How does GM Active Fuel Management work?
General Motors' Active Fuel Management (AFM) technology is a fuel-saving feature found in many of the company's engines. AFM works by temporarily deactivating some of the engine's cylinders when full power is not needed, reducing fuel consumption and improving efficiency.
What is Active Fuel Management?
Active Fuel Management, also known as cylinder deactivation, is a technology that allows an engine to operate on fewer cylinders when full power is not required. This helps improve fuel economy by reducing the amount of fuel consumed. When the engine is under light load, such as cruising on the highway, AFM can deactivate up to half of the engine's cylinders, allowing the remaining cylinders to operate more efficiently. When more power is needed, the deactivated cylinders are seamlessly reactivated.
How Does Active Fuel Management Work?
The key components of GM's Active Fuel Management system are:
- Solenoid valves that control oil flow to the cylinder lifters
- Sensors that monitor engine load, speed, and other parameters
- An engine control module that manages the cylinder deactivation process
When the engine is operating under light load, the engine control module signals the solenoid valves to cut off oil flow to the lifters on specific cylinders. This causes those cylinders to deactivate, reducing the number of firing cylinders and improving fuel efficiency. When more power is needed, the control module reactivates the deactivated cylinders almost instantly.
Benefits of Active Fuel Management
The main benefits of GM's Active Fuel Management technology include:
- Improved Fuel Economy: By deactivating cylinders under light load, AFM can improve fuel efficiency by up to 7%.
- Seamless Operation: The cylinder deactivation and reactivation process is virtually unnoticeable to the driver.
- Reduced Emissions: Fewer active cylinders means less fuel is burned, resulting in lower emissions.
Overall, GM's Active Fuel Management is an effective technology that helps improve the fuel efficiency of the company's engines without compromising performance.
What year to avoid AFM?
The AFM system is supposed to disable engine cylinders when you're not using them to help you save gas. Unfortunately, it was faulty, especially in the years between 2010 and 2014, which are definitely some of the Chevy Silverado model years to avoid.
How does the GM Active Fuel Management work?
When you're driving at cruising speeds or in conditions where your engine is not utilizing all power, the Active Fuel Management comes into play. This system detects when your engine does not need full power and will stop fuel delivery to half the cylinders, 3 on a V6 engine and 4 on a V8 engine.
Does AFM actually save fuel?
The fuel mileage is rarely affected allowing you to continue the same MPG you had before we deactivated the AFM to save thousands of dollars on repairs! Not to mention the hassle of being broke down on the side of the road or in a strange city on vacation.
What happens if you delete AFM?
When you eliminate the AFM system, the extra oil isn't needed. Excess oil will be pushed out of the pressure relief valve in the oil pan. This will spray oil on the bottom of the cylinder walls. This can cause oil burning, especially in high-rpm engines.
Why do AFM lifters collapse?
Collapsed or stuck AFM lifters due to oil contamination will result in the same. Contamination/sludge is a major concern, prompting some to re-evaluate mileage service intervals. GM's Active Fuel Management (AFM) system allows a V8 engine to turn off half of its cylinders for fuel economy purposes.
Can you turn off GM Active Fuel Management?
The Range AFM/DFM Disabler allows your V6 or V8 GM vehicle to run in full cylinder mode at all times, preventing the Active and Dynamic Fuel Management systems from dropping cylinders.
Why delete AFM?
Engines with AFM use a High-Volume Oil Pump. When you eliminate the AFM system, the extra oil isn't needed. Excess oil will be pushed out of the pressure relief valve in the oil pan.
What happens if you disable AFM?
When you eliminate the AFM system, the extra oil isn't needed. Excess oil will be pushed out of the pressure relief valve in the oil pan. This will spray oil on the bottom of the cylinder walls. This can cause oil burning, especially in high-rpm engines.
Does AFM ruin engines?
It can. The lifters can shred from hitting the cam lobe, and the metal from the lifters can get into your engine. If you catch it soon enough, it'll only be chips. If you let it go, you'll have pieces of lifters and camshaft bouncing around your engine block.
Can you turn off AFM with a scan tool?
For some drivers, these changes in engine performance are distracting or unwanted, which leads them to disable AFM altogether. While there are many ways to disable the system, using a scan tool is one of the most direct methods, and it can often be done without needing any extra devices or hardware.
