How to Keep your Chevy/GM 3.6 V6 Engine Running Forever, LY7 LLT LFX LGX LGZ
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2024
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Interested in learning more about the 3.6 and what makes it work well and prevent breakdowns in this video I go over the 3.6 VVT engine in many GM vehicles. In all sorts of makes and models.
First used in a Cadillac in 2004 the GM 3.6 was first introduced to be a replacement engine for the mighty 3.8 or as some call a 3800.
This was right around the time GM first introduced VVT to their main lineups in 2008 chevy,buick,GMC,all started using the more powerful fuel efficient 3.6.
But with more complexity comes more maintenance not so with this V6. This isn't a typical pushrod style motor before like the 3.8 no the VVT system is completely run by this chain oil pressure being key, so good oil change habits are necessary.
Check out this video to learn about the Doing the Cam/Crank Correlation test with a scope: • How To Test GM 3.6L Ti...
I have a 2016 Z71 colorado with the 3.6 LFX engine. Currently It has 82,000 miles on it. The only thing I have replaced is the purge valve at 30,000 miles. I change my own oil at 3000 miles and have also changed the tranny fluid twice and all other fluids. With the cost of newer trucks I plan on keeping it for a long time. BTW, I'm 71 and this has been my favorite vehicle
I do oil & filter changes on mine at every 5000 km / 3000 miles. The dealer kept pushing 10000 km / 6000 miles. No way to go as long as they say.
It's 5000 for my Camaro! Full synthetic!! I do 3500!!
I change my oil every 2000 just because I only pay 30 bucks
@@brysonshires9742 $30 for full synthetic? Hiw? Where?
@@tombrzozowski173 my buddy works at Walmart. Gives me a deal
@@tombrzozowski173 I buy the costco full synthetic when it's on sale. Usually it's around $3.75 a quart. Normal price right now is $419. They will ship it to my front door free shipping so I don't even have to go there with my wife.
Thanks for the info I always change my 2013 impala at 5.000 miles so far no issues and were at 96.000 miles
Had a 2013 camaro and a 2015 Colorado, both with the LFX 3.6l v6. 150,000 miles on truck. Didnt put many miles on the Camaro. Maybe 30,000, but both were great. Zero issues. Great power, albeit in the upper RPM range, and good fuel economy. Love them.
Use premium quality DexOs branded oil and ac delco change every 3,000 miles. Or you can pay later when you blow the engine. This type of engine will not tolerate lack of maintenance. Retired GM tech.
CHANGE THE FUCKING OIL.IN IT !!! PERIOD 3.6 GM LOVE CLEAN OIL IJ THEM !! PERIOD
You can 100% do the timing with the engine in the vehicle. I've done it 3 or 4 times. There's a few tricky things but its doable.
That's what I was goin to say. I'm doing one right now in my 2012 Traverse.
2012 Enclave; I didn't know that much about the GM 3.6l at the time but I always do 5K oil/filter changes myself on any car I own that is out of warranty. I gave it to my daughter once all the kids grew up and wouldn't all fit anyway for family road trips. Still going at 162K miles (although lots of interior buttons rubbed off / broken plastic / etc.); that's just normal GM. 😂
2012 Traverse FWD 3.6 LLT never been taken apart for any internal engine or transmission work 262,000 miles it’s amazing what happens when you change your oil between 3000 and 4000 miles and keep an eye on the oil level as well as have a catch can set up changing your oil and keeping it clean is way cheaper than doing any internal engine work yet? People think oh it’s not a big deal I’ll go 10,000 miles on oil it says it can do it….. bullshit
Glad I found you. I have a good version of the 2012 engine with 160,000 that I’m babying.
For the PCV valve, at least on the 2014, 2015 for this motor and probably newer. It is permanently attached to the cam shaft cover and if you try to pull it out it will destroy the valve. Its just a single hole on the valve for better flow. Replacing the right cam shaft cover is a PITA
Haha yes i unfortunately found this out the hard way and is why i was making this video. In my other video in this series i show just that .I took off the cam cover and saw it had a different style pcv valve it looked pretty bad to me but also they isolate it on 1 side of the cover which i think makes in worse went ahead and replaced it but yeah what was GM thinking honestly!
@FixYourCar-Eric Same here, I ended up taking a trip to the junk yard to find a new cam cover and cleaned it up. I checked out a 15 acadia and 14 Traverse and both looked pretty dirty under the cover. I've been ignoring the oil monitor and always change early and mine is way cleaner than those. Changing the oil more frequently is a must
2014 Chevy impala 3.6 , I change oil and filter every 3k miles currently at 133k miles
Bought a 2008 Acadia 3.6 with 182k on it. Gets 25 hwy mpg a year later with 221k on it now.
Previous owner must have done frequent oil changes
Like for the Jesus plug!
Great info here. I had a 2004 Caddy with the early version of this V6. Solid maintenance all the way with oil changes at 20% remaining on the OLM and recommended syn 5W30. However around 75000 miles the oil consumption really went up nearing a quart per thousand although it ran fine. I'm convinced most timing chain problems are due to running low oil levels as my chains were fine at 120,000 miles when we were hit by a minivan and totalled out.
Back in the old days it was common to "check oil each gas fillup" but that's considered too much work today.
A wise man!
@alexanderkennedy2969
People should be discouraged from even looking at the OLM and just change the oil at 5k miles. The biggest issue that the proponents of extended oil changes ignores is that oil filters don't really filter as much of the contamnation in the oil as people assume. Direct injection engines generate a lot of fine carbon soot and unburned fuel in the oil. The oil itself might test ok at 7000 miles, but the oil is loaded with unburned fuel and find abrasive soot that the filter does nothing to capture.
Yes the DI is a mixed blessing. I've got a 2023 3.6 in a Chevy, great hp and super fuel econ but not sure about the long term.@@karlschauff7989
Same issue on my ‘13 Impala LFX engine. I HIGHLY recommend the elite engineering (this brand only) oil catch can- both PCV dirty side and the oil cap. The cap will prevent oil from getting into your air intake through the clean side PCV. I agree oil changes are a must. I scoped my valves and the carbon build up was crazy. I’ve seen a few 3.6’s in shops and I usually will ask the tech how much oil was in it when it came in, and often it’s well below the add mark- not to mention black as diesel oil.
Another 3.8 lover here, I'm struggling with the imminent departure of a 97 Park Ave Ultra, my last in a long line of 3.8's. I'm looking at a '14 Impala with the LFX.
Have a 2016 GMC Canyon long bed 4wd 3.6 LFX 158,000 and zero problems. Oil has been changed every 5000 miles or a little sooner with Pennzoil ultra platinum 5W 30 and a GM oil filter. Truck now uses about at the most 1/2 to 3/4 of a quart between changes and checked regularly and always kept topped-off and still gets around 24 to 25 miles per gallon on the highway. So far there are no oil leaks no engine noise and motor is unusually quiet. Water pump, belt and tensioner (GM OEM) changed at around 120,000 but was not leaking yet and just done for preventive maintenance. Service is definitely the key for longevity of these engines and they must never be run low on oil or not miss a 5000 service intervals from day one. Thanks for your channel and will keep y’all posted on my hopefully continued success.
I've got less than you and mine's in being rebuilt. I always let mine go to 0% but never more. All within a few days I had the oil change reminder come one, started hearing a slight knock, and then got the engine light come on. After opening up the engine the mechanic found sludge and questioned how often I did oil changes because in his opinion it had never been changed. He also said the oil filter was breaking down and turning to mush. That one is still a huge mystery. After I told him exactly how I changed the oil, where to find the filter, and the volume of oil it took he believed that I was being honest with my oil changes. He told me to never go by the BS oil gauge life monitor again.
Wouldn’t it be nice if the truck didn’t burn oil 😂
using 1/2 quart between changes isn't bad at high mileage. Toyota's new vehicle warranty says that it's normal for their engines to burn up to 1 quart every 1200 miles.
@@jimdent351 The oil life monitor is useless and the problems you have are because you didn't change the oil often enough. "He also said the oil filter was breaking down and turning to mush. That one is still a huge mystery." That isn't a mystery. There are filters specifically designed for full synthetic oil/extended oil change intervals. Wix made their XP oil filters for that purpose. Purolator also has specific filters meant for long oil change intervals. Regular oil filters can break down if oil change intervals are obscenely long.
@@karlschauff7989 The oil got changed as per the manufacturer's recommendations which were when the vehicle's warning system says. "Change Oil Soon". That is right in the owners manual, and that's when it got changed each and every oil change. That message always came up at 6k miles or 10k kilometers.
As far as the filter goes I always used Fram Extra Guard filters in the past but the last time they were all out of those but had the Fram Tough Guard rated for 15K mi / 24k km. The top of the oil filter normally has 3 or 4 little fingers that snap into oil filter housing but they were gone. Somehow they broke off or dissolved, but they found a bunch of what they described as "coffee grounds like" in the engine. I can only assume it was the oil filter. The filter was rated for 15k miles but only lasted 6k
I did my last oil change in October when I did the thermostat, rad fluid, differentials, and the T. case. I've always done what was recommended in the owners manual. When you buy these oils that say protects up to 12k miles, and the oil filter says 15k miles, I honestly didn't think 6k miles like the owners manual said was unrealistic so I never questioned it.
Owned a 2010 Traverse and had it for 145k miles and then sold it and the motor had no issues other then the converters due to the direct injection. I always used full synthetic 5w30 every 5-6k miles. Now have 2018 Enclave same maintenance plan and it has 90k miles and hasn't had any issues. So hopefully it stays that way. Unfortunately direct only injection is a motor killer with the carbon on the valves. Catch cans work great with early oil change intervals and don't top off the oil, leave about a 1/4 of a quart less ✌🏽🇺🇲
I have a 2017 Chevy Treverse with 101k. I change oil between 5 & 6 k. No issues so far. Your video is very helpful. I want my 3.6 to last as long as possible.
I had a 2008 CTS with this engine. Fortunately I knew about these timing chain problems. I changed the oil when at around 50% usage and used a thinner full synthetic 5/20 oil. Also kept it topped off as it liked to use some between changes. Never had any issues until I sold it.
Bulletproof and GM should never be in the same sentence-OR PARAGRAPH. 😆
3k is a usual target for my vehicles. I don’t care what the manufacturer says. They want me to blow it up by listening to them so I have to get it fixed or buy another one. I have changed oil at 500 miles already and much lower in my corvettes. Also just picked up a 2014 Buick lacrosse with one owner and about 4200 miles oil changes. Runs like a top buuuuuttt, I’m still thinking of adding 2 oz of Lucas oil , oil stabilizer and stick to 3k mile oil changes , currently has 59500 miles bought it yesterday!! 😂
I have a 2016 colorado Z71 and a part of the deal I got was lifetime free oil changes.
Engines fine, brakes are starting to groan and squeak but anything engine related is good so far.
I have a 2012 impala with the 3.6 lfx. I change oil and filter every 3000 mi. with mobile one full synthetic. I drain and refill the trans once a year.I also installed a catch can and did the pcv drill mod when I first bought it the car. I have driven it 11 years and not one minutes trouble from it. Knock on wood.
2009” Malibu w/ a LY7 3.6l, just hit 100k miles and will run for another 200k with how I’m maintaining it! Thanks!
I have a 2021 Chevy Colorado Z71 and before I bought the truck I had looked into the engine and was under the impression that the truck version of this engine does not have the timing chain issues, at least not to the same degree, that the “regular” version of this engine has had. Anyone know anything about that. Can’t remember off the top of my head where I went down this rabbit hole o the internet.
Check out valvoline restore and protect oil. In time it will actually remove the sludge.
You're a good communicator and knowledgeable on the subject. I bought a '16 traverse with 64K miles in '22. Inventory was low, and prices for used cars were hight :(. I NEED this car to last at least the duration of my financing. I will definitely be doing 5k mile oil changes and regular transmission services.
If you do short trips, change it earlier. Also check the oil often. Make sure it's topped off always. There are plenty of other cars with shit engines. Chrysler has the 2.7 that can't do longer than 3,000 mile oil changes. Sludge monster.
I just bought a new Cadillac with this engine I was very nervous because The Newer Gm engines are Junk but i like the Car and it’s Under Warranty
I have 235k on my 2012 Lacrosse.. no issues, oil change about every 4-5k
@@aboutfaceretreats6562 count your lucky stars cause that won’t happen again
This engine was a bad dream from the start!
It certainly can be unfortunately if a person decides to listen to the manufacturer on oil changes the timing chain will nuke the motor around 150k. So that is why I've created this channel to educated experts and newbies on the dangers out there.
The "bean counters" had to work overtime because the cost would have been prohibitive if HIGH QUALITY parts (many more than the 3.8L OHV) would have been used. Cheaper parts= lower reliability! GM had to drop the 3.8L in 2007 because it couldn't meet fuel efficiency standards that are required in today's vehicles!
@@TheOzthewiz I know people that get over 20 mpg around town and over 30 mpg on the Hwy. with the 3800 in the big Buicks
The 3800 also had low horsepower compared to modern engines of the day. It was not cheap either and the mpgs were not great. But in actual driving it was torquey and could get OK mpgs on the highway.@@TheOzthewiz
These motors get a bad rap from GM pushing stupid service intervals. Change the oil with good 5w30 full synthetic every 5,000 and they will last quite a long time.
Plastic timing guides can't be bullet proof lol I just did a gm product timing system 4 cyl plastic guides wear out and break it's stretch and plastic combined no amount of oil changes fix plastic it will get brittle and break eventually❤
I do oil changes every 3000 on all my cars and trucks. I get over 300,000 miles on my vicks. No issues
We have a Holden Commodore SV6 2011 which has this engine, some time ago I put a thicker oil in, 10w40 and we got intermittent misfires on cylinder 1. Replaced plugs and coil on cylinder 1 and every so often it would still do it. I went back to 5w30 as it was on special, and noticed it completely stoped, bizzare. Oil thickness must have affected cam timing, I cant think what else it could have been. Fortunately I have always changed oil in all my cars at around 7500km (4660 miles) and so glad I kept that up with this car, never had an issue with oil related things - timing belt etc, just a few minor coolant leaks and car just passed 210,000km (130,000 miles)
Yes thicker weight oil will make the VVT system react similar as to sludge buildup and therefore mimic some of the same symptoms. Which the main problem is the small passages in the VVT solenoid which are controlled by oil pressure unfortunately. So yes stick to 5w30 and change oil every 5k miles.
I literally had this same issue a month ago on my 2010 series 2 SV6 LLT. I was advised by a silly mechanic to put a thicker oil and stupidly did it at my next oil change, this caused misfires in cyl 1 which I then spent weeks DIY fixing things as I found them.. My first time pulling things apart in the engine bay and so I cleaned intake valves (carbon build up galore), new spark plugs and ignition coils, new high pressure fuel pump, new fuel rail pressure sensor which broke off when refurbing injectors which were all clogged up....... injectors were putting out about 60-70% of nominal fuel at all spray tests. after replacing everything above I did a flush and replaced with 5w30 which cleeared up the misfires right away, but i ended up having a timing chain code (P0008) so i needed to get that done by mechanic. In the end, with a lot of my own labour I am probably at around $4500 AUD spend (genuine timing chain kit with genuine water and oil pumps). very glad to see the inside of the engine is not all sludged up and probably has a lot of life left in it, but very disappointed that a simple oil change to a slightly thicker oil wreaked so much havoc. At least it prompted me to assess and fix/replace a lot of the other parts which for sure would've been affecting performance in subtle ways.
I was just thinking wow I’ve done them in the car in my back yard no concrete lol
I have a 18 Colorado with 150k miles. I had to have the timing chain replaced at roughly 95k miles because of this exact reason. I for most of its life let it get down to ~10% oil life before changing it. And recently because of a road trip let it get to 1% before getting an oil low light. Now hearing what you're saying about the recommended vs what I should be doing, should I be concerned about the potential damage to the piston walls and rings? None the less thanks for the info!! 3k mile oil changes from now on 😂
The newer engines don't have the timing chain issue. 2013 and up, you're good.
Im buying a used Buick Enclave today with 90k . Same engine, I will be more careful about oil changes to 4k. Great video !
make sure the engine is not already sludged up
@alexanderkennedy2969you can buy mine for the cheap well maintained with records only 100k on her. I need a truck bad. Prolly will just trade it in tbh
Make sure you do the oil changes well before the oil life monitoring system tells you to. My Canyon is in getting rebuild right now. I always did the changes when it got to 0% and mine has about (102k mi / 162k km).
@alexanderkennedy2969 Wanna bet? Follow the stupid reminder that GM incorporates into their vehicles and you will blow an engine. I found out the hard way.
Don’t work, the gm 3.6 is a ticking time bomb. I wrench, stay away from that engine!!!!!
Davis Thomas Wilson Gary Martinez Steven
the best way to bullet proof a GM 3.6 is to LS swap it
I agree. My 5.3 L GMC Sierra had a lot of miles (roughly 265K mi.) and the engine ran like a top still when I sold it. It was the rest of the truck that sucked. My GMC Canyon has relatively low miles (113K mi) and is in being rebuilt.
I was so looking for this comment 😉, Thank You
Or sell it and get a 1993 Toyota.
Ok Scotty 😅
Moore Melissa Clark Dorothy Lopez Jeffrey
Manufacturers recommending extended oil change intervals are doing it purposefully so they can cash in on customers in the service department or getting them to trade in their vehicles when big bills add up. I own a shop and I put every customers car on a 5,000 mile interval on full synthetic oil or 3,000 miles on synthetic blend, no more.
Exactly. The manufacturers have the data. They know how extended oil changes affect every engine they put into vehicles. They even know how often every one of the vehicles they sell are driven. But they still use that engine-destroying OLM to let people drive too long on dirty oil.
I'm going to be changing my oil sooner thanks to you. $5000? yikes
Hall Melissa Hernandez Jeffrey Smith Sharon
So if I just stick to the old school 3k miles the engine will be fine?
mines got 236,000 miles and i haven't change the timing chains ever. i change oil every 5,000 miles
►► Get my Personal Engineer Auto Maintenance Recommendations to make your car last → www.fixyourcar.net/
Great job educating on this engine. I have a 2013 XTS. I never bought into the high mileage oil change theory. Now considering Mobile 1 I’ll change at 4k same as traditional oil. That should be ok for the protection those chains need? Thanks. Keep up the great work 👍
Whenever I change oil on a customer car with this or the 2.4 I get in with the scanner and set the oil life to 60-65% so when they get to 3-3500 mitts safe 😊
@dangerdanger5411 you are an awesome person wish there were more like you
I reset my trip A or B to 0. Really the best way for me to tell accurately in my 2012 impala!
Anderson Laura Walker Thomas Wilson Linda
Those engines are not bulletproof 😂😂
Taylor Jason Miller Gary Brown Deborah
I'd be concerned for anyone who buys a used vehicle with this engine. At least not without a stack of maintenance receipts showing frequent oil changes.
I have 215K on my 12 Impala w/3.6. 5knoil changes and full synthetic after 100k
Torque Converter went out at 182k though
GM should of told their customers to have ATF drained and filled every 40k miles which is inexpensive and these transmissions and torque convertors would last much longer.
@@stevenyoung3360 yeah, I did a dealer flush at 90k, then a drain and fill at 150k and 180k, then had a rebuild at AAMCO.
Just did another at 215k, because I'm not sure what quality fluid Aamco uses
It is still possible to like do the timing chain with the engine in place and give it a updated timing chain?
God Bless... looking forward to your series...
Taylor Lisa Gonzalez Lisa Miller Laura
Cecelia Route
Bernie Thompson from ATS , Automotive Test Solutions is a master at finding these issues . You can contact them for shops in the area that use their equipment . Make sure whatever shop you go to is trained on using a lab scope . " Will it fix the car " - otherwise you will pay for a pile of parts and a bullshit story !
Most defiantly wanted to make people aware of that issue after doing all the service on my vehicle that hesitation at idle seems to have gone away. Ill be posting a video next week over everything as well as what i saved by doing all the work myself vs what a shop would have charged.
@@FixYourCar-Eric You can always start with some Techron in the gas tank , clean the throttle body and mass air flow sensor as general maintenance .
Harris Scott Harris Betty Hall Eric
I have a 2012 Cadillac CTS Coupe with the 3.6 and I'm currently at 98K miles. This car has had Mobil 1 oil and filter changes every 5K miles it's entire life and so far going strong. I did have to replace the water pump a couple of years back and I'm estimating timing chain maint at about 150K. Luckily as in the Camaro this car mounts the engine longitudinally so I can do it myself when that time comes.
Here ye here ye. TIMING CHAINS DO NOT STRETCH!!!
Depends on your definition of stretch. They are not elastic, but they grow in length as the plates and pins wear. Since they removed zddp from engine oil, replaced port injection with direct injection, and the average car buyer thinks their fancy full synthetic oil can go 7k to 10k miles between changes, timing chain wear has become a significant issue. The combination of direct injection and longer oil change intervals caused a lot of timing chain issues for this engine and the 3.5 Ecoboost in particular.
@@karlschauff7989 pins wear down. Exactly!!!
May God bless you for your video 🙌
Very good video. Good job! You are right on target. Frequent oil changes with filter are a must with this engine. Dirty oil has very fine soot particles in it from the combustion process. These soot particles are abrasive to the individual chain links and their bearings. The chain does not stretch to a great deal. It is primarily the bearings in the chain-links getting loose. You are correct again, the 3.6 L V6 is definitely not as robust as the 3.8 that it replaced. However, the reason for the change is that the 3.6L has twin overhead cams and four valves per cylinder with high flowing cylinder heads. In naturally aspirated trim, it makes more than 100 hp, than the 3.8 it replaced. It also has the ability for cylinder deactivation, whereas the block on the 3.8 was never designed for this. (AFM)
176K miles on my 2010 3.0V6 Equinox. It has all the codes you're describing. Has a little rough idle. I think one of the cams skipped a tooth and the timing is now advanced a bit. Thing is it still gets like 26mpg on the highway doing 75mph. This was my first DI car. And yes, I used Mobil 1 since new but went by the oil life monitor. That was my mistake. So now I change the oil every 4k miles with Pennzoil Platinum 5W30. The chains don't make noise. The DI fuel pump does and it's showing rich codes on both banks. That said, it's a 14yo car, I'll keep the oil changed at every 4K miles and I'm going to keep driving it until it dies. I do plan on giving it to my oldest for her 1st car in a few years. Hopefully it's still going strong.
Satterfield Courts
This is very important information for a 3600 owner. The 3800 is a better engine. Just a little note here: It is not a PCV valve. A Pollution Control Valve Valve? It is simply a PCV. Also the 3600 is not a motor, It is an engine. But this series of videos is very good. GM should recall these vehicles to modify the engine breathing system. And they should also replace the firewall valve cover gasket. The new ones have a flange that improves the engine breathing.
Positive crankcase ventilation
@@swiftandsilent2202 oops
Short tripping , especially in cold weather, dumps condensation into the oil, and the acids that result accelerate timing chain wear greatly. Synthetic OC at 4000/4500 generally will get you 150,000 without any fuss, if you highway drive each day, 200,000 should be no problem. Driver habits really dictate oil life.
Plus direct injection tends to generate fine carbon soot that ends up in the engine oil. That soot is abrasive and works its way into the friction areas of the timing chain and causes wear the accelerate. Even the most expensive engine oils can't magically remove soot, water, or unburned fuel from the engine oil. The only way to get those contaminants out is to change the oil.
Homenick Isle
Hauck Plain
Those engines are Shit!!!
Sonia Burgs
Robyn Shoal
Hahn Green
Keebler Well
I have an 07 STS 3.6 V6. It has had full synthetic and 3-4k oil change intervals its whole life. It is high mileage but runs quiet as a hybrid. I check my oil every gas refill and do basic maintenance. I replaced the starter and waterpump so far but shes 17 so im cool with that.
Update.. do engine oil analysis to change oil. Car still runs amazing! I'm probably lucky or my car has been babied its whole life!
Block Hill
One thing that may be causing some people to extend their oil change intervals is oil change shops seem to have gone nuts on their rates. Most prices are qouted at 5 qts. Need a sixth qt. That's an extra 20 to 25 bucks. The last time l took my vehicle in it was 140 bucks for oil and filter.
That crazy. It about $30 full synthetic, maybe 30 min to do it yourself.
@@danielbonner8309
Yes, it's a lot cheaper to do it yourself. But once one gets to a certain point the attraction of crawling around on the garage floor begins to lose its appeal. And for the vehicle owner living in an apartment complex. They may not have any other option.
@@mpetersen6 I hear ya. I do enjoy it but more than that I have trust issues. I didn't even bring my truck in for the free oil changes the dealership gave me when I bought it.
lol the only way to avoid problems with GM 3.6L is not to buy one... total tash. bicycle chains for timing chains..lol want a solid v6 get a Honda J series or better yet, get a Subaru Flat 6... 190K on my Subaru 3.6L with 7K oil changes.
There was 2016 Camry for sale near me with 415k miles on 6-8k oil changes. It never had an engine problem, the timing belt was changed once.
No timing belt on a 2016 Camry
Lesch Lake
3.6 l is trash. Ive got 6 customers with these vehicles and 4 of them blew up before 120,000 miles. The other 2 run ruff. I'm always trying to get them to get rid of the vehicles before they blow up
2009 Traverse. I did the timing chains, water pump, oil pump, phasers, and cam solenoids with a jack. It can be done without dropping the engine.
I have a 2015 Enclave with 215000 on it. Purchased in 2020 with 49000 on it. Replaced the water pump, P/S pump, plugs & coils, 4-corner suspension, and all fluid changes at 125000. Regular oil changes around every 5500 miles - but mine is more highway. I do have to add a quart every 1500 to 2000 miles. She can still get to 100 mph easily. So I am happy.
Toyota says it's normal for their engines to burn up to 1 quart every 1200 miles so your consumption isn't bad.
Thats true i know a person with a 09 lexus RX350 it Used that in oil. Kinda crazy but i think it has to be due to the pistion rings that they started using in those engines 3.5s
As a good tip for this engine (or any modern engine), always change your oil every 4 - 5k miles with a full synthetic oil. If you do that, you shouldn't have anything to worry about.
I have a 2010 Cadillac CTS Luxury sedan 3.0L AWD over 136,000 miles. I do oil changes every 3,000 miles with full synthetic 5W-30 oil. So far I haven't seen any perceivable oil consumption. When I do the oil change, the dipstick has shown a full level. On my last oil change I used Mobil 1 Extended Performance High Mileage oil and the GM OEM filter. On my next change I'll try Pennzoil Platinum High Mileage oil and FRAM Ultra Synthetic filter, we'll see how it goes.
My 2007 Buick rendezvous will stall out when coming to a stop or letting off the gas pedal. Iv cleaned the MAFand throttle body. Still acting up and no codes .
Thanks I'll e checking out the series. Is there anything that can be done to make the thermostats last?
HI just replace the coolant my thermostat was fine. I just replaced it as a precaution when i did the water pump video.. But coolant is another topic that often gets overlooked but dont be fooled either this fluid goes bad and left long enough can become corrosive to the engine.
2017+ LGZs in the Colorados & Canyons come bulletproof from the factory
I Always use full synthetic oil, change it every year or around 5K whichever comes first. I have 125K miles, no major problems so far.
2007 Saturn Aura XR (3.6L) LY7 ... 231,000 miles.
I just replaced the PCV VALVE (5 days ago.. July 29,2024) ... oil leakage & oil in air induction tube were my clues.
I'll keep in mind the 5/64" and 7/64" holes to drill.
Thanks for the informative video; and great message at the end.
The problem is NOT that it's a fundamentally bad engine. The problem is that unless you're the 1st owner and know the maintenance history, buying used when the previous owner(s) only put gas in the thing is a setup for disaster. Why is Toyota reliable? Because they assume (rightly so) that owners neither know nor care about the absolute importance of routine oil changes. Used Toyotas survive ignorant owners (usually) better than most makes. Their engineers get it. German engineers, for example, assume that Germans drive their cars and are mindful of the requirements of those vehicles. That's why one should never buy US driven used German makes over 100k, or you do so at great risk.
It can be done with engine in car . I have done it.
Thats awesome im sure you can do anything but with that Amont of labor is it really worth doing while engine is in car?
Bauch Path
As other have posted, these engines are to be avoided. Check the "I Do Cars" channel for teardowns and honest analysis of most common engines.
Intake valve obstruction from the PCV and Gasoline Direct Injection problems. Camshaft walk. Rear main seals. Timing components too weak. $3-$4K US to remove the engine and replace timing components. if youre lucky.
Stay gold.
I dont go by mileage...I check oil every week and when it starts to get darker its time to change
My 2017 XT5 has the LGX engine. I heard that it was redesigned from the older V6 engines and doesn't have the timing chain issues. Is this correct?
Yes, that engine has been redesigned, but don't be fooled. It still needs good maintenance for longevity!
None of them have timing chain issues if the oil is changed often enough. The real issue is that the majority of these engines went into SUV's that are used by mom to haul the kids around and oil changes were done only after the oil life monitor hit 0% and they got tired of the warning popping up in the DIC. Excessive short trips in the winter can also cause issues that accelerate timing chain wear. The PCV valve should also be inspected or replaced as he mentioned in the video. Change the oil by 5000 miles. More often than that if you drive your vehicle in cold weather and do a lot of short trips. The moisture and unburned fuel in the oil that is caused by short trips causes a lot of the wear with timing chains.
I read somewhere that the design of the engine in your vehicle and the later 3.6's were changed to incorporate several shorter chains to handle the cam timing, etc, as opposed to the earlier engines which used 1 or more long chains ( not sure how many). The longer chains would/will more easily stretch, especially when the engine oil changes are neglected. Still no reason not to change the oil early and regularly. ...... 2018 Colorado 3.6, 138,000 km. Oil + filter changed when computer says 50% remaining. So far, so good, as always my fingers are crossed.
My Canyon is in getting rebuilt right now at (180K km / 113K mi). Of course I let it get to 0% for each and every oil change. It started to knock last week and the engine light came on. It's having some timing components replaced and some of the lifters. I was quoted $3,200
Just bought a commodore with the LY7 engine. Great engine in itself and has lots off power. I do replace my oil every 5000ks tho and filter and on top of that I cleaned and enlarged the holes on the pcv valve so the moter can actually breathe and not have a build up of oil and fuel air having no where to go therefore clogging up the engine and therefore fucking up the timing chains. Other then that sweet as
Just ordered a Jasper for my 2011 Acadia Denali with 130,000... it's going to be a little less than $10,000.
So is the problem a lack of oil, or the used oil itself? I check my oil more than weekly.