GM LS High Oil Consumption Fix(s)

jetman · Jan 13, 2020

ï»¿Stuck rings is a common problem on many GM LS engines, mine included. I purchased a used 07 GMC Yukon Denali w/6.2L gasoline LS engine w/131k miles. It was consuming a lot of oil, so I installed a catch can in the PCV vacuum line between the valve cover and the intake manifold. It was catching 1 oz of oil every 100 miles. I soon learned that GM offered a new improved driver side valve cover. The PCV is built in to the valve cover. The original vc PCV baffling was a poor design that allowed a lot of oil to be sucked into the engine and burned, eventually sticking the rings.

When doing my home work for this problem, I discovered GM TSB 10-06-01-008M for this problem. To unstick the rings I pulled all my spark plugs, soaked all the combustion chambers with Gunk Motor Medic for 48 hrs, moving a crank back and forth every once in a while with the harmonic balancer bolt. This did the trick. I've since put 20k miles on it and now it consumes 1/2 qt every 8k miles. The catch can catches only 1 oz/8k miles.

For non-mechanic types, Valvoline Premium Blue Restore may be just the ticket.

Here is the GM TSB link: LINK

Here is Valvoline Premium Blue Restore link: file:///C:/Users/donje/AppData/Local/Packages/Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe/TempState/Downloads/Valvoline%20Premium%20Blue%20Restore%20Oil%20(7).pdf

JohnnyJohnson · Jan 13, 2020

In my opinion no matter what the Stealership say 1 Oz a hundred miles is not acceptable. Worst cast scenario my Toyota goes through less than 16 Oz. in over 7,000 miles. The BS just keeps coming!

benjy · Jan 13, 2020

as usual big $$$$ GM gets away free. gilrfriends oil drinkin 2.5L 2013 malibu was using a qt in less than a thou, traded that POS!! only 60 thou on it NO more GM junk!!

RDY4WAR · Jan 13, 2020

Originally Posted by jetman
ï»¿Stuck rings is a common problem on many GM LS engines, mine included. I purchased a used 07 GMC Yukon Denali w/6.2L gasoline LS engine w/131k miles. It was consuming a lot of oil, so I installed a catch can in the PCV vacuum line between the valve cover and the intake manifold. It was catching 1 oz of oil every 100 miles. I soon learned that GM offered a new improved driver side valve cover. The PCV is built in to the valve cover. The original vc PCV baffling was a poor design that allowed a lot of oil to be sucked into the engine and burned, eventually sticking the rings.

When doing my home work for this problem, I discovered GM TSB 10-06-01-008M for this problem. To unstick the rings I pulled all my spark plugs, soaked all the combustion chambers with Gunk Motor Medic for 48 hrs, moving a crank back and forth every once in a while with the harmonic balancer bolt. This did the trick. I've since put 20k miles on it and now it consumes 1/2 qt every 8k miles. The catch can catches only 1 oz/8k miles.

For non-mechanic types, Valvoline Premium Blue Restore may be just the ticket.

Here is the GM TSB link: LINK

Here is Valvoline Premium Blue Restore link: file:///C:/Users/donje/AppData/Local/Packages/Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe/TempState/Downloads/Valvoline%20Premium%20Blue%20Restore%20Oil%20(7).pdf

I'll have to give that a try. My 2002 Tahoe LS 5.3L uses some oil, but not much. I have to add a quart every 5-6k miles. I have a catch can on there, but it hardly catches anything at all. I'm not losing it externally so it has to be going past the rings. I'm going to change the plugs on it this coming weekend in preparation for a road trip at the end of the month. I might do that motor medic trick and let it sit overnight. Thanks for the tip.

Blue_Streak · Jan 13, 2020

In my 6.0L, I've used HDEO for the majority of the oil changes and it has never had an oil consumption problem. At 120k miles I'm using 1/2 qt between 8k changes; I consider that normal. My theory is that the extra detergents and soot emulsifiers help prevent rings from sticking, especially in the de-ac cylinders.

Just throwing a data point out there.

4WD · Jan 13, 2020

Got anything new ?

P10crew · Jan 13, 2020

My son used to work at our local chev dealer. He said they did hundreds of those 5.3 tsb's. And a lot of them ended up with new motors.

4WD · Jan 13, 2020

I have had at least one for the last 20 years â€¦ none consumed oil. None.

LeakySeals · Jan 13, 2020

Thanks!

P10crew · Jan 13, 2020

Part number is listed in the tsb.
4wd I keep and old beater truck that I drive to work normal daily driver and then I usually keep a new gm truck under roof. Other than my new 6.0 I haven't owned an LS daily driver. My good truck before the 6.0 was a duramax. My babe drove a few suburban ls with no issues ever. I think there is a ton of people out there that don't maintain their stuff and those are probably the ones that we read about. Lots of experience with the LS platform in hot rods with zero trouble and as far as I am concerned the ls platform is probably one of gm's finest designs.
Btw I just took a ride in a 550 hp/tq LSA this afternoon.
Wild.

4WD · Jan 13, 2020

One of the best of any â€¦

DaleRider · Jan 13, 2020

The only time my '03 Silverado with the 5.3L ever burned oil was when I used M1 AFE, 0W-30, in her. Saw that and next oil change went back to a 5W-30 and the oil consumption quit. The truck has 188K on her. [censored] fine vehicle overall.

clinebarger · Jan 13, 2020

Your 2007 L92 has a AFM oil pressure relief valve in the oil pan, Even though it doesn't have any other AFM hardware. The relief valve pops off quite a bit & douses #7 & #8 cylinders with oil.

Very early 2007 L92's that were built in 2006 actually had all the AFM hardware but was never enabled in the ECM software.

I recommend dropping the pan, Removing the relief valve & plugging the hole if you want long term success with your ring pack cleaning.

NYEngineer · Jan 14, 2020

My 09 Suburban didn't use a lot of oil but it used some. Enough to bother me. I use an AFM disabler, a catch can and I put the shield in the oil pan that prevents the excess oil from getting on the cylinder walls of 7 and 8. Works well enough. Later this year, I'm going to teach my son how to build an engine so we're going to do a 5.3 with no afm and program it out of the computer.

My brother's 07 Tahoe ate a cam when an AFM lifter collapsed. My dad's 11 Tahoe is trouble free. It has all the AFM band aids in place. I have two friends with pickups that don't take care of them like we do and they both got new engines from chevy.

Clinebarger, we spoke in the past about the parts to do a non AFM 5.3. I still have the list. You really stand by plugging the passage in the pan and using the lesser volume oil pump. Not that I value another opinion more than yours but it's different so I'm inclined to ask... I forgot who it was exactly but some famous engine builder said to do everything else but then use the AFM oil pump and not plug the passage and make sure you use the shield. Kinda doesn't make sense to me. I would think plugging is better.

Railrust · Jan 14, 2020

Well, I can tell you right now, the newer direct injected 5.3 (2015-2018) not only consumes oil, but is also known for fuel injector failures. Having fun with that right now. Yay me! 45,000 miles, not even two years old yet and I need injectors. Did a little search and YES, it is a common issue, and NO, GM does not cover it past the 3/36...it's not covered under my 5/60 drive train. $2,000 dollar repair...for ONE injector.

But as far as oil consumption - that started from day one - use maybe 1/2 to 1 quart in 5,000 mile intervals.

I have a pretty big decision to make, fix it myself and sell it. Or fix it myself and keep it (then hope I won't have any troubles for a while). I'll probably keep it, but I'm keeping a real close eye on this thing going forward. Well maintained, babied, highway miles. Two years old in April...problems so far...starter, fuel injector, chevy shake, frame rust, weird noises coming from behind the dash, misfires, and a transmission that doesn't seem to have a single idea of what gear to be in (so it just shifts back and forth every two seconds).

joekingcorvette · Jan 14, 2020

I have the 6.0L in the Corvette and never had an oil burning issue and it sits 6 months out of the year except for a few warm ups. It has never used any oil but is low mileage at 67,000.

repairman54 · Jan 14, 2020

'11 5.3 in a Tahoe. Range AFM killer in place from 35k to now 100k miles. Uses less than 1/2 qt. between OLM changes, 5-30w M1 with Wix or XG filters only. Sees some towing duty also. Just as good on oil as my old '99 5.7 with 200k miles.

jetman · Jan 14, 2020

ï»¿ï»¿Clinebarger: Yes I didn't tell yall the rest of the story

. It was leaking oil too, out the rear main seal. The short version is: I'm a DIYer. I changed the rear main seal, dropped the oil pan and installed the GM relief valve shield per the TSB. I also changed the oil pickup o-ring. 15 months and 21k miles later, it is dry as a bone underneath, and only uses 1/2 qt every 8k miles which IMO is OK for a 152k mile engine.

Its a dream to drive. If the darn vehicle didn't drive so good I would of sold and not fixed it.

jetman · Jan 14, 2020

ï»¿Here what the plugs looked like when I pulled them. The engine wasn't missing or throwing any codes. I cleaned and gapped them and put them back in.