2013 Escalade Hybrid - AFM disabling recommended?

[j91z28d1]

check your motor mounts. 90% of the time they are broken letting the engine move around. it's harder on things

 

[OBSalsoNNBS]

I'm always baffled by those who don't disable cylinder (valve) deactivation first chance they get.

@Marky Dissod
This is a very interesting comment. So there are no downsides in your mind to disabling? Even with a knock off China dongle? (No emissions tests here)

I've searched, not too hard, but never really got an overwhelmingly obvious answer.
Also, see my comment above about weird failures I had, if you'd be so kind. Could be more to do with M5 than the actual disabling though.

Thanks!

 

[j91z28d1]

@Marky Dissod
This is a very interesting comment. So there are no downsides in your mind to disabling? Even with a knock off China dongle? (No emissions tests here)

I've searched, not too hard, but never really got an overwhelmingly obvious answer.
Also, see my comment above about weird failures I had, if you'd be so kind. Could be more to do with M5 than the actual disabling though.

Thanks!

I bought mine used in FL and brought my laptop with me to disable it with hptuners before I drove home. I wasn't going to risk the drive home with it on.

 

[OBSalsoNNBS]

check your motor mounts. 90% of the time they are broken letting the engine move around. it's harder on things

@j91z28d1
They look pretty good...I think? Not really sure what to look for besides broken rubber. I'm not noticing any of the classic symptoms. It moves a little when it's idling and you have someone hit the gas. I thought that was normal movement.

I did have a bit of a bouncy idle, but when I cracked the PCV vacuum line when replacing the oil sender, the new one seems to have solved that problem.

 

[OBSalsoNNBS]

I bought mine used in FL and brought my laptop with me to disable it with hptuners before I drove home. I wasn't going to risk the drive home with it on.

Ha, 'nuff said!

 

[j91z28d1]

@j91z28d1
They look pretty good...I think? Not really sure what to look for besides broken rubber. I'm not noticing any of the classic symptoms. It moves a little when it's idling and you have someone hit the gas. I thought that was normal movement.

I did have a bit of a bouncy idle, but when I cracked the PCV vacuum line when replacing the oil sender, the new one seems to have solved that problem.

there's a motor mount sticky in the engine;drive train sub forum. near the end is a video clip of broken mounts. to test you gotta be in gear and give it gas while someone watches the engine move. it's the tq of moving the vehicle that makes it lift

 

[OBSalsoNNBS]

there's a motor mount sticky in the engine;drive train sub forum. near the end is a video clip of broken mounts. to test you gotta be in gear and give it gas while someone watches the engine move. it's the tq of moving the vehicle that makes it lift

Thanks, I will check it out! Some of the threads are so long it's a real time investment to wade through them...

 

[Marky Dissod]

Disabling is not as good as deletion, but it's a good start.
I'm always baffled by those who don't disable cylinder (valve) deactivation first chance they get.

@Marky Dissod
This is a very interesting comment. So there are no downsides in your mind to disabling? Even with a knock off China dongle? (No emissions tests here)

Long story short: no, no downsides to disabling it.
If a 'dongle' / plug-in does not properly accomplish this, then I judge it by its subpar results,
although I get why Chinesey stuff is prejudged, but again, I judge by results.

I've unique experience among most of you. Had my GMT900 tuned to INCREASE V4 mode duty cycle,
made it available as early as 20MpH, in 3rd 4th 5th AND 6th.
Changed my oil every 3800-3000 miles. No lifter or oil pressure related concerns.
BUT my piston rings got coked up and oil consumption eventually cost an extra $20 a week in oil.
Problem is the lazy V4's cylinders spend more time colder than the fulltime V4.
Eventually, you effectively have half your engine aging differently than the other half,
which is why I insist on calling it Engine Half@$$, and insist on disabling it even moreso.

HOWEVER
There is ONLY one POSSIBLE codicil to my insistence:
For those who are not willing or able to delete it completely, but are willing to get an ecm tune,

raise the V4 mode enable temp to 221F-230F, effectively using it as a near-overheat mode ONLY.
This would reduce the wear differences, delay possible head warpage,
further encourage the driver to shut down ASAP,
while absolutely disabling it under normal circumstances for nearly everyone nearly always.

Since most people don't overheat to the point of head warpage or worse,
disabling the feature entirely is better than keeping it operating as GM intended.

IT IS NOT AN EMISSIONS ISSUE.

There is supposed to be a vacuum line that can be unplugged to disable it?
Used a '?', because I don't KNOW for sure.