One thing I would remember, your Camaro is much more aerodynamic than one of our trucks, that may have something to do with it.

 

While I agree that is a factor - the behavior is completely different.
On the same in town trip, driven the same way, my SS might switch to 4cyl mode approx 15%-20% of the time -
My Colorado , probably 1%

 

sooooo take it in to the stealership

 

Is this not normal? Which leads to my question .. how much does your colorado go into v4?

 

Engineers, CAFE & MPG's for a market segment % to meet govt requirements.
Save your brain cells wondering why. My LFX/6L50 truck acts or performs nothing like my LFX/6L50 Camaro did. You'd be hard pressed to tell they were even the same drivetrain.

 

I buy what you are saying - but I'm still looking forward from someone with a V6 twin that has some data to compare

 

I have both the LFX and LGZ Colorado's, and I'm as much perplexed between the both as you are it with a Camaro.

 

Mine is the same way. Only enters v4 on decel. I find it will go into the mode more when I don't use cruise control.

 

This appears to be the norm. It also will not change to V4 until the engine is up to a certain temp too. I can tell you that I found a sweet spot yesterday where it stayed in V4 for awhile when I was neither braking or coasting. I was on a flat stretch with just enough pressure on the throttle to hold it around 55 mph. It stayed in V4 for a couple of miles doing this.

 

Wow - thats different than what Ive experienced for sure.
I almost wonder since it goes into v4 mode so infrequently if it would almost be better off if it didn't switch at all.
I wonder if it can be disabled? Thinking more for my SS camaro than the colorado.

 

Its odd - like I mentioned, on my new SS camaro with the 6.2L, it goes from V8 to V4 quite frequently.
I can even accelerate and it will stay in V4 - Not heavy accelerating but moderate.
I can accelerate from 30 to 40 within approx 5-7 seconds and it will stay in V4.
TOTALLY different than the Colorado

 

Its odd - like I mentioned, on my new SS camaro with the 6.2L, it goes from V8 to V4 quite frequently.

That's not odd AT ALL:

Light and aerodynamic 6.2L with 455 HP
vs.
Heavy and boxy 3.6L with 308 HP

Pretty crystal clear why they behave differently...

 

Remember that great Cadillac 4-6-8 engine from the 80's, me neither: Matt Garrett - Cadillac V8-6-4 Home Page . It was just a poorly engineered gimmick. The technology to deactivate cylinders is much more advanced today but it is still a "feel good" gimmick: it takes the same amount of energy to move 4,000 lbs. down the road regardless of the # of cylinders, it's the starting from a dead stop and accelerating that sucks up fuel at a greater rate in larger motors. This is just something else to go wrong with an already complicated motor.

 

^^^+1
Hey you engineers out there please explain how there is fuel conservation if the cylinder cut back primarily occurs on deceleration. Wouldn't there not be electronic managed fuel injection cut off anyhow?

 

Mine is the same. Only does it during breaking/deceleration. If any amount of throttle at all is applied then it goes back to running on all 6.

 

I'm actually glad to hear this. That means less chance of wear and tear of moving camshaft parts, oil consumption and other related DOD issues.

I am waiting for the new Colorado I have on order, but have driven 2 of them for 30 minutes or so. I do not remember seeing any change on the V6 light on the dash while driving at constant speed and thought I saw "V4" only once when coming up to stop at a stop sigh.

 

I'm under the impression these engines, including the LFX, implemented DFCO, so if you're swapping to V4 only upon deceleration you're pretty much gaining nothing from the AFM.

 

Then again. . maybe the V6 to V4 light is lying?

Maybe the engine is using V4 mode more than the light indicates.

Anyone hook up a scanner to a 2017 3.6L yet and see what is happening while driving?

 

Have not tried on the Colorado, if I did, I might forgot. Does it have an engineering mode? The Pontiac G8/Holden VE has that mode. Once you get on it, it has an idication for the AFM/DOD at the Fuel Management entry. You can drive around and see when is on Full or Half mode.

 

Wow! I purchased my Canyon used, a 2016 V6 auto. Glad I didn't buy a 2017. I remember the Cadillac 4-6-8. What a piece of junk that was.

 

That car came out in 1981. American cars are much better today in every respect. Remember the Oldsmobile diesel? Another badly implemented concept. Is that a reason not to buy the diesel pickup? No.

 

Yes, the 4 6 8 was garbage but now days is not bad. My G8 has the L76 engine, with over 115,000 miles and never skipped a beat. However, some reported issues with them.

 

its only suppose to deactivate at LOW speeds

 

With the aerodynamics of the truck (which are fairly poor) and weight, I would be really surprised if the AFM on the 17' V6s makes much of a difference. I have to imagine the road conditions where the engine in 4 cylinder mode has enough torque to maintain cruising speed at low RPM are probably few and far between. Its probably useful at sustained speeds around 30MPH or maybe higher speeds on level ground or downhill. This is likely GM just trying to eek every last mile out of the gallon and a no-brainer to implement because they already developed the technology. I'm sure it'll be considerably more effective in their more aerodynamic vehicles, like the Camaro.

 

Sorry guys, I'm going to be 70 years old in a couple of months and I remember the Cadillac 4-6-8 and the Oldsmobile diesel like it was yesterday. The American cars built back then had some problems. Purchased a new ford with a 289 V8 in 79 and with 900 miles on it, it actually blew up in the drive way. Switched to GM and never purchased another Ford. I hold a grudge, and remember what motor city tried to sell as new and different.

 

My 2017 Canyon hardly ever goes into V4. Usually when exiting a highway it will go into V4 for a bit, but that's about it.

I've driven a 2012 Sierra and a 2016, both with the 5.3 and AFM. The 2016 has more hp and torque and will go into and stay in V4 longer than the 2012, so I just assumed the 3.6 Canyon engine doesn't have enough torque to go into and stay in V4 for very long.

 

My wife's '15 Tahoe transitions from 8 to 4 a lot, staying in 4 after coming down a slight incline on level ground at highway (70 mph) speeds. Wind direction makes a HUGE difference. With a tail wind, it stays in 4 for miles (and maintains about 26 mpg in the DIC). With any headwind, it switches back to 8 upon the same stretch of level highway (and maintains 20 mpg on the DIC).

 

Probably a stupid question, how can I tell if it is only using 4 cylinders?

 

Put it on the trip A or B DIC screen.while driving. In the lower right corner of that screen the blue V6 will switch the lime green V4 when it shuts down a cylinder.

 

Now if you like cylinder deactivation, you will love driving a car that shuts off at lights only to restart when the accelerator is pressed. Test drove a car with this feature and it was one of the worst driving experiences ever.

 

If you drive a car that has the engine shut off at stops. . that is Stop/Start control. .. . not cylinder deactivation. Two different things.. .

The new LGZ Colorado/Canyon engine ONLY has cylinder deactivation, sometimes also called DOD. . . or Displacement On Demand.

 

If you checkout Jeep Cherokees you will find out SS can not be disabled.

 

My 2017 Denali performs as others have stated, RARELY goes to 4 cylinder mode. The only time I have seen it drop to 4 cylinders is on decel. Thank God they didn't put Stop/Start on these trucks. I currently have 3 other vehicles with this "feature" and have permanently deactivated it on all but one. I also owned a V8-6-4 GM in the 80's and the engine in the twins is nothing like that, so don't let that keep you from purchasing a 2017. I test drove a few 2016's before ordering a 2017 and glad I waited. The new 8 speed transmission makes this truck the vehicle it was intended to be, HUGE improvement in the driving and performance of the twins. The cylinder deactivation takes nothing away from the pleasure of driving these trucks. The new trans offsets any possible negative you may experience (and I can think of none) from the cylinder deactivation.