GM to reprogram OLM's to reduce wear!

[Kruse]

Originally Posted By: djb
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8

BTW, our oldest fleet truck is being sold with just short of half a MILLION miles with each and every oil change done exactly as per the OLM since purchased new in 2004!


Hey, what are you doing?

Trying to confuse these people that have firmly held ill-informed opinions by bringing facts and direct experience into the picture... This is the *Internet*. Didn't you read the rule sheet?


Consider the truck that was being referenced gets about 50,000 miles a year. With that said, I think it means it hardly ever cools off and there's very few short trips. Do you think that has anything to do with it? I'd say the ill-informed opinions of the OLM may not have as much to do with the long life, but instead that the engine sees fewer cold startups.

 

[Rickey]

Originally Posted By: DevilsRule
I have a 2012 Cruze with the 1.4 turbo. It is not direct injected.


Same here except 2011 with 1.4 turbo.

Rickey.

 

[tig1]

OLMs are one of the dummer things put on cars. With dino due 5K OCIs. With a quality synthetic 10K.

 

[simple_gifts]

People can't seem to separate the soundness of an idea, with how it was implemented.

Abandon OLM and use "common sense"; I guess common sense includes draining oil "whenever" When exactly is that?

I guess aluminum engines are a bad idea based on GMs vega.....

 

[supercity]

Alfa Romeo used the 2.2L GM 4 cylinder donkey with DI from 2006-2010. Alfa Romeo spec a 40 grade with up to 24 month 30,000km intervals. These engines are well known for timing chain problems.

Alfa Romeo dropped this engine around 2010 for the Fiat 1750TBI 1.75L turbo DI engine.

 

[HyundaiGuy]

Originally Posted By: bigjl


I wonder if all the camchain issues with these engines are due to over optimistic oci's?

Di and a camchain?

Sounds like a hard life for oil.


Yes and Mini just reduced the OCI on their DI engine as well. Count me in as a member of the "DI Avoidance Team." That is one of the reasons I got rid of my 2009 Mini. A lady that I work with has a 2010 model, and the intake valves were full of carbon, she got a check engine light and a rough running engine, This is a common condition on the turbo DI engine.

When I decided to trade, the first thing I made sure of was that the engine was not DI.

 

[Bluetrekrider]

I have a 2013 GMC Terrain with the 2.4 and the OLM would hit 8K for the OCI. I received the letter stating the recall to reset the OLM just a couple of weeks ago. Will be going in soon to have it reset. I have been doing 5K intervals; I would never go beyond 5K.

 

[Cujet]

Ford modular engines don't have many timing chain issues, and they are ultra long. It's not the fault of having a chain.

Nor do I believe a slight fuel dilution will accelerate wear into the "warranty zone".

I believe it's contaminates that accumulate over time, coupled with high loads and ultra low viscosities thinned even more by heat and fuel.

 

[Nick R]

Well I'll be changing the Traverse every 5k, I'll be doing 7,500 on my focus, but I'll also be doing UOAs to keep an eye on it.

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: il_signore97
Originally Posted By: DevilsRule
These engines use direct injection.



Bingo. There's the money winner right there. Most older GM engines were absolutely fine on the OLM with the prescribed oil. Obviously GM underestimated the negative effect that the direct injection technology would have on oil life and resulting component wear. At least they're limiting the damage at this point.


This. DI are killers on oil...and that doubles with mostly city driving.

For A soccer mom driving a traverse with very little highway to burn it off, I'm not sure I'd even put a synthetic past 5k miles.

Interesting this story comes up, because I was just at a local GM dealership (getting an oil change of QSUD/delco)and was talking with some of the techs and an advisor. They were talking about upping their OC package to add an extra one for the DI engines so the leases will come back in better shape. He shows me oil pulled from a 11' Nox, and it looked pretty bad. Very, very black, and kinda thick....something you would almost see from from a forgotten oil change. And this oil only had 5600 miles on it....

I'm thinking Ford is having the same problem here as well...

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: Nick R
Well I'll be changing the Traverse every 5k, I'll be doing 7,500 on my focus, but I'll also be doing UOAs to keep an eye on it.


Should be fine on the Travie...but don't push the foci past 6500 without a UOA...their engines eat oil alive too....

 

[Turk]

Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
Originally Posted By: Rock_Hudstone
Originally Posted By: Cujet
GM is finding high rates of wear on various components, including balance shaft chains. The plan is to reduce the oil change interval, as testing has shown a reduction in wear with the more frequent oil changes.

That sort of torpedos the extended OCI crowd a bit..

Haha! Yeah,and also the *more frequent oil changes causes more engine wear* crowd



Yes.

Where is d_ (you know, who beat the snot out of me & others for not extending way out) on this one!

 

[JetStar]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Interesting.

Do we have any BITOGers here with the cars mentioned in this article? 2010-2012 Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain and Buick LaCrosse and Regal models with 2.4-liter LAF and LEA four-cylinder engines.

If we do, what kind of OCI was the OLM suggesting for you, ie. how many miles could you go before it dropped to 15%? And how big is the oil sump on these engines? Does it require Dexos1?



A friend of mine and his Dad both have 2010 equinoxes with the 2.4 DI engine and both are being tested for excessive oil consumption. If you check the forums over at edmunds.com, it seems GM is replacing a considerable number of engines due to cylinder wall scoring. There is a GM bulletin on that problem which mentions fuel dilution. He told me about the OLM re-flash late last fall.

 

[CharBaby]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Interesting.

Do we have any BITOGers here with the cars mentioned in this article? 2010-2012 Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain and Buick LaCrosse and Regal models with 2.4-liter LAF and LEA four-cylinder engines.

If we do, what kind of OCI was the OLM suggesting for you, ie. how many miles could you go before it dropped to 15%? And how big is the oil sump on these engines? Does it require Dexos1?


My buddy has an '11 Equinox w/ 2.4L. He has always been a 3000 mile OCI guy and he's not changing even though I have explained to him the new oils and cleaner burning/running engines.

He did recieve the GM letter in regards to the OLM. I don't know what his OLM was calling for but, I guess it doesn't matter anyway!

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: JetStar
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Interesting.

Do we have any BITOGers here with the cars mentioned in this article? 2010-2012 Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain and Buick LaCrosse and Regal models with 2.4-liter LAF and LEA four-cylinder engines.

If we do, what kind of OCI was the OLM suggesting for you, ie. how many miles could you go before it dropped to 15%? And how big is the oil sump on these engines? Does it require Dexos1?



A friend of mine and his Dad both have 2010 equinoxes with the 2.4 DI engine and both are being tested for excessive oil consumption. If you check the forums over at edmunds.com, it seems GM is replacing a considerable number of engines due to cylinder wall scoring. There is a GM bulletin on that problem which mentions fuel dilution. He told me about the OLM re-flash late last fall.


If this is true, and I have no reason to doubt it, it just backs up my belief, and the beliefs of others that the technology is still far from being problem free. The consumer is still doing the final testing, and tweaking the OLM is a result of consumer testing. But will that really be the fix, or will the automakers look to the oil companies for their solution?

 

[Cujet]

Originally Posted By: daves87rs
Originally Posted By: il_signore97

These engines use direct injection.
I'm thinking Ford is having the same problem here as well...


The OCI on our F150 Ecoboost is 10,000 miles, 5W-30 required.

Once it reaches 6000 miles, the engine shows signs of needing an oil change. Including mechanical noise (likely from cam phasers) , rough running, and a very black color. But, UOA's don't show excessive fuel dilution. Maybe the heat here in FL and the oil temps evaporate the fuel, and the damage is done by then.

Staying with 5K OCI's and M1 syn.

 

[Silverado12]

My wife has an Equinox and just had the flash for the OLM done. We were doing 3K intervals anyway, and I think I'll stick with that.

 

[Silverado12]

Originally Posted By: Rickey
Originally Posted By: DevilsRule
I have a 2012 Cruze with the 1.4 turbo. It is not direct injected.


Same here except 2011 with 1.4 turbo.

Rickey.


FWIW my mother in law has a 2012 Cruze with the 1.4 and the dealer told her to use semi syn oil in it. Once she gets the 2 free oil changes, I'll be using M-1.

 

[JetStar]

See this thread

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2798316&page=1

 

[LineArrayNut]

I never drank the koolaid...



Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
Originally Posted By: Rock_Hudstone
Originally Posted By: Cujet
GM is finding high rates of wear on various components, including balance shaft chains. The plan is to reduce the oil change interval, as testing has shown a reduction in wear with the more frequent oil changes.

That sort of torpedos the extended OCI crowd a bit..

Haha! Yeah,and also the *more frequent oil changes causes more engine wear* crowd