FREE DFM & AFM Disable! Chevy & GM 5.3, 6.2 Owners Watch This!
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- Опубликовано: 13 окт 2021
- In this video I share some information regarding DFM and potentially disabling it without adding a disable device. I am not a mechanic. I am just the type of guy to look into these things and try to get answers.
Follow up video (1 Year Later) : • The Truth About Disabl...
Since this video was created, I feel confident stating that driving in L9, L7 or L5 depending on the speed of your transmission will shut off DFM and AFM.
I demonstrate and provide some footage comparing DFM and driving in L9 mode. I notice a big difference!
Pulsar LT video Link : • Pulsar LT - My Thought...
Footage comparisons timestamp from 10:45-15:40
Article referenced explaining DFM :
gmauthority.com/blog/gm/gener...
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I've been driving and loving my 2020 6.2L GMC Sierra for a couple years. But now that I know about L9, I love it even more. Can't believe GM engineers designed a way to degrade power and the owner's driving experience. If I gave a crap about fuel economy, I'd be driving a Prius. Thanks Don!
It doesn't matter if you give a damn about fuel economy. All manufacturers have to meet the cafe standards which for 2026 means they have to average 49 mpg across their entire fleet
My god, thanks for the video, I was going crazy with the shudder I was experiencing , driving my new 2024 Escalade between 35mph and 40mph.The dealer said it was normal. I went out after watching this video and put the gear on L9 and wow no more shudder. Thanks for the information, can’t believe the dealer did not tell me about this.
They didn't tell you because they want it back for repairs so they can make money from you.
Are you really surprised 😮.
Thanks for the heads up. I bought a Chevy 1500 with a 6.2 last month and didn't even know about dfm.
When towing my camper while stock it’d kick into “V4” prematurely so I felt... I now use a superchips programmer to turn off the AFM/DOD and set certain other parameters... the 91 octane tune works great as does the towing tune... I’m cheap but this makes me happy.
Yeah towing and afm is horrible mine will go into v4 at like 3k rpm cruising and shit so I usually keep it in 5th gear but then I lose grade braking
from what I have deciphered from internet and driving with my 2021 6.2 high country, I've noticed the exact same thing. shifting was better in low gears with L9 and didn't notice much difference in mileage. did the exact same thing with going into reverse also.....brain isn't used to the last click yet. thanks for the vid, I don't know why nobody "officially" can give us the answer from GM or any other source close to the company. when I bought my truck last year, I complained about the transmission shifting too quickly and nobody had even heard of using the L9 as a work around.
have a friend retired from Government Motors, running the engine electrical engineering dept. He told me about this issue (after it destroyed the valve train on my 2018 GMC 5.3, and recommended buying and installing the software bypass (he owns one !!). Used it for a year with great success, and transferred it to my 2019 with the same success.
I’m a new to me AT4 6.2 owner 2022. First big V8 in a very very long time.
I could hear, without understanding, what this video is all about. L9 is gonna be a must do for a few months, thanks for this
Glad to help
Thanks, just bought my 20 ltz, and this was some NEED TO KNOW INFO !!!
Currently have a 18 6.2 and 1-2 weeks from picking up my 2022 6.2...will be checking it out! Pilsar intrigues me for sure.
Great content man. I have a 2019 AT4 and your videos are spot on.
That’s super kind man!
Thanks posting this! Going to test it today.
What a world of difference after doing it all the time now - except at highway speeds I use ‘D’ drive still
I just picked up a 2021 Suburban RST with 5.3L and 30k miles. I’ve had it at the dealer twice for a very annoying chirp when downshifting and squeal when at low speed/rpm. They can’t replicate it enough to diagnose it. Based on your video I just tried the L9 trick and it was like driving a different vehicle. Nice and quiet!! Thank you!!
I have a 6mo old 1500 AT4 with the 6.2L. the truck has 10K km and just had both banks of lifters replaced. I also had those sounds as well when slowing. It also makes them when the vehicle is started for about 30seconds. Had it in to my dealership for the lifter replacement and they showed me the GMC service bulletin with videos. They tell me the noise is normal. For the noise at start-up it is retarding the timing, to help warm up the catalytic converter to help with emissions. Essentially same thing while slowing. It's retarding the timing for emissions. Believe them or not, that's the information and explanation they gave me.
Had the same noise when my 2021 at4 6.2 downshifted they told me they didn’t hear anything 😂
I tried running my Elevation 8 spd in L7, but I bought the Pulsar LT, and now I love my truck again. No more auto start-stop, and all the vibration is gone. YAYYY! I was ready to trade it in, but I love it again, and I get to keep it.
Did the same for my 2019 GMC 5.3 V8. Nice to have it back.
I have a 17 Sierra & I have a info center between ROM & MPH, if you bring up the fuel economy screen down in bottom right you’ll see V8 if your in L5 or L9 it doesn’t change at all unless your in D or L6/L10 then you will see it change to V4 so your assumption is correct, Thanks for the info
I have a 2021 Suburban RST with the 5.3L and just had to have lifters replaced under warranty. The service rep stated its a known issue but didn’t go into more detail. Guess I’ll try this trick to see if there’s a difference. Thanks for the info!
Well I tried it and it works, I have the 5.3 and the 8spd. The other thing I noticed was the automatic stop didn’t work. I did not have to shut it off as I do daily. I drove in L7 first and noticed the immediate difference, then drove in L8. Works the same. Thanks for the heads up.
Setting the shift limit at the top gear in the transmission, L6 or L8 or L10, does NOT deactivate the AFM or DFM. I have seen this with a monitor tool. L5 or L7 or L9 DOES deactivate the AFM or DFM.
👍🏼
How can you shut off the auto stop?
Drive in manual mode like this video suggests or you can install a mod to keep it off too. I have a video for that
Great job on this video. My Pulsar LT was flawless on last week's 800 mile trip through Arkansas (mountains). 2021 GMC Sierra AT4 (6.2L). Mileage was 15.9 MPG running 93 octane mostly in "Sport" mode. 8,000 miles total on the truck. I did notice that my "MyGMC" app on my phone (showing vehicle diagnostics) actually says to unplug any devices plugged into the OBD port...won't show vehicle diagnostics. Everything else is okay on the APP from what I can tell. I also thought I "disabled" the speed limiter...but, it still kicks on at 98 mph.
Thanks Chris - Others including myself have had a false message about the OBD2 port having a device plugged in. - This without a Pulsar LT
@@Donslife -- Hmmm. Thanks, I didn't know that. I have the Pulsar LT and my powered side steps (Amp Research) both plugged into wire harnesses.
Will the pulsar lt work on a yukon 2022 6.2 liter
@@marcosolivo2606 -- Check with the pros at Pulsar. IMHO...should work just fine
@@ChrisDIYerOklahoma just got an email back and they said no. 👎
You might it interesting but I have a 2018 GMC with the 6.2 and 8 speed and have been driving it around town in L6 and L7 for some time with similar results as your video seems to confirm with the 10 speed but I had to figure it out on my own. Your video seems to validate that for me.
Since the video, I know 100% that DFM/AFM is disabled when driving in ‘L’ or ‘M’ one gear or more from your touch gear
@@Donslife Love the video and I also !00% agree with using L9 in my 2021 5.3 Trailboss. Gas mileage increased by .75 gallons too.
Awesome content once again mate. 🍻👍
Cheers Shayne!
Currently have a 2021 5.7 Hemi, switching to gear 8 (in Ram's case) gets rid of cylinder deactivation. Looking at buying a RST with the 6.2 and I'm glad to see this can be done on a Chevy as well. Thanks for the video👍👍
You're welcome! Thanks for watching
Gave it a try, 2020 Sierra AT4, 6.2 liter, factory performance intake and exhaust. Initially the vehicle felt heavy when I let off the gas in L9, like an old school L when you let off the gas. Trans shifts seemed a bit more firm. If you believe the instant gas mileage on the display consistently 4-9 mpg higher than usual, same time of day, same route, same traffic conditions. Throttle response seemed much better and there was no delay when you needed extra power. Have a Pulsar and now wonder if I should actually bother installing as turning off the start and stop is not a big issue for me. Shifting into reverse will take a little getting used to being one position further to the right. Miles to empty on the second day actually went in reverse which indicates to me that mileage has improved slightly.
Hey, you still driving in L9? a year later just curious. Just bought a 21 6.2 and already in the shop. 😢
@@RonnieColeman8x is it in the shop for lifter work?
When the industry leader(Ford) and likely the most reliable brand(Toyota) passes on cylinder deactivation you know its a bad idea. Its sad too. Leave it to GM to take a perfectly reliable and legendary v8 and make it...lesser
But Ford does have cylinder deactivation in there 5.0 now?
From what I've read - Ford joins GMC/Chevy and Ram for 2021 with their V8 having cylinder deactivation too.
Ford does in fact have cylinder deactivation on the new 5.0 but v8s probably won’t be an option for much longer anyway and unfortunately the current gen 2.7 and 4.3 gm motors have cylinder deactivation as well.
All epa mpg tricks !!!- mandated :
GM is dead from the neck up. They didn't learn from the V8-6-4 Caddy engine. WTF CHEVY!!
Rich you hit the nail on the head buddy 👏
Great video. Thanks for sharing. The trained ear and sensation driving knows.
Thanks! You get it ✌🏼
So I tried this test.. seems like Drive and L10 were the same.. coasting at 50 mph letting off the gas for a few seconds then stepping on the gas I noticed there was a bump a hesitation and then the motor kicked in.. driving in L9 with the same thing letting off the gas for a few seconds then stepping on the gas there was just a hesitation then the motor kicked in ..with no bump.. my guess is the bump may be the cylinders firing back up before kicking in.. so something definitely happening here my guess is GM programmed this on purpose maybe for some kind of diagnostic test if there's a problem with the DMF.. I've also seen videos where if you do a tune you can eliminate the DMF as well as the auto stop and the speed limiter... another great video thanks Don
This is it very similar to the MDS system that most Hemi nowadays have, you do get a horrible sound in exhaust when the system deactivate some cylinders you also get additional vibration because the engine is no longer balanced. Most Hemi trucks now come with special dampeners actively attempt to remove that vibration from the cylinder deactivation which helps a bit does nothing to help with exhaust tone.
The settings you’re setting on your transmission is basically the highest gear you want your transmission to use, we can do the same thing and our trucks as well or you can also enables sports or tow haul mode which will also disable the system.
Welcome to the new fuel economy hell that we’ve had to fight with Hemi aside for many years now.
Great information! Thanks for the share!
I got my 6.2 AT4 in July and one of the first things I noticed was a rough vibration while idling that I couldn't explain. Didn't think the DFM could be causing that but after doing some research and seeing your post I guess that may be the culprit. However, after about 3,500 miles on the truck the vibration seems to be less during idle but I pick up on it occasionally. Do you think it could be just the engine "breaking in" or somehow DFM adjusting itself to my habits?
My 2006 Dodge Ram 1500 Hemi is the first year of MDS. I purchased a Superchips Tuner to disable the MDS. The constant back and forth drone of the cylinder deactivation was embarrassing stock but add a cold air intake, stupid infuriating. Disabled the MDS, truck sounds good and mileage is better. Imagine that.
I commented on keeping it in sport to disable DFM/AFM,
Looking through the background in your videos, you have a lot of flat terrain. I live in a very mountainous area (Appalachian Mtns) and in sport it’s always holding those lower gears, keeping in out of AFM.
But agreed, it did not do much when I lived in Scottsdale, AZ and during the drive east on the plain lands. Pretty flat for 1/2 the drive across the country.
But, I actually think the DFM chop sounds kinda cool. Reminds me of my Cobra on deceleration. Gurgling and making noise.
Also if you hold very slight throttle, you can get some strange noises, and almost no exhaust tone whatsoever. Kinda cool.
I certainly do live in an annoyingly flat area of the country!
Great video, definitely hear the difference
You should buy a draggy and test your 0-60 and 1/4 mile times. We did some runs here in central Alberta with my 21’ 6.2L RST vs some friends in 6.2 denalis and 5.0 f-150’s and it was impressive! Love to see what kind of times your truck is running.
I have one. Good idea
Same thing goes for my 2012 Silverado. It has a six speed. I have a flowmaster cat back system and cold intake kit. When in normal drive and it goes to 4 Cylinder Which I started calling it the “flutter” mode, which is so irritating. Around town Or anywhere under 50 mph, I shift mine into manual 5. That’s it. It will run on all 8. Stopping at traffic lights or stop and go traffic, the trans shifts normal, without touching the shifter. My son’s truck has an 8 speed in his later model Silverado, so he puts his in L7 with the same results. Good info thanks.
I have a 2011 Silverado and have the same setup as you. I keep it in L5 or I shift manually on occasion to enjoy the sound of the exhaust. At 155k, it doesn't burn oil and has no lifter tick. Swapping out these damn 3.42 gears for some 3.73's is next on the list. ✌
Think my 2017 will do the same with a 6 speed
my 2012 silverado just starting the fluttering today, is my valvetrain shot or can i switch to this other drive mode to save my engine from blowing up? please help me im very stressed out any more info on this drive mode would be much appreciated
@@jdorney70 my 2012 silverado just starting the fluttering today, is my valvetrain shot or can i switch to this other drive mode to save my engine from blowing up? please help me im very stressed out any more info on this drive mode would be much appreciated
i believe the difference with being more consistant an some of the sound with being in L9 is trans has reverted to a preprogramed shift points sorta same as switching to sport mode aka reason if no spirited driving it disables( reverts back to learning your style driving) get you a tune or pedal commander an you will love your truck!!
I'm glad I don't have to deal with that. I ordered mine in July and got it Sept 4 21. 21 Sierra X31 5.3 with no cylinder shutdown and I'm averaging 19.5-20 mpg in Southwest Wisconsin. I feel the cylinder shutdown on any vehicle is just a horrible idea.
DFM is not the issue, the issue comes from valve springs, lifters which eventually will fail .
Your engine is DFM ready but its only disable from the PCM .
I've got a 2021 silverado of together 9/21. How can I find out if it has dfm or not?
Not only a so called Hemi problem hey?
My 5.3 Sierra X31 8 speed tranny 2021 last February i bought has DFM and I average 19.6mpg in my but on the highway i get close to 25 and i dont hypermile kinda thing either. Yes I do here the DFM even with the radio on but i just ignore it lol. My friend got the non DFM model 2 months ago and he is getting 13 to 15 in town and 19 on the highway. Does it help yes i think it does. This truck has the same mileage as as V6 sedans and for a truck it amazing. But like most the interior is something to be desired looking forward to the 2022’s new interior which looks amazing.
@@Jimw82 if the manufacturer date is after 03/29/2021 it probably doesn’t have it. Does your window sticker say on it “no auto start stop”?
When I had my 19’ Ram 1500 sport, the first thing I would do as soon as I started it was shift into The highest gear to disable their “eco” setting
Love this comment
@@Donslife what exhaust is on your truck?
@@mr.everything0844 this one : ruclips.net/video/lzjipXNF1UM/видео.html
Have a 2020 6.2 10speed. It works! Hell yeah.
Thanks Don for this video. I'll have to try it on my 2017 with the 5.3 8L90 transmission.
It’ll work. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the in-depth explanation of how this works. Now I can re-roadtest a 14 Silverado that I liked. It seemed to shift kind of strange and was kind of sluggish when first taking off, maybe nothing was wrong with it at all and just going in and out of V8 mode. I have heard of AFM & DFM before but never drove a Silverado that had it. Thanks again.
My Yukon has reduced power when I use 87 instead of 91/93
AFM/Dfm shouldn't affect transmission shifting, as far aa i know fron my research but dont quote me. And mine was always in V8 until you hit like a flat cruising area or going down a hill. Also, get a Range AFM/DFM disabler and it'll stay in V8, thats what I've done and I'm running strong.
I have been using the Pulsar LT for about 6 months and I love it. No more DFM, and no more having to shut off the auto start/start feature. I highly recommend it. All the power, all the time. Spend the $450 bucks and you will never have to worry about it. OH yeah,, one more thing, The Pulsar LT lets you adjust the throttle response and set the speedometer to larger wheels if you add them.
Thanks for the share. When I get larger wheels I think I will take the plunge. It is $700+ for me in Canada so using L9 until then is fine with me
Does adding the pulsar lt void with your warranty?
@@Donslife I’m here in Wisconsin, and bought a new 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 with the 12,200 lb towing package. My manual says if driven in sport mode or haul mode it stays in 8 cylinder mode. The truck is more responsive and fun to drive. Milage at 75 to 85 runs about 23.9 burning premium no ethanol fuel. It’s never kicked back to non sport mode. Also it stopped using oil..
@danaberman I pulled the trigger and got Pulsar LT. I disabled DFM, but noticed a ted aggressive shifting on trany. Is it normal? Have you experienced the same thing? ( I turned DFM On temporarily to find out if I could use it without damaging anything). Any thoughts?
@@josueortiz2250 It can. Like any other product. If you remove it, the truck will go back to the normal factory settings. It does not leave any data that it has been installed.
I learned about this from research as well on my 2014 chevy silverado 1500. For the 2014 it is M7 to enjoy normal drive feel. I laughed hard when you talked about shifting into neutral. Ive done the same thing when thinking im in reverse but not!!😂
Gracias por el vídeo y la traducción , en México tenemos muy poca información sobre el tema , saludos 🇲🇽
I must be a highly spirited driver. my sport mode has never turned itself off😂
2020 AT4 with the 6.2. 57000 current miles, at around 55000 miles I started to noticed a different sound when it would get into 10th gear. Sort of a low rumble. Also noticed that the tach moves between 200-400 rpms when the DFM is working. I notice this mostly when at hiway speeds and the tach around 1300-1700. Took to GM and they say its the exhaust sound because of the DFM. Found this article and couldn't wait to try it. Driving in L9 doesn't allow the tranny to get into 10th gear and I don't hear the noise, thank god. I was thinking of getting rid of this thing even though I love the truck. Another observation, 62mph with cruise on in L9 flat road get around 24-25 mpg, switch to drive same speed same road and the instant mpg reading goes from 21-30 mpg. But then you hear the noise that I can't stand!
Lol 10th gear works?
Great video bud just subscribed been doing some research on this fuel management as I just picked up 2023 Sierra I like to get that piece to do to bypass, any recommendations
Thanks Justin
L5 keeps it in V8 you can see it on the dash /info section it will show a V6 or V8 mode . As long as it doesn't go into 6th gear (overdrive) it will stay in V8 . You can also use the tow button for a higher RPM shift
I wish the 2019+ models had a dash indicator like the older models. Our 2016 Cadillac had the indicator too but our 2022 Cadillac doesn’t
Look into a pulsar XT inline module.
It totally changed my 19 Sierra Denali's personally in a big time way.
It disables DFM and auto stop / start, but the option I like the most is 5 pedal/ transmission curve settings.
👍👍👍
Can you turn it off when you want? Like if I want to turn DFM back on is there a switch? Separate one for auto start stop too?
This still need a change to the high volume oil pump correct? From what I understand disabling it will also cause the excess oil produced to be "weeped" off in the cylinder wall area consistantly.
I have a 21 Silverado with 28000 miles still under warranty. It's in the shop now was misfiring and jerking when stopped at stop sign. I'm going to call GM customer service because my dealership where I bought the truck hasn't been all that courteous and didn't even offer a loaner. I'm not gonna say just yet who the dealer is so depending on the response from GM I'll stay mum until then. This is about the lifter problem I assume.
That's strange that work on your truck I put on a 2020 6.2 Sierra SLT and it really started messing my truck up I almost got broke down with it I disconnected it drove all the way back home without any problems so then the company wouldn't take it back so I resold it on eBay and said buyer beware I lost a couple hundred dollars on it
@Bruce Bradbury that's ridiculous for how much y'all pay for these new trucks they need to offer outstanding customer service maybe try a different dealer because bad customer service can mean more than just that it could be toxic people in the shop that don't give a f about u or your truck and hate thier life lol just saying I've heard horror stories
I tried this today. I've got the 5.3 with the 8 speed transmission in a 2019 Silverado. I tried it in L7 for a while, then tried L8. Felt the same in both. It really did run much smoother, idled smoother, and the transmission wasn't doing all the usual stupid crap that it likes to do. It's kind of a nuisance, but if it works it works.
For me the sound with an aftermarket exhaust is the most noticeable
@@Donslife I've got the stock exhaust on mine. Had the windows up, so I didn't notice if it was sounding different. I'll give it a listen next time I'm out.
@@jbred6049 you can actually "feel" it when the cyl's drop. At least on mine.
When in manual shift mode, you can only use first gear through seventh gear if yours is an 8speed, that will keep it from going into Active fuel management/V4 mode. As soon as you shift it up into eight gear it will start going into V4 mode, so no matter what transmission you have you cannot use the top gear, For example, mine is a six speed so when I use first through fifth gear it will stay in V8 mode.
@@leadhead7338 I have the Range Disabler, but before I had that I used M5
Did this on ram 5.7 with three 6 speed. Easiest simplest way to get around dropping cylinders out. Im surprised many car people doing figure this out in their own from learning their vehicle.
Sometimes you figure these things out due to new problems. Honestly if it wasn’t for the weird sounds with this truck specifically, I may not have figured it out yet
Best video Ive seen on this subject, I have the 2022 Tahoe Z71 with electric percussion shift so its easy to get my revers gear. Im not sure if they make a DFM disabler for my truck yet so If they do let me know otherwise this method will work well and its free :)
Have you tried shifting to Manual mode and adjusting the + button to 9 if you transmission is a 10spd? 7 if it is a 8spd?
Nice video brother, you took me to school. I have 2019 AT4, bought it in 2019 with 14 miles on it. Love this truck, took to shop multiple times about transmission shifting (like a thunk in floor board). They said nothing was wrong. Was burning oil as well. This video was God sent. My question to you is can I pull my tracker bass boat in L9.
Thanks! You can, but my guess is while pulling (not slowing or coasting) your engine will stay on all cylinders. Tow/haul mode might be a good option too. Being in L9 should be fine to answer your question
A lot of shifting issues are fixed with a Range Technology disable dongle.
The exhaust/intake sound change is from the reduced number of cylinders combusting fuel. Think v8 vs i4, definitely a difference in sound. There is still potential go into DOD/AFM/DFM in L9 or L7 or L5 if you find yourself in an incredibly low load situation like coasting down a steep hill at highway speeds. The only real solution is to change out those lifters, plug up the oil passages, and disable it in the ECU.
This makes me wonder! I have a 2020 with after market exhaust and bought the range to supposedly keep on v8 only. On my way to work i drive down a big hill. And the exhaust still makes a rumbling, bubbling effect sound. So does that mean it still changes to v4?
I bought something that plugs into my OBD2 port to keep mine from dropping to 4 cylinders. Hasn't made much of a difference in fuel mileage. Was skeptical at first but it hasn't dropped to 4 cylinders since I plugged it in.
@brockkohl151 What did you buy? I just bought a 2022 and I'm interested!
Range technology, AFM/DFM Disabler is the name
So, we an $80K truck, and have to alter the engine from the get go, in an effort to save the engine. Am i the only one that thinks that sounds insane? My father in law was a victim of a 6.2l total engine catastrophic failure at 26,000 miles... presumably because of a side affect of AFM.
Exactly why I chose the 3.0!
Love my LZ0 & the average 30 MPG 💪
Hey DonL great videos, excellent contents. But have you tried it with the Escalade
Hey Nick, I will be just to see what’s what. The Escalade only switches between v4 and v8 with an indicator on the dash. The AFM system is less advanced than DFM but seems more stable from a feel and sound perspective. But yes, I will be trying it out. Not sure if people want to see a quick video on that but I can try…
Older trucks with the 6L80 can also disable AFM by selecting M5 on the column shifter. Does not matter if using Tow/Haul or not. Verified on my 2012 Silverado.
What do you consider old
@@tommybokelman5565 GMT900
my 2012 silverado just starting the fluttering today, is my valvetrain shot or can i switch to this other drive mode to save my engine from blowing up? please help me im very stressed out any more info on this drive mode would be much appreciated
Big difference! What really stinks is, GM set the Tcm up so you have to take it out and get something internal removed, and if you use HP Tuners it cost 8 credits at $50 each plus a fee to work on the TCM, but once you buy the credits you can tune the ECM and TCM.
HP tuners got too greedy. I would have used their interface but that credit system is way too expensive.
Can this be done remotely or the car has to be taken to them?
@@m.romaithi6217 remotely
@@chasejones10111 thanks
What is the tcm?
I have a 2021 AT4 with the 6.2L. A friend of mine showed me that holding down the traction control button for 3 to 5 seconds will temporarily shut all of that off. To turn it all back on, you have to restart your truck.
It works this way with the Gen III Hemi. In my 2012 Charger, if I use the auto stick feature, the MDS (Chrysler DFM) disables. I would think this would be the same in GM.
Hey Don, sorry to hear you had an issue with your AT4. Did you find out what caused it? Going to order the S-Line for my truck nxt week. Do you still love the exhaust as much as you did? Still no drone issues? Thanks for all the help!!
Still loving the exhaust. The truck has been good too since clearing the codes. Hoping it was a fuel issue. I am monitoring closely of course. I will still take it into the dealer too.
I currently just traded a 2007 Tahoe for a 2019 Tahoe. Both have the 5.3. The older Tahoe had 183K and had lifter failure on the passenger side of the motor due to the AFM system. After 4600 to get it running again we traded up. I like the new Tahoe but the older one had a 4 speed with overdrive and the new one has a 6 speed. I HATE the 6 speed. The damn thing switches to second gear almost instantly in Drive and then when 3rd hits it takes off. So I have been either running in Tow Mode to make the gears longer or just going to L4 and it shifts almost the same way the old Tahoe did. Luckily it does not have the auto stop. Today I just got the Flow Master 40 put on and I can really hear the DFM now. I had the same exhaust on the old Tahoe and as soon as I got it installed I notice the sound when it went to 4 Cylinders. Not sure if I want to sink the 450 bucks into the Pulsar or not. We have stock 20's on it now but plan to go to the 22's soon. May be worth it. Either way boys fight to keep our V8's!!
This makes me nervous to hear. My 2011 has 154K on it and I'm looking to get a dongle to deactivate the AFM before I have engine trouble. What name brand did you go with?
@@tomcat5986 I went with the Range AMF/DMF disabler. It works well but it will if you have anything like the Chevy App that gives your diagnostic info it will say there are problems but there really arent any. Honestly there are not too many options. It just plugs into your data port. And BTW I found out from my Mechanic that my old Tahoe died shortly after I traded it! They called wanting info on work that had been done.
The reason you wanna deactivate the cylinder deactivation system is due to the engine emptrature inconsistency between the cylinders, it will warp the engine and you don't wanna destroy your engine like that. To disable it, make sure you go to a good car tuner and have it shut off properly.
Got a ‘23 zr2, traded in a ‘16 5.3l. I guess I’m a bit too fast at the red lights before I realized what was happening, I’d start accelerating before the engine fully turned back on and the truck would lurch a bit 🤯 definitely going to try this! Thanks 🙏
You’re welcome! Thanks for watching my video
I have a 22 silverado zr2. Did this work for you?
You’ll notice it when the lifters collapse. Put a Range Module on it and never worry about it again.
Whats that and where do I get one
@@willkearns5055 it disables the Active Fuel Management
Not true you can still drop a lifter with the range device. I can verify because my 6.2 Silverado dropped a lifter at 80k and I had the range device installed.
@@khemchee4685 so tour saying just drive it til it blows up then fix it , ,I got extended warranty til 96000 miles
I have had a 2019 2020 and 2021. with the range Module. Two of the vehicles had lifter failures, one before 5000km and one at about 12000km To add to it a GM scan tool can see if you ever used such a device even is removed weeks prior. Pulsar and Range claim this doesn't affect your vehicle in a negative way, or void your warranty. That is a flat out lie. Well they ended up footing the cost of replacement on two of my vehicles after my lawyer got involved. I will never use a device like that again. The dealership very clearly showed me what the device was doing and how it was the cause of the failure. Now I have a 2019 with 130XXX no problems, and the wife has a 2020 escalade at 65XXX km no problems.
Thanks, yes mine definitely does not shut down in L9 and I never touched the switch. Thanks for the site, I am more mechanical and bad with detail so I will take it to my body man. I like the roof too but wonder what might look good on the tail gate. What do you think of maybe just the upper half of the gate? That's on the multi tail gate. just thinking outside the box. i'm 58 so something not to crazy.
I have some plans to continue the wrap on the tailgate. I originally thought the upper part only too. I am just waiting for some decent weather so I can wash the truck properly. We have had 2 blizzards here already
Talk about buttery smooth shifting in L9! It's the same case when I'm in M5. It's a different truck when all 8 cylinders are engaged!
Your clear message is outstanding
🙏🏻
Thanks for the video @DonsLife. I know I am late to the game, but my 2020 Sierra Elevation just started doing what I thought was a tranny issue. At 65 to 70 mph, it felt like I was driving over mini speed bumps in cruise mode. I have put a ton of miles on my truck, as my commute is 70 miles one way (112 km since you are in Canada ;-). Now having 58,000 miles, I bought new tires, just like the ones you have on your AT4 and that still didn't fix the problem! Then I heard about the DFM issue and found your video. I have been using L9 ever since and man does it run so much better! I can feel all 8 cylinders all the time now and it just responds so much better. I am a little hesitant about getting the Pulsar, just because I don't have an issue shifting down in to the manual mode. I do have a question about towing though, and sorry if it has been answered already in this comment section; does putting your truck in tow mode turn off DFM? I tow a travel trailer quite a bit and have not noticed the vibration when driving around 65 mph. But, I would assume that if DFM is activated in tow mode, then it would use 8 cylinders way more often with 7600 lbs of trailer behind it. If DFM is still active then I might use the manual mode for towing too. Thanks for all your work on your videos!
Welcome, and thanks for watching the video! Hopefully you’ll stick around for more. I don’t know 100% with conviction but I believe Tow/Haul mode will allow DFM to function but assuming engine load will be increased, it would initiate DFM less.
The transmission shutter is because you need to change your transmission fluid. I had the same problem, filter and fluid change solved that problem as well as the hard shifts when cold.
@@chrisl5205 Exactly!!! I had the same in my 2016 Escalade at around 65k, tranny was shuddering at cruising speed, the dealer replaced the fluid, running about 4-5 gallons thru and replaced some kind of harness, and reprogrammed the tranny, getting a bit worse mileage now, but all issues are gone. They have a recall bulletin for this but don't advertise it. Now, I believe the engine oil needs to be replaced more frequently ( oil is cheap ) plus install AFM disabler. Planning to replace AFM hardware in the future. Still have a bit of hesitation at traffic lights start and in heavy traffic when stop and go at 5-10 km/h, I hope the AFM disabler will solve the problem.
I’ll probably stay in “D” till I eventually get a exhaust on my AT4 just because caveman brain no work good 😂 but also love your content, I just purchased a Summit White AT4 like yours and love it!
All good brother! Nice truck 😉
Just read through all 362 comments. Now I know I'll never create content cause that took time, so I definitely respect and give credit to creators who read and respond to all comments because that's why the video was made in the first place to help people. I learned a lot and now feel better about the first trip towing a camper.
My question is, I have a 5.3 with 117,086 miles, I recently discovered all 6L80 transmissions have torque converter failures but I don't know at what mileage
I am not a torque converter expert but I have had a Ford Transmission fail on me around 60.000 miles (100,000km). If you aren’t experiencing any shudder, weird shifting behavior and/or noises, the average life can be well over 150,000 - 200,000 miles. Only what I have read for chevy / gmc. At least the costs are reasonable to replace if it fails. Thank you for the comments regarding the channel too. There is a lot of negativity and offside comments that RUclips lets me see, but automatically removes. Some people must not watch the videos all the way through or miss what I am trying to convey. I do try to answer as many questions as I can. Some comments are just opinions or statements and don’t require a response. Enjoy your first tow of your camper! Always remember to turn wider than normal so the the trailer clears obstacles.
Installed range technologies afm delete module on my 2017 i bought used with 46,000 miles a year ago after searching probable issues with these trucks before i bought it. I also installed a lower temp transmission thermostat as well as changed all fluids front to rear. Hopefully being a bit proactive i won't have any serious problems for another 100,000+ miles
Hi Don, I just received my xtool D8BT. It clearly show in 3 different ways that the DFM is active on my 2020 silverado 6.2. The thing I was relieved to see is that it is constantly changing which cylinders are active and which are inactive ... it moves the cut off cylinders all around the 8 so that no "HOT SPOT" is likely to form. You can see the signal from the ECU that is sent to each selinoid; you can see each selinoid activating; and you can see the injector for that cylinder deactivate while the lifter is flat. I can't see how this system could harm the engine cause it moves the hot cylinder around so much. OF COURSE, all this complication is just another system that CAN fail and cause maintenance costs, but it does save some fuel by only using the cylinders it needs.
AND YES, I can see that L9 for 10 speed trany or L7 for 8 speed trany DOES DEACTIVATE DFM and also prevents SUTO STOP. But as soon as you go to L10 or D, it starts deselecting cylinders.
Thanks for bringing this potential concern up but what I saw is not going to cause hot spots and warping of the block or head. just moves too fast between cylinders. ches
Awesome share 👏
I am making a video soon and I want to highlight this comment. Again, thank you for taking the time to share this
That’s good to hear but it really doesn’t matter. Because the lifters are still garbage. All the lifters. I had a non DOD lifter fail on my 2017 at 134k miles. So even if you have a disabling device the lifters are still going to fail. I have watched so many videos of people doing deletes after they have lifter failed, and many have non DOD lifters that are bad. If I wouldn’t have just had to put a brand new transmission in this thing I would be selling it once I’m done fixing it. Transmission 7k, 3k to redo the top end. Just going to change the oil religiously and put more gas f my miles on my reliable 7.3 diesel.
I have a 5.3 and selecting L5 definitely stops cylinder deactivation (I have a 6-speed). Tow-haul mode doesn't make a difference...only L5 in my 6-speed.
Me too. Anytime under 50 mph. If I forget the”flutter”coming through the flowmaster will remind me.
So what happens if I need to go faster? Does it shift up on its own or do I go back to drive?
I have 2017 GMC Sierra 6 speed if I leave it in L5 will it shift on its own
Yea I already do that when I just clipping around town but highway sucks listening to the afm cut in and out at 110 120 for hours on end
Thank you. 2024 6.2 trail boss here
Range technology, 5.3 6 speed had it for 5 years now no issues works for me.200 bucks well worth it
I’m with you. $600 CAD or more for the PulsarLT which is the only compatible option for the new generation with the 10 spd trans
Paid $165 for my range technology (turns off DFM on my 2019 sierra) and it's like I'm driving a different truck. It's plug into your OBD2 port and that's it. I lost a (.5) half mpg. I think price may change by year.
@michaelangelo1278 glad to hear,I'm canadian, so we get hosed.bit of advice,if u keep it plugged in take it out when it's gets really cold,there's a little draw might effect battery as I had to replace mine,2018
Disabled the DFM on my 2016 6.2 and my highway mileage went from 22mpg on straight highway to 13mpg and less in town. Immediately got rid of the disabling device.
Hi great video. May i ask what program you use to edit and produce your videos. Just starting out and really liked your intro. Thanks. Chris
Hey Chris, I currently use Adobe Premiere Pro on a Desktop PC
@@Donslife thank you
Spoke to a man with a ‘14 silverado that he purchased new. Zero issues with AFM at 200k miles
If you don't change the stock parts it works great. If you change the stock parts you'll have to get it tuned for your new parts. Otherwise it run worse and has worse fuel mileage. When you retune you're truck they can just simple turn off that system that saves you fuel. Adding high flow exhaust makes the engine breathe better and the tune will run leaner give you better fuel mileage. Factory tunes are a little safe and a little more Rich than normal to protect the engine and give you long life. Factory tune also retards timing. Tuners normally advance timing and give you a leaner mixture.
Most knuckleheads just like louder trucks and can care less how it runs. Killing the efficiency and making it louder equals happiness for them. 😂
Well written. AFM/DOD/DFM works best on a factory vehicle and performs extremely well given you give the engine proper maintenance. Opening the exhaust system or intake adds volume and removes restriction thus atomizes the air going into the combustion chamber and expelling it. The engine uses negative and positive vacuum to gauge many different parameters and why GM always uses a AFM(air flow meter) and MAP reference. The droning effect is caused by unequal exhaust pressure. I’ve had success tuning cars with the cylinder deactivation and can’t stress the importance of oil changes.
Any update on this? Conclusions, comments from an engineer, other? Thanks for the video!
Yes I have had a a variety of people contact me including someone who owned a GM dealership. I don’t have documents to show it, but from what we’ve talked about, since 2007 driving in manual mode in any gear (except the top one) disables DFM or AFM. This is just what I have been told.
Nice Vid! I never even knew about manual mode. One question: mine only goes to L8 or am I doing something wrong?
Not doing anything wrong. You just have an 8 speed transmission, so shifting do L7 will turn off AFM for you.
Can you use L7 for the 8speeds to eliminate the DFM? If so what’s highest speed can you go in L7
In the older generation trucks, you simply watched the dash and noted that it wasn't shifting between 4 and 8 cylinders. I actually GAINED MPG without DFM active and I drove thousands of miles like that in my 2016 Sierra.
Never mind the fuel mileage; it didn't really change for me, but my oil consumption dropped to near zero in an '08 Silverado 5.3 with 200K miles.
What did you do to deactivate AFM?
@@rickn8or That's what I'm looking for, to reduce my oil consumption. What did you do to deactivate AFM?
@@rickn8or Same with my 2012. I used a HyperTech Max Energy to disable mine and I can't remember the last time I had to add oil. Prior to disabling the AFM it was about 1 qt every 3 weeks.
@@tomcat5986 @ with a tuner, desable afm, on pcm
I had a 2013 Silverado 5.3L and tried that and it did work to keep it in all 8 cylinders but the truck only had a 6 speed transmission which made the RPM's too high. I bought a Range AFM disabler and it kept it in 8 cylinder mode all the time. I traded the truck last year for a 2020 Silverado Trail Boss and took my disabler out of the 2013 then put it in my 2020. It has worked flawless for 20000 miles keeping it in all 8 cylinders all the time. I spoke with Range before I put it in my new truck and they said if it didn't work they would update my disabler for free. I also found out that once I put the disabler in my new truck it also disabled the auto/stop feature which I hate.
Thanks for the share!
Are you serious I just sold my range disabled 😢
Did you have any issues with disabler plugged in all the time draining your battery?
@@danhenry4162 i don't. I don't drive my truck a lot in winter time. After 2 or 3 weeks of not using truck starts no problem.
I had battery draw for years with the range and killed my battery twice.(had to remove after each drive) so I had the computer programmed and much better. But the range did work as intended.
are the older 5.3L V8s having the same issue? I have a 2016 All Terrain and although they call it something different (EFM vs. DFM) are the issues with the lifters the same?
It’s the same thing with the older GMC is in Silverado’s if you put it in manual shift mode and do not use the top gear at deactivate the active fuel management system my 2013 GMC was a six speed so when I drove in manual and only used first through fifth, it never went into V4 mode, as well as our new 2018 GMC Sierra does the same thing, so I’m sure the newer trucks with the 10 speed transmission’s, will do the same if you put it in manual mode and only use 1 through 9 and it baffles me that not many people know about it because when I got my 2013 I literally figured it out within the first couple days because I hate the lagging feeling of the V4 mode it also makes it shift hard when inverse for mode, and you stop the gas to downshift it otherwise, you will have to ease into the gas to put it back in V8 mode, and then stomp on it for it to be smooth like normal
I like the low rpm dfm gargle. Sounds cool and comes in handy coming home late in neighborhood. My old truck had it, but new one doesnt I believe because of chip shortage.
😂
Whats that gargle sound? Mine does it. Its a 2020 and have a range plugged in so thought that maybe running in v8 it would not do it???
Dodge/ram has been doing this with the gear limiter for 10 years to disable afm/dfm etc . And yes it stops it on Gm when you do it too .
Yeah but it's a Dodge
@@danielwesenberg8865 and your point ??
Sounds like my tractor. I ll take two of them👍
I just completely rebuilt my entire engine and did a AMS racing DOD/AFM delete with cam valley place and LS7 lifters. Also came with the Diablo predator 2 tuner works amazing on my Gen.4 5.3 Silverado
You are the envy of many
@@Donslife well I dropped a lifter number six because of AFM it ended up bending a rod on number six into a circle had detonation marks all over number six piston so I decided to just do a AFM delete kit and did not find all this out until I got inside of the block. then it turned into cam barons, main barons, resizing, garage location, everything and it’s snowballed cost me about two grand in the end, but very much worth it
Use L5 on a six speed, L7 on a 8 speed, L9 on 10 speed to disable cylinder deactivation! It works on all of my Chevys. Or just don’t lift drive it like you stole it! Lol
Or do all of the above!! 🤘🏼
This is true my 6 speed in L5 stays in v8 mode. Way better ride quality with AFM disabled. I have a straight pipe exhaust so the sound is significantly different and ugly when it goes in v4
Does this keep it from going into the high gear? I have a 6 speed in my suburban.
@@jarryd2018 yes you won’t get to 6th gear, you’ll just go to 5th, if you go to 6 it will just reactivate the cylinder deactivation that’s all and the vehicle will act as it is designed to do
my 2012 silverado just starting the fluttering today, is my valvetrain shot or can i switch to this other drive mode to save my engine from blowing up? please help me im very stressed out any more info on this drive mode would be much appreciated
With my 2015 Chevy Silverado high country Hi country I put it in M 5 and It drives normal good comfortably and stays in V8 It never comes out and it costs you nothing
I have a 2021 Trailboss with a 6.2 engine. I installed a CAI and Flowmaster muffler. If I’m not on a highway (which there isn’t many in WV) I leave mine in L9. I think it does keep it in 8 cylinder mode myself but that’s just me going by the sound. If I’m on a highway and have it in drive to me it sounds like a Subaru when the DFM kicks in.
I hear ya! I can confirm now it does disable DFM while in L1-L9
This video is helpful. I have a rare 2021 trail boss that didn't come with the micro chip and the DFM never worked. I'm extremely hesitant to upgrade to a ZR2 because of the lifter troubles plus I think it's ridiculous for a big truck to be running on 6 or 4 cylinders. I still don't know if I want to switch trucks Because they don't offer the gun metal(not real name) and black so my truck is much sexier...I'm conflicted
Thinking about getting a 21 Trail Boss. I’m curious how I would find out if it didn’t have the chip? Is there something I can look for and find while it’s still there on the lot or would i need to hook up a scanner to it?
@James Woodham you won't see any symbols on the dash saying v4 etc while driving
Very informative. I have the same set on my AT4 minus the intake. I would love to put a intake but I live in California so... yeah. I have a 6.2 and noticed the gear changes and not so desired sounds coming from exhaust. Will definitely try L9.
Seems to be a popular work around
Put the intake on and keep the stock one for your annual emissions test.
@@Connor4x4 every two years...
@@erikc7201 that's not as bad. Still bullshit tho
I’m in SoCal and have 6.2 with AFE INTAKE a bigger ported throttle body and the throttle control from AFE others make it but they invented it adds no horse power but feels like it adds a ton throttle is amazing now. I kept all my stock stuff less than an hour I can switch it all out if interested I can give you more info cheers
There's a Class Action lawsuit on-going over the lifter failures, GM should have initiated a recall to get out in front of this a while ago.
I would like to learn how it plays out
Thanks for the reply. Makes sense. Instead of messing with the valve train, why not control the fuel with the injectors. Are they not direct injection yet? Seems a whole lot easier and more reliable to me.
I have a 2016 5.3 Silverado.
It says in the manual that if you drive in manual 5 it disables the afm. It says it's for towing around town. So it may have somethin similar for the new ones. Thought I'd say that.
Thanks for the share!
I put an afm disabler on my truck and it runs in v8 mode all the time, u should definitely get one , it cost me about 230 bucks but worth it to prevent damage to engine
You're a smart man, I did the same thing.
Ditto
What brand did you get? What's the name?
I got mine from range technologies
My parents’ 1976 Cadillac DeVille had the cylinder shut down mode
I put mine in L9 when I have other people in the truck to avoid the “what’s that noise” conversation. 😂
Hilarious 😂
What noise
Heard of using L9 or l whatever to limit start stop feature on some models. GM and others keep adding gadgets to restrict our vehicles performance. We were looking at a new Chevy Traverse but there was no way to stop the start stop feature.
Different trim levels might not have that feature.
Hahahahaaaa traverse. Whatever, get a Duramax or go home.
In my sierra, I drive in L9, and it disables DFM and stop/start feature. I have a flowmaster muffler, and L9 stopped all the weird noises I had. I also don't have to remember the stop/start. Even though it's still on, it won't shut off while in manual mode.
I am going to try it on my 2024 2500