Consumers are looking for solutions to reduce their fuel usage as a result of high fuel prices. Some are switching to diesel, some to hybrids, and still, others are choosing smaller, lighter cars in an effort to reduce their fuel consumption.
If you were to purchase a vehicle from General Motors, you might be interested in learning if it has active fuel management. With the help of this innovation, powerful engines like the V6 and V8 may operate more efficiently by using less gasoline. Learn how to tell if a vehicle has active fuel management and other useful facts by reading on.
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What Is Active Fuel Management?
A system inside your car called active fuel management actively regulates how much fuel is used by automatically making some mechanical adjustments inside the engine. Therefore, when a car has this management system installed, it might use less fuel when traveling by up to 7%.
General Motors created the patented Active Gasoline Management technique for its variable displacement technology. It was designed and implemented to conserve gasoline when operating at low power levels. The technique works by deactivating half of the engine’s cylinders until greater demand performance activates them again (such as acceleration). Dynamic fuel management is a different system than Active fuel management.
How To Tell If A Vehicle Has Active Fuel Management?
Your car most likely has active fuel management technology if it has a V6 or V8 engine. If you have a V8 engine or a V6 engine, you will notice when the mode changes from 8 to 4 or from 6 to 3 cylinders. The Driver Information Center will display it if the fuel management indicator is active (DIC).
- The Vortec 5.3-liter V-8,
- Vortec MAX 6.0-liter V-8,
- 3.9-liter V-6,
- 5.3-liter small-block V-8 is the four-engine.
Active Fuel Management Issues With GM
Since pressurized engine oil and oil control solenoids are used by all Active Fuel Management systems, they need a sufficient amount of clean oil to operate as intended.
However, problems with oil pressure control and oil supply are where most problems with these systems start. The following are some issues with active fuel management:
1. Excessive Reliance On Oil
Although the installation of Active Fuel Management was intended to decrease fuel efficiency, many drivers of GM vehicles with this technology have experienced the opposite. The majority of them still have vehicles that consume too much oil.
In response, GM issued TS 10-06-01-008F advising that if oil consumption in typical driving conditions exceeds 750ml every 3200 to 4800km, you should determine whether:
- The intake system receives any oil that passes through the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) system.
- The pressure relief valve for the AFM system, which is located in the PCV, is allowing mist, oil spray, or mist to build up in the intake system. The likelihood of this issue occurring increases when traveling at high speeds for an extended period of time. Most often, oil mist gathers in the grooves of the piston rings where it partially transforms into carbon deposits, increasing oil consumption even further. Overheating is prone to causing spark plug failures and fouling.
2. Lifter Malfunction
AFM lifters malfunction more frequently than non-AFM lifters, which results in excessive oil consumption. Low oil levels, a decline in pressure, and the failure of some important parts like the timing chain can all be the results of excessive oil consumption.
The best course of action is to simply disable or uninstall the AFM system in order to save money on unneeded maintenance expenditures associated with AFM-related issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about how to tell if a vehicle has active fuel management:
1. When Was GM’s Active Fuel Management Introduced?
The Active Fuel Management cylinder deactivation technology was introduced by General Motors in 2005.
2. Are All 5.3 Engines AFM Equipped?
No. From the time the AFM system was introduced until 2021–2022 when they started switching to Dynamic Fuel Management (DFM) or no fuel management system at all, GM produced all 5.3 engines with an AFM system installed.
3. Did Chevy Stop AFM When?
In a memo sent to dealers this morning, General Motors described a significant modification to the 2021 5.3L L82/L84 engines with AFM and DFM. The company has decided to temporarily turn off some fuel-saving features on the 5.3L engines due to the global shortage of semiconductors.
4. How To Determine Whether Active Fuel Management Is Effective?
An Active Fuel Management indication will let you know when your engine’s mode shifts in response to environmental factors.
On V8 engines, cylinders 1, 7, 6, and 4 are not actuated. However, when the throttle is applied moderately to strongly when the engine is beginning, and when it is idle, the engine will run on all cylinders.
5. DoD AFM Delete: What Is It?
An AFM Delete Kit is recommended while doing performance improvements or during an AFM lifter break. It accomplishes this by exchanging the AFM components for conventional ones. Due to the four AFM cylinders’ variously ground cam lobes, you MUST swap to a non-AFM camshaft when installing an AFM deletion kit.
6. How Can AFM Lifters Be Kept From Falling?
Simply put premium oil on your car, give it regular maintenance, and since the AFM system is the root of lifter failure, you can install an AFM disabler to turn it off.
7. Should I Turn Off The Silverado’s AFM?
A V8 is always going to be a V8. If you want your V8 to run like a beast, you can do it by turning off the AFM. Half of the cylinders are kept dormant by the AFM, which prevents the vehicle from operating to its full potential. Therefore, it is essential to turn off the AFM before going back to that model.
Conclusion
Knowing how to tell if a vehicle has active fuel management, the AFM technology also happens to be a significant issue with GM automobiles. Active fuel management (AFM) technology, which may be detected in a car, is also a significant issue with GM automobiles. However, several users of the same AFM equipment report positive results, demonstrating the hit-or-miss nature of the problem.
Even if your car has an AFM system, you could choose not to utilize it if it isn’t doing its job properly.