Oil for Chevy with Active Fuel Management

[Georgiaboy2109]

I bought a 08 Chevy Silverado with the Vortec Max (L76 6.0) a while back. According to the window sticker it is getting ready for a oil change. I have read on multiple forums that some of the GM products with Active Fuel Management has oil consumption problems. The truck has 90k miles and after 4k miles it doesn't looks like mine has developed these problems yet. I also have a little S10 that I drive for work so basically I only drive my full size truck 6-8k a year. Only when I am towing something or the wife and I want to take something roomy 20 miles to town.In the vehicles we drive on the daily basis I run full synthetic. Nissan Altima gets PP and the S10 with 178k gets Mobil 1 High Mileage.

Now my question is what would you guys run in this engine that has that AFM? Would you go synthetic, blend, or conventional? I have been thinking about going with Pennzoil Synthetic Blend and Wix Filter. I don't want this engine to start consuming oil. As soon as I get time I am thinking about a Blackbear tune to eliminate the AFM.

Any opinions would be great.

Thanks

 

[SteveSRT8]

Please note that we run an entire fleet of GM V8's in vans and pickups and have had no issues with AFM.

While there is a distinct issue for some owners it is far from as widespread as the Internet makes it sound.

I wouldn't give that engine any different than we do, change with any branded Dexos oil and follow the OLM for nearly unlimited engine life...

 

[Mud]

^^^ this ^^^

 

[bigt61]

Dexos1 and OLM - I'll 3rd that.

 

[cancov]

My brother has a '07 Sierra (new style), 5.3, with the AFM and his does consume various oils, however, he seems to believe that Valvoline conventional, 10W30, SM, has worked out to be the best. His truck, however, is not under the Dexos requirement. He runs it our to 4,000 miles with a NAPA Gold (Wix). Not a bad OC considering I paid $4/gallon for the Valvoline conventional and he picked up a case of NAPA Golds for $3/piece. His truck is like yours, a weekender and hauler, so an OCI typically last almost a year.

 

[threeputtpar]

I've dealt with 2 3.9l GM V6s with AFM that have consumed oil from a very early age. The core of the problem for those engines affected is the amount of time the engine spends in cylinder deactivation.

My extended family has 3 AFM engines and two consume oil. Those two are driven back and forth from WI to FL at least twice a year, and that is when the oil consumption is the worst. On one of them, it hold 4 quarts in the pan and with the 1800 mile trip it usually take 3-4 quarts of make-up oil. The other one is 2-3 quarts.

The third engine used to go back and forth accross the state, and each trip of 300 miles would consume 1.5 quarts. Now she lives in Madison and stays local and the problem has dimished quite a bit. When she comes home to visit, it's usually 6 gallons of gas and a half quart of oil each way.

If you plan on highway traveling at a constant speed, use the cheapest GM-6094 oil you can get and go by the OLM and top off as necessary. If you will be working the truck all the time or stay off the highway, synthetic or blend at OLM intervals would work.

 

[NHHEMI]

I had a 2007 Silverado w/ the 5.3L and AFM. I never had any problems with oil consumption. I ran RP 5W30 on 5K OCI's with no problems. I was on the Chevy truck forums at that time and Pennzoil Platinum was probably the most popular oil for the trucks then.

FWIW - your 2008 does not call for Dexos oil as some are talking about. It spec's 5W30 that meets GM6094M. Run Dexos oil if you wish but it is not your trucvk's spec and isn't something I would worry about even if you still have some of your 5/100K PTW left.

 

[stchman]

I have had 2 5.3L AFM equipped Silverados and neither has had oil consumption problems. I've always run Mobil 1 5w30 and AC Delco oil filters (PF48). I am trying a Fram Ultra this time.

 

[Georgiaboy2109]

Thanks for the replies

 

[46Harry]

I own a 2010 Silverado 5.3 with AFM and it doesn't use oil and I have several friends that have trucks with those engines and they don't use oil either. I use Pennzoil Platinum 5w30 and a Wix filter in my engine and I'm happy with the results.

 

[gnet158]

Same has Harry. I used this combo on both my 08 Sierra and now my 2012 Silverado. No knocks, no oil consumption issues, nothing. In fact I'm getting ready to change my oil this weekend.