GM now saying to use 0w40 in 21-24 6.2L

[userfriendly]

It's a bearing tolerance issue?

Yep. The bearings can’t tolerate 0w20 and/or low oil pressure.

 

[jsean]

Both Kia and Hyundai are now recommending oils as thick as 20W-50 in many of their engines, that were originally stickered for all the water thin stuff. They've had to replace millions of dollars in engines because of it.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Kia...j33i299l3.32403j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Is the switch to 20w50 a real thing? That stuff is like goo coming out of the bottle and idk how well it’ll do in areas like where I am where we get a polar vortex or two each winter…. Not the OEMs problem I suppose if the vehicle owner doesn’t have a heated garage or a sump heater?

 

[John105]

Unless I read it wrong, 600k 6.2 L87's are recalled, spanning 2021-2024. Rods and cranks? Just me, I wouldn't want a dealer addressing internals of an engine....

https://www.motortrend.com/news/2021-2024-gm-chevrolet-cadillac-gmc-trucks-suvs-l87-62l-v-8-recall

 

[Allaned]

Yep. The bearings can’t tolerate 0w20 and/or low oil pressure.

From the Motor Trend article:

"Specifically, the problem with the L87 6.2-liter V-8 appears to be related to two manufacturing defects that severely damage or outright destroy the engine (again, in 597,630 Chevrolet, Cadillac, and GMC trucks and SUVs).

One of the defects allows sediment to contaminate the connecting rods and crankshaft oil galleries and destroy rod bearings. The other is simply a crankshaft with surface defects and out of specification dimensions.

Unfortunately, the only way to know an engine is affected is when the engine begins making the wrong types of loud noises, the check engine light comes on, and/or engine performance degrades (including to the point of a no start condition) with a check engine light (CEL) popping on."

 

[Pablo]

From the Motor Trend article:

"Specifically, the problem with the L87 6.2-liter V-8 appears to be related to two manufacturing defects that severely damage or outright destroy the engine (again, in 597,630 Chevrolet, Cadillac, and GMC trucks and SUVs).

One of the defects allows sediment to contaminate the connecting rods and crankshaft oil galleries and destroy rod bearings. The other is simply a crankshaft with surface defects and out of specification dimensions.

Unfortunately, the only way to know an engine is affected is when the engine begins making the wrong types of loud noises, the check engine light comes on, and/or engine performance degrades (including to the point of a no start condition) with a check engine light (CEL) popping on."

But yeah, blame the viscosity.

 

[buster]

From the Motor Trend article:

"Specifically, the problem with the L87 6.2-liter V-8 appears to be related to two manufacturing defects that severely damage or outright destroy the engine (again, in 597,630 Chevrolet, Cadillac, and GMC trucks and SUVs).

One of the defects allows sediment to contaminate the connecting rods and crankshaft oil galleries and destroy rod bearings. The other is simply a crankshaft with surface defects and out of specification dimensions.

Unfortunately, the only way to know an engine is affected is when the engine begins making the wrong types of loud noises, the check engine light comes on, and/or engine performance degrades (including to the point of a no start condition) with a check engine light (CEL) popping on."

This tells me the oil is just a band aid.

 

[kschachn]

Is the switch to 20w50 a real thing? That stuff is like goo coming out of the bottle and idk how well it’ll do in areas like where I am where we get a polar vortex or two each winter…. Not the OEMs problem I suppose if the vehicle owner doesn’t have a heated garage or a sump heater?

If that’s a concern then use a 50-grade with a winter rating that’s appropriate for your starting temperature such as a 5W-50.

 

[I<3oil]

He goes into what the issue is after reviewing the recall literature.

From the Motor Trend article:

"Specifically, the problem with the L87 6.2-liter V-8 appears to be related to two manufacturing defects that severely damage or outright destroy the engine (again, in 597,630 Chevrolet, Cadillac, and GMC trucks and SUVs).

One of the defects allows sediment to contaminate the connecting rods and crankshaft oil galleries and destroy rod bearings. The other is simply a crankshaft with surface defects and out of specification dimensions.

Unfortunately, the only way to know an engine is affected is when the engine begins making the wrong types of loud noises, the check engine light comes on, and/or engine performance degrades (including to the point of a no start condition) with a check engine light (CEL) popping on."

Yowza.

 

[kschachn]

This tells me the oil is just a band aid.

Indeed. Plus it appears that manufacturing swarf is another one of their problems.

Funny but none of those problems are new or unheard of. And as you note none will be fixed with oil.

 

[I<3oil]

This tells me the oil is just a band aid.

Always was going to be.

 

[rijndael]

Plus it appears that manufacturing swarf is another one of their problems.

Funny but none of those problems are new or unheard of. And as you note none will be fixed with oil.

The range of impacted engines is what, 3-4 years? Why does it take that long to find 2 manufacturing issues?

 

[buster]

3% of the vehicles sold?

 

[rijndael]

I find it hard to believe we're only talking about 17,929 engines.

 

[John105]

The range of impacted engines is what, 3-4 years? Why does it take that long to find 2 manufacturing issues?

I am a GM fanboy.

But there is a lot wrong with the co.

They had a DRL bulb issue spanning 1994-2016. And a TSB which said if customer’s 3157 keeps burning out, put in a 4114 and call it a day. This doesn’t respect v = ir and of course burned out sockets, even worse than just the bulbs.

I guess I’m saying 2021-2024 isn’t that bad, it’s just 600k or more families and workers who likely need their 6.2 to get where they need to go

 

[CarlB]

From the Motor Trend article:

"Specifically, the problem with the L87 6.2-liter V-8 appears to be related to two manufacturing defects that severely damage or outright destroy the engine (again, in 597,630 Chevrolet, Cadillac, and GMC trucks and SUVs).

One of the defects allows sediment to contaminate the connecting rods and crankshaft oil galleries and destroy rod bearings. The other is simply a crankshaft with surface defects and out of specification dimensions.

Unfortunately, the only way to know an engine is affected is when the engine begins making the wrong types of loud noises, the check engine light comes on, and/or engine performance degrades (including to the point of a no start condition) with a check engine light (CEL) popping on."

The initial batch of LT1 for the 2014MY had a similar contamination issue.

 

[The Blur]

YT videos show a wrist pin failure. Completely different failure mode than what is being stated.

 

[xmanjeff]

i asked a buddy i work, with ,monday, if he got the letter yet , kinda wondering if he would pick up on it , he gives me a little smirk and says , it didnt last till he got the letter , he said it blew up on him 3 weeks ago , he had bought a used one from dealer in january with about 27000 miles, he said that he just did a recent carfax on it , and it said there was a new moter put in it previously, so he will be on 3rd engine when it gets fixed , he was very fortunate it didnt happen this summer while away pulling his camper , it happened real close to his house , and his dealer set him up with another brand new truck, in the meantime , this is very very bad for GM

 

[haggler]

The only thing good that came of this recall is GM is basically admitting that off the shelf M1 Meets "Dexos R" and now they can stop scaring people into using that "Supercar" stuff for 10 bucks a quart. I say this as someone who was using ESPx4 and esp 5w30 in my Camaro. Smh spec'ing a Dexos standard with basically 1 oil. Freaking GM.

 

[rijndael]

so he will be on 3rd engine

I've read about other folks being on their 3rd engine too.

I wish I was a statistics guy. I'd like to know the probability that this impacts only 3% of the cars but some folks go through multiple engines.

 

[rijndael]

I find it hard to believe we're only talking about 17,929 engines.

https://www.thedrive.com/news/gm-admits-28000-v8s-had-already-failed-ahead-of-massive-recall

“The company amassed nearly 30,000 reports of L87 V8s that failed due to this defect between April 29, 2021, and February 3, 2025.

“GM’s investigation identified 28,102 field complaints or incidents in the US potentially related to failure of the L87 engine due to crankshaft, connecting rod, or engine bearing failure, of which 14,332 involved allegations of loss of propulsion,” GM’s report said.”