GM to reprogram OLM's to reduce wear!

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Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: walk23
in my search for a new car, DI was the one thing I avoided like the plague. Glad I did.


Before long, all of the cars are going to be DI


Not so sure.
 
Originally Posted By: walk23
in my search for a new car, DI was the one thing I avoided like the plague. Glad I did.

Thanks BITOC


I plan on doing the same thing until it is no longer possible.
 
Originally Posted By: DevilsRule
I have a 2012 Cruze with the 1.4 turbo. It is not direct injected.

Ooops. My bad. Not sure why I always thought otherwise. Thanks for the correction.
 
Originally Posted By: A_Harman
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
I guess the jury is still out on DI.


DI is here to stay.
Deal with it.


I know its here to stay, I'm just avoiding it as long as I can. Several of us here are doing so as well, that's how we're dealing with it.
 
They already did this to 2011 Chevy Equinox's with the DI V6 engine. My daughter's OCI went from 10,000 miles (she does highway driving) to 5500 miles.

Be sure to use only Top Tier gas with a DI engine.
 
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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?
 
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
This is a specific issue with the DI motors, we all know about them. It would seem that timing chains may not be the best thing since sliced bread for all those belt haters! I despise balance shafts as that's like taking one med and then needing another for side effects!

Kudos to the General for acting instead of just trying to ignore it.

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!

That GM OLM sure stinks. Imagine how long that van would have lasted if I'd just changed the oil every weekend!


+1
 
Wait, timing chain issues on DI engines? This has happened before! Seems like when DI engines break down the oil, the chains and guides are usually the first to suffer. Some North American Mazda 2.3 DISIs suffered timing chain stretching due to OCI nelgect (to the point of "sludge" was the official diagnosis IIRC). Being one of the first high-strung DI turbo 4 pots to be sold in North America; with North American fuel, and North American EC oil, the others were definitely watching to see how it played out. Looks like GM missed the memo, and they should do like Mazda and revise the chains and guides in future so that one over extended OCI doesn't cost you an engine.
 
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
I despise balance shafts as that's like taking one med and then needing another for side effects


I despise inline 4-cylinder engines because of the inherent imbalance that can't be eliminated any other way besides balance shafts. I find it harder and harder to believe that so few carmakers use opposed 4's which have a much smaller inherent imbalance (smaller even than a 90-degree-crank V8, IIRC). Of course inline-6 and V12 are the only perfect balance options, and the inline-6 has also nearly gone the way of the Dodo bird.
frown.gif
Convenient packaging wins over performance, yet again
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As DevilsRule stated, the Cruze is port fuel injected, although the rumor is it will get DI (GM refers to it as SIDI) in 2014 or 2015MY.

For whatever reason, be it injector nozzle design or not, GM seems to have more problems with Fuel dilution that some Fords such as the 2.0L DI engine in the Focus.

Their Ecotec 2.0 & 2.5l DI engines are having the same dilution issues, with resulting wear to critical parts such as bearings & timing chains as the 3.6 DI does.

Dexos sets a lower limit (13%) on Noack which helps a little with the intake valve deposit issue but does nothing to address the high pressure (up to 2250psi at high rpm) nozzles putting fuel past the rings into the oil, particularly when the engine cylinder temperatures are still low during cold starts and short, low speed trips.

Most of the SN GF-5 resource conserving oils just are not resistant to the thinning, commonly referred to here as shearing effects, of the fuel dilution.
It would seem that the latest VIs are geared more to temporarily shearing in the interest of maximum fuel economy, as opposed to non API oils such as Amsoil 5w-30 ASL or European ACEA oils.
These seemingly opposing oil specifications, resource conserving & robustness to the effects of fuel dilution in DI engines are being discussed in the GF-6 specifications being drafted.

Food for thought.

Gary
 
Originally Posted By: Cujet
http://www.autoweek.com/article/20130405...gn=awdailydrive

GM to reprogram some oil life monitors

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.

This will save GM money, due to warranty claims.
And cost the owners more.
 
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.


Beat me to it! +1
 
I have always been surprised how dirty the oil gets on the BiL's 2.2 Di petrol engined Vectra.

He, or rather I, now change the oil every 8/9k, I think Vauxhall(GM) say 18k miles.

Have been using the Castrol recommended Edge 5w40 C3 oil, pricey but I think it is worth it.

Not sure if it anything the oil has done but it is now on its second OCI like this and his car is certainly running well and giving good fuel economy for a petrol engine, 37mpg.

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.
 
None of this is exact science - we are titrating bad content into the oil at VERY different rates for different use, etc. Can only get so far...

Its all a work in progress.

Anyone that doesnt set OCI on a UOA validation is making a mistake, IMO.
 
We have an Equinox with the 4 cyl. motor in it. We were changing at 5K anyway, but we got a letter and took it to the dealer, and they made the update. We never saw a "change oil message", but doing 5ks is probably why.
 
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..
happy2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: thomasew
We have an Equinox with the 4 cyl. motor in it. We were changing at 5K anyway, but we got a letter and took it to the dealer, and they made the update. We never saw a "change oil message", but doing 5ks is probably why.


Good for you.
 
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..
happy2.gif



Haha! Yeah,and also the *more frequent oil changes causes more engine wear* crowd :p
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
None of this is exact science - we are titrating bad content into the oil at VERY different rates for different use, etc. Can only get so far...

Its all a work in progress.

Anyone that doesnt set OCI on a UOA validation is making a mistake, IMO.


I would not hesitate to buy a GM car with a DI gasoline engine because the performance benefits are too great to ignore. But I would surely do UOA's to understand how the oil is doing before trying for 8000+ mile OCI's.
 
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