Melling has been making DOD-delete kits for the Gen-IV and -V line of 5.3L LS and LT engines for a while now. But one thing those kits never included was tuning. That was always left to the customer to handle. Well, that all changes as of the 2025 SEMA Show. Melling is showcasing their full lineup of Displacement On Demand, Active Fuel Management, and Dynamic Fuel Management delete kits, with the tuning included.
As you would expect, the Melling kit includes a DOD-delete camshaft, which is a mild, stock-replacement grind. Ditching the DOD lifters, Melling substitutes a set of their .842-inch hydraulic roller lifters, which not only remove the complexity of the DOD lifters, but also serve as a quality upgrade. The kits also include new lifter trays, because what good are brand new lifters if you put them back into old, worn-out lifter guides?
A new front thrust plate is also included in the kit, along with a VVT oil control valve, if your application requires one. Then, the piece de resistance: the HP Tuners RTD flash tool, preloaded with a Melling-specific DOD/AFM/DFM delete tune. The reason this is so special is that the kit, along with the tune, carries SEMA emissions certification. That certification of emissions compliance comes from SEMA Garage for the MDK300 and MDK400 Gen IV and Gen V kits, and means you don’t have to sweat a trip to the smog shop, simply because you’ve made your valvetrain more reliable.
These new all-in-one packages now let you completely improve the valvetrain reliability of your LS or LT engine, while staying in the good graces of environmental authorities. That’s really a headache none of us wants when it comes to our LS/LT-powered daily driver or tow rig. And it’s one that Melling, HP Tuners, and SEMA Garage have worked together to eliminate.
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