BREAKING: GM is officially recalling the L87

[Vladimir2306]

Interesting what can be accomplished by ingenuity. I saw a YouTube video of a shop in Thailand (from Russian guy called Sanctioned Ivan) and those guys learned how to rebuild motors in an environment where parts are hard to get, that most shops in the US would just toss and replace. They did this work usually less than a full day and those engines would better than new! German, Japanese or American cars they fixed all of them!

It is truly amazing what problems can be solved when the mechanics start using their brains instead of a computer to tell them what to do!

So it is, when something creates restrictions for a person, he turns on fantasy and fiction on how to get around these restrictions))

 

[jfoj]

By the way, you constantly write to everyone here about changing the oil before the scheduled period. I have a question, on what basis do you give such advice? Do you have an oil analysis that it degrades so much and cannot be used for 7500 miles? I have one. We have a lot of oil analyses online, including 0-20, at a mileage of 5-6 thousand miles, it is practically like new in condition.
And at 7500 miles it also has values within the normal range. I'll tell you even more, here is the analysis of Oil 0-20 Mobil1, on a Ford Focus. The car drove 19 thousand km on this oil, and this is almost 12 thousand miles. And there it is also within the normal range for all indicators except Alkalinity.
Here is the analysis through translation, it can be translated into English.
So there is no point in changing the oil earlier than the prescribed 7,500 mile interval.

@Vladimir2306

I look at things like the glass half full. I would rather OVER maintain, than UNDER maintain.

There are things that do not always appear as they are even with an oil analysis. Things like fuel and water contamination in the engine oil are always a moving target. The problem with oil is of you let it go too long while contaminated, by the time you change it damage may have been done.

I have a number of oil analysis for my truck, 544 miles, 2439 miles and 2940 miles. Yes this is 3 oil changes in just under 6000 miles. Reasons for this were numerous, part due to all the engine failures, figured I would have some advanced warning and then decide what to do and I needed to flush all the initial wear metals out of the engine from the original build and break in.

While my driving for the most part is ideal, 80% highway driving, starting the engine and driving between 2-6 hours straight without stopping. Again, almost ideal conditions.

What I found is on my oil samples the Fuel % was typically between 0.5% and 1.0%. On the surface most would say this is fine. BUT lets play some games here. Lets assume 7,500 mile oil change interval which is around what the OLM shows in many cases.

544 mile sample, 0.5%. 7,500/544=13.8 0.5%x13.8 = 6.9%!!! Ok, this one may be a bit unrealistic because the first 8 miles on the vehicle include the final assembly chassis dyno of probably 2 miles or so. Then multiple starts to move the vehicle from the chassis dyno to the initial storage lot. Many more starts getting vehicle on and off transporters/rail cars. Delivered to dealer, need to start and remove from transporter, park in lot for inspection, start engine to move car to storage, start car a few times to get into PDI, back lot, to gas station to fill up before sale, to carwash at time of sale and new owner driving off 50 miles to home! Then mostly in town drives and maybe some highway. So this was not really ideal driving conditions. Probably some rounding error in the 0.5% as well, who knows.

2439 and 2940 mile drives. Oil analysis shows 1%, again, not such a problem, but extrapolate out a bit. 7,500 mile OCI with these 2 distances you end up with 2.5% to 3.0% fuel in the oil. Did I confirm this, no, do not have any interest in ultra long oil drain intervals.

Then lets look at this way. Lets assume for 112,500 of driving, you change the oil every 7,500 miles, this yields 15 oil changes. Lets assume the oil changes cost $100 each, maybe a bit low, but it depends if this is DIY, it would be way cheaper. So this this is $1,500 for oil changes. Now lets cut the OCI in 1/2, you would spend an additional $1,500 in the 112,500 range.

My point of view is you could never even get any internal engine repair performed for $1,500 at a shop, if you DIY, sure you will save on labor, but the point is to drive the car, not disassemble the engine and have a long period of down time. The most likely repair to sneak up on these engines at around 100,000+ miles would likely be problems with the roller lifters and camshaft. Not an easy job, requiring cylinder head removal and so forth. Something I do not want to pay or nor something I want to spend my time doing.

So rather than buying extended Warranties and so forth, I put my money toward maintenance that I typically do myself, so my oil changes are just under $75 with a premium engine oil that feel is worth it.

Everyone has their own ideas and may or may not agree with this philosophy, but as I have stated a number of times, oil is cheaper than steel!

 

[BacDoc]

Well I got informed by email about the latest recall. The email told me to check the app and sure enough there was the recall when I ran my VIN. Also was the “No Remedy” warning.

I called my dealer and was told yes Houston we have a problem but there is no fix yet and they have no idea about when parts will be available for the recall fix. Gee, that’s encouraging, what should I do now? I was told don’t worry, be happy and when the parts come in you will be notified by mail, sometime in the future! Okay so now I feel much better! But what about the “lack of propulsion” and the fact that can lead to fatal crash? Sounds kinda serious to me! Don’t you worry though because as soon as parts are available we will contact you, we have no idea about when this will be or what will be involved but you can be sure that we are on top of this!

Yikes! The amazing thing to me is that they admit there’s a problem but they have no idea when and if your motor will be checked or fixed!

In my biz that’s considered admitting liability to performing medical malpractice, which is better than concealing it but it pretty much gives the lawyers your policy limits and what ever else they can garnish.
Props to GM for admitting that they are responsible for defective parts but what were their attorneys thinking when they sent out this recall, admitting lack of propulsion could result in injury or death and not having any idea when they can even start the process!

As John sang - Back in the USSR, you don’t know how lucky you are boys, back in the USSR

 

[jfoj]

I cannot recall if I tossed this thought/idea out yet.

So if GM is SO CONFIDENT that switching to 0W40 engine oil will allow all of these engines to continue to operate, where is the 15 Year/150,000 Warranty on the the original or replacement engines in the recalled vehicle group??

I look at is this way, if GM was so confident that the recalled vehicles original or replacement engines will operate without a problem after moving to 0W40 engine oil, it will cost GM $0.00 to offer the additional engine Warranty if there are no engine failures! If engines fail, then GM needs to step up to help out all the guinea pigs.

This would also help the resale value and owner interest in used vehicles within the Recall window.

 

[Vladimir2306]

@Vladimir2306

I look at things like the glass half full. I would rather OVER maintain, than UNDER maintain.

There are things that do not always appear as they are even with an oil analysis. Things like fuel and water contamination in the engine oil are always a moving target. The problem with oil is of you let it go too long while contaminated, by the time you change it damage may have been done.

I have a number of oil analysis for my truck, 544 miles, 2439 miles and 2940 miles. Yes this is 3 oil changes in just under 6000 miles. Reasons for this were numerous, part due to all the engine failures, figured I would have some advanced warning and then decide what to do and I needed to flush all the initial wear metals out of the engine from the original build and break in.

While my driving for the most part is ideal, 80% highway driving, starting the engine and driving between 2-6 hours straight without stopping. Again, almost ideal conditions.

What I found is on my oil samples the Fuel % was typically between 0.5% and 1.0%. On the surface most would say this is fine. BUT lets play some games here. Lets assume 7,500 mile oil change interval which is around what the OLM shows in many cases.

544 mile sample, 0.5%. 7,500/544=13.8 0.5%x13.8 = 6.9%!!! Ok, this one may be a bit unrealistic because the first 8 miles on the vehicle include the final assembly chassis dyno of probably 2 miles or so. Then multiple starts to move the vehicle from the chassis dyno to the initial storage lot. Many more starts getting vehicle on and off transporters/rail cars. Delivered to dealer, need to start and remove from transporter, park in lot for inspection, start engine to move car to storage, start car a few times to get into PDI, back lot, to gas station to fill up before sale, to carwash at time of sale and new owner driving off 50 miles to home! Then mostly in town drives and maybe some highway. So this was not really ideal driving conditions. Probably some rounding error in the 0.5% as well, who knows.

2439 and 2940 mile drives. Oil analysis shows 1%, again, not such a problem, but extrapolate out a bit. 7,500 mile OCI with these 2 distances you end up with 2.5% to 3.0% fuel in the oil. Did I confirm this, no, do not have any interest in ultra long oil drain intervals.

Then lets look at this way. Lets assume for 112,500 of driving, you change the oil every 7,500 miles, this yields 15 oil changes. Lets assume the oil changes cost $100 each, maybe a bit low, but it depends if this is DIY, it would be way cheaper. So this this is $1,500 for oil changes. Now lets cut the OCI in 1/2, you would spend an additional $1,500 in the 112,500 range.

My point of view is you could never even get any internal engine repair performed for $1,500 at a shop, if you DIY, sure you will save on labor, but the point is to drive the car, not disassemble the engine and have a long period of down time. The most likely repair to sneak up on these engines at around 100,000+ miles would likely be problems with the roller lifters and camshaft. Not an easy job, requiring cylinder head removal and so forth. Something I do not want to pay or nor something I want to spend my time doing.

So rather than buying extended Warranties and so forth, I put my money toward maintenance that I typically do myself, so my oil changes are just under $75 with a premium engine oil that feel is worth it.

Everyone has their own ideas and may or may not agree with this philosophy, but as I have stated a number of times, oil is cheaper than steel!

Are you kidding?) What is the 6.9% of fuel in oil?) You will always have 0.5-1% fuel in the oil, because this is the norm for the engine. You lay out your oil analysis, show that the oil has lost its properties) I posted the analysis, and you also post it)

 

[jfoj]

As far as parts availability when a Recall is released, it is almost always the case that parts are not initially available. If I owned a vehicle in the recall window, I would change to 0W40 now and document it, this way if it takes 3-6 months for parts and oil to show up, hopefully you would be saving your engine based on GM's solution.

Understand that there will be a Mobil 1 0W40 Supercar oil shortage!!!

They only made about 40-50k Corvettes the past few years, now you will need close to 6,000,000 quarts of oil at once!!! Good luck, I have what I need for the the next 15,000 miles and it is not Mobil 1.

 

[jfoj]

Are you kidding?) What is the 6.9% of fuel in oil?) You will always have 0.5-1% fuel in the oil, because this is the norm for the engine. You lay out your oil analysis, show that the oil has lost its properties) I posted the analysis, and you also post it)

Did you read what I wrote, this is extrapolated out based on the analysis at 544 miles with 0.5% fuel in the oil. I indicated that that may not be realistic, but understand before you take delivery of a vehicle the engine has been cold started and moved very short distances probably 25+ times in the first 5 miles.

 

[Vladimir2306]

As far as parts availability when a Recall is released, it is almost always the case that parts are not initially available. If I owned a vehicle in the recall window, I would change to 0W40 now and document it, this way if it takes 3-6 months for parts and oil to show up, hopefully you would be saving your engine based on GM's solution.

Understand that there will be a Mobil 1 0W40 Supercar oil shortage!!!

They only made about 40-50k Corvettes the past few years, now you will need close to 6,000,000 quarts of oil at once!!! Good luck, I have what I need for the the next 15,000 miles and it is not Mobil 1.

There is no shortage of 0-40 oil. Even our services have enough of it)))
Why are you creating panic

 

[Vladimir2306]

Did you read what I wrote, this is extrapolated out based on the analysis at 544 miles with 0.5% fuel in the oil. I indicated that that may not be realistic, but understand before you take delivery of a vehicle the engine has been cold started and moved very short distances probably 25+ times in the first 5 miles.

Stop writing a lot of words, post an analysis of your oil, where it became unusable

 

[KMeloney]

544 mile sample, 0.5%. 7,500/544=13.8 0.5%x13.8 = 6.9%!!!

I'm neither a mathematician nor a mechanic. Are you saying that the percentage the oil is diluted after a sample mileage can be multiplied out over the number of miles you drive thereafter, and the dilution percentage will climb linearly with the miles you drive?

Really?