Interesting GM 1.5T failure video

JTK

JTK

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Fast forward to the ~10min point to see the actual failure, which is a cracked ring land area on the #1 piston. What do you guys think of Ray's theory that carbon build up in the ring area is the cause of this vs the usual LSPI or manufacturing defect claims. I'm not a fan of all the snake oils he peddles, but he does make an entertaining video.

This is the LFV version of the 1.5T, only found in ~2017+ Malibus.
I follow a lot in regards to the 2018+ LYX and LSD 1.5T that the Equinox uses. I don't know that I've seen any of this on either, but we may as the years go on.

 
I don't know if it was this engine or video, but I've seen one with similar damage. The engine looked as dirty as this one too.

I also had my suspicions about it being due to carbon buildup and loss of compression.

I mentioned it before, all the 1.5 teardown videos show dirty engines, and failed pistons. The oil used isn't up to the task, people don't change their oil when the minder tells them, or the minder is way too leniant. The vacuum pumps failing often are caused by the oil feed blocking with carbon aswell.

edit definitely another video I'd seen.
 
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dbias said:
Id say that is lspi. I don’t think carbon build up is to blame although I think bits of hot carbon may be what triggers some lspi events
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I believe the loss of compression allows more blowby, and you get a lot of fuel in the ring grooves. it starts with carbon build up. I should borescope my own engine sometime, look at the valves and pistons. The oil I use should not leave deposits.
 
What is with GM and their 4 bangers that they just can't get right?

The 1st gen Equinox & Terrain 2.4 was something that always had me scratching my head. That thing sounded like it was self imploding when it was brand new.
 
Did he say what year the Malibu was? I'm pretty sure the 2016s and some of the 2017 production run at issues with piston ring land breaking. Then at some point in the 2017 production the LFV got updated pistons to help mitigate the ring lands breaking. So it would be interesting to know the year.

To me this is failure is a combination of LSPI or/and piston design issue not being able to handle LSPI events when they do happen.
 
I worked at GE Locomotive in Erie, PA during the early '80s. I was assigned to Bldg. 18, Engine Assembly. The piston they used had a steel fire cap that was secured from underneath by a ring of cap screws. The piston ring grooves were machined into the steel fire cap. The lower part of the piston was an aluminum forging. Maybe something like that is needed in power dense TGDI applications.
 
pezzy84 said:
What is with GM and their 4 bangers that they just can't get right?

The 1st gen Equinox & Terrain 2.4 was something that always had me scratching my head. That thing sounded like it was self imploding when it was brand new.
Click to expand...
Nothing. Cheapness. They will sell enough to rental car companies to justify investment and make some money.
 
JTK said:
I'm not a fan of all the snake oils he peddles, but he does make an entertaining video.
Click to expand...
He does make a good Video, unless I missed something, there are some things that need to be discussed:

Does the inside of the engine look like it looks from extended OCI's or from cheap oil that was used?
The Piston Ring Issue, could the oil level being low cause this?
Is there a fuel additive that should be used to prevent this Carbon Stuff?
 
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Thought this might would be relevant here. This is from Toyota Paper about the turbocharger 2.0L engine (ESTEC D-4ST) Toyota developed. It talks about what they did to mitigate LSPI on the engine.
Toyota LSPO.webp
Toyota LSPI Pt2.webp
Toyota LSPI Pt3.webp
 
Jetronic said:
I don't know if it was this engine or video, but I've seen one with similar damage. The engine looked as dirty as this one too.

I also had my suspicions about it being due to carbon buildup and loss of compression.

I mentioned it before, all the 1.5 teardown videos show dirty engines, and failed pistons. The oil used isn't up to the task, people don't change their oil when the minder tells them, or the minder is way too leniant. The vacuum pumps failing often are caused by the oil feed blocking with carbon aswell.

edit definitely another video I'd seen.
Click to expand...

I've only seen maybe 4 tear down videos on the GM 1.5T and all have been LFY series 1.5's. This above video was on a 2017 model year Malibu per Rainman Ray.

My question is, is the LSPI induced destruction of the piston a factor of poor maintenance or is it going to happen regardless of maintenance, oil and fuels used? I do know these engines get oil/moisture carry-over into the charge air cooler due to the design of the PCV system. The CAC kind of works like a catch can you can't drain, so oil can/will eventually make it straight into the throttle body.

I can point you to some threads over on some Equinox boards I'm on, with reports of 2018+ Equinox LYX 1.5s with 200-300K miles on them, having nothing but basic maintenance done to them (some are dealer loaners).

I posted this video on one of them and out of the gate, some of the members theorize this was due to not using Dexos rated oil. My thought is, you have to work pretty hard to find a non-Dexos oil these days and the ones that are, are more expensive than the Dexos variety.
 
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JTK said:
I've only seen maybe 4 tear down videos on the GM 1.5T and all have been LFY series 1.5's. This above video was on a 2017 model year Malibu per Rainman Ray.

My question is, is the LSPI induced destruction of the piston a factor of poor maintenance or is it going to happen regardless of maintenance, oil and fuels used? I do know these engines get oil/moisture carry-over into the charge air cooler due to the design of the PCV system. The CAC kind of works like a catch can you can't drain, so oil can/will eventually make it straight into the throttle body.

I can point you to some threads over on some Equinox boards I'm on, with reports of 2018+ Equinox LYX 1.5s with 200-300K miles on them, having nothing but basic maintenance done to them (some are dealer loaners).

I posted this video on one of them and out of the gate, some of the members theorize this was due to not using Dexos rated oil. My thought is, you have to work pretty hard to find a non-Dexos oil these days and the ones that are, are more expensive than the Dexos variety.
Click to expand...
If it truly was a 2017, it could have had the problematic pistons from the earlier LFV engines.
 
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JTK said:
I've only seen maybe 4 tear down videos on the GM 1.5T and all have been LFY series 1.5's. This above video was on a 2017 model year Malibu per Rainman Ray.

My question is, is the LSPI induced destruction of the piston a factor of poor maintenance or is it going to happen regardless of maintenance, oil and fuels used? I do know these engines get oil/moisture carry-over into the charge air cooler due to the design of the PCV system. The CAC kind of works like a catch can you can't drain, so oil can/will eventually make it straight into the throttle body.

I can point you to some threads over on some Equinox boards I'm on, with reports of 2018+ Equinox LYX 1.5s with 200-300K miles on them, having nothing but basic maintenance done to them (some are dealer loaners).

I posted this video on one of them and out of the gate, some of the members theorize this was due to not using Dexos rated oil. My thought is, you have to work pretty hard to find a non-Dexos oil these days and the ones that are, are more expensive than the Dexos variety.
Click to expand...

I do know those engines like fresh oil……
 
Tell me why the use of M1 EP oil, 5000 mile OCI’s and 93 octane fuel can’t solve this problem.

As I’ve said over and over again, I’ve run this experiment so many times now, I know what works for me. Not once have I experienced an engine failure in any of my race cars, performance street cars and work or personal vehicles when maintained properly. Even the (thought to be troublesome) Ford 5.4L engine served me perfectly, with zero faults over 200K miles until my wife smashed it up.
 
Cujet said:
Tell me why the use of M1 EP oil, 5000 mile OCI’s and 93 octane fuel can’t solve this problem.

As I’ve said over and over again, I’ve run this experiment so many times now, I know what works for me. Not once have I experienced an engine failure in any of my race cars, performance street cars and work or personal vehicles when maintained properly. Even the (thought to be troublesome) Ford 5.4L engine served me perfectly, with zero faults over 200K miles until my wife smashed it up.
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I'm sure that combination of oil and fuel will make most engines happy for a long time, but I doubt anyone is buying a 1.5T GM wants to run premium fuel in it, if they are doing much driving? The price difference for my area is 20-30-40% more for 93/94 octane
 
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