Changing the oil in a Equinox 3.0L V6

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Changed the oil today, took a few pics for a relatively uneeded guide. Out came the 4,860 mile old Pennzoil Platinum 5W-30 (I did perform a UOA sample, hopefully should get it between Saturday and Tuesday) The vehicle is our 2011 Chevy Equinox LTZ AWD V6, build date 2/14/2011. The OLM was at 7%.

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Originally Posted By: edwardh1
is that rust on the muffler?


Seems like surface rust, but I meant to ask about that. My cruze doesn't have that, I was wondering if maybe I should bring it up with the dealer. It's 14 months old, so I would be slightly perturbed if it wasn't just surface rust. It's supposedly a stainless steel exhaust system.
 
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Originally Posted By: edwardh1
is that rust on the muffler?


You took the words right out of my mouth, seems like a lot of such a new vehicle? JMO
 
Wow, Albany area must really use some salt! That's ugly under there! Neither the Fit nor the Cruze have anywhere near that amount of rust on the underside. Might want to hit your 'Nox with some sort of oil-based rust protectant in the fall to slow it down some.

And, those 3.0 DI V6's must be awfully hard on the oil if the OLM is at 7% at 4800 miles. Hope the PP stood up to that engine.
 
guess you dont change your oil hot LOL. Never seen the hot exhaust so close to the pan. Can you change the other fluids as easy ie tranny, etc? looks great thank you.
 
Originally Posted By: edwardh1
is that rust on the muffler?
Look under any vehicle, the exhaust is rusted shortly after leaving the new car lot. Its caused by heat, looks like rust.
 
Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
guess you dont change your oil hot LOL. Never seen the hot exhaust so close to the pan. Can you change the other fluids as easy ie tranny, etc? looks great thank you.


I did it after a 70 mile highway drive, and by the time I wrote out the blackstone form, and jacked the car up, the exhaust was cool enough to change. I had to be careful with the filter though, the cat was still pretty warm to the touch.

Originally Posted By: sciphi
Wow, Albany area must really use some salt! That's ugly under there! Neither the Fit nor the Cruze have anywhere near that amount of rust on the underside. Might want to hit your 'Nox with some sort of oil-based rust protectant in the fall to slow it down some.

And, those 3.0 DI V6's must be awfully hard on the oil if the OLM is at 7% at 4800 miles. Hope the PP stood up to that engine.


They are programmed I think for a max OCI of 5,000 miles on these engines. We'll find out how the PP stood up, I shipped off the sample to blackstone after I changed it.
 
I noticed that you placed jack stands on the inside, I place them on the jack points near the tire.
 
Originally Posted By: Nick R
Originally Posted By: edwardh1
is that rust on the muffler?


Seems like surface rust, but I meant to ask about that. My cruze doesn't have that, I was wondering if maybe I should bring it up with the dealer. It's 14 months old, so I would be slightly perturbed if it wasn't just surface rust. It's supposedly a stainless steel exhaust system.


I would ask them.. That bothered me too. my 09 doesnt look that bad and I live by the Atlantic Ocean. Everything rots here.
 
Quote:

Out came the 4,860 mile old Pennzoil Platinum 5W-30 The OLM was at 7%.

Somebody please explain this to me. At this rate, 5225 miles would be at OLM %0 That seems quite low for a 2011 vehicle.
 
Originally Posted By: Vikas
Quote:

Out came the 4,860 mile old Pennzoil Platinum 5W-30 The OLM was at 7%.

Somebody please explain this to me. At this rate, 5225 miles would be at OLM %0 That seems quite low for a 2011 vehicle.


It's because of the 3.0L and 3.6L DI engines had a thing with the timing chains stretching, so they shortened it.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Nick R
Originally Posted By: Vikas
Quote:

Out came the 4,860 mile old Pennzoil Platinum 5W-30 The OLM was at 7%.

Somebody please explain this to me. At this rate, 5225 miles would be at OLM %0 That seems quite low for a 2011 vehicle.


It's because of the 3.0L and 3.6L DI engines had a thing with the timing chains stretching, so they shortened it.

Did you get the ECM reflashed with the new software to shorten the intervals, or was that campaign not applicable to the Equinox?
 
Originally Posted By: The Critic
Originally Posted By: Nick R
Originally Posted By: Vikas
Quote:

Out came the 4,860 mile old Pennzoil Platinum 5W-30 The OLM was at 7%.

Somebody please explain this to me. At this rate, 5225 miles would be at OLM %0 That seems quite low for a 2011 vehicle.


It's because of the 3.0L and 3.6L DI engines had a thing with the timing chains stretching, so they shortened it.

Did you get the ECM reflashed with the new software to shorten the intervals, or was that campaign not applicable to the Equinox?


No, that's the factory programming.
 
The picture with the jack in it, the hole above, and to the right of the jack, there is what appears to be a fair bit of rust on it too. I would definitely get it looked at !!
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If you live anywhere that uses salt in the winter, YES -- even your stainless exhaust will appears rusty on the outside. I wouldn't worry about it.

I'd worry more about using jacks/stands to do an oil change
smile.gif
(never understood this).
 
Just curious, would dealer even do anything about such surface rust at this point? Most rust warranties will not kick in until its perforation rust.
 
Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
Originally Posted By: edwardh1
is that rust on the muffler?
Look under any vehicle, the exhaust is rusted shortly after leaving the new car lot. Its caused by heat, looks like rust.


Maybe in the Northeast, but not here.
 
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