Truck Question

[TOXIC]

Those that know me, know I am pretty meticulous about my trucks.  I work them hard, keep them for a long time and maintain them well.  Current truck is a 2016 Silverado High Country 5.3, 8 speed.  It has 95,000 miles.  It is running and driving fine.  Spends the majority of its life hooked to my Z21 Ranger or my buddies 520L Ranger.  I pull from Virginia to Michigan, Florida and Wisconsin.  Never have had a problem towing.  Current maintenance stats are……Replaced tires with Michelin LTX @65k. Upgraded brakes and pads all the way around with Powerstop (also flushed and replaced brake fluid) drilled and slotted rotors and pads. Replaced rear shocks with Bilstein. Flushed cooling system. New plugs and wires @90k with induction cleaning.  Replaced fluids in front and rear differentials and transfer case with synthetics. Point being, I’ve got a lot invested in this truck.  I plan on keeping it for the near future, at least to 200k.  Putting aside the possible well known failures in the AFM and torque converter, it’s time for a transmission service.  I had the dealer service the transmission under warranty for the “hard shift” issues.  It was a replacement of the stock transmission fluid with an upgraded version.  My truck was not hard shifting but the dealership agreed to do the swap under warranty.  This was at 55k.  It’s going in to a private shop today for a transmission service and the issue that been bantered around by all of my gear head friends is whether or not to “flush” the transmission and drop the pan to replace the filter or to just do the pan and filter then top off fluid.  The shop manager had my exact truck and recommended just dropping the pan and doing the filter and topping off.  With out telling them what he recommended he pulled his 3 techs in and asked them and they all agreed to just drop the pan.  He did say that if they find shavings or glitter in the pan they will flush but considering the maintenance and the fact it’s not acting up, flushing is just inviting problems.  What say you? 😂

[DaubsNU1]

Good looking truck! Drop the pan, check for shavings, top her off.

[Junger]

Drop and drain 2x if you want to get as much old fluid out as possible.

[NorcalBassin]

Agreed. Flushing can create new problems, so drop, drain, replace the filter, and rest easy knowing you're doing all the right things to get to 200k+.

[padlin]

I had my 2012 done at 50k, then at 115k a few weeks back, I had a camper I pulled with it. My longtime mechanic just drops the pan as yours suggests.

 

I didn’t know there was such a thing as flushing the tranny.

 

[Woody B]

Disclaimer:  I'm an ASE Master Tech, and former GM World Class Tech with 42 years experience.  During many of these years I specialized in transmission repairs.  

 

Drop the pan, or use a evacuation machine to suck the fluid out and replace it.  I like to do this 3 times on the GM 8 speeds.  (I'm assuming yours is an 8 speed since you got upgraded fluid)

 

I'm not against flushing but there's 2 problems.   Your transmission has a thermostat that controls fluid flow to the cooler.  This hinders the flushing process.  The biggest problem I have with flushes is the snake oil chemicals most put in when they do a flush.  No ones transmission needs any additives beyond the correct quality brand fluid.  

 

If yours in an 8 speed you need to use Mobil 1 Dexron HP LV

[TOXIC]

@Woody B thank you for your expertise.  I talked with the shop manager when I dropped it off yesterday and he pretty much echoed your reasoning.  The only difference being he did not recommend trying to fully replace the fluid.  He said they will end up putting in around 7 quarts of fluid with the pan drop and new filter.  You read so much bad information on the internet it’s nice to get the straight scoop.  Due to the year of my truck (2016) used models are becoming affordable to the younger crowd who have a penchant for “modifying” their trucks.  Plug in programmers, huge lift kits, peddle commander, straight tube headers, CAI, waaay oversized wheels and tires, aftermarket transmission thermostats or removing the thermostat or flipping it, and on and on.  Everyone of them thinks they are master mechanics and pump a lot of bad information out there.  I’m happy having an “old man’s truck” and upgrading things as they fail.  My decision time will come if the 2 known weak points of the 5.3 with the 8 speed ever rear their ugly head.  The AFM lifter failure or the weak torque converter failure.  With the level of maintenance I give my truck, hopefully I won’t have either one of those problems.  

[Woody B]

IMHO the 8 speed is a good transmission as long as it has good fluid in it.   Changing it before you have any problems is an excellent idea.  If you ever get a torque convertor shudder (feels like you're running over rumble strips during light acceleration) get your fluid changed soon.    Pretty much the only ones I've had to replace or do internal repairs too had ran with degraded fluid for way too long.  

[GReb]

I’m convinced the AFM lifter issue is due to maintenance neglect. Sure it’s probably a poor design and I’ve heard some parts supplied were not the greatest. But there’s way too many folks driving 10k miles plus between oil changes. With that design you need to keep the oil levels at the maximum and fresh full synthetic is best. Go watch project farm do oil reviews on YouTube where he tests wear. 
 

If you look at enough used vehicles online and examine the carfax reports it’s evident. I see trucks with 25k miles and only one or two reported oil changes. The dealers will try to tell you it’s because they took it to a 5 min type oil change place that doesn’t register on carfax but I don’t believe it. 

[TOXIC]

@GReb until today I would have agreed with you.  When I picked up my truck from the shop, the shop manager said that the tech was hearing the beginning of the dreaded lifter tic and he recommended getting one of those plug in disablers to keep it from going into 4 cylinder mode.  My oil has been changed at or before 5,000 mile marks since new and it has 95k on it right now.  I’m contemplating my next move. 

[Functional]

@TOXIC If you are having Tic already at 95K I'd personally question how long it would last even once disabling AFM. If you really wanted to keep the truck I would disable AFM and get the lash taken out of the lifter so you "start new". 

 

I never liked that technology. 

[GReb]

2 hours ago, TOXIC said:

@GReb until today I would have agreed with you.  When I picked up my truck from the shop, the shop manager said that the tech was hearing the beginning of the dreaded lifter tic and he recommended getting one of those plug in disablers to keep it from going into 4 cylinder mode.  My oil has been changed at or before 5,000 mile marks since new and it has 95k on it right now.  I’m contemplating my next move. 

Well that just sucks.  Maybe my assumption was wrong.  The only person I personally know who had the repair said it was $7k I believe and the shop had the truck almost a month. 

[DaubsNU1]

@GReb I try to do all my own maintenance, and change oil every 5k miles regardless of what the engine oil life meter says (most of the time it reads 50%+). Got 140k out of my last 2500HD Chevy with the 8.1/496 Big Block.

 

My Accord has 129k, and wife's Outback has 107k...both run great (knock on wood!). I'm probably going to start changing oil ever 4k miles, maybe back down to 3k miles.

 

I can do an oil change for roughly $35, and that's with full synthetic and a good quality oil filter. The Duramax is about $75...I'll continue to change oil every 5k. Ever other oil change I swap out the diesel fuel filter and the Allison external filter. Again, cheap insurance.

 

@TOXIC my brother had the AFM lifter fix on his truck...thankfully it was covered by extended warranty. That's one of the reasons I went with a 3/4 ton and the diesel...and I got the old school Allison 6 speed transmission. Good luck!!

[TnRiver46]

@DaubsNU1, those are just young pups! We’ve got a Honda fit with 310,000 miles and my dodge ram has almost 170,000

[DaubsNU1]

20 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

@DaubsNU1, those are just young pups! We’ve got a Honda fit with 310,000 miles and my dodge ram has almost 170,000

 

@TnRiver46, yep, young pups. That's some serious miles on the Honda Fit!!

I am hoping to get 250k out of the old Accord...it's a 2005...wife purchased from an elderly couple with 48k on the odometer. My 5 year old Duramax has 50k....I'm hoping to keep it another 12-15 years.

 

[GReb]

1 hour ago, DaubsNU1 said:

@GReb I try to do all my own maintenance, and change oil every 5k miles regardless of what the engine oil life meter says (most of the time it reads 50%+). Got 140k out of my last 2500HD Chevy with the 8.1/496 Big Block.

 

My Accord has 129k, and wife's Outback has 107k...both run great (knock on wood!). I'm probably going to start changing oil ever 4k miles, maybe back down to 3k miles.

 

I can do an oil change for roughly $35, and that's with full synthetic and a good quality oil filter. The Duramax is about $75...I'll continue to change oil every 5k. Ever other oil change I swap out the diesel fuel filter and the Allison external filter. Again, cheap insurance.

 

@TOXIC my brother had the AFM lifter fix on his truck...thankfully it was covered by extended warranty. That's one of the reasons I went with a 3/4 ton and the diesel...and I got the old school Allison 6 speed transmission. Good luck!!

I change my own as well. Full synthetic Valvoline or Pennsoil and am rocking at 185k miles.
 

My point on the carfax was people who change it themselves aren’t going to do it themselves today and then pay someone else to do it next time. If there’s 27k miles on the vehicle and the service records show an oil change at 12k miles and 26k miles you better believe that’s the only 2 times it was changed. I have several friends who only change it once a year no matter how many miles are driven. I wouldn’t buy a push mower from them much less a car

[TOXIC]

Look, I’m not a stranger to running up the mileage and keeping vehicles maintained.  My jeep wrangler currently has 475k, my wife traded in a Chevy equinox with 230k, I traded my 2004 3/4 ton with 175k, my Lexus SC430 has 225k.  All have never had major mechanical issues.  I don’t want to trade my truck, it’s pristine and I have invested a lot in maintenance per my initial post but it’s time to reconsider when you are looking at a potential $7,000 repair that would go a long ways to a new vehicle that for sure won’t have the AFM.  Baby Duramax is a possibility and with the current condition of my truck, my trade in will be high.  The other side of the coin is to drive it until it fails.  If it fails.  I’m not convinced. 

[GReb]

As much as you tow across state lines the baby max may be the best option anyways

[DaubsNU1]

@TOXIC, yea it hurts to drop $7k on a repair. Is there a way they can defeat the AFM and bring the cost down on that fix? I believe there are programmers that can disable the AFM feature.

 

Be careful on the Baby Duramax. I believe the timing chain needs replacement at 90k miles...and it's a "pull the engine" kind of maintenance.  Hmmmm....

[GReb]

3 hours ago, DaubsNU1 said:

@TOXIC, yea it hurts to drop $7k on a repair. Is there a way they can defeat the AFM and bring the cost down on that fix? I believe there are programmers that can disable the AFM feature.

 

Be careful on the Baby Duramax. I believe the timing chain needs replacement at 90k miles...and it's a "pull the engine" kind of maintenance.  Hmmmm....

It’s a 200k mile change on the 2023 and up models. Biggest issues I’ve seen with it is it eats def and has to regen often and needs 30 min of driving over 50 or so to complete regen. I nearly bought one a few weeks ago before deciding to hold off

[DaubsNU1]

56 minutes ago, GReb said:

It’s a 200k mile change on the 2023 and up models. Biggest issues I’ve seen with it is it eats def and has to regen often and needs 30 min of driving over 50 or so to complete regen. I nearly bought one a few weeks ago before deciding to hold off

 

Well 200k is much better than 90k! Interesting on the DEF consumption. 

 

I seriously considered the Baby DMAX in the summer / fall of 2019...heard they were knocking down close to 30 MPG (heck, that's what my Accord gets!)

 

Decided against it, since that engine was very new and thought maybe they were still working the kinks out. The 2019 L5P and Allison 6 speed were tried and true. I didn't want the new 2020 HD's with the 10 speed Allison. 

 

 

Worked out well...a year later the wife suggested we get a 5th wheel...This weekend I'm putting the Lund behind the 5th wheel and headed to the lake. Good times!

 

[slonezp]

I'll hijack this if you don't mind @TOXIC I have 110K on a 2017 SuperDuty Ford 6 speed. Never been changed. 

Same deal, drop the pan and replace the fluid, no flush? I ask because I heard if there is too many miles it's better to just leave it alone. Last truck was a Tundra with a 6 speed. Never changed fluid in 250K but the trans didn't seem to shift right when towing towards the end.

[TOXIC]

I watched a video from a mechanic I follow on Facebook and he stated “There’s no such thing as a no change or lifetime fluid in your vehicle.  If your transmission fails at 150k and you never changed the fluid, it lasted the lifetime of the transmission”. I have changed out every fluid in my truck.  As for transmissions there’s 4 approaches.  1. Drive it till it fails.  2. Do regular maintenance by dropping pan and changing filter and topping off with new fluid. 3. Use an “Extractor” to get all of the fluid out, then drop pan and change filter or 4. Flush, which has the possibility on higher mileage vehicles to dislodge stuff better left alone.  
 

@DaubsNU1, there is a plug in disabler but it isn’t a fix since you still have the weak lifters.  The fix is either have oem lifters installed when they fail or the real fix is to pull the motor, replace the lifters with aftermarket non AFM and cam shaft and have the engine tuned to remove AFM programming.  I’m just on the fence since I’m not a fan of new trucks when I have a very well maintained, totally functional truck….minus the possible lifter failure.  Heck, I just got back from driving it to Florida and it performed great. 

[Dirtyeggroll]

Time to trade it in while it still has high trade in value. 

[TOXIC]

5 hours ago, Dirtyeggroll said:

Time to trade it in while it still has high trade in value. 

Not disagreeing but trade it in on what?😂 New 5.3, 6.0 both have AFM and suspect torque converters, Toyota is recalling most all of their current models due to engine failure, Ram and Ford are having their problems as well.  I’m just about convinced that with all of the maintenance and parts I have replaced on my current truck, I’m better off driving it until the lifters let loose (if they let loose) and getting it fixed.  For sure I’m going to keep an eye on the market because so many are saying inventory is going up and prices will be coming down.  To replace my truck with the same motor and trim package is now $80,000 or close to it.  That’s crazy.