GM 5.3L EcoTec3 engine questions

**Don't Tread On Me** · 10-03-22, 11:48

As others have stated, oil changes on GM 5.3l engines with AFM are key. Anecdotally, had an '09 Silverado that I got rid of at about 210k, was still going strong. Wife's 2011 Yukon has 177k. Aside from chewing through brakes due to how she drives, mechanically sound and engine is very solid. I drive a '15 Silverado with about 130k on it.

**Coal Dragger** · 10-03-22, 12:12

Originally Posted by 1_click_off

2007 5.7 liter
Air injection pump. Covered under warranty. 187k miles on it and the only thing changed besides valve cover gaskets and plugs has been filters and fluids. (Still in the family)

2014 5.7 liter
Threw every light on the dash and traction control shut off. Dealer said it was because of low pressure from the fuel pump. Changed fuel pump and then it was just filters and fluids. Traded it in on the 2017 with 87k. No issues, just needed the crew max cab for passengers.

2017 5.7 liter
130k miles with just fluids and filters so far.

5k oil changes on each of them.

Gone are the days of 5.7 engines and gone are the days of me getting another tundra. 2017 is paid for and I will drive it until the wheels fall off.

I have a 2007 Tundra with the 5.7L that I bought in December of 2007. That engine has been bulletproof for me up until a few months ago it finally burned out the drivers side catalytic converter. After 15 years of service that catalytic converter doesn’t owe me shit.

**ABNAK** · 10-03-22, 17:54

As of 2022 Toyota stopped offering V8's in the Tundra lineup due to, as I read somewhere, "concerns for the planet's future" or other such tripe. Now you can have a twin turbo V6. Yippee!

**Coal Dragger** · 10-03-22, 18:45

The old 5.7L 3UR-FE was many things but fuel efficient, and low emissions weren’t among those things.

In order to meet EPA emissions standards in the GVWR class below 3/4 ton and larger payload vehicles the relatively simple non variable displacement V8 is largely going away in mass volume vehicles. The way the EPA assessment used to work, and I think still does, it’s based on a fleet average. So there will still be low volume expensive sports cars, or niche vehicles with fire breathing V8’s because the rest of the product portfolio and sales volume makes up for them.

So beyond the next couple of years your choices in regular volume production 1/2 ton engines people actually buy will be:

1.) GM 5.3L V8 with variable displacement and direct injection, there are known issues with this system. Ruins engines typically if the lifters fail.

2.) GM 6.2L V8 with variable displacement and direct injection. Same issues as above but also requires 91 octane or higher fuel. Aside from that a sweetheart of an engine.

3.) GM 2.7L I4 turbocharged direct injected engine. I’m not sure anyone buys these but they do make 430ft-lbs of torque, and will run on 87 octane if memory serves.

4.) GM 3.0L I6 turbodiesel. Gets good reviews, makes a bit over 300hp for 2023 and 495ft-lbs of torque. Fuel economy reports are usually positive, and it’s supposedly turbine smooth like most inline 6’s. Downside is diesel costs more than gas, can be a pain in the ass in cold climates, and there’s many thousands of $$$ in emissions equipment waiting to fail and bankrupt you if it happens out of warranty.

5.) Ford 2.7L V6 EcoBoost. Using both direct injection and port injection. This is Ford’s volume engine in the F-150 and seems to get good reviews. Requires 91 octane for full power.

6.) Ford 5.0L “Coyote” V8 with direct and port injection, and variable displacement. Once again if a V8 is offered you have to deal with the variable displacement horseshit.

7.) Ford 3.5L EcoBoost/PowerBoost. Twin turbo direct and port injected V6’s. One also has an electric motor integrated into the transmission bell housing to make an absurd amount of torque. The hybrid is a rocket with all the extra power. The 3.5L calls for 91 octane to achieve full power. Larger bore than stroke so it likes to rev. Both have done well in abusive towing tests at altitude.

8.) Ram 5.7 HEMI port fuel injection engine with MDS variable displacement. Not long for this world, being replaced by #9 as time goes by. When MDS lifters fail in these the motor is usually a total loss.

9.) Ram 3.0L twin turbo direct injected and port injected I6 “Hurricane”. Should make very good power, one standard output that runs on 87 octane, and a high output that will require 91 octane. It’s a Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/Ram product so expect it to catch on fire and not work right for the first 7 years of production.

10.) Toyota 3.4L twin turbo direct and port injected V6 and hybrid variant of said V6. Long stroke, small bore, liquid cooled exhaust manifolds, big cooling package for the engine. Runs on 87 octane for full rated power. Kind of overbuilt in typical Toyota fashion and seems conservatively tuned. Doesn’t want to rev much beyond 5200 RPM, made to give a lot of grunt at low/midrange. Toyota doesn’t care how much the truck weighs so not a rocket sled in either configuration even though the hybrid makes 437hp and 583ft-lbs of torque. This engine family showed strong towing prowess for TFLTruck, towing an 8500lb trailer up a 7% grade to the Eisenhower tunnel. Never needed to downshift lower than whatever gear equated to 3000rpm, and did most of it at 2400rpm. For comparison naturally aspirated V8’s on that same test are usually screaming along at 4500-5000rpm, and still don’t maintain the speed limit.

Going away soon:

1.) 5.6L Nissan V8. Along with the Titan. Nissan is giving up. Your last chance to buy a naturally aspirated V8 with no variable displacement bullshit in a 1/2 ton. Get it while you can.

2.) Ram 3.0L V6 turbodiesel. After all the cheating Ram engaged in to make it “pass” emissions and the EPA response of massive fines Ram is throwing in the towel after 2023 on the VM Motori sourced EcoDiesel.

The engines no one buys:

1.) Any of the base bitch naturally aspirated V6’s, who cares about the poverty spec motors?

**utahjeepr** · 10-03-22, 23:26

I know a few folks with the 5.3L GM with no issues.

My company truck has the 5.0L Ford 190k. Oil/filter changes, one set of plugs, and coil packs. That's it.

Toy V-6 runs long, gets V8 mpg.

Just my (including friends/family) experience.

**C-grunt** · 10-04-22, 16:53

Talked with our mechanic at work. He has a fleet of around 80 vehicles, probably 70 of those being 2015+ Tahoes.

He said the main thing yo watch out for is the lifters. They are a big issue. That being said he told me all of our new 2021 and 2022 vehicles are getting the lifters replaced at the dealer before they come to us. He said a 2022 Silverado should have the replacement lifters but double check.

Be said the carbon buildup hadn't been a real issue for us and we idle the trucks significantly more than a normal user.

Other thing he said was to upgrade or delete the stock transmission oil bypass. Those are failing.

**T2C** · 10-04-22, 18:17

This thread settled it for me. I was seriously thinking about buying a new full size pickup truck. I believe I'll keep driving my 4Runner and use the trailer when I need to pick up something big from the home improvement store.

Hopefully, the automotive industry will have all these issues worked out within the next couple of years.

**P2Vaircrewman** · 10-05-22, 09:40

Originally Posted by T2C

This thread settled it for me. I was seriously thinking about buying a new full size pickup truck. I believe I'll keep driving my 4Runner and use the trailer when I need to pick up something big from the home improvement store.

Hopefully, the automotive industry will have all these issues worked out within the next couple of years.

The 5.3 AFM has been around since 2007, if GM hasn't figured it out yet they never will. That said at 150,000 miles mine still runs like new, kind of luck of the draw or maintenance.