We delve into the deep end of the Chevrolet Silverado 1500’s under-reported issues
Did you recently catch A Current Affair (ACA) tearing strips off Ford for purported issues relating to their Next-Gen Ranger? They banged on about it like it was the first vehicle rollout that’s gone haphazardly. They completely failed to mention the issues that Chevy Silverado 1500 owners are currently facing! So, I’ve decided to harness my inner Tracy Grimshaw and do it for them. And viewers of ACA, I’m sorry: there won’t be any unbearable dramatised reenactments here. Although I will deliver this with the appropriate substandard level of journalism that you’re used to. It’s what I’m good at.
It’s no wonder people are stinging to get their hands on a Chevrolet Silverado 1500. A huge towing capacity coupled with freight train pulling power make them a worthy steed for any Aussie. Especially one that finds towing 23T caravans fun.
It’s practically the vehicular version of John Cena
They look good too. If you put your sunnies on and manage not to be dazzled by all the chrome, you’ll notice the Chevrolet Silverado is hands down one of the most handsome full-sizes getting around.
It’s somehow nailed walking the tightrope between bold and brash. It’s practically the vehicular version of John Cena. With one big difference: John Cena has no problem lifting, and the Silverado does.
Hiccups are expected, however…
In an ideal world for manufacturers and consumers alike, new-vehicle rollouts would go off without a hitch, but we don’t live in an ideal world. That’s why you need to sell your firstborn just to brim the tank with fuel.
So, it’s to be expected that Chevy’s rollout of the 1500 Silverado would have a few hiccups. Customers have expressed issues with transmissions lurching, exterior finish quality, infotainment system display failure and rare cases of intermittent engine stalling, which all pale in comparison to the latest issue to rear its ugly head: the lifters.
Issues are occurring early on
With new owners now having put a few kilometres on their Silverado, reports of lifter failure have been flooding in. Generally, customers are getting to around the 15,000KM+ mark before the issue presents itself, by which time the motor needs a rebuild or replacement. We’ve heard of one Silverado 1500 owner who’s waiting for their third motor, only having racked up 42,000KM combined.
The issue relates to both Chevy’s 5.3L (L84) and 6.2L (L87) V8 engines, which feature Dynamic Fuel Management systems (DFM), which were developed as an improvement over Active Fuel Management (AFM) systems. The basic premise of DFM is to increase a vehicle’s fuel economy while not reducing the performance of the engine and maintaining natural aspiration without needing to resort to smaller displacement forced induction motors because ‘Merica.
What’s causing the issue?
There’s some debate on what the official cause of the lifter issue is. Particularly in regards to whether it’s poor quality, poor design, or directly correlated to the DFM system. With General Motors remaining tight-lipped on lifter-gate, I did my own digging. An anonymous source close to the industry has stated that in their experience, the lifters are shearing the locking pin inside them, meaning they either come out in pieces or are prevented from remaining in a fixed position.
The fix isn’t pretty, and it definitely isn’t quick. Whilst the world has, for the most part, returned to normal after the Covid-19 Pandemic, vehicle parts are still taking an age to arrive, delaying repair times by weeks.
When the parts do arrive, they’re generally in the form of a replacement long motor. Due to the design of the Silverado 1500, some mechanics are opting to remove the entire body from the chassis to gain enough space to fit the new motor, ah. American engineering.
Okay so, what’s a lifter?
Well, it really depends on who you ask, some would say they’re young blokes with an insatiable thirst for protein shakes who wear stringer-singlets that enjoy grunting and sweating in a non-sexual atmosphere. Ask a mechanic though, and they’ll tell you a lifter is a small cylindrical-shaped object that sits between the camshaft and the cylinder valves in an engine.
As the camshaft rotates, its lobes contact the lifter and cause it to actuate, which temporarily opens the valve. Whilst there are only two types of lifters: either hydraulic or mechanical, they have various designs. On a pushrod engine, they’ll activate a rocker arm instead of coming into direct contact with the valve, for example.
Know the signs and symptoms
Often the issue presents itself in the form of a conked-out motor and a ruined holiday. Other times, you may notice one or more of the following symptoms:
1. A tick or tap sound coming from inside the engine
2. Knocking or banging noises from the motor
3. Loss of power, shudders and misfires
4. A check engine light illuminated on your dash
What it means for current Silverado owners
I don’t mean to be the host of a pity party, but I have to be. Tracey Grimshaw said so. This is a true case of ‘damned if you do, damned if you don’t.’ Essentially, you’re just going to have to sit tight and see what your Silverado has in store for you. Think of it as an opportune time to practice being imperturbable.
If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, you can try and get your hands on a DFM delete kit. But this will almost certainly wreak havoc with your factory warranty. Given that this is a serious issue on a low KM vehicle, you may want to consider keeping that for the future.
