Problems with GM 2.4 Ecotec Motors?

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That's what I have in the Slingshot and a buddy with a '12 Equinox with the 2.4 got a letter that said something about if you hear
clicking (forget exactly what he said..but it was engine noise) sounds take it to dealer. If not, don't worry about it. I've asked him to send me a copy. Anyone heard anything about this? What's going on?
 
The 2.4s are known for timing chain issues and oil consumption issues. GM has TSBs for both issues, Google them. My sister in law used to have a 2010 GMC Terrain with the 2.4, always well maintained with 3-5k oil changes, and it went back to the dealer multiple times for both issues. The engine sounded like a coffee can with marbles rolling around in it when she finally dumped it at 100k miles. Good riddance to that piece of garbage engine.
 
At the condo over spring break I heard a Terrain that sounded like marbles in a can. It was in Colorado and they drove it from Indiana. Almost said something but chose to mind my own business. Sure made the EVAP leak detection pump code in the LR3 seem like a non issue!
 
Got more feedback from my friend with the Equinox....it has to do with excessive oil consumption and piston rings.
So far, on the Slingshot forum, no one has reported, to my knowledge, any excessive oil use. Mine doesn't use a drop between
5000 mile changes but it only has 12K on it now. There are some owners with 50-90K and no problems. I'll keep my fingers crossed. I'm guessing that Polaris scarfed up all the leftover 2.4's when GM went to the 2.5. Rumor has it there were 80K of them in the warehouse. LOL.
 
My 2.2 eco made noise since new. Never bothered me. At 160k I cracked a head so I took a junkyard one and rebuilt it using all the components from my cracked head as it was obvious that I took better care of my engine. One of the things I did during the rebuild process was I took all my lifters and put them in a sealed jar with a 50/50 mix of atf and Sea foam.figured that would clean them nicely. Took a week to get the machine work done to the head so they soaked for a while. Once that head went together it no longer had a ticking noise. It was great. And I've mentioned this on a previous thread but the chain issues are not an issue if synthetic oil has been used. I did every 5k and my chain,guides and tensioner were in like new condition. So many of the eco motor were put into cheap vehicles like my Cobalt. People get cheap Walmart oil changes and often don't care if their oil change is on time. So the motor got a bad rap. I'm hear to say the motor is bullet proof. I've thrown more abuse over 180k miles at that motor that there is no way it should have held together. I mean no freaking way.
 
The amount of these engines in Terrains and Equinoxes that make horrible noise is scary. All of my patient's engines sound like they are gonna implode in our drive through. Not confidence inspiring considering all of my cars sound quite a lot better with high mileage and age.
 
We have or had three Ecotec's in our family and not a single problem with any of them. All purchased new and Mobil-1 used since the first oil change. Other than routine oil and filter changes the engines have not been touched. I consider the Ecotec's as one of GM's best engines.

'06 Malibu with the 2.2 Traded in with 110K HARD miles. Countless hours idling with the a/c on at the school drop off/pick up in the south Texas heat.
'08 Malibu with the 2.4 Currently with 41K miles.
'09 Cobalt with the 2.2 Currently with 90K miles.
 
When I got the Slingshot I wondered whey Polaris called for synthetic ad 5K oil chains; perhaps because of potential timing chain and ring issues. I was planning on next change being something other than Mobil 1, perhaps QS blend, but think I'll stay
with M1.
 
When I worked at a GM dealer, the early 2.2 Ecotec engines had a lot of timing chain issues. They came out with a revised tensioner and a revised oil nozzle to correct the issue.
It seems some newer cars still have the issue, like Cobalts and HHRs, but not as bad as the early motors.
It seems very random though, a co worker broke a timing chain in his cobalt a little over 100k, he changed the oil every 3k and took good care of the car.
The engine in my Cavalier had 180k in it when I got it, looked like it had so so maintanance and the chain still looked good.
I changed the chain, guides and tensioner when I got it as preventative maintenance.

I think synthetic oil helps on these motors, they have hydraulic chain tensioners with very small oil passages. The synthetic will help keep everything clean and prevent the tensioner and oil nozzle from getting clogged up.
 
The earliest eco motor I worked on were in the Saab 9-3. People would run those into the ground. Seen them with over 200k and they would just fall apart. However at that point in time we were doing 5k oil changes with 5-40 agip. Never had to take a single engine apart on one of those. The ignition coil was a different story .
 
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