2017 Cadillac ATS 2.0T AWD - PCV modifications?

[webfors]

Howdy bitog, purchased a new 2017 ATS 2.0T AWD. Reading the Cadillac forums there is consensus that intake valve deposits will be a problem due to intake junk from recirculated oil vapor/mist. Many owners have opted to install a catch can. With the 3 PCV system on this engine it is not trivial. I noticed there is limited experience with this engine on Bitog. However, this issue is not unique to the LTG. The Caddy comes with 4 years free maintenance, which means it will be getting the dealer oil changes. They use Dexos G2 syn blend. I'll have to dig if I want to know which brand of oil. Suggestions, recommendations and feedback welcome.

 

[PimTac]

The dealer might be using a generic oil that does meet the specs. That could change too depending on contracts. As for the catch can, will that provoke a reaction from the dealer?

 

[ARCOgraphite]

You don't want to lube your valve stems? How much oil would be going in there? (should be less than a pint over an OCI) I wouldn't go near it.

 

[WobblyElvis]

Where is the evidence that a problem exists? I say, leave it alone.

 

[StevieC]

Save your money. Use something like Amsoil power foam through the throttle body regularly but just before an oil change or suck up a proper cleaner through a vacuum line regularly but at oil change time and use a properly rated high quality synthetic oil in between.

 

[Trav]

Catch cans are a sore point with me because by design they cant work very effectively. For every ounce it "catches" many times more gets by it. Its like catching a cup full of water out of a 10 gal bucket that spilled on the carpet and declaring it would have been worse if it didn't catch this. It takes a oil removing coalescing filter to filter oil mist out of the air stream, an element small enough to fit under the hood would quickly be overwhelmed on a car engine. IMO leave well enough alone and deal with whatever when it comes. I think buying an extended power train warranty on anything with a turbo or DI is a good idea.

 

[webfors]

Originally Posted By: WobblyElvis

Where is the evidence that a problem exists? I say, leave it alone.

http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/cad...e-cleaning.html

 

[webfors]

Originally Posted By: Trav

Catch cans are a sore point with me because by design they cant work very effectively. For every ounce it "catches" many times more gets by it. Its like catching a cup full of water out of a 10 gal bucket that spilled on the carpet and declaring it would have been worse if it didn't catch this. It takes a oil removing coalescing filter to filter oil mist out of the air stream, an element small enough to fit under the hood would quickly be overwhelmed on a car engine. IMO leave well enough alone and deal with whatever when it comes. I think buying an extended power train warranty on anything with a turbo or DI is a good idea.

I'm leaning towards not doing anything. My historical car purchasing habits imply that I will have this car traded before the warranty is up. However, there are reports of the engine running rough prior to the warranty being up (as a result of carbon buildup on the intake valves), which results in some dealer <> customer wrestling. That being said, I have only seen these reports on 13' and 14' model years. Not the newer years, most likely due to low mileage.

 

[GMBoy]

Originally Posted By: StevieC

Save your money. Use something like Amsoil power foam through the throttle body regularly but just before an oil change or suck up a proper cleaner through a vacuum line regularly but at oil change time and use a properly rated high quality synthetic oil in between.

This. My CTS is direct injected. All I do is at each oil change spray a full can of intake cleaner thru with motor running. It washes past the valves and removes atleast something because gray water will come out the pipes when doing this. I'm at 147k miles and still idles smooth as glass. I think if I had a carbon problem I would feel a rough idle and perhaps some missing. Runs great just like new.

 

[webfors]

Here's an interesting question. I asked the dealer to change the oil before delivery, since the car had a bit of mileage on it. They agreed and on the work order the part number for the oil is listed as #88865715. I searched high and low and the only reference to that part number are service work orders found online that list this oil as 0w20!! Does anyone have any experience with GM oil part numbers to confirm?

 

[webfors]

Originally Posted By: GMBoy

Originally Posted By: StevieC

Save your money. Use something like Amsoil power foam through the throttle body regularly but just before an oil change or suck up a proper cleaner through a vacuum line regularly but at oil change time and use a properly rated high quality synthetic oil in between.

This. My CTS is direct injected. All I do is at each oil change spray a full can of intake cleaner thru with motor running. It washes past the valves and removes atleast something because gray water will come out the pipes when doing this. I'm at 147k miles and still idles smooth as glass. I think if I had a carbon problem I would feel a rough idle and perhaps some missing. Runs great just like new.

146k miles!? Fantastic. Great to hear.

 

[webfors]

Originally Posted By: GMBoy

Originally Posted By: StevieC

Save your money. Use something like Amsoil power foam through the throttle body regularly but just before an oil change or suck up a proper cleaner through a vacuum line regularly but at oil change time and use a properly rated high quality synthetic oil in between.

This. My CTS is direct injected. All I do is at each oil change spray a full can of intake cleaner thru with motor running. It washes past the valves and removes atleast something because gray water will come out the pipes when doing this. I'm at 147k miles and still idles smooth as glass. I think if I had a carbon problem I would feel a rough idle and perhaps some missing. Runs great just like new.

Which intake cleaner? GM specific product?

 

[webfors]

Interesting link with great pictures from a gentlemen who has a lot of experience with investigating this issue: http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/cad...ml#post17031185

 

[webfors]

Originally Posted By: GMBoy

Originally Posted By: StevieC

Save your money. Use something like Amsoil power foam through the throttle body regularly but just before an oil change or suck up a proper cleaner through a vacuum line regularly but at oil change time and use a properly rated high quality synthetic oil in between.

This. My CTS is direct injected. All I do is at each oil change spray a full can of intake cleaner thru with motor running. It washes past the valves and removes atleast something because gray water will come out the pipes when doing this. I'm at 147k miles and still idles smooth as glass. I think if I had a carbon problem I would feel a rough idle and perhaps some missing. Runs great just like new.

Another question, what oil and filter do you use?

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: StevieC

Save your money. Use something like Amsoil power foam through the throttle body regularly but just before an oil change or suck up a proper cleaner through a vacuum line regularly but at oil change time and use a properly rated high quality synthetic oil in between.

If you have done some homework on this matter before posting, you will find that deposits on DI engines are a completely different animal than traditional deposits. These deposits are extremely heavy and are not easily removed without Walnut Blasting or manual scraping. Chemical cleaners injected thru the intake tract will “barely make a dent” on the deposits if there is a decent amount accumulated.

 

[Trav]

I would be looking at an oil with low NOACK, lower volatility = less hot oil evaporation and fewer deposit causing oil droplets in the PCV stream. IMO its better to prevent the problem as much as possible from the get go rather than trying to correct it once its progressing. Shorter OCI may also be beneficial for keeping fuel dilution from DI lower, fuel dilution will increase the volatility.

 

[Cujet]

Looking at the pictures. After 80K miles, that's all that accumulated? That's insignificant and will not affect performance in any way. No need to chase that one. It would take 200++ K before enough of a deposit formed to maybe, be worth cleaning.

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted By: The Critic

Originally Posted By: StevieC

Save your money. Use something like Amsoil power foam through the throttle body regularly but just before an oil change or suck up a proper cleaner through a vacuum line regularly but at oil change time and use a properly rated high quality synthetic oil in between.

If you have done some homework on this matter before posting, you will find that deposits on DI engines are a completely different animal than traditional deposits. These deposits are extremely heavy and are not easily removed without Walnut Blasting or manual scraping. Chemical cleaners injected thru the intake tract will “barely make a dent” on the deposits if there is a decent amount accumulated.

We have Hyundai/Kia Direct injection engines in the family. This is why we use Amsoil power foam and they aren't having any issues. And yes they are the "Early" ones that had all sorts of problems. Like the Veloster. This is an effective way to prevent getting to the crushed walnut stage. You might want to do some homework yourself. Example using a product by CRC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lySt8hLu418

 

[webfors]

Originally Posted By: Cujet

Looking at the pictures. After 80K miles, that's all that accumulated? That's insignificant and will not affect performance in any way. No need to chase that one. It would take 200++ K before enough of a deposit formed to maybe, be worth cleaning.

Agreed, I've seen worse (VW threads on early adopters). But the OP on that thread indicated there was a rough idle that was cleared after the valve cleaning.

 

[webfors]

Originally Posted By: Trav

I would be looking at an oil with low NOACK, lower volatility = less hot oil evaporation and fewer deposit causing oil droplets in the PCV stream. IMO its better to prevent the problem as much as possible from the get go rather than trying to correct it once its progressing. Shorter OCI may also be beneficial for keeping fuel dilution from DI lower, fuel dilution will increase the volatility.

Any recommendations that have the D1G2 spec? PP with purebase?