Direct Injection Problems

[Nick R]

Originally Posted By: cb_13
Originally Posted By: abycat
I think driving them a touch more spirited helps out as well. That gm 3.6 is a great engine.

Isn't the 3.6 the V6 that had the timing chain issues?



In the early years yes, but I think that was largely fixed by the 10/11 MYs

 

[cb_13]

Originally Posted By: Nick R
Originally Posted By: cb_13
Originally Posted By: abycat
I think driving them a touch more spirited helps out as well. That gm 3.6 is a great engine.

Isn't the 3.6 the V6 that had the timing chain issues?



In the early years yes, but I think that was largely fixed by the 10/11 MYs

Ok, that makes sense. I just know my uncle's neighbor has a really nice looking V6 Equinox sitting out in his yard that doesn't run. It's a 09 or 10 one. He said it needs a timing chain and the dealership told him that was common on them.

 

[Nick R]

Originally Posted By: cb_13
Originally Posted By: Nick R
Originally Posted By: cb_13
Originally Posted By: abycat
I think driving them a touch more spirited helps out as well. That gm 3.6 is a great engine.

Isn't the 3.6 the V6 that had the timing chain issues?



In the early years yes, but I think that was largely fixed by the 10/11 MYs

Ok, that makes sense. I just know my uncle's neighbor has a really nice looking V6 Equinox sitting out in his yard that doesn't run. It's a 09 or 10 one. He said it needs a timing chain and the dealership told him that was common on them.


What? The 2009s didn't have the HFV6 I'm pretty sure. The 2010-2012 got the 3.0L HFV6, and the 2013s got the 3.6L. If my memory serves correctly anyway. I didn't hear anything about the 3.0 having timing chain issues.

 

[Benzadmiral]

On the Buickforums.com forum for the Regal, there's at least one member with 100K on his 2011 Turbo, and no issues. Certainly there are no hordes of owners, either with turbo or NA engines, reporting DI intake valve problems.

 

[Chris142]

diesels have always been direct injected or idi.imo the problem is from the egr and crankcase vent plummed into the intake.never had these issues with road draft tubes and no egr.

 

[Ram01]

Just seaform or chevron or gumout fuel treatments this will help with deposits

 

[BISCUT]

I've also read on BMW forums of SOME having DI issues. I'm wondering what, if any correlation is there between OCI and carbon build up (or any other engine issue for that matter).

 

[cb_13]

What? The 2009s didn't have the HFV6 I'm pretty sure. The 2010-2012 got the 3.0L HFV6, and the 2013s got the 3.6L. If my memory serves correctly anyway. I didn't hear anything about the 3.0 having timing chain issues. [/quote]
Ok, not even the same engine then. I just thought I had seen the 3.6 in Equinox's and his having an issue is why I asked. I don't personally keep up on GM's offerings anymore.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Ram01
Just seaform or chevron or gumout fuel treatments this will help with deposits


How? The big thing with DI is that unlike port injection, the intake valve isn't washed with the fuel charge. That's how the deposits happen! Crankcase vapours + EGR (if so equipped) going through the intake, contacting the hot valve, and nothing is washing them off.

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: Ram01
Just seaform or chevron or gumout fuel treatments this will help with deposits




How does this work exactly,unless you are sucking it into a vacuum line,which does work though I'm not sure if that will affect warranty.

 

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Those who expect a shiny new DI diesel to be as reliable as an old over the valve Cat dozer engine are in for a shock, no matter what the white shoe, plaid pants salesman says.


Direct Injection has never been as issue on Diesel Engines, I have never seen a "Over the Valve Injected Diesel Engine"? I think you mean Indirect Injection, Though I still see how Direct Injection would compromise reliability.

 

[UG_Passat]

Originally Posted By: ecotourist
One of my friends is having problems (at only 50,000 Km - 31,000 Mi) with his Lexus IS250 Direct Injection engine. The problem appears to be a combination of low piston ring tension plus intake valve carbon deposit formation.

The dealer is taking care of it under warrantee (including replacing the rings) but you have to wonder how much trouble there's going to be over the life of the vehicle.

Makes me wonder whether I want to have anything to do with DI engines. I know DI offers improved fuel economy but that could easily be offset by high repair costs.

Has anyone here put substantial miles on a DI engine without problems? If so, what vehicle and what driving conditions?

Ecotourist


190,000 miles and will be doing the second intake cleaning soon, on a VW 2.0T FSI.

The IS250 only gets Toyota D4 engine, which is direct only. The IS350 (and the GS, LS, LX & GX) gets Toyota's D4-S system, which gets port injection also, so you won't see the same issues, unless you use poor quality gas.

 

[ecotourist]

Originally Posted By: UG_Passat
190,000 miles and will be doing the second intake cleaning soon, on a VW 2.0T FSI.

The IS250 only gets Toyota D4 engine, which is direct only. The IS350 (and the GS, LS, LX & GX) gets Toyota's D4-S system, which gets port injection also, so you won't see the same issues, unless you use poor quality gas.


Thanks for responding. That's pretty good miles.

Have you tried using a catch can? It seems like a good idea. Do you drive on the highway or in city? Hard or Easy on the accelerator? Ever tried a seafoam injection through a vacuum hose? What oil do you use? A low NOAK oil should make a difference.

I was aware of the difference between the IS250 and the IS350. A shame they didn't give the IS250 the same treatment.

Ecotourist

 

[mehullica]

The 4 & 8 cylinder Lexus engines have oil separators either in the block in the 4cyl & under the intake on the V8's. There's no room on the 4GR engine to have one that would be big enough to work. That's why the V6 doesn't have one at this time from the factory.

 

[UG_Passat]

Originally Posted By: ecotourist
Originally Posted By: UG_Passat
190,000 miles and will be doing the second intake cleaning soon, on a VW 2.0T FSI.

The IS250 only gets Toyota D4 engine, which is direct only. The IS350 (and the GS, LS, LX & GX) gets Toyota's D4-S system, which gets port injection also, so you won't see the same issues, unless you use poor quality gas.


Thanks for responding. That's pretty good miles.

Have you tried using a catch can? It seems like a good idea. Do you drive on the highway or in city? Hard or Easy on the accelerator? Ever tried a seafoam injection through a vacuum hose? What oil do you use? A low NOAK oil should make a difference.

I was aware of the difference between the IS250 and the IS350. A shame they didn't give the IS250 the same treatment.

Ecotourist


Catch can? no, it really doesn't make much of a difference.

Normal driving habits? I'm usually easy on the accelerator.

Seafoam? Doesn't work, unless you do it every 5000 miles. .... but run the engine at 4000+ rpms for about 20-30 minutes on the highway, about every 5000 miles.

Oil? Shell Rotella T6 or Chevron Delo 400 LE, whichever is cheaper.

 

[Mykl]

85k miles on my direct injected engine.... still chugging along just fine.

I'm told I should expect the "clean the intake valves" check engine light any day now, but as far as I can tell the engine is running as well as it ever has. Still great power and the same fuel efficiency as ever.

 

[ecotourist]

Originally Posted By: mehullica
The 4 & 8 cylinder Lexus engines have oil separators either in the block in the 4cyl & under the intake on the V8's. There's no room on the 4GR engine to have one that would be big enough to work. That's why the V6 doesn't have one at this time from the factory.


Thanks Mehullica. Good info there.

Ecotourist

 

[ecotourist]

Originally Posted By: UG_Passat
Catch can? no, it really doesn't make much of a difference.

Normal driving habits? I'm usually easy on the accelerator.

Seafoam? Doesn't work, unless you do it every 5000 miles. .... but run the engine at 4000+ rpms for about 20-30 minutes on the highway, about every 5000 miles.

Oil? Shell Rotella T6 or Chevron Delo 400 LE, whichever is cheaper.

So, good oil and the occasional high rev highway run.

Almost 100,000 miles before intake valve cleaning starts to sound practical! I don't tend to put that many miles on a vehicle so I might only have to do it once.

Ecotourist

Ecotourist

 

[ecotourist]

Originally Posted By: Mykl
85k miles on my direct injected engine.... still chugging along just fine.

I'm told I should expect the "clean the intake valves" check engine light any day now

There's some good advice from UG_Passat. Might keep you going for quite a while yet.

The occasional high rev highway run sounds doable.

Ecotourist

 

[Mykl]

Originally Posted By: ecotourist

There's some good advice from UG_Passat. Might keep you going for quite a while yet.

The occasional high rev highway run sounds doable.

Ecotourist


I take it a step further and try to get in a good Italian tune-up in every 10k miles or so. A couple of hours at full throttle will get enough heat into the valves to remove some carbon.

Thankfully there are some tight enough roads nearby where I can do this without going too fast.