6.2 SS OIL CONSUMPTION-PLEASE READ

[sullivang]

Ricamaro. Are you in Lakewood California?

[PQ]

Originally Posted by VTXrider

what sc2150 said

The LS1 burned oil, the LS2 burned oil, so does the LS3. This is mostly with manuals and mostly with drivers that don't rev match perfectly. A little oil escapes past the rings each time. That's the whole reason people put on catch cans.

Wait........ Oil escaping passed the rings would burn it and not catch it in the catch can. Right?

It's the non-combusted gas escaping passed the rings that leave the need to be 'Reburned' through the PCV system isn't it?

[sullivang]

Thats what I thought?

[Andy@AMSOIL]

This is good to know !

[SC2150]

Two different processes. The catchcans catch the oil vapors/mist that are pulled out with the crankcase vapors. That varies but if it is very excessive then I would look to the valley baffel/orfice issue as the problem.

Oil entering the combustion chamber by being pulled past the poorley seated rings during the combustion stroke will be burned in the combustion process and further by the cats. This oil will never reach the catch can or PCV system.

So you will first need to determine which issue you have. For the PCV/baffel remove your throttle body and look into the intake manifold to see if it looks like the pictures.

The engine pics are just from some customer motors. We are engine builders with over 38 years building race & performance engines so we see every type of problem and result you can imagine. At present, there are 5 camaros in the shop, 3 corvettes, a 68 mustang, a maserati, a porsche, and a ford bronco.

Follow my threads and posts....I share info and offer advice to members as often as possible. Not the backyard mechanic, but a lifetime of engine & performance experiance.

[sullivang]

SC2150,

GM says the rings are sticking, would that be considered the same as not seating correctly?

[OrangeVert]

2011 LS-3 with 1,978 miles, approx. 1/4 quart oil consumption to date. No hard driving, revs limited to 4,000 RPM so far.

[Cashezo]

I don't think GM will issue a recall. My Escalade with the 6.2L is burning oil. The dealership did nothing, and now I am out of warranty. I don't know why dealerships employ idiots.

[bajamoon]

Originally Posted by sullivang

Ricamaro. Are you in Lakewood California?

He is.


I also remember seeing something about somebody burning a quart every 1000 miles but the dealer kept telling him it was normal.

[RX SS RACERX]

Originally Posted by VTXrider

what sc2150 said

The LS1 burned oil, the LS2 burned oil, so does the LS3. This is mostly with manuals and mostly with drivers that don't rev match perfectly. A little oil escapes past the rings each time. That's the whole reason people put on catch cans.

VTX? I have an '02 1800 Damn rev limiter/fuel shut off about threw me over the bars! Anyway,what do you mean by 'rev match perfectly'? I have one of Tracey's CC's on and it definitely does the job but I haven't heard the term about 'rmp'? I thought I handled a manual pretty well but once RPM got in there apparently NOT lol! Not given' up my stick so educate me PLEASE! No offense to anyone but auto just ain't no fun

[SSE 4 2SS]

Originally Posted by sullivang

SC2150,

GM says the rings are sticking, would that be considered the same as not seating correctly?

I am not answering for an obvious professional, but to add to some of the previous information... This is from an article that helped me understand the process and reasoning behind a hard break in.

"When your piston rings are broken in or seated, they do not allow the gases of combustion to escape into the crankcase. This lack of "blow-by" keeps your engine running cleaner and cooler by preventing hot combustion gases and by-products from entering the crankcase. Excessive "blow-by" will cause the crankcase section of the engine to become pressurized and contaminated with combustion gases, which in turn will force normal oil vapors out of the engine's breather, causing the engine to consume excessive amounts of oil. In addition to sealing combustion gases in the combustion chamber, piston rings must also manage the amount of oil present on the cylinder walls for lubrication. If the rings do not seat properly, they cannot perform this function and will allow excessive amounts of oil to accumulate on the cylinder wall surfaces. This oil is burned each and every time the cylinder fires. The burning of this oil, coupled with "blow-by" induced engine breathing, are reasons that an engine that hasn't been broken in will consume more than its share of oil."

This could also explain lots of oil being caught in the catch cans as has been mentioned...

"When the engine is operating, a force known as Break Mean Effective Pressure or B.M.E.P is generated within the combustion chamber. B.M.E.P. is the resultant force produced from the controlled burning of the fuel air mixture that the engine runs on. The higher the power setting the engine is running at, the higher the B.M.E.P. is and conversely as the power setting is lowered the B.M.E.P. becomes less.

B.M.E.P is an important part of the break in process. When the engine is running, B.M.E.P. is present in the cylinder behind the piston rings and it's force pushes the piston ring outward against the coarse honed cylinder wall. The higher the B.M.E.P, the harder the piston ring is pushed against the wall. The surface temperature at the piston ring face and cylinder wall interface will be greater with high B.M.E.P. than with low B.M.E.P. This is because we are pushing the ring harder against the rough cylinder wall surface causing high amounts of friction and thus heat. The primary deterrent of break in is this heat. Allowing to much heat to build up at the ring to cylinder wall interface will cause the lubricating oil that is present to break down and glaze the cylinder wall surface. This glaze will prevent any further seating of the piston rings. If glazing is allowed to happen break in will never occur. We must achieve a happy medium where we are pushing on the ring hard enough to wear it in but not hard enough to generate enough heat to cause glazing. If glazing should occur, the only remedy is to remove the effected cylinder, re-hone it and replace the piston rings and start the whole process over again"

If you look at the cross section profile of a piston ring, it is beveled on the inner and outer top surface. This larger area allows for the pressure of combustion to get behind the ring, down inside the piston ring groove, and assist in pushing the ring outward towards the cylinder wall...

This is an excerpt from an article I've read... and it went a long way in helping me understand the hard break in method so many people are against... As for my car, with the factory motor and with my new build, both of them were broken in hard but within certain parameters...

I have a question... If your car has a manual transmission, do you do a lot of engine braking...

I'm not saying this is the problem, just asking a question...

This is exceptionally bad on a new motor during the break in period... Back pressure on the rings during deceleration causes the rings to float in the ring valleys, which can allow for deposits that can cause the rings to stick.... also preventing them from ever "seating" properly... just another thought...

[SSGUNNER]

Interesting.

[VTXrider]

Originally Posted by Ricamaro

VTXrider?!?! No Way! Me too!
07 1300R

Not the only reason for CCs; Check out IndeedSS1 and my posts.
I'm glad I have one; 15 oz of oil in 2500 miles is a lot!!

'06 1300R here

[VTXrider]

Originally Posted by RX SS RACERX

VTX? I have an '02 1800 Damn rev limiter/fuel shut off about threw me over the bars! Anyway,what do you mean by 'rev match perfectly'? I have one of Tracey's CC's on and it definitely does the job but I haven't heard the term about 'rmp'? I thought I handled a manual pretty well but once RPM got in there apparently NOT lol! Not given' up my stick so educate me PLEASE! No offense to anyone but auto just ain't no fun

I could be wrong about where this oil goes if it goes through he PCV or not based on other replies here.

If you are driving a manual and you shift without rev matching especially power shifting (when you don't let off the gas to shift) it creates a pressure spike (not sure if that is 100% accurate but that's how I simplify it in my head and get the basic idea) This increases blow by on the rings. This is why manuals burn more than autos. Nobody is going to match the RPMs perfect on every shift. If you feel you drive your car reasonable well, with smooth shifts, the amount should be minimal from this effect.