[bluebirdvision]

My Dad and I have the same exact truck. They are both 2011 w/ 5.3s and 67k. His truck has been burning ~3qts of oil the entire time he has owned it. His truck does NOT have lifter tick. We both R&R our spark plugs on the same day. His were very clean, with NO oil on any of them. He drives almost ALL highway mileage. His truck had a skip upon cold start. We found one of his plugs was damaged, replacing the plug took care of the skip. We are both using Penz plat. 5w30. He did comment when he switched from Mobil 1 to penzoil, that the oil burning slowed a little.

My truck only seems to burn 1/2qt (if that, I never have to add any.) My plugs were carboned up, but there wasn't any oil on the plugs. I have a lifter tick around 1,200rpm, and at idle, and then sometimes when you really step on it. It has good power, and does not tick when you start it (unlike my 04 5.3 that sounded like a John Deere tractor for about 10seconds.) - I am using a Range AFM delete plug in, he is NOT.

My main question is, my truck is obviously starting to have issues with the AFM lifters. Can you have lifter issues with these AFM motors without experiencing excessive oil consumption?

Here is a picture of my spark plugs (Cylinder #8 missing, as I dropped it and broke it.) I think the black is mostly carbon, as it wasn't oily, and i had just finshed a 30 mile trip before changing them.

 

[Gozzie]

Sure, the problems are separate, (lifters-oil consumption) but usually stem from the same cause . AFM
you can have bad lifters and you can have oil consumption without AFM of coarse but..... when we talk about 07.5 -12 year models suspicions automatically arise.

 

[bluebirdvision]

I am unsure what to do about it. Part of me wants to get the tick taken care of, before it wipes out the cam, part of me wants to just drive it, hope it lasts until its paid off, and get a jasper replacement. I called GM, and was told my truck is out of warranty, but they would kindly point me towards one of their worthless dealerships for diag.

Part of me wants to swap motors with the old man... lol

 

[Pak713]

Firstly I find it hard to believe that your dad's truck is burning three quarts of oil per oil change, I guess is what you were talking about and his plugs are clean. Second usually cylinders 1 and 7 are the ones to watch for. If either of those plugs have a lot of carbon on them you have an afm issue. Your plugs look fine to me. Burning a half quart of oil for a 5.3 is normal in my opinion. I don't think any truck I've owned that had the 5.3 didn't burn any oil. Most all cars and trucks on the road burn a slight amount of oil because of the pcv valve system or crank case ventilation. If you had an oil catch can you'd see what I was talking about. On the lifter tick issue, I bought my 2011 5.3 with 73k on it. When I first bought the truck it ticked super loud when engine was cold until it was warmed up. Then it ticked only upon idle. I switched to synthetic oil and the cold tick disappeared completely but the warm tick was still there. Which bothered me. Long story short dealer replaced my lifters. They said my tick wasn't terrible. They changed them to make me happy. After them changing the lifters I continued to run valvoline full synthetic oil. After a few thousand miles you could hear a slight tick at warm idle but not like before. I switched to Mobil 1 full synthetic noise is gone. I've never had any oil burning issues either. Only the crap my catch can catches. When I changed my plugs they all looked normal. My personal opinion is if you have the warm tick your fine. If you have the cold start up tick and the warm might be something to look at. Also if your going to do the lifters get rid of afm all together. If mine wasn't done under warranty that's what I would have done. They also told me the cam showed no signs of wear.

 

[Gozzie]

I'm sure the driving habits between you 2 has a lot to do with differences you see on the plugs and the different symptoms each truck has. Put the range on the old mans truck and see if oil consumption goes down. Odds are from what I have learned around here it will improve.

 

[bluebirdvision]

Did yours have the high RPM ticking?

 

[bluebirdvision]

I'm sure the driving habits between you 2 has a lot to do with differences you see on the plugs and the different symptoms each truck has. Put the range on the old mans truck and see if oil consumption goes down. Odds are from what I have learned around here it will improve.

Probably.... he drivers 80mph everywhere he goes. I have a CDL and am afraid of getting a ticket, I drive like an old man.

 

[Pak713]

No mine didn't have the high rpm tick. At idle tick. Once you have her some throttle tick went away. I know what you mean about speeding. Having the cdl makes you drive like an old man. My wife says I drive like an old man all the time. Lol

 

[bluebirdvision]

My 04 ticked when I stepped on it. and I just listened to a youtube video, and I guess it had the same idle tick. The Dynomax muffler just made it harder to hear. My 11 sounds a lot like a Wimpala unless you step on it.

I think i will just get a flow master muffler swapped in, so I can't hear the lifter tick on my 11

 

[apcnc]

Make sure the engine isn't gunked up bad and add some MMO or trans fluid.

 

[badbruin44]

Those plus look good I can`t see any oil or carbon on them? Maybe the camera angle are you seeing oil and or carbon?

 

[DannyDan]

I got rid of my lifter tick using around 8oz of atf fluid in the oil. It went away after 2,000 miles.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

 

[ecknumberone]

no cold start tick or blue smoke at start up since doing these steps. YouTube video link:

 

[bluebirdvision]

mine doesn't seem to smoke, and I am 4000 miles into my 1st oil change with the Range AFM delete and it doesn't even seem to be burning the 1/2qt oil anymore. I'll try the trans fluid trick.

One thing I've noticed, I can hear what sounds like an exhaust leak down by my feet inside the cabin when I'm doing 30-35mph.

 

[bluebirdvision]

Those plus look good I can`t see any oil or carbon on them? Maybe the camera angle are you seeing oil and or carbon?

I did not see any oil, but noticed they were slightly darker than my Dad's 11