2023 6.2 with Failed Oil Cooler at 61k

[TheAgency]

My 2023 Yukon Denali at 61k was just diagnosed by the dealership as having a failed oil cooler, after noticing milky coolant. To clarify, this is a failure of the cooler itself, not the lines, to the tune of a $3,900 out-of-warranty repair.

Here's the kicker: at 34k miles just over a year ago, the engine was removed and rebuilt with a new crankshaft, rod bearings, and piston rings. This was covered at the time under the powertrain warranty to the tune of $12,466.

Am I ridiculous in saying the oil cooler failure was introduced on a still relatively young truck by the massive work done previously? It seems wild to me that after pulling an engine, and thus a radiator and other related things, that an early failure is just something "that happened"?

Any advice appreciated.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

How is the oil cooler failing? Did the barrier between the oil cooler and the engine coolant fail inside of the radiator, and hence the milky coolant?

If yes, are we talking about a fairly simple radiator replacement to resolve the issue?

I've had my motor out once for head work and a cam change and the oil pump changed once in the past year, both requiring the removal of the radiator, and my radiator did not fail. So, it seems a bit of a stretch to me, to link your failed oil cooler to a radiator removal, but it certainly 'could' happen.

 

[ReaperHWK]

Even if the dealership happened to damage it they’d need admit it. Unfortunately you’ll have to eat this one.

 

[TheAgency]

Even if the dealership happened to damage it they’d need admit it. Unfortunately you’ll have to eat this one.

Making this more unfortunate, found TSB 22-NA-074, stating: "oil cooler, oil cooler line, oil tank....replacement is required due to the complex oil gallery passages, making thorough and complete component cleaning difficult and guarantee you completely removed all the debris. Reinstallation of an oil cooler and/or cooler line that was removed from an engine with a bearing failure debris may result in the transfer of any remaining debris into the new Genuine GM Part service engine.

In my case, they rebuilt my original engine after bearing failure. At the time, they said they'd rebuild the engine rather than replace it since L87 engines were on constraint last year. They only removed and reinstalled the radiator/oil cooler et al., not replaced.

This is my 9th GM full-size. Still own a '21 that was subject to lifter failure and replacement. It's less about the money, but the principle. I'd be ready to drive both the '23 and the '21 to GMC once this repair is done, and say "give me an offer" and be done with the company altogether.

 

[blanchard7684]

My 2023 Yukon Denali at 61k was just diagnosed by the dealership as having a failed oil cooler, after noticing milky coolant. To clarify, this is a failure of the cooler itself, not the lines, to the tune of a $3,900 out-of-warranty repair.

Here's the kicker: at 34k miles just over a year ago, the engine was removed and rebuilt with a new crankshaft, rod bearings, and piston rings. This was covered at the time under the powertrain warranty to the tune of $12,466.

Am I ridiculous in saying the oil cooler failure was introduced on a still relatively young truck by the massive work done previously? It seems wild to me that after pulling an engine, and thus a radiator and other related things, that an early failure is just something "that happened"?

Any advice appreciated.

I doubt the engine repair caused a failure unless there was obvious visible external damage.

To get the oil into water side there is an internal failure of the cooler or a leak path that developed.

When mechanics swap the engine the oil cooler is unbolted from old engine ( hopefully flushed out) and then bolted on to new engine. It is just a component that gets transferred over.

 

[jfoj]

I would contact GM and/or ask that the District Manager get involved to review the situation. When the engines failed as part of the repair the engine oil cooler lines and radiator was to be replaced. It seems the dealer may not have done this as they did not follow GM's process.

If the radiator and engine oil cooler lines would have been replaced at the time of the engine rebuild, it is possible your current failure may not have occurred.

Just curious how the radiator replacement and coolant system flush and possible oil coolant line replacement totaled $3900, seems a bit high IMHO.