How much does a full AFM/DOD hardware delete cost, and what does it involve?
What it involves: A proper AFM delete: non-AFM camshaft, all 16 conventional roller lifters (not just the 8 AFM lifters), new lifter trays, and blocking the deactivation oil circuit (non-AFM valley cover or plugs); heads must come off, so head gaskets, head bolts and exhaust gaskets too. Plugging the oil passages while keeping AFM lifters is not a delete: the collapsible mechanism remains and oil can back-feed into the DOD channels and collapse lifters later.
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The parts list:
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- Non-AFM camshaft — DOD conversion cams in our catalog run from $199.36 to $1,479.70 (see the cam finder).
- 16 non-AFM lifters and new lifter trays — Summit sells an AFM delete kit without a cam (CMB-09-0026) with 16 lifters, new lifter guides, head bolts and an LS3-style valley plate.
- Valley cover or plugs to block the AFM oil circuit.
- Head gaskets, head bolts and exhaust gaskets — the heads have to come off.
- Oil pressure relief cap: Add GM oil-pan pressure-relief-valve cap (12639759) when deleting AFM to stop oil spray/consumption; replace the pickup O-ring.
- A tune: PCM must be recalibrated to stop commanding deactivation; aftermarket cams also need idle, fuel, spark and torque-model changes.
We don't quote a total because lifter, gasket and labor prices vary; price the cam plus Summit's kit (or equivalent) plus gaskets, then add labor if you're not doing it yourself. The swap cost estimator can help total it.
A full AFM/DOD hardware delete runs about $1600 DIY and roughly 20-24 hours of labor. It involves a delete kit with non-AFM lifters, a delete cam and a tune to turn AFM off. The alternative is replacing the failed AFM lifters with new AFM lifters, which is cheaper now but leaves you exposed to the same failure again. For anyone keeping the truck, we recommend the full delete, since AFM lifters are a known repeat-failure item.
Check this first:
- A tune lined up to disable AFM before first start
- Whether the failed lifter damaged the cam
Careful: Running the engine with delete hardware but without the AFM tune will cause drivability problems and codes.
Based on what we've seen work across our own builds, our friends' builds and the wider LS community, reviewed by our lead shop tuner (over 20 years of LS and LT tuning experience). Every combination is different, so use at your own risk and check our safe tuning limits before any wide-open pass.
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Check this first
- A tune lined up to disable AFM before first start
- Whether the failed lifter damaged the cam
Try this, then this
- Replace failed AFM lifters (cheaper now, failure can repeat)
- Full hardware delete with cam and tune (the keep-it fix)
How you know it's fixed
- AFM disabled in the tune, no AFM-related codes, engine runs clean through the range
Still not fixed?
- If the cam lobe is damaged, the delete becomes a cam job too
Time and cost: About $1,600 DIY / 20-24 hours; kits $500-900 parts, ~$2k labor at a shop