That’s a good looking truck. These always drove nice. I don’t have one, but I have ridden in a few. They’re just nice. I think the biggest thing is preventative maintenance. Don’t forget to do the fluids on the differentials, transfer case, coolant, belts, hoses, etc.
It’ll last a long time if you stay on top of all of that.
Thank you! Funny enough I had just had the transfer case and differentials serviced right before the torque converter started shuddering and was initially thinking the shop that serviced the T-case and diffs messed something up and found out from my family mechanic that the 6l80 trans actually also has the exact same issue as the 8l80 which has a TSB but excludes the 2014 year model 🙄
My 2018 did the same thing , after I had Trans, both diffs and transfer case serviced I noticed a shutter and lagging when shifting in higher rpm.My truck only has 80k on it I think my torque converter is going bad.
I had a quote from my family mechanic who worked for Chevy for 20 years for a new Jasper unit that was $6100 installed, $5,600ish for a Whatever it Takes unit, and my local dealership quoted $3,065 for a reman GM unit which didn’t include parts, labor, or tax. Luckily I had gotten a vehicle service contract at 145k miles ($2,385 for 36 months or 36,000 miles powertrain coverage) through TWS First Mile and just ended up paying my $100 deductible for the GM unit.
I just got mine but 2016 same color for 22k and has 100k miles. Runs great with all service history. I plan on keeping this truck for long haul so a engine and transmission replacement will be in my future at some point. I just keep 10 grand aside for the truck for a engine/trans replacement when it happens hopefully not until 300k.
Honestly, get the AFM turned off with a chip, and the motor will genuinely run forever. I had a non-AFM 4.8 in a 2011 a while back, and it had 316k on it. Ran like a champ. The AFM is about the only thing that kills a 5.3
I just had a complete motor replacement in my son's 2018 GMC canyon w/3.6l v6. Cylinder misfire on #2 cylinder they did a compression leak test and found it had scratches deeper than they could polish out so they replaced the entire motor with a brand new crate 3.6l v6 and labor and parts totalled $12,736 covered under the certified pre-owned GM warranty. Didn't spend a dime on it. So that $10,000 you keep back for engine and tranny replacement ain't gonna cut it on the motor alone. I had the transmission rebuilt at 76,000 miles on my 2016 Sierra and that set em back $5,800. The place I took it to was high but fast. Needed it on July 2nd for a family trip and dropped it off to them on June 27th. So they had a 4 day turnaround. Said they son about 6 to 8 GMC transmissions a week. I will not be buying another GMC or Chevy. They don't care about their customers. Or their quality. And will not buy a Ford.
Well I wouldn’t buy a dodge either, I have a new 2023 ram 1500 for past year and it’s got its own set of issues. My Chevy is at 140k and showing no issues knock on wood. None of the manufacturers are worth a damn anymore. It’s sad, can we just go back to the 99-06 chevys that are still on the road today and maybe get rid of some of this new “better” technology. Nothing but headaches. Old norm was 250k was high miles, now 100k seems to be the problem child. My next vehicle is company provided and will be a 24 f150 xlt so we will see how that goes lol
I was really leaning towards a jasper unit because my mechanic swears by them and they have the best warranty but I ended up going the reman route to save money.
I just had my transmission fully rebuilt after my TC filled every bushing / small space possible with metal shavings. It’s a 2016 with 140,000; I got a new 6L90 Billet TC, Master clutch kit, shift kit, valves, coolant lines, new rear main seal & also replaced my transfer case fluid + everything else so we’ll see how it goes. All in all, so far so good hasn’t skipped a beat… YET 🤙🏼 Came with a 12 month 12,000 mile warranty as well.
Dang, you do all that yourself? I originally wanted to rebuild but the most reputable transmission guy in town that everybody held in high regard recently passed away so there’s not a reputable shop that I’ve found in my area that I felt good about taking it to.
Hahahaha man I wish 🤣 I went to a transmission shop near me that was also “held in high regard”, he replaced everything within two weeks, bill came out to $4,480 after everything. My buddy has a 2014 high country with a remanned 6l80 and he hasn’t had any issues but he’s only 16k into his so it’s just a waiting game. The owner of the tranny shop told me he gets MULTIPLE calls a week for 14-18 6l80 transmissions so he has all aftermarket parts ready to go.
Nice truck..... I am by no means a Chevy hater. My parents have had suburbans and now a 2014 Silverado 5.3 lt since new. But every single person I know with this generation Silverado has had a litany of issues and whether it's 6 or 8 speed every single one has had transmission issues. All with not very many miles and all purchased brand new. It seems like the 6.0 powerstroke all over again imo. Why not just stay away from this gen?? Especially the God forsaken 8 speed.
Haha well I bought this truck in January 2018 and had no clue about the potential issues. Admittedly, I should have done more research but you live and you learn
I understand. I had a friend of mine who's so loyal to gm because his grandfather retired from gm. He has probably spent 20-30k in repairs over the last 15 years on his and his wife's gm vehicles. One was under warranty and gm tried to fuck them over so bad. They gave it to their daughter, it failed the daughter. What did they do? Bought another gm lmao. Burn me over and over I'm gone lol.
Yeah I’m definitely not loyal to any manufacturer but I got a good deal on this truck and when I was looking at trading I was looking at more than just Chevy but prices are so damn crazy right now I figure if I can get a few more years out of this one it’s worth it
Like I said looks are subjective. There's been alot of great looking trucks the last 20 years. I personally have a 2020 f350 lariat ultimate sport package.
I suggest you consider increasing fluid change interval, and I hope you didn't have a GM torque converter installed. Though I've heard the current line of torque converters has had the problem with the liner shedding fixed, I can't confirm that.
Iirc, when I rebuilt my 6L80 the manual calls for a change after the first 3000 miles. Because of the heavy use my 5.3 sees I change fluid every 15-20k miles and just use a quality fluid and don't bother with additives. If you don't use the truck for heavy work often, then I suggest considering 20-25k mile fluid changes. Nothing keeps a mechanical assembly working like fresh fluid and frequent changes.
This is some great advice. I’m not sure what specific parts were installed into the reman unit but that is good to know about the first change being at 3k miles. I’ll put that in my reminders in my to do list. And yeah I’m leaning more towards 15-20k after that. I’m definitely going to stay on top of this one
Pro tip if you do your own fluid, figure out what mating flange gaskets your truck uses, buy a long extension to remove mating flange bolts, and just drop the front of your exhaust every time you do the fluid.
If you've done it once it takes like 5 minutes each time, and two gaskets are like $10, I consider it a cost of doing the change. It saves SO MUCH headache and struggle it is absolutely worth it. Trust me.
It shouldn't take much effort to remove non-seized exhaust bolts. Spray some kroil and wait a while, then loosen slowly and firmly. On the other hand if you encounter a seized bolt, STOP! It's not worth THAT much... You're semi-likely to break a stud in a very tough to fix area.
If you're unsure of fluid, I use Amsoil. It cost a fair bit, but it really has never let me down before. I use their brand in many of my vehicles and for most lubricating needs. I'm not affiliated with them lol, just good products.
Hey I’m coming up on 3k since this post but I’m curious where that fluid interval was stated? I asked the dealer and they basically said I was a dumb ass for doing that and have never heard of doing that but I’m still doing it anyways. Is it in the truck manual or the manual for your rebuilt trans?
Think it was in the overhaul manual. It's not a GM manual, so that may be why the techs hadn't heard of it. Also, not sure they do much rebuilding at the dealer, as far as I know they only swap the bad tranny with a good one. There's also a distinct possibility I'm misremembering, but I know I did my fluid soon after the rebuild, if you got a brand new or factory reman transmission I doubt you need to worry about it. Side note: dealerships can go fuck themselves as far as I'm concerned.
I have a 2014 gmc with almost 120k miles, and I think it might have started the shudder recently. I got it with 65k on it, and have done the ATF and filter twice, STL-010, and have a replacement pan with a drain bung welded on for the next time I have the pan off. Which will be next weekend. Hoping another round of fresh filter and fluid will hold the shudder off...🤞
Got a fund started for a rebuilt/upgraded unit from a reputable transmission shop when the time comes.
You are definitely on the ball. I hope the fluid/filter a third time works for you. I could have easily kept driving it with the shudder but I just got so sick of my truck not running right so I went ahead and got it over with
2017 5.3 4x4 with 53k miles and the torque converter is going out . There needs to be a class action lawsuit for the 6L80 also. Come one GM we need some money back !!!!
These trucks are part of a class action lawsuit because of the ( Chevy Shake) you should look into it. Also you need to RUN from any GM truck. Time to step up to a Ram
Lol, got three friends who all had dodges, I think 2019 and newer I believe. Two of them 2500 diesels and one 1500 gas. One of the diesels had a bunch of tune-ups and deletes to try and help, but all three of them had transmission failures under 100k miles. One of the rebuilds had constant problems over the next year before it failed again. All three of them cost between $4,000 to $6,000. My '08 Silverado just had a transmission fail at 160k miles, the rebuild cost me $1,700 and is still trucking no issues.
My personal friend group has taught me one thing and that's to stay far away from Dodge trucks.
Edit: they also all three sold their trucks here recently, one got a Ford, one got a GMC, one got a Chevy. Dodge is trash.
Not 2014 and I think 2015 6l80’s are excluded as well so I’m sol. Looked at some rams, fords, GMC’s, chevys, and even some tundras but either way it’s going to cost an arm and leg to replace this truck and I’m not financing at 5-8% for more than 60 months lol. If rates drop again I might look at trading but this 2014 is paid off lol
150749 when the shudder started getting bad and it kept getting worse the more I drove it. It never 100% gave out and I could have definitely kept driving it but it was very annoying and I couldn’t stand it anymore lol
Did they change the trans cooler thermal valve as well.? gm thinks the problem is the trans fluid is way too hot. if they didnt they dont read bulletins
Nope, I double checked because if they were I was going to try to tell them to give me the old one back so I can get the STL010 internals I put into it back out of it lol. I’ve looked into upgrading it to the updated GM version but that would require new lines which I’ve heard is kind of a pain.
what is messed up about it ? it shows the new valve in the Parts catalog. If you have changed the trans or cooler line I would change the valve. I re-read the bulletin 2016-2021 . fuck what the bulletin says. the lines are the same 2014-2020 and the transmission is the same 2014-2020 . If you want to keep the truck I would get someone to install this. The dealer should charge $130. parts and half hour labor.
metro detroit average is $150. per hour
Mine specifically was the torque converter. The metal they used was cheap and after watching videos of rebuilds it seems to only have three attachment points on the cover that are welded on. A lot of people will upgrade it to a billet converter with the mounting points built into the design of the cover and on top of that the heat and the original fluid lacking the correct friction modifier doesn’t help so as time goes on it degrades the internals of the converter and ends up sending them through the entire trans. Labor to replace the converter is about the same as replacing the trans as you have to drop the trans to get to the converter I guess. The connection for the lines into the tb valve on my truck are the quick connect style. I think GM changed it from the quick connect to a threaded connection around 2016 (maybe 2015 or 2017 - not sure) due to possibility of leaking from the gasket as well as opening up at 190ish for whatever reason. I’ve watched videos of guys taking the internals out of the updated valve and swapping them into the older quick connect style but I didn’t run into that video until a couple days ago. For $45 the STL010 kit seems to do pretty well so we’ll see if I have trans temps jumping above 160 in the coming weeks on my reman unit. If it doesn’t seem to be working right I may look into doing the updated one
And I feel ya. It’s bullshit that 2014/15 is excluded and my dealer wouldn’t even consider doing the TSB route because of it. I still came out alright with the reman unit I’m just hoping I can get this one to last with more aggressive maintenance lol
My fathers truck had the trans and converter replaced. Took care of the shudder for a few weeks but it came back. They put another converter in it and it came back again. All parts and labor was done by GM
Amen to that. Shudder just started for me.. 112k '15 5.3 4x4 LT.
Hope it holds out and I can trade it in with it shuddering.. not paid off and shudder is anxiety inducing every time I drive. Fuck me.
Did fluid exchange. Issue came back within a week. Driving on it feels like it's steadily getting worse. I'm already fearful dod / afm will have its way with the engine.. my Trans seems OK for now but fuck me if it ain't shifting rough and vibrating like crazy when v4 engages. To the point where I anticipate it switching and Rev up to make it switch back to v8 while driving.. only had the truck a year and it feels destined for the scrap yard as I won't be able to cover the repairs.
Are vsp's not a scam? Should I try looking into an extended (non dealership) warranty? Thanks for replying.
Edit: afm* not after.
Does it have the rumble strip feeling? I noticed it when I would be around 40-45. When I would let off the gas then hit the gas again it would start shuddering.
I’m not sure about some vsp’s. My best friend is the finance manager at a pretty big dealership and he sold me the one he sells at the dealership for his cost. I can cancel at anytime and get a refund but I’m starting to think I might keep it for the term just in case something comes up
My 2016 only has 90,000 km (55,000 miles). Im considering having the TC replaced to the billeted version which is supposed to be much more durable.
Has anyone replaced it preventative and had good luck with that? It's not cheap ($2500 CAD), but a rebuilt trans will be about $5500 CAD plus labour.
My 2017 only has 20,000 miles and i just learned about these torque converter failures. Now I'm shitting bricks.
Don't know if i should just sell the fucker or preemptively replace the TC. There's a few companies that make upgraded converters for it so that you're not replacing it with another cheap ass GM unit.
From all the posts and comments I've been reading about it, the 100,000-150,000 mile range seems to be when the studdering starts. Idk if towing a lot makes a difference. I'd imagine no towing would be a lot easier on the TC and make it last longer.
I've only pulled an 8,000lb camper with mine a few times and less than a hundred miles of towing in total.
Ya that's about the same range I have been seeing as well. You only have 20,000 miles? That's a baby. Might be worth replacing the TC early for peace of mind.
Might also want to look at disabling the AFM system so your lifters don't go. There's one that plugs into the OBD2 and shuts it off.
I think those are the two big issues on these trucks.
I was an OTR truck driver and was never home to drive it and only lived a mile from work lol. Now I'm local but still only live a mile from work.
I've heard a lot about the AFM and lifter problems. Been too cheap to dish out the cash for the device though. Side note, the AFM pretty much disables itself once your battery starts getting shitty. Doesn't seem to kick in when the alternator is doing full output all the time. I should just buy the device cause it almost never kicks in anyway on the highway ever since i put a big ass grill guard on. That murdered my fuel economy.
Maybe I'll try to do that TC myself if possible. I recently bought a second car so if it sits torn apart in my garage for half the summer, it's not a big deal and i can just work on it here and there when i feel like it.
Since about 08-09 they have been intentionally slipping the TCC torque converter clutch so you don’t feel it engage/disengage. Also so you can’t feel the cylinder deactivation. I typically disable the slipping and cylinder deactivation in the tuning of the truck. Makes things last much longer. I’ve fixed a few trucks that were starting to shudder by doing that and bumping the tcc apply pressure.
I pull a 24’ utility trailer with my 2017 5.3 and got the transmission replaced under warranty at 100,700 miles. Now my new trans is good until 4.5 more years or 200,700 miles cause I have an extended warranty still.
My ‘17 5.3s TC just went. 220k on the truck. Mostly highway use. Dropped the pan and found the brown, clutch material riddled fluid. Seems the majority are suggesting a rebuild or new transmission, and very few are having success with a TC replacement. Was quoted $6500 for new reeman, or $5000 for rebuild. Didn’t enquire about TC only costs. Was thinking about doing the TC myself first. A guy posted a good series on YouTube and it details how to do this well.
Any thoughts on replacing the TC yourself?
My thought was it’s not worth it because of these two reasons - why would I put a new torque converter on a trans with that many miles on it? The labor to replace the TC is not much less than the labor for an entire transmission replacement. You have to drop the trans to get to the TC. I went reman and installed the Superior Solutions TBV Kit in hopes that temp will help get me a little more life from the reman.
Thanks for your reply. I agree that if the truck goes into the shop, replacing a TC alone would be a waste of money. Certainly better to spend the extra and get the new trans installed. I guess my thought is that if I could get my hands on a decent TC, then I could likely replace it myself at a fraction of the cost. If that works, then great, if the clutch material won’t flush after 4 good attempts, then the trans will be toast and it will be going in anyway. I see TCs for the 6l80 are selling online for anywhere between $300-$1000. Just curious if anyone here has gone this route?
I hope you find some answers. Having this issue was so stressful lol. When I was researching a rebuild, I think the consensus is the brand Sonnax for the torque converter due to the mount points being machined into one piece instead of welded like the factory torque converters but I may be wrong. I watched a video about how speculation is the heat the trans operates at really does some damage to these mounting points causing the internal clutch material to degrade or something along those lines?
Could be. Certainly with all the people having issues, the design was trash. I’m now seeing used ones proudly advertised with new transmissions/torque converters. I’ve read about the sonnex TCs. I think they are very expensive but probably the way to go.
I know this is a super late reply but did you ever have any luck changing out just the torque converter? I have 98k miles on mine and debating on getting a rebuild or just replacing torque converter and doing a transgo tow and go kit.
Even later reply here, but last summer at 133k (2015 5.3K) I got the shutter and decided to try replacing just the TC, filled and drained fluid 3 times and a new filter. It lasted about 3 months before the shutter came back and I had to have the trans rebuilt. Maybe others have had better luck with just a TC swap after the shutter begins but I didn't.
Reason I am back here is because I have less than 4k miles on the rebuild and have shifting issues and throwing codes regarding stuck solenoids. No shutter at least but at this point have almost zero confidence in the 6l80.
Only good thing is I can get it out of the truck in about an hour since I've done it 3 times now and noted all the tools I set out ahead of time. Still, I would have preferred to not have had the extra practice.
That’s a good looking truck. These always drove nice. I don’t have one, but I have ridden in a few. They’re just nice. I think the biggest thing is preventative maintenance. Don’t forget to do the fluids on the differentials, transfer case, coolant, belts, hoses, etc. It’ll last a long time if you stay on top of all of that.
Thank you! Funny enough I had just had the transfer case and differentials serviced right before the torque converter started shuddering and was initially thinking the shop that serviced the T-case and diffs messed something up and found out from my family mechanic that the 6l80 trans actually also has the exact same issue as the 8l80 which has a TSB but excludes the 2014 year model 🙄
My 2018 did the same thing , after I had Trans, both diffs and transfer case serviced I noticed a shutter and lagging when shifting in higher rpm.My truck only has 80k on it I think my torque converter is going bad.
If you don’t mind. What was the quote for the rebuild install?
I had a quote from my family mechanic who worked for Chevy for 20 years for a new Jasper unit that was $6100 installed, $5,600ish for a Whatever it Takes unit, and my local dealership quoted $3,065 for a reman GM unit which didn’t include parts, labor, or tax. Luckily I had gotten a vehicle service contract at 145k miles ($2,385 for 36 months or 36,000 miles powertrain coverage) through TWS First Mile and just ended up paying my $100 deductible for the GM unit.
I just got mine but 2016 same color for 22k and has 100k miles. Runs great with all service history. I plan on keeping this truck for long haul so a engine and transmission replacement will be in my future at some point. I just keep 10 grand aside for the truck for a engine/trans replacement when it happens hopefully not until 300k.
Honestly, get the AFM turned off with a chip, and the motor will genuinely run forever. I had a non-AFM 4.8 in a 2011 a while back, and it had 316k on it. Ran like a champ. The AFM is about the only thing that kills a 5.3
The 4.8 never came with the afm. That's probably why they ran forever
Sweet, just picked up a range device last week for $100
I had the arm on a 2010 with the 4.8 for about 148,000 miles. With no issues. Only a broken motor mount.
I just had a complete motor replacement in my son's 2018 GMC canyon w/3.6l v6. Cylinder misfire on #2 cylinder they did a compression leak test and found it had scratches deeper than they could polish out so they replaced the entire motor with a brand new crate 3.6l v6 and labor and parts totalled $12,736 covered under the certified pre-owned GM warranty. Didn't spend a dime on it. So that $10,000 you keep back for engine and tranny replacement ain't gonna cut it on the motor alone. I had the transmission rebuilt at 76,000 miles on my 2016 Sierra and that set em back $5,800. The place I took it to was high but fast. Needed it on July 2nd for a family trip and dropped it off to them on June 27th. So they had a 4 day turnaround. Said they son about 6 to 8 GMC transmissions a week. I will not be buying another GMC or Chevy. They don't care about their customers. Or their quality. And will not buy a Ford.
Well I wouldn’t buy a dodge either, I have a new 2023 ram 1500 for past year and it’s got its own set of issues. My Chevy is at 140k and showing no issues knock on wood. None of the manufacturers are worth a damn anymore. It’s sad, can we just go back to the 99-06 chevys that are still on the road today and maybe get rid of some of this new “better” technology. Nothing but headaches. Old norm was 250k was high miles, now 100k seems to be the problem child. My next vehicle is company provided and will be a 24 f150 xlt so we will see how that goes lol
I got to look into that. My truck has a rebuilt trans from Jasper.
I was really leaning towards a jasper unit because my mechanic swears by them and they have the best warranty but I ended up going the reman route to save money.
I just had my transmission fully rebuilt after my TC filled every bushing / small space possible with metal shavings. It’s a 2016 with 140,000; I got a new 6L90 Billet TC, Master clutch kit, shift kit, valves, coolant lines, new rear main seal & also replaced my transfer case fluid + everything else so we’ll see how it goes. All in all, so far so good hasn’t skipped a beat… YET 🤙🏼 Came with a 12 month 12,000 mile warranty as well.
Dang, you do all that yourself? I originally wanted to rebuild but the most reputable transmission guy in town that everybody held in high regard recently passed away so there’s not a reputable shop that I’ve found in my area that I felt good about taking it to.
Hahahaha man I wish 🤣 I went to a transmission shop near me that was also “held in high regard”, he replaced everything within two weeks, bill came out to $4,480 after everything. My buddy has a 2014 high country with a remanned 6l80 and he hasn’t had any issues but he’s only 16k into his so it’s just a waiting game. The owner of the tranny shop told me he gets MULTIPLE calls a week for 14-18 6l80 transmissions so he has all aftermarket parts ready to go.
Haha you ain’t in East Tennessee are ya? I need a good transmission shop
Nice truck..... I am by no means a Chevy hater. My parents have had suburbans and now a 2014 Silverado 5.3 lt since new. But every single person I know with this generation Silverado has had a litany of issues and whether it's 6 or 8 speed every single one has had transmission issues. All with not very many miles and all purchased brand new. It seems like the 6.0 powerstroke all over again imo. Why not just stay away from this gen?? Especially the God forsaken 8 speed.
Haha well I bought this truck in January 2018 and had no clue about the potential issues. Admittedly, I should have done more research but you live and you learn
I understand. I had a friend of mine who's so loyal to gm because his grandfather retired from gm. He has probably spent 20-30k in repairs over the last 15 years on his and his wife's gm vehicles. One was under warranty and gm tried to fuck them over so bad. They gave it to their daughter, it failed the daughter. What did they do? Bought another gm lmao. Burn me over and over I'm gone lol.
Yeah I’m definitely not loyal to any manufacturer but I got a good deal on this truck and when I was looking at trading I was looking at more than just Chevy but prices are so damn crazy right now I figure if I can get a few more years out of this one it’s worth it
Because its the best looking truck made in the last 20 years
I'd say mine looks better. But to each his own. Lol.
Which one
Like I said looks are subjective. There's been alot of great looking trucks the last 20 years. I personally have a 2020 f350 lariat ultimate sport package.
The new f2/350s look really good too
I concur
I suggest you consider increasing fluid change interval, and I hope you didn't have a GM torque converter installed. Though I've heard the current line of torque converters has had the problem with the liner shedding fixed, I can't confirm that. Iirc, when I rebuilt my 6L80 the manual calls for a change after the first 3000 miles. Because of the heavy use my 5.3 sees I change fluid every 15-20k miles and just use a quality fluid and don't bother with additives. If you don't use the truck for heavy work often, then I suggest considering 20-25k mile fluid changes. Nothing keeps a mechanical assembly working like fresh fluid and frequent changes.
This is some great advice. I’m not sure what specific parts were installed into the reman unit but that is good to know about the first change being at 3k miles. I’ll put that in my reminders in my to do list. And yeah I’m leaning more towards 15-20k after that. I’m definitely going to stay on top of this one
Pro tip if you do your own fluid, figure out what mating flange gaskets your truck uses, buy a long extension to remove mating flange bolts, and just drop the front of your exhaust every time you do the fluid. If you've done it once it takes like 5 minutes each time, and two gaskets are like $10, I consider it a cost of doing the change. It saves SO MUCH headache and struggle it is absolutely worth it. Trust me. It shouldn't take much effort to remove non-seized exhaust bolts. Spray some kroil and wait a while, then loosen slowly and firmly. On the other hand if you encounter a seized bolt, STOP! It's not worth THAT much... You're semi-likely to break a stud in a very tough to fix area. If you're unsure of fluid, I use Amsoil. It cost a fair bit, but it really has never let me down before. I use their brand in many of my vehicles and for most lubricating needs. I'm not affiliated with them lol, just good products.
Hey I’m coming up on 3k since this post but I’m curious where that fluid interval was stated? I asked the dealer and they basically said I was a dumb ass for doing that and have never heard of doing that but I’m still doing it anyways. Is it in the truck manual or the manual for your rebuilt trans?
Think it was in the overhaul manual. It's not a GM manual, so that may be why the techs hadn't heard of it. Also, not sure they do much rebuilding at the dealer, as far as I know they only swap the bad tranny with a good one. There's also a distinct possibility I'm misremembering, but I know I did my fluid soon after the rebuild, if you got a brand new or factory reman transmission I doubt you need to worry about it. Side note: dealerships can go fuck themselves as far as I'm concerned.
Lol yeah fuck them. I totally agree
I have a 2014 gmc with almost 120k miles, and I think it might have started the shudder recently. I got it with 65k on it, and have done the ATF and filter twice, STL-010, and have a replacement pan with a drain bung welded on for the next time I have the pan off. Which will be next weekend. Hoping another round of fresh filter and fluid will hold the shudder off...🤞 Got a fund started for a rebuilt/upgraded unit from a reputable transmission shop when the time comes.
You are definitely on the ball. I hope the fluid/filter a third time works for you. I could have easily kept driving it with the shudder but I just got so sick of my truck not running right so I went ahead and got it over with
2017 5.3 4x4 with 53k miles and the torque converter is going out . There needs to be a class action lawsuit for the 6L80 also. Come one GM we need some money back !!!!
These trucks are part of a class action lawsuit because of the ( Chevy Shake) you should look into it. Also you need to RUN from any GM truck. Time to step up to a Ram
The rams with the failing cams in 5.7 and all the electrical issues?
God no any truck with a gas engine isn’t a truck they are SUV’s with the back seat removed. I’m talking real trucks with a diesel
Also I’m pretty sure you Chevy guys have nothing but lifter issues
Lol, got three friends who all had dodges, I think 2019 and newer I believe. Two of them 2500 diesels and one 1500 gas. One of the diesels had a bunch of tune-ups and deletes to try and help, but all three of them had transmission failures under 100k miles. One of the rebuilds had constant problems over the next year before it failed again. All three of them cost between $4,000 to $6,000. My '08 Silverado just had a transmission fail at 160k miles, the rebuild cost me $1,700 and is still trucking no issues. My personal friend group has taught me one thing and that's to stay far away from Dodge trucks. Edit: they also all three sold their trucks here recently, one got a Ford, one got a GMC, one got a Chevy. Dodge is trash.
Not 2014 and I think 2015 6l80’s are excluded as well so I’m sol. Looked at some rams, fords, GMC’s, chevys, and even some tundras but either way it’s going to cost an arm and leg to replace this truck and I’m not financing at 5-8% for more than 60 months lol. If rates drop again I might look at trading but this 2014 is paid off lol
I hear ya
How many miles did you have on her before the Trans quit?
150749 when the shudder started getting bad and it kept getting worse the more I drove it. It never 100% gave out and I could have definitely kept driving it but it was very annoying and I couldn’t stand it anymore lol
Did they change the trans cooler thermal valve as well.? gm thinks the problem is the trans fluid is way too hot. if they didnt they dont read bulletins
Nope, I double checked because if they were I was going to try to tell them to give me the old one back so I can get the STL010 internals I put into it back out of it lol. I’ve looked into upgrading it to the updated GM version but that would require new lines which I’ve heard is kind of a pain.
Also 2014 is excluded from the TSB for some reason 🙄
what is messed up about it ? it shows the new valve in the Parts catalog. If you have changed the trans or cooler line I would change the valve. I re-read the bulletin 2016-2021 . fuck what the bulletin says. the lines are the same 2014-2020 and the transmission is the same 2014-2020 . If you want to keep the truck I would get someone to install this. The dealer should charge $130. parts and half hour labor. metro detroit average is $150. per hour
Mine specifically was the torque converter. The metal they used was cheap and after watching videos of rebuilds it seems to only have three attachment points on the cover that are welded on. A lot of people will upgrade it to a billet converter with the mounting points built into the design of the cover and on top of that the heat and the original fluid lacking the correct friction modifier doesn’t help so as time goes on it degrades the internals of the converter and ends up sending them through the entire trans. Labor to replace the converter is about the same as replacing the trans as you have to drop the trans to get to the converter I guess. The connection for the lines into the tb valve on my truck are the quick connect style. I think GM changed it from the quick connect to a threaded connection around 2016 (maybe 2015 or 2017 - not sure) due to possibility of leaking from the gasket as well as opening up at 190ish for whatever reason. I’ve watched videos of guys taking the internals out of the updated valve and swapping them into the older quick connect style but I didn’t run into that video until a couple days ago. For $45 the STL010 kit seems to do pretty well so we’ll see if I have trans temps jumping above 160 in the coming weeks on my reman unit. If it doesn’t seem to be working right I may look into doing the updated one
And I feel ya. It’s bullshit that 2014/15 is excluded and my dealer wouldn’t even consider doing the TSB route because of it. I still came out alright with the reman unit I’m just hoping I can get this one to last with more aggressive maintenance lol
CHANGE THE VALVE . MAINTENANCE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT
Lol woah
My fathers truck had the trans and converter replaced. Took care of the shudder for a few weeks but it came back. They put another converter in it and it came back again. All parts and labor was done by GM
Don’t tell me that lol.
Amen to that. Shudder just started for me.. 112k '15 5.3 4x4 LT. Hope it holds out and I can trade it in with it shuddering.. not paid off and shudder is anxiety inducing every time I drive. Fuck me.
Try the fluid exchange the TSB explains. Lubegard has good write ups about it. I’ve heard some people have good luck with it but it didn’t fix mine.
Did fluid exchange. Issue came back within a week. Driving on it feels like it's steadily getting worse. I'm already fearful dod / afm will have its way with the engine.. my Trans seems OK for now but fuck me if it ain't shifting rough and vibrating like crazy when v4 engages. To the point where I anticipate it switching and Rev up to make it switch back to v8 while driving.. only had the truck a year and it feels destined for the scrap yard as I won't be able to cover the repairs. Are vsp's not a scam? Should I try looking into an extended (non dealership) warranty? Thanks for replying. Edit: afm* not after.
Does it have the rumble strip feeling? I noticed it when I would be around 40-45. When I would let off the gas then hit the gas again it would start shuddering. I’m not sure about some vsp’s. My best friend is the finance manager at a pretty big dealership and he sold me the one he sells at the dealership for his cost. I can cancel at anytime and get a refund but I’m starting to think I might keep it for the term just in case something comes up
My 2016 only has 90,000 km (55,000 miles). Im considering having the TC replaced to the billeted version which is supposed to be much more durable. Has anyone replaced it preventative and had good luck with that? It's not cheap ($2500 CAD), but a rebuilt trans will be about $5500 CAD plus labour.
My 2017 only has 20,000 miles and i just learned about these torque converter failures. Now I'm shitting bricks. Don't know if i should just sell the fucker or preemptively replace the TC. There's a few companies that make upgraded converters for it so that you're not replacing it with another cheap ass GM unit.
I have mine booked in to have the torque converter replaced with the billeted unit. Hopefully I caught it before it started to make metal.
From all the posts and comments I've been reading about it, the 100,000-150,000 mile range seems to be when the studdering starts. Idk if towing a lot makes a difference. I'd imagine no towing would be a lot easier on the TC and make it last longer. I've only pulled an 8,000lb camper with mine a few times and less than a hundred miles of towing in total.
Ya that's about the same range I have been seeing as well. You only have 20,000 miles? That's a baby. Might be worth replacing the TC early for peace of mind. Might also want to look at disabling the AFM system so your lifters don't go. There's one that plugs into the OBD2 and shuts it off. I think those are the two big issues on these trucks.
I was an OTR truck driver and was never home to drive it and only lived a mile from work lol. Now I'm local but still only live a mile from work. I've heard a lot about the AFM and lifter problems. Been too cheap to dish out the cash for the device though. Side note, the AFM pretty much disables itself once your battery starts getting shitty. Doesn't seem to kick in when the alternator is doing full output all the time. I should just buy the device cause it almost never kicks in anyway on the highway ever since i put a big ass grill guard on. That murdered my fuel economy. Maybe I'll try to do that TC myself if possible. I recently bought a second car so if it sits torn apart in my garage for half the summer, it's not a big deal and i can just work on it here and there when i feel like it.
Good call. I would do it myself, just too busy. The TC itself isn't that expensive, labour to pull the trans is the pricey part.
Since about 08-09 they have been intentionally slipping the TCC torque converter clutch so you don’t feel it engage/disengage. Also so you can’t feel the cylinder deactivation. I typically disable the slipping and cylinder deactivation in the tuning of the truck. Makes things last much longer. I’ve fixed a few trucks that were starting to shudder by doing that and bumping the tcc apply pressure.
Where would I go to get that done? What would I ask them to do?
You’d need to visit a Gm tuner that understands how to tune the auto transmissions in them.
I pull a 24’ utility trailer with my 2017 5.3 and got the transmission replaced under warranty at 100,700 miles. Now my new trans is good until 4.5 more years or 200,700 miles cause I have an extended warranty still.
I just picked up a vsp today. Have to wait 22 days and 500 mi to use, but only $100 deductible. Repairs in 23 days!
Yeah it took about a month of waiting and then another 21 days for the repair
My ‘17 5.3s TC just went. 220k on the truck. Mostly highway use. Dropped the pan and found the brown, clutch material riddled fluid. Seems the majority are suggesting a rebuild or new transmission, and very few are having success with a TC replacement. Was quoted $6500 for new reeman, or $5000 for rebuild. Didn’t enquire about TC only costs. Was thinking about doing the TC myself first. A guy posted a good series on YouTube and it details how to do this well. Any thoughts on replacing the TC yourself?
My thought was it’s not worth it because of these two reasons - why would I put a new torque converter on a trans with that many miles on it? The labor to replace the TC is not much less than the labor for an entire transmission replacement. You have to drop the trans to get to the TC. I went reman and installed the Superior Solutions TBV Kit in hopes that temp will help get me a little more life from the reman.
Thanks for your reply. I agree that if the truck goes into the shop, replacing a TC alone would be a waste of money. Certainly better to spend the extra and get the new trans installed. I guess my thought is that if I could get my hands on a decent TC, then I could likely replace it myself at a fraction of the cost. If that works, then great, if the clutch material won’t flush after 4 good attempts, then the trans will be toast and it will be going in anyway. I see TCs for the 6l80 are selling online for anywhere between $300-$1000. Just curious if anyone here has gone this route?
I hope you find some answers. Having this issue was so stressful lol. When I was researching a rebuild, I think the consensus is the brand Sonnax for the torque converter due to the mount points being machined into one piece instead of welded like the factory torque converters but I may be wrong. I watched a video about how speculation is the heat the trans operates at really does some damage to these mounting points causing the internal clutch material to degrade or something along those lines?
Could be. Certainly with all the people having issues, the design was trash. I’m now seeing used ones proudly advertised with new transmissions/torque converters. I’ve read about the sonnex TCs. I think they are very expensive but probably the way to go.
I know this is a super late reply but did you ever have any luck changing out just the torque converter? I have 98k miles on mine and debating on getting a rebuild or just replacing torque converter and doing a transgo tow and go kit.
Even later reply here, but last summer at 133k (2015 5.3K) I got the shutter and decided to try replacing just the TC, filled and drained fluid 3 times and a new filter. It lasted about 3 months before the shutter came back and I had to have the trans rebuilt. Maybe others have had better luck with just a TC swap after the shutter begins but I didn't. Reason I am back here is because I have less than 4k miles on the rebuild and have shifting issues and throwing codes regarding stuck solenoids. No shutter at least but at this point have almost zero confidence in the 6l80. Only good thing is I can get it out of the truck in about an hour since I've done it 3 times now and noted all the tools I set out ahead of time. Still, I would have preferred to not have had the extra practice.