AFM disabler
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 753
Likes: 47
From: Clearfield Utah
AFM disabler
How to decide which RANGE AFM disabler is the most current for the 2019 C7? I don't want to buy one that is not the most up to date. I would think one that was made for a 2016 C7 may not be the same as one made for a 2019 C7 due to the 3 year gap in technology. I have sent an email to RANGE with no response - any ideas out there?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 935
Likes: 385
How to decide which RANGE AFM disabler is the most current for the 2019 C7? I don't want to buy one that is not the most up to date. I would think one that was made for a 2016 C7 may not be the same as one made for a 2019 C7 due to the 3 year gap in technology. I have sent an email to RANGE with no response - any ideas out there?
Check the Range website and see if they offer different part numbers for different C7 model years.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,475
Likes: 3,291
From: Hartford WI
Get a Diablo unit and you can delete the AFM, change throttle tip in and maybe add a little more power. Don't like it? Remove the tune and nobody knows if there is a warranty issue. Nothing to kick out of the car by accident and you don't have to unplug it, run it for a while to pass emissions.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 127
Likes: 75
It's a fairly simple function. "up to date" really doesn't play into it. It's more like an light switch - on or off. To that end, you don't really need a "range". You can get these off Amazon for about $65. I've got a Range and it conked out at one point and quit working. I sent it back and they blamed it on me but still went ahead and replaced it. I think if I had it to do over again, I'd probably just go for the Amazon device.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 5,487
Likes: 2,193
From: Loveland
I don't think there is any difference in the device depending on what year car you have. I used the Amazon one on my 2014 and didn't have any issues. I got tired of that and did the full VLOM delete. No more 4 cyl mode.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,475
Likes: 3,291
From: Hartford WI
What is the point of going into the engine when and then having to wipe it out in the ECM when I can simply do the delete from the ECM or at worst, the dongle? Either way, you are shutting off AFM but regardless of how you do it, the bad lifters are still there.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 5,487
Likes: 2,193
From: Loveland
If you research what the VLOM mod does you would know that it changes the oil flow to the lifters. The lifters wont be destroyed, if they continue to get the proper oil flow. It does two things, eliminates the 4 cylinder mode and insures oil flow to the lifters. No more dongle.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,475
Likes: 3,291
From: Hartford WI
If you research what the VLOM mod does you would know that it changes the oil flow to the lifters. The lifters wont be destroyed, if they continue to get the proper oil flow. It does two things, eliminates the 4 cylinder mode and insures oil flow to the lifters. No more dongle.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 5,487
Likes: 2,193
From: Loveland
My understanding is the lifters don't get the proper oil flow. It isn't as much about bad lifters as bad oil flow to the lifters. I'll watch the video again see what the guy says again.
EDIT:
Just watched the video again. With his VLOM mod, it also requires a reprogram of the computer. LT1swap.com tunes out the 4 cyl mode. Then the VLOM mode ensures oil to the lifters. So I was wrong in saying this mod got rid of the 4 cyl mode. The reprogram does that. $50 to have it reprogramed.
https://lt1swap.com/
EDIT:
Just watched the video again. With his VLOM mod, it also requires a reprogram of the computer. LT1swap.com tunes out the 4 cyl mode. Then the VLOM mode ensures oil to the lifters. So I was wrong in saying this mod got rid of the 4 cyl mode. The reprogram does that. $50 to have it reprogramed.
https://lt1swap.com/
Last edited by kodpkd; Jan 4, 2025 at 12:30 PM.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 492
Likes: 125
From: Maryland
My understanding is there are two oil flows to the lifters; one being for the hydraulic valve lash and the other being for the pins that deactivate the lifter/pushrod. I’m assuming theVLOM mod eliminates the pressure on the pins. Therefore the only pressure on the pins would be the springs that keep the inside plunger and outside body of the lifters static and therefore active.
however the Range device supposedly prevents the VLOM solenoids from ever activating effectively doing the same thing.. no oil pressure on the pins. But yet people with Range devices have had failures. What would prevent the same thing with the VLOM mod?
however the Range device supposedly prevents the VLOM solenoids from ever activating effectively doing the same thing.. no oil pressure on the pins. But yet people with Range devices have had failures. What would prevent the same thing with the VLOM mod?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 5,487
Likes: 2,193
From: Loveland
The only thing I can think of, when you do the VLOM mod you change the oil flow,,,, so it goes where it's supposed to and doesn't go where it isn't supposed to go. Along with the reprogram.
This guy seems to know what's going on. If you watch the entire video.
This guy seems to know what's going on. If you watch the entire video.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 492
Likes: 125
From: Maryland
I’m still not following what he’s doing with that sleeve. Is he restricting all oil flow to the VLOM and therefore from the lifters?
what’s confusing me is he says when you do a
full DOD delete with block plugs, he still recommends doing this. Why?
what’s confusing me is he says when you do a
full DOD delete with block plugs, he still recommends doing this. Why?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 5,487
Likes: 2,193
From: Loveland
The video talks about the full delete that he does for trucks and just the AFM mod for the Corvette. I have watched the video many times. The plug he sells blocks one of the two oil supply holes. One goes to the stock lifters, the one that is blocked goes to the AFM that is no longer needed.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 492
Likes: 125
From: Maryland
So he is removing oil pressure from hitting the solenoids and subsequently the pins in the lifters. If, and that’s an if, the Range devices stop the oil pressure at the solenoids by never activating the solenoids and the VLOM isn’t leaking pressure as he seems to suggest it is, then I don’t see how this mod does anything the Range doesn’t. Both are restricting oil pressure to the lifter pins. Perhaps the issue is the fact the VLOM is actually leaking pressure and the plug eliminates that therefore the pins won’t see any pressure whatsoever other than the internal spring pressure locking the lifter.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 5,487
Likes: 2,193
From: Loveland
There are two different type of plugs used. The one I used is the single plug. It is pressed into the hole to plug the oil to the VLOM. The other plugs are used on the complete delete. Those plugs, plug all the holes in the bottom of the VLOM. It's best to do the mod before any damage has occurred, that's the point of the mod, to prevent damage. I did mine and have not had any issues, yet. I didn't want to use the device anymore.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,475
Likes: 3,291
From: Hartford WI
There are two different type of plugs used. The one I used is the single plug. It is pressed into the hole to plug the oil to the VLOM. The other plugs are used on the complete delete. Those plugs, plug all the holes in the bottom of the VLOM. It's best to do the mod before any damage has occurred, that's the point of the mod, to prevent damage. I did mine and have not had any issues, yet. I didn't want to use the device anymore.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 5,487
Likes: 2,193
From: Loveland
That's why the mod works. It not only keeps it in 8 cyl mode, it changes the oil flow to the lifters. The reprograming keeps it in 8 cyl the VLOM plug reroutes the oil.
The dongle only stops the 4 cyl mode.
The dongle only stops the 4 cyl mode.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,475
Likes: 3,291
From: Hartford WI
Assuming that oil flow is the issue, yes. How have we established oil flow is the culprit? As said, the AFM lifters have a higher failure rate compared to the non-AFM ones but have we proved the oil flow to the lifters is a problem?
Racer
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 492
Likes: 125
From: Maryland
I still don’t buy this as any more of a solution than the devices. AFM lifters have two oil flows to them, the hydraulic lash and the AFM pins. Nothing is messing with the hydraulic lash. The flow to the pins is controlled by the solenoid which the device shuts down. Provided that is indeed happening then no oil is reaching the pins and they should stay in the locked position at all times. However, as we know, even people with devices have had failures. I still fail to see how doing anything to the VLOM gets better oil flow to the lifters when the goal is to shut off oil pressure to the pins so they never push in and deactivate the valves.