GM Active Fuel Management Woes
January 20th, 2015, 8:11 PM
#141
CF Beginner
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
And nowadays I add one quart Automatic F oil with the engine oil, at oil changes!
January 25th, 2015, 10:13 AM
#142
CF Beginner
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think the seafoam experiment worked on my truck also. I posted several months ago that i bought my 2007 with 77,xxx miles on it and it went through about 3.5 quarts in the first 11k miles i had it. Since using seafoam in may and again in october shortly before oil changes the truck has not consumed oil. Even with a pretty good load on the truck and a 600 mile trip through the snowy mountains of western Mass and eastern NY over thanksgiving weekend it did not burn any up.
January 25th, 2015, 10:47 AM
#143
CF Beginner
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think the seafoam experiment worked on my truck also. I posted several months ago that i bought my 2007 with 77,xxx miles on it and it went through about 3.5 quarts in the first 11k miles i had it. Since using seafoam in may and again in october shortly before oil changes the truck has not consumed oil. Even with a pretty good load on the truck and a 600 mile trip through the snowy mountains of western Mass and eastern NY over thanksgiving weekend it did not burn any up.
January 31st, 2015, 10:43 PM
#144
CF Beginner
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Sterling Heights, MI
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Knock on wood, I have a successful story with my 2007 Yukon XL, bought new in Aug 2006. It started using oil around 50k, got much worse around 70k, around 1 qt every 1000 miles. I was out of warranty based on time.
My solution was to:
- use the Range unit to turn off AFM
- add a catch can to stop the engine from ingesting the excess oil vapors
- used some additives in the oil (seafoam, AutoRX) and gas (Techron)
- ran it in for a few thousand miles
Its been about 5,000 miles since I started with these changes and oil consumption has continued to improve. Almost 2000 miles into this oil change, no oil usage so far, and engine is running smooth and strong. I am approaching about 6 oz of gunk collected from my catch can over 5000 miles.
I think AFM starts a cycle that is hard to break. Oil gums up the rings causing blowby. The blowby causes excess vapors in the PCV which end up getting ingested back into the intake, causing further buildup on the valves, pistons and rings. If not caught, the rings deteriorate and cylinder walls get damaged (hoping that hasn't happened to mine, but I don't know as I havent opened up the engine). And it just keeps getting worse. The 3 or 4 things I did seemed to take care of the problem, hopefully it helps the engine stay healthy for several more years. Again, knock on wood
My solution was to:
- use the Range unit to turn off AFM
- add a catch can to stop the engine from ingesting the excess oil vapors
- used some additives in the oil (seafoam, AutoRX) and gas (Techron)
- ran it in for a few thousand miles
Its been about 5,000 miles since I started with these changes and oil consumption has continued to improve. Almost 2000 miles into this oil change, no oil usage so far, and engine is running smooth and strong. I am approaching about 6 oz of gunk collected from my catch can over 5000 miles.
I think AFM starts a cycle that is hard to break. Oil gums up the rings causing blowby. The blowby causes excess vapors in the PCV which end up getting ingested back into the intake, causing further buildup on the valves, pistons and rings. If not caught, the rings deteriorate and cylinder walls get damaged (hoping that hasn't happened to mine, but I don't know as I havent opened up the engine). And it just keeps getting worse. The 3 or 4 things I did seemed to take care of the problem, hopefully it helps the engine stay healthy for several more years. Again, knock on wood
Last edited by vgreid; January 31st, 2015 at 10:50 PM.
February 1st, 2015, 11:34 AM
#145
Administrator
Knock on wood, I have a successful story with my 2007 Yukon XL, bought new in Aug 2006. It started using oil around 50k, got much worse around 70k, around 1 qt every 1000 miles. I was out of warranty based on time.
My solution was to:
- use the Range unit to turn off AFM
- add a catch can to stop the engine from ingesting the excess oil vapors
- used some additives in the oil (seafoam, AutoRX) and gas (Techron)
- ran it in for a few thousand miles
Its been about 5,000 miles since I started with these changes and oil consumption has continued to improve. Almost 2000 miles into this oil change, no oil usage so far, and engine is running smooth and strong. I am approaching about 6 oz of gunk collected from my catch can over 5000 miles.
I think AFM starts a cycle that is hard to break. Oil gums up the rings causing blowby. The blowby causes excess vapors in the PCV which end up getting ingested back into the intake, causing further buildup on the valves, pistons and rings. If not caught, the rings deteriorate and cylinder walls get damaged (hoping that hasn't happened to mine, but I don't know as I havent opened up the engine). And it just keeps getting worse. The 3 or 4 things I did seemed to take care of the problem, hopefully it helps the engine stay healthy for several more years. Again, knock on wood
My solution was to:
- use the Range unit to turn off AFM
- add a catch can to stop the engine from ingesting the excess oil vapors
- used some additives in the oil (seafoam, AutoRX) and gas (Techron)
- ran it in for a few thousand miles
Its been about 5,000 miles since I started with these changes and oil consumption has continued to improve. Almost 2000 miles into this oil change, no oil usage so far, and engine is running smooth and strong. I am approaching about 6 oz of gunk collected from my catch can over 5000 miles.
I think AFM starts a cycle that is hard to break. Oil gums up the rings causing blowby. The blowby causes excess vapors in the PCV which end up getting ingested back into the intake, causing further buildup on the valves, pistons and rings. If not caught, the rings deteriorate and cylinder walls get damaged (hoping that hasn't happened to mine, but I don't know as I havent opened up the engine). And it just keeps getting worse. The 3 or 4 things I did seemed to take care of the problem, hopefully it helps the engine stay healthy for several more years. Again, knock on wood
I like the catch can idea, post some pictures of your setup if you can
February 2nd, 2015, 9:49 PM
#146
CF Beginner
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Knock on wood, I have a successful story with my 2007 Yukon XL, bought new in Aug 2006. It started using oil around 50k, got much worse around 70k, around 1 qt every 1000 miles. I was out of warranty based on time.
My solution was to:
- use the Range unit to turn off AFM
- add a catch can to stop the engine from ingesting the excess oil vapors
- used some additives in the oil (seafoam, AutoRX) and gas (Techron)
- ran it in for a few thousand miles
Its been about 5,000 miles since I started with these changes and oil consumption has continued to improve. Almost 2000 miles into this oil change, no oil usage so far, and engine is running smooth and strong. I am approaching about 6 oz of gunk collected from my catch can over 5000 miles.
I think AFM starts a cycle that is hard to break. Oil gums up the rings causing blowby. The blowby causes excess vapors in the PCV which end up getting ingested back into the intake, causing further buildup on the valves, pistons and rings. If not caught, the rings deteriorate and cylinder walls get damaged (hoping that hasn't happened to mine, but I don't know as I havent opened up the engine). And it just keeps getting worse. The 3 or 4 things I did seemed to take care of the problem, hopefully it helps the engine stay healthy for several more years. Again, knock on wood
My solution was to:
- use the Range unit to turn off AFM
- add a catch can to stop the engine from ingesting the excess oil vapors
- used some additives in the oil (seafoam, AutoRX) and gas (Techron)
- ran it in for a few thousand miles
Its been about 5,000 miles since I started with these changes and oil consumption has continued to improve. Almost 2000 miles into this oil change, no oil usage so far, and engine is running smooth and strong. I am approaching about 6 oz of gunk collected from my catch can over 5000 miles.
I think AFM starts a cycle that is hard to break. Oil gums up the rings causing blowby. The blowby causes excess vapors in the PCV which end up getting ingested back into the intake, causing further buildup on the valves, pistons and rings. If not caught, the rings deteriorate and cylinder walls get damaged (hoping that hasn't happened to mine, but I don't know as I havent opened up the engine). And it just keeps getting worse. The 3 or 4 things I did seemed to take care of the problem, hopefully it helps the engine stay healthy for several more years. Again, knock on wood
Yeah! Please show Us Your catch can solution, pictures or so on..?
Thanx
February 3rd, 2015, 6:15 PM
#147
CF Beginner
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Sterling Heights, MI
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sure, here are a few pics. The can I used is a Moroso unit, comes with everything you need (I added a washer), mounts cleanly to the alternator bracket. I particularly like the drain valve, makes emptying the contents easy and mess free. I know there are cheaper ones, I wanted one that just wasn't an empty can, but had some filter and separating material inside.
Search
This is the collective contents over about 4,300 miles. During the fall when it was warmer, the oil collected was very dark. Now during winter, the mixture is more cloudy. Nonetheless, I am glad to know that this is not going back into the intake!
Needless to say, I am a believer, especially for those of us that have been experiencing AFM/ring/PCV related oil consumption issues. Just my 2 cents worth.
Search
This is the collective contents over about 4,300 miles. During the fall when it was warmer, the oil collected was very dark. Now during winter, the mixture is more cloudy. Nonetheless, I am glad to know that this is not going back into the intake!
Needless to say, I am a believer, especially for those of us that have been experiencing AFM/ring/PCV related oil consumption issues. Just my 2 cents worth.
Last edited by vgreid; February 3rd, 2015 at 6:21 PM.
February 4th, 2015, 7:54 PM
#149
CF Beginner
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Sterling Heights, MI
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
No, don't seem to have any coolant problems. Also, oil on the dipstick is nice and clean. No signs of coolant in the oil.
I think there are two reasons for moisture in the catch can. One is my wife drives this most of the time, short runs around town. I try to take it every few days for a longer run. But the short runs probably don't burn off moisture from the cold. Second I have heard that catch cans generally collect a lot of moisture in winter, seems common on other forum posts. Before the cold set in the gunk was really dark and much thicker than oil.
If there is a lot of moisture, it is a good thing to have the catch can collect it, right?
I think there are two reasons for moisture in the catch can. One is my wife drives this most of the time, short runs around town. I try to take it every few days for a longer run. But the short runs probably don't burn off moisture from the cold. Second I have heard that catch cans generally collect a lot of moisture in winter, seems common on other forum posts. Before the cold set in the gunk was really dark and much thicker than oil.
If there is a lot of moisture, it is a good thing to have the catch can collect it, right?
February 6th, 2015, 9:17 AM
#150
CF Beginner
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sure, here are a few pics. The can I used is a Moroso unit, comes with everything you need (I added a washer), mounts cleanly to the alternator bracket. I particularly like the drain valve, makes emptying the contents easy and mess free. I know there are cheaper ones, I wanted one that just wasn't an empty can, but had some filter and separating material inside.
Search
This is the collective contents over about 4,300 miles. During the fall when it was warmer, the oil collected was very dark. Now during winter, the mixture is more cloudy. Nonetheless, I am glad to know that this is not going back into the intake!
Needless to say, I am a believer, especially for those of us that have been experiencing AFM/ring/PCV related oil consumption issues. Just my 2 cents worth.
Search
This is the collective contents over about 4,300 miles. During the fall when it was warmer, the oil collected was very dark. Now during winter, the mixture is more cloudy. Nonetheless, I am glad to know that this is not going back into the intake!
Needless to say, I am a believer, especially for those of us that have been experiencing AFM/ring/PCV related oil consumption issues. Just my 2 cents worth.
A stupid question, or two.. Where did You connect the hoses to? Directly to the valve in the cap etc..?
Thanx