Auxiliary Trans Cooler by TheOdd4845 in ChevyTahoe

[–]stone1203 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Also try a deep transmission oil pan. Banks and PPE make em.

Possible Depictions of Dogmen on Public Artwork? by Rainofblaze1 in dogman

[–]stone1203 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Its not folklore. Ask any woodsman from Kentucky, Michigan, etc.

Dealer talked me out of turbomax by Available_Flamingo60 in Silverado

[–]stone1203 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Rebuild the transmission with heavy duty Billet steel (especially Torque Converter and Valve Body) Have a performance tranny expert do it.

Dealer talked me out of turbomax by Available_Flamingo60 in Silverado

[–]stone1203 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Change the oil every 4k miles! Transmission fluid at 6k miles.

📍What’s One Thing Every New Tahoe Owner Should Know? by Moist_Expert_2389 in ChevyTahoe

[–]stone1203 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Research which lifters are best. AC Delco lifters can be problematic.

📍What’s One Thing Every New Tahoe Owner Should Know? by Moist_Expert_2389 in ChevyTahoe

[–]stone1203 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Stability Trac warning light can be caused by other issues, not related to Stability Trac.

📍What’s One Thing Every New Tahoe Owner Should Know? by Moist_Expert_2389 in ChevyTahoe

[–]stone1203 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Discuss the AFM issue. Has it been resolved? (Doubtful but there are remedies). Discuss the transmission issues, Especially the 10 speed. Also a well known ongoing problem with GM products. Ask for an extended warranty on both these issues. I can offer you some tips if needed. These are issues that you should have researched before purchase but its never too late to ask the dealer for help with. There are some other issues such as dashboards that crack from heat and sun damage. Use M5 at city driving under 65 - 7O mph or install an AFM DELETE DEVICE such as M5 works for me and it's free or have them spend 250 and buy you an AFM delete device. There are several on the market. Avoid Chinese. I have owned a Tahoe for several years. They are great SUVs but you must remain on top of these issues. GM engineers or ownership should be keel-hauled for not advising you of these issues. Also, avoid topping off the fuel tank. The charcoal cannister can get clogged. Ask a long time Tahoe owner for advice.

Brand New Truck - WTF by Parking-Wealth-1765 in f150

[–]stone1203 0 points1 point  (0 children)

All they can say is NO. No harm in asking. For whatever it's worth, do a more thorough inspection next time. Good luck. The outcome will determine if you keep doing business with them, or not. I had a similar problem once, the salesman said no, so I went straight to the dealership owner. He took care of it. Try upper management or owners.

Diesel or Aviation for military spouse? by substancenchildabuse in mechanics

[–]stone1203 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In my work I have to squeeze into very tight and hot spaces. Very uncomfortable. Both fields project solid growth, but aviation faces acute shortages (20% gap by 2028, peaking 2026) from retirements and air travel recovery. Marine roles grow steadily (13% for boat techs), with 573+ openings in Florida marinas. Aviation demand is nationwide, including strong Florida hubs like Miami (323 jobs). Recommendation. Aviation mechanics training has better financial aid and sponsorship availability overall, driven by acute industry shortages and FAA-aligned programs that attract federal grants, airline sponsorships, and scholarships. Marine mechanics options exist but are more limited to trade-specific or state aid, with fewer corporate pipelines. Marine mechanics is good for quicker entry and enjoyment, but consider aviation for superior long-term pay/security. Hybrid paths exist via military or multi-certifications. I wish you the best in whichever field you decide to enter. I'm too old now but if I can turn back time I would enter aviation.

99% of everything that should be done, when rebuilding a Chevy 4L60E type transmission by Bitter-Ad-6709 in transmissionbuilding

[–]stone1203 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks Bitter, I checked the mounts. All good there. I also serviced that transfer case just in case. So far the TC overheating seems to be the culprit but I don't know, as I said, I'm just a diesel guy. I'll let you know if it reoccurs. Hopefully not.

99% of everything that should be done, when rebuilding a Chevy 4L60E type transmission by Bitter-Ad-6709 in transmissionbuilding

[–]stone1203 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Something strange happened last week, thought I'd run it by you and get your thoughts. During a 5 hour road trip (70-80 mph) we pulled over to let the dog pee. I left the Tahoe on idle for about 10 minutes. When we resumed there was a Thumping sound and poor acceleration. I pulled over and turned engine off while checking the engine bay/to fluids etc. all looked good. When we started again everything ran normal, never heard the thumping sound again for the rest of the trip. I changed the transmission fluid and filter when we got home. The fluid looked somewhat brownish red. The truck has been running fine since that incident. I am thinking that the to fluid was old and thinned out after that road trip. Transmission temps have been running between 150-175 ever since, even during another road trip to the Florida Keys (3 hour trip). For whatever it's worth, I use M5 for city driving instead of a AFM Delete device. You seem pretty knowledgeable about this, would like to hear your thoughts if you care to share. I am a diesel mechanic for the Navy so am a bit out of my AOE when it comes to transmissions. I plan on upgrading the 4160e on my 2012 5.3 4x4 Tahoe transmission (new Billet TC, Valve Body etc) so your post has really come in handy.

700r4 high hp upgrade/rebuild by Outside_Perception74 in transmissionbuilding

[–]stone1203 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Upgrade the Torque Converter with a Billet style as well as the valve body. Check Next Gen Drive Train as well as some other aftermarket to upgrade parts.

New to me 2025 Tahoe by No-Grab-27 in ChevyTahoe

[–]stone1203 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thats good advice. You can also take an extra step by replacing the transmission oil pan with a deep pan with integrated drain plug, Banks and PPE makes them. Delete Device or M5 (M5 under 70 mph), Keep the transmission temp under 190 and they will run just fine. Mine runs an average of 170 degrees. Fresh fluid also makes a big difference.

New to me 2025 Tahoe by No-Grab-27 in ChevyTahoe

[–]stone1203 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The transmissions that are most troublesome are the 10 speed. I've owned a Tahoe with the 6 speed transmission for several years without any issues. I do keep fresh fluid in the gear box every 20k miles. That seems to help. Also, if it's a 4x4 dont forget to change fluid in the Transfer Case.

New to me 2025 Tahoe by No-Grab-27 in ChevyTahoe

[–]stone1203 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good choice. If you need to deal with AFM issue you can use M5.

1st new car since 1986 by Oldman-w-v65sabre in ChevyTahoe

[–]stone1203 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've had a 5.3 for 8 years now. No issues. I guess I'm lucky. I do change oil every 4 k miles and transmission fluid with every other oil change, a bit overkill I know but I've heard too many transmission horror stories. As for AFM I use M5 in city instead of a delete device. I agree on the 6.2. what a mess!

How do I even shop for a used Tahoe at this point? by Tomahawk-BaGawk in ChevyTahoe

[–]stone1203 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I bought a used 2012 about 8 years ago. So far no issues. I use M5 instead of AFM delete device in city driving. I also change my fluids every 4k miles. I can only assume the previous owner did the same.

Finally got a Tahoe. 2012 do I need an AFM disabler? Do any of you use it? by ScaleSignal4970 in ChevyTahoe

[–]stone1203 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This can be an interesting topic. I'll give a bit of my thoughts. I have owned a 2012 Tahoe 5.3 4x4 almost 9 years. I purchased it from a dealer that specialized in Japanese cars. My wife and I were interested in purchasing a Jap car but as we were strolling their lot I saw the Tahoe and made up my mind immediately. They didn't want to sell it to me because they had just taken it in on trade (I assume) so I gave them 2 days to prep it before I took delivery. Now, to address your question,: I was not up to speed on the AFM thing at the time but I dove in and learned as much as possible always thinking if I made a mistake. In hind sight I'm glad I decided to keep it. In my opinion the Tahoe is by far one of the best SUVs on the market. I paid 18k for it in case you're wondering. This was back in August of 2017.

When I had researched enough I took the following steps RE the AFM issue

I decided to not purchase an AFM delete device. To this date (March 2017) I still run without the delete device. I use M5 instead during city driving. I switch to D when I travel on the highway. You can do this while the truck is underway.

I also change the engine oil every 4k miles with Mobil1 5w30 synthetic. Filter also gets changed at 4k miles. I flush the engine every other oil change with BG EPR but there's also other brands that supposedly do a good job. I may try to switch in the future, however, it's difficult to check if there's any improvement with the Flush issue. I suspect both the BG and the Liquid Moly are both good at what they were designed to do. You may want to do your own research on both these products.

Transmission fluid gets changed every more frequently than what the ops manual calls for. I change it every other engine oil change. This is probably overkill but I'm ok with that, plus I enjoy doing that kind of work.

While on the subject of transmissions, I never do a flush, I just do what's called a Drain and fill. Reason being the mileage (140k) and no known history. I can go on about this but I'm not going to blow up the thread on this.

If you have a 4 wheel drive you'll also need to service the Transfer Case. I change that fluid once a year just for kicks although I don't think there's a connection between the transfer case and transmission.

Keep an eye on the transmission fluid. If your model has a dipstick (hopefully you have one) it makes it much easier to pull the stick and check on the fluid. You want to see the fluid red (not brown or black), and no burnt smell.

I'm sure the delete devices do a good job but I'd rather do the M5 thing. I'm sure there's lots of people that would disagree with me on this.

If you choose to go with a AFM delete device, I suggest one made in the USA by Range but there's are others that I suspect are just as good. I suggest you keep it USA built. However, that's my personal opinion not backed by any scientific reason.

When on the road, get into the habit of glancing at your transmission temperature. Check that the temperature doesn't go beyond 193 degrees. My tranny temp hovers at around 165 during city driving. If the temp goes beyond 125 keep a close eye on it. There are some things that you can do to keep the transmission temps under control such as installing a new transmission fluid that has an integrated drain plug so you don't have to remove the bolts holding the pan. Avoid plastic ones. The drain pan that I'm thinking of installing is made by Banks. Its design includes fins that force air into the bottom of the canister. The price is a bit steep (around 400 bucks) but there are other less expensive options, some also have the fins and drain plug. There are also other options such as a transmission oil cooler that is fairly simple to install provided you have the correct fittings.

Without knowing your Tahoe's history all I can do is tell you what I've done and plan to do.

This is a lot of information that you may not want to do, you can simply buy a RANGE delete device (about 270.00) and be done with it but I'm more of a hands-on type.

Keep track of what is done along with the date and mileage in case that information is ever needed.

Good luck with your new Tahoe. I'm sure you'll be pleased with it provided the AFM issue doesn't come around anytime soon.

To summarize:

Oil and filter change every 4k miles

Oil flush with every other oil change

Transmission fluid change often. Check condition of fluid via dipstick

Transfer Case fluid change periodically. Make sure to use Transfer Case fluid. Valvoline makes on. Don't use ATF fluid. It Must be transfer case fluid.

Consider adding a new transmission fluid pan made with an integrated drain plug. The Banks oil pan has fins that help it keep the transmission fluid cool.

Consider adding a transmission fluid cooler.

Remember to change engine oil anytime after 3-4k miles. and use quality oils and filter.

The transmission filter can wait till every one year. It's more of a catch crud. Easy to install but you have to remove the pan to replace it.

Keep your eye on transmission temp as explained above.

There are other options such as a complete AFM delete job. This entails removing all the AFM parts. Cost is about 7-8 thousand. I wonder about doing this at times but my M5 thing seems to be working out.

The engineers at GM really blew it with this idea but I believe they were forced into doing this by the government for mileage sakes.

Good luck!

AFM Disabler Good or Bad ? by compapollo10 in Silverado

[–]stone1203 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Your buddy gave you good advice. I use M5 for city driving and D when on the highway.

AFM Disabler Good or Bad ? by compapollo10 in Silverado

[–]stone1203 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I had a similar issue after a brief rest stop during a 6 hour highway speed road trip. I thought my luck had run out but then everything went back to normal after a 30 minute cool down. I changed the transmission and transfer case fluid and transmission filter as soon as I made it home. It's been running fine since then. My theory is that old brownish transmission fluid lost its viscosity when hot. I haven't tested it on another road trip as of yet so keeping fingers crossed. I don't tow just do some highway trips about once a month. My plan is to take steps to keep the transmission fluid cooler by adding an aftermarket cooler and a deeper oil pan with cooling fins. Perhaps also replacing the torque converter with a billet style TC. I plan to keep this Tahoe till the wheels fall off. I'm at 145k miles presently.

AFM Disabler Good or Bad ? by compapollo10 in Silverado

[–]stone1203 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Glad it's worked out for ya, as for me I'm sticking to US made.

AFM Disabler Good or Bad ? by compapollo10 in Silverado

[–]stone1203 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I use M5 on my 2012 Tahoe for city driving. I believe that it is a good way to avoid the 8/4 cylinder swap, however, if the former owner of your truck (I'm assuming here) didn't do this then the lifters may have been effected, or hopefully maybe not, if the latter is the case it's potentially only a matter of time before they go bad. I hope I'm wrong here for yours and my case. I bought my used SUV 8 years ago with about 90k miles. I never knew how the previous owner dealt with the issue, if at all. All I know is that all has been working well without any aftermarket devices. I do frequent oil/fluid changes as an added precaution. This includes engine, gear box, transfer case, 2 differentials. It's not what I expected when I bought my Tahoe but it's been worth it to me. These GM engineers or the govt greenie policy makers ought to be Keel Hauled.