 1.5 quarts. Then I got a TSB fix and it dropped it to 1/4 quart every oil change. If you were down 2 quarts did you get a "low oil" messege. Also when you read your dipstick, is it dry when down 2 quarts? I heard every dot on the dipstick ='s 1/4 quart. Some say that each dot ='s a full quart. Whats everyones opinion?
 
#24 ·
2008 Silverado Ext. Cab 6.0L Vortec Max w/AFM
14,000 miles....AFM tuned out....Use Royal Purple oil.......NO oil consumption....NO other problems

2010 Silverado Ext. Cab 5.3L
19,400 miles....AFM tuned out....Mobil 1 Extended Performance oil.......NO oil consumption....Rear pinion seal replaced under warranty at 12,900 miles. It was leaking.

Brother's Truck :
2010 Silverado Crew Cab 5.3L.... 34,000 mile....Mobil 1 Extended Performance.....AFM ON...NO oil consumption....NO other issues

Neighbor's Truck :
2013 Silverado Crew Cab LTZ 5.3L....6,000 miles, so far he loves it.

You have to realize that these trucks are mass produced and there are thousands on the road. It can be expected that any product that is mass produced may have issues at some point. In the case of our trucks, you ONLY hear from the people that are having problems. If this was a MAJOR issue, GM would have recalled all of the engines with AFM because there would be nothing but complaints from every single person that owns one equipped with AFM.
GM is not the only company that has had a few issues with the cylinder deactivation. The RAM trucks have some of the cunsumption issues as well. Not sure about Ford, don't read anything on Ford forums at all.
 
#26 ·
AFM = no
Mileage = 243,260
Oil = Valvoline high mileage 10W30 (conventional)
No excessive oil consumption
Change it every time it tells me too

2000 Silverado 5.3
Ext. Cab long bed 4WD
 
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