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I have a 2009 GMC RCSB 4X4, 5.3 iron block with AFM, 4 speed auto with 4.10 gears. Every once in a while when I start it up hot a cloud of blue smoke appears out the exhaust. I have ARH longtube headers (thanks Allgonoshow) with highflow cats, Magnaflow cat-back, GMPP cold air intake and a Wester's tune. It was smoking before I installed the mods.
Well, it has only 1,550 miles on it and it has burned one quart of oil. I took it into the dealer last week and they have started an "Oil Consumption Record" on it. I didn't expect much at this early stage and basically just wanted it on record as using oil. Does anyone know of any TSBs or anything about the new 5.3s with AFM using oil? I've read about other 5.3s using oil on other forums and the dealer replacing the lifters. Seems more like a valve guide or seal issue to me. AFM is turned off now with my tune.
The good news is they didn't say a word about my headers or mods and seemed to really be concerned about the oil use. I had them change the oil to Mobil 1 5W30 and K&N oil filter while it was there. I'm supposed to monitor the mileage and oil use and bring it back for them to top it up.
Anyone familiar with this issue?
There is a PI about over aggressive lifters and update driver's valve cover. I've seen one with this problem. One of the back lifters was over oiling and spraying it into the driver's valve cover baffle. The valve cover has been redesigned because the drain back holes couldn't drain oil fast enough and the fixed pcv orfice was sucking oil out and burning it. Seen a couple too with valves with nicks in them but those were on 07 models.
They just updated the PI December 2 so engineering should have a permit fix for it soon.
We had a customer come in complaining about using oil, about the same amount yours is on a 09 very closely optioned to yours. He had about 2000 miles when he first started to notice it. He monitored it for a month and it used an additional quart by 3000 miles. Then he made a trip to colorado pulling a trailer to pick up a 35 dodge he had purchased. Simply told him to dog the bejesus out of it on the way up and back. He said it started running better and better the closer to 4000 miles it got on the trip up. Drove the **** out of it pulling grades going through new mexico on up into Durango and silverton colorado. Then at times drove the truck easy and babied it for short distances. It used less and less oil over the course of the trip as the mileage increased. After returning home from his trip we changed oil to get a baseline on it. So far after 3000K miles since changine oil after he got back home it has not used a drop since the trip. He pulled a 25 ft flatbed trailer on the way up and loaded it up with a 35 dodge truck to make the trip back. Pulled it fast,slow, foot to the floor part throttle and everywhere in between on this trip. Not saying this would help yours but it did help this one.
i've always been told to stick to conventional oil for the engine break in period, for exactly this reason... could improper seating of the rings be causing this?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Phantom
remember the first time you busted a nut? yeah, kinda like that
There is a PI about over aggressive lifters and update driver's valve cover. I've seen one with this problem. One of the back lifters was over oiling and spraying it into the driver's valve cover baffle. The valve cover has been redesigned because the drain back holes couldn't drain oil fast enough and the fixed pcv orfice was sucking oil out and burning it. Seen a couple too with valves with nicks in them but those were on 07 models.
They just updated the PI December 2 so engineering should have a permit fix for it soon.
Thanks for the reply. You know, I kinda wondered about the hose that goes from the passenger side valve cover to the GMPP cold air intake. It doesn't have a PCV valve or a check valve in it and I thought it might be able to suck oil up into the throttle body. Maybe I should install a catch can in there and see what shows up?
09 GMC burning oil
