BREAKING: GM is officially recalling the L87

[mountie]

Your 'complaint' MUST be worded, as per DEFECT reported, as per the T.S. Bulletin, written words .

( I experienced this many years ago ) Trust me... the recalls and/or TSBs are written by GM's lawyers. The last pages are the most important ( the stuff that isn't 'reported' ) IMO

 

[viven44]

The bearing wear also looks like a heavy load.

That bearing wear is pretty strange. The centers are wiped out almost like there was no lubrication and/or loss of oil pressure. I think @jfoj posted this somewhere but I'd be interested in knowing what the oil pressure was with 0W-20 when things are nice and hot...... but he may not have that data as he switched to heavier weight.

In the old clunkers, going from 40 weight to 60 weight was often the last ditch effort to bring up oil pressure before a full rebuild was in order.

 

[WalleyeMikeIII]

Ok this appears to be a major development:

The “replace all engines built before a certain date” bulletin is now on the NHTSA website. Looks real, and looks like the oil change fix is no more.

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCRIT-25V274-5347.pdf

See Post #445, shared all that yesterday.

I believe this is the salient point out of the N*02 recall:

"Vehicles involved in this recall were placed on a Stop Delivery Order on April 24, 2025, underN252494000. Certain VIN’s have been moved to “Open” status in this bulletin after being identified asrequiring an engine replacement. Additional VIN’s may be opened as they are identified."

So, this recall applies to "identified vehicles" which is not the entire population of vehicles w/ engines built in the window...it is those known to be bad based on the inspection procedure and/or that GM identified in it's searching internally.

 

[blanchard7684]

That bearing wear is pretty strange. The centers are wiped out almost like there was no lubrication and/or loss of oil pressure. I think @jfoj posted this somewhere but I'd be interested in knowing what the oil pressure was with 0W-20 when things are nice and hot...... but he may not have that data as he switched to heavier weight.

In the old clunkers, going from 40 weight to 60 weight was often the last ditch effort to bring up oil pressure before a full rebuild was in order.

That is the area that sees the highest load...and where you need the highest reaction force from your lube oil.

 

[GMCnewbee]

What is the mystery here? Rod bearings were too tight. They heated up and end of story. So the people putting these engines together did not get that one (and a lot more of them) right.

Or, ..... (and maybe worse?) is the oil delivery design bad and that particular journal was not getting the correct lubrication? Then we are all doomed.

 

[blanchard7684]

That bearing wear is pretty strange. The centers are wiped out almost like there was no lubrication and/or loss of oil pressure. I think @jfoj posted this somewhere but I'd be interested in knowing what the oil pressure was with 0W-20 when things are nice and hot...... but he may not have that data as he switched to heavier weight.

In the old clunkers, going from 40 weight to 60 weight was often the last ditch effort to bring up oil pressure before a full rebuild was in order.

I'll also add that this wear pattern could be from a ton of cycles on auto start/stop. Tons of mixed and boundary lube cycles.

 

[viven44]

That is the area that sees the highest load.

That makes sense. As the piston is pushed down there is enough force to overcome the "centrifuge" and place the heavy load there, and it is worse on the "rod side" half.

Per the video, these same exact bearings have been in use for a LONG time on the LS family of engines. Very strange why it only happened only on these engines. Video also notes that the crank is unique to this engine... thus the journal dimensioning/controls are understandably "defective"

 

[BacDoc]

That bearing wear is pretty strange. The centers are wiped out almost like there was no lubrication and/or loss of oil pressure. I think @jfoj posted this somewhere but I'd be interested in knowing what the oil pressure was with 0W-20 when things are nice and hot...... but he may not have that data as he switched to heavier weight.

In the old clunkers, going from 40 weight to 60 weight was often the last ditch effort to bring up oil pressure before a full rebuild was in order.

“Last ditch effort”, that pretty much sums up our situation! Lol

 

[viven44]

I'll also add that this wear pattern could be from a ton of cycles on auto start/stop. Tons of mixed and boundary lube cycles.

Planned obsolescence gone wrong

 

[BacDoc]

Yesterday I went to the service department of my Chevy dealership to ask about any recall updates. Right away I could tell they prepped the service advisors about this. Almost like the lawyers tell criminal clients - “don’t say anything” and “don’t answer any questions and definitely don’t volunteer any information!”

It was just like watching a movie where the feds have the guy who they know did it and they are trying to get him to break but he never does. He said they don’t have any information regarding the recall and they can’t answer any questions about the recall. Also nobody at this dealership can give you any information about the recall.

He gets annoyed by just a few polite questions - any new update, does this involve replacing my engine, and how long does it take to replace the engine if that happens.
So I bring up the fact that “losing Propulsion”, the recall wording sounds like certain injury or death if you are traveling at high way speeds in traffic not even considering that it could be a multi car pile up - yes I am concerned!

His reply - “I suppose there are better situations to be in” he really said that!