neglected 5.3 Ecotec

[mobilaltima]

A good friend of mine owns a 2014 Chevy 1500 with the 5.3 Ecotec, bought new, and now has 40k miles. Lets just say he is VERY lacking when it comes to oil changes, as its only had 3 oil changes in 40k miles, all done by me. He just doesnt care, itll get to 0% on the OLM and he'll just keep going and going. I changed the factory fill at 12k miles with M1 EP 0W20 and a Napa Gold 7045, again at 27k miles with the same oil and filter, and again today at 40k miles with Valvoline Full Syn HM Maxlife 0W20 and an AcDelco PF63E. Despite his neglect, the truck runs fine and we just took it on a 500 mile trip this weekend (with the oil not even marking on the dipstick). As stated, he just doesnt care and nothing will change his mind. How long do you guys think itll last with these extremely long ocis? He hasnt had any trouble before this morning, he cranked it up to move it and it moved 10 feet and shut off, it did this 2 more times before it finally stayed running, is this a known glitch with these first year 5.3 ecotecs?

 

[bdcardinal]

People like that seem to have the engines that run forever.

 

[zfasts03]

I guess changing my `16 Suburban factory fill at 954 miles with a Fram XG10575 and Mobil 1 0w-20 was way too early then.

There was however plenty of visible metal I was happy to get out.

 

[dishdude]

On full synthetic that doesn't sound too bad, assuming he is checking the oil level and not letting it run low.

 

[clinebarger]

It will last longer than most people think!

 

[Ojustracing]

Wait till he gets a bill for a new motor!!!!! Whats the air filter look like??

 

[mobilaltima]

Im the only one who has ever pulled the dipstick on that truck since new lol. Its always low when I change it. He isnt worried about the air filter but I told him Id change it next oil change

 

[SatinSilver]

Originally Posted By: mobilaltima
He hasnt had any trouble before this morning, he cranked it up to move it and it moved 10 feet and shut off, it did this 2 more times before it finally stayed running, is this a known glitch with these first year 5.3 ecotecs?


So it stalled out a few times, not sure I like the sound of that.

 

[zfasts03]

I wish I could be more like him and worry less about maintenance. Instead I have OCD and over maintain.

With full syn. He will probably be fine. In 15 years when mine is in the junkyard due to rust and has a spotless engine inside. His will be in the junkyard also. His may have some varnish and sludge, but will both be in the junkyard.

 

[fdcg27]

Depending upon how the truck is used, the OCIs might not be all that bad.
This guy does sound like someone who neglects his stuff and probably doesn't get full life out of what he buys.
Might be good for you to allow him to suffer the consequences of his cavalier attitude toward his vehicle. Maybe running it dry of oil will give him an education?
Meanwhile, unless your friend seems to be learning to better care for his things, and from what you've written it doesn't seem like he is, all you're doing is enabling his behavior. He may need to learn the hard way why maintenance matters. It's not as though modern vehicles need much.

 

[tig1]

If he continues to use M1 his OCI will keep his engine running well for several hundred thousand miles. Not sure about the Valvoline. A friend ran his Chevy truck for 350K with 15-20K OCIs on M1 5-30. Engine ran great, but after the third trans he scraped it out. With that said, he certainly needs to keep the oil topped off.

 

[TmanP]

Luckily for him, there is an 8 or 8.5 quart sump so it would be a little harder for him to run it dry. His maintenance tactics, while nothing I would ever do, will probably be decent enough that it will live a long life. Not necessarily as long as it could be if it was maintained properly- i.e. following the OLM, not 1.5x or 2x that mileage. Is it mostly driven on the highway or short tripped?

 

[SatinSilver]

Sounds like it needs some M1 EP.

 

[mobilaltima]

its mostly long trips, he lives on an island (Grand Isle, LA) so its 30 miles to the area where I live for trips to wal mart and such, and then every weekend he goes to his deer camp in Mississippi which is 5 hours one way so mostly all highway miles at 75-80 mph.

 

[ls1mike]

If he keeps it topped off he should be fine. That engine is easy on oil.
I believe his stalling is due to him needing a software upgrade. LTx/LSx engines do it because of the low idle.
He can try pulling the battery cables and starting from scratch. Did he let the thing idle at all?

 

[Dorian]

So changing the oil with synthetics in with an 8 quart sump, long drives weekly, highway trips, and warm weather? Sounds like he luckily has some of the best conditions for his lack of knowledge. If it was not direct injection it would be even better. Sounds like the type of person who will just buy a new truck every few years and leave someone else with his lack of maintenance. I have a family friend who purchased a new Camry with the 2AR in 2010. She didn't have the oil changed until 12K miles when my dad changed it. He couldn't believe it. The car didn't seem phased at all. I remember him complaining about the car calling for 0W20 and used some 5W30 instead. This was a few years ago and I'm sure that oil is still in that car. I see it all the time with the home health nurses driving it. It's a shame that people spend so much money and just neglect their investments.

 

[AZjeff]

The OP says he not the owner does all the maintenance on the truck.

mobilaltima, WHY are you doing this? If the guy doesn't care why should you bother?

At some point this is going to bite you in the a$$.

 

[jorton]

You might be right. One is in the rust belt and one is in the Gulf of Mexico!

 

[TmanP]

He's lucky about those driving conditions, though. FYI, depending on the year, it should have 2 or 4 free oil changes from GM. I'd use those, at least they won't cost anything. ACDelco 0w20 and filter. My guess is with those conditions, it lives a long life still. But it makes me cringe nonetheless.

 

[CKN]

With GM selling 40,000plus units a month of this platform-many going in to the commercial sector, it's probably safe to say many of them are abused. The basic motor has been known to be pretty much bullet proof.