Noisy AFM lifters?
 

I have read up on the tsb #10-06-01-007B, and am wanting to know how many people are having this issue... The basic problem listed is engine noise on cold starts mostly, caused by the special lifters used in the Active Fuel Management getting clogged up. That eventually leads to lifter failure (I think you have to pull the heads to replace them) I work in research and development for a lubrication company, and am just trying to get more info on how prevalent the problem is.

Many may not be familiar with this GM active fuel management lifter problem.
So to assist this thread, I would like to add some prevalent info..
If you google the above Tsb # you will find a pdf with full description.
The effected vehicles are: 2007 Buick Rainier, 2009 Buick LaCrosse Super, Allure Super (Canada Only)
2007 Cadillac Escalade Built Prior to April 1, 2006 with 6.2L Engine RPO L92 (These engines were built with AFM Hardware but the AFM system was disabled)
2010-2011 Cadillac Escalade, 2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo,2007-2009, Chevrolet Impala
2007-2011 Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe, TrailBlazer
2010-2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS, 2007-2011 GMC Envoy, Sierra, Yukon
2007-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix
2008-2009 Pontiac G8, 2007-2009 Saab 9-7X
I do not see any mention in the tsb about ticky lifters at cold start up.
The complaints of ticking lifters according to the tsb indicates that they show up after vehicle turned off after 2+ hours of quiet time and noisy after a restart and may last between 2 to 10 minutes after restart.
Of course ticking lifters can show up at anytime, and is a sign of mileage/wear, wrong oil viscosity, oil level low a quart below full, lower oil pressure, poor lubrication reaching heads, broken down friction modifiers from extended duration/ well used oil/filter, and Aerated oil etc...
The tsb does mentions Debris in the valve lifter, & a high valve lifter leak down rate.
My thought is if you dont want engine problems to start with, use good quality oil & filter, change it at 3500-4000 miles and keep the dipstick on the full line, by checking your oil level / condition weekly.

My 97 Park ave 3.8 v-6 at 104k miles without AFM, even after a fresh filter & quality synthetic oil changes had noticeable valve ticking going on. I tried numerous additives, and only one immediately made them quiet upon using this additive, and lasts the 3500 miles, dead quiet.
LubeGard bio engine treatment, in a blue bottle. 300ml
I would like to hear if owners with the AFM as above listed used this product and notice their engine become quiet again as well.

ALL VORTEC engine are prone to COLD start up noise. (15sec. or so). That is an old bulletin. The head HAVE TO be pulled to do the lifters.

i cured mine without taking the lifters out. my 99 was neglected for its whole life, i got it nothing had been done, when i did the lim gaskets i cleaned the inch thick crap out of the valley, the manifolds, etc.. but it was running seafoam in the oil for a month or so a couple times then put regular valvoline in it, between that and the delphi mpfi i put on it, runs like new with 165k