My LLT is BLOWN! Connecting rod is loose...

[bmwdon]

If not give you a new engine, atleast give you what you owe on the car, if not what you paid new (not detracting the money you put down on it either). That is some dealer bs right there. GM should be handling this, not the dealer.

[rolnslo]

Don't trade in your V6 until GM makes it 100% right under warranty. If that means they rip it apart again to figure out what's screwed up this time, then so be it. Until that car is running right, don't trade it in anywhere or sell it. Being impatient with the warranty process is going to cost you a lot of money that you shouldn't have to lose.

Take it back to the dealer (or preferably another dealer) and have them fix it. Maybe this time, they'll actually do it right and put a new engine in for you.

[BlackinBlack]

As others have said and I hate to say it as well.... it is time for legal representation.

I would get a lawyer....

They need to fix this!!!

[BackinBlackSS/RS]

WOW

[jth6373]

what did the service manager say when you brought your car back in with the CEL and violent start?

[Camarodriver]

Originally Posted by jth6373

what did the service manager say when you brought your car back in with the CEL and violent start?

I have not had a moment to bring it back yet, I will drop if off shortly. When we spoke he just asked when I would bring it back in... More news soon...

eB

[Homestar1217]

I will say I don't like GM's replacement/repair policies either, but you should listen to what people are saying on here. I'm sure you want an SS now that you have an opportunity, but there's no reason GM won't fix the car now. Their policy is repair first and then replace.

A good example is the 5-speed manual transmission on my Cobalt LS. Off the lot it had a problem: every now and then the shift into 4th gear was accompanied by a grind, and yes that was when you shifted properly, and literally from the week we took it home. So at 8k it got to the point where I could make the transmission misbehave for the technicians and they told me that this wasn't the first Cobalt they'd seen with this issue, and they knew fixing it wouldn't work so GM would just say to drop a new transmission in it. Well that's not what GM said, they made them fix it first. 2 months later at 10k, 3rd gear completely went out and you couldn't shift in at all without the accompanying grind. I got on the phone rather ticked with my dealer and they told me to bring it in and they would look it over and contact GM. A week and a half later I had a Cobalt with a brand new transmission and it's been running good ever since then. Almost 50k on it now.

Bottom line, you've done what GM asked and now it's time for them to act. You tried the repair, it isn't running properly, and now it's time for a new engine. I realize these guys have been nice and helped you out and they're doing as they're told as well, but if they don't make this right at this point, you raise hell with that service manager until you get to speak with someone who can take care of it. If you have to go and get legal help that's fine, and don't feel bad about it because it isn't the dealer's fault they're just doing what they're told by big daddy at the desk, and that's who you need to talk to. Now of course this is just my experience and my advice, but it seems to fall in with what others on here are saying so just keep it all in mind before you trade away and lose 12k. I'm sorry you've been through all this, I certainly would've put up a fight as well if I were in your position. Hope everything works out for the best.

[TJ91]

Call GM and make them aware of the scenario ASAP.
Video tape the car and what its doing, make sure you DO THIS.
Take the video and keep it for warranty purposes and for a way of gaining media attention. You should not be going through this Bullshit. Demand that you want a new car as you gave them the chance for a rebuilt motor, say that you are now wanting a new car period. Bring up the lemon law, personally, your entire car may be screwed because of your engine and i would not take your car period. If GM decides to do nothing, which i doubt but you never know, post the vid up here and have it hit alot of sites. I remember someone had a CTSV which was a lemon, went in for several warranty repairs, finally the owner took a video and posted it on streetfire.net. He got a new one shortly after. GM does not want negative media reaction so they will try to fix your car, but you have to now be firm and demand a new Camaro, not yours fixed. GM helped me alot with my tranny incident so i hope theyll take care of you.
Do not trade your camaro in, not worth it yet. Have them give you a new camaro, or try to talk with the rep to have you upgrade. If they wont let you upgrade to an SS. Get your new v6, sell it, and buy an SS, or pick one up from the states. Thats what i would do.
Sorry to hear about the BS your going through, but keep us posted

[SNV]

Originally Posted by Camarodriver

I have not had a moment to bring it back yet, I will drop if off shortly. When we spoke he just asked when I would bring it back in... More news soon...

eB

You could also make them come and get it.

[rarebird]

You are bring snowballed by the dealership on this one. They (dealerships) hate when you have to contact GM Customer Service. It opens a perverbial can of worms on them. I had to do the the same thing over a door ding I didnt notice till I got home with mine the first day. I had to postpone a appointment and then the dealership changed sales managers during this time frame and he was being a "tool" about it so I contacted GM Customer Service and next thing I know the dealership called me back apologizing for thier delay in rescheduling an appointment and they would be in contact again to schedule another appointment. Again another call was made to GM, this put them in the hotseat this time ( sales manager ) he was furious.. little did he know the GM Rep was on a 3 way call and interupted and exclaimed tha repair WILL BE DONE and at the next business day and i was to be given any vehicle on the lot as a loaner untill my car was ready. I explained i didnt want a loaner for I had other modes of transport , I just wanted my car fixed. If I got this kind of result from GM Customer Service You should at least be able to get a replacement engine since the dealership botched up the rebuild ( which is why they want to offer you a trade in instead of repairing it correctly, It makes thier service department look incompatant and they actually loose GM "brownie points")

Also as mentioned... just for legal reasons you may want to not mention any future abuse of the engine.

[Camarodriver]

Homestar, TJ91 and Rarebird, thanks for all your comments I really appreciate them! It's been a bad situation but with all this support I don't feel so alone.

I met with my Canadian Camaro buddies last night at one of our meets and had alot more support and a few good ideas. Many shared thier stories with me and how things turned out when they had similar problems and what they did to get resolutions and that will make a difference in all this for me. I am a little pis*ed that I have not been able to catch the hard starting/stalling on video as it has now happened 4 times, but I have a charged digital camera in the car and now film ever startup so I will hopefully catch it again and have it as proof.

It's very strange a problem as when it's happening it sounds terrible like it's not running on all cylinders and it's mechanically rough as hell. Then it corrects itself and starts up fine for many startups, some are sluggish and slow but the car drives fine. Then one of those hard startups happen, the check engine light goes on but stays on for a day or so and goes out on it's own.

I just started it up this morning, to move it one parking spot and it started up fine and sounded great. It did startup sluggishly a little but it's running fine. I just wonder if it's a mechanical issue or is the computer and/or sensors just not all on right and the wrong information is being processed in the CPU and causing it to run poorly electrically. If there was a mechanical problem, I assume that it wouldn't run smoothly at all as it does now 80% of the time, right?

We will see what the dealer finds as I will be dropping off the car first thing Monday morning. I need a loaner now for sure. I was going to drop it off Friday, but they told me it made no difference as they close service early on Fridays. I will try to catch this hard startup on video and post it for all of you to see, I would really like your opinions on what you think is going on in that engine. I am driving it normally, trying to see if it can remain reliable or not. Some other posters have recommended that I try to "blow" the engine so they have no choice but to flip the engine and that is frankly, preposterous to consider. Not only is it just plain wrong to do, but it is wasteful beyond all measure to all parties involved. If someone ever did that, they risk being caught many ways. Modern car computers retain all kinds of information and I am sure that if you were to try to do just that it would be recorded in the computer and this would void any warrantee and frankly, any good will, with GM. Then GM wouldn't be able to see why this car is running poorly in the first place and then the next guy that gets a similar problem with an LLT V6 will be as unlucky as I have been without GM being able to prevent this issue in the first place. It's also dangerous because who knows what would happen if parts started "flying", people could get hurt.

So please, anyone that is thinking of posting any future comments on willfully blowing up this engine, please refrain from suggesting this as it doesn't help my case and it's just plain evil. I am posting the ongoing progress of this issue for the betterment of the whole C5 community and for the support I am receiving from everyone. It's important to CLEARLY show GM and the entire automotive world that social media can have a major impact on how the OEM's and consumers can create a dialog that is constructive and powerful so that everyone is on their best behaviour! Gone are the days of the single voice of a single consumer, there is power in numbers and this forum has been nothing but positive for me, before and after my Camaro purchase.

Thanks to the moderators, thanks to all of you for your kind words and ideas. I will reciprocate by keeping you all informed in the most unbiased way I can. I have a good feeling that GM will step up to the plate on this one and do the right thing! If they change the engine, I will gladly keep this car as I just love it through and through. If they would rather trade it in, I will get an SS and pay for the difference. I just hope for a fair trade in. Also, thanks to Mr. Scott Settlemire for giving me his advice and recent devine intervention, without his help I would be at thhe mercy of the dealer alone, GM having given thier final verdict of repair, repair repair. The Fbodfather is now my automotive patron saint! I just hope one day he doesn't come asking for a "favor" that I cannot refuse! (ok, ok, I just had to write that! His is a "godfather" after all, no?

More news real soon!

eB

[usa1camaro1969]

I just hope that it was just an issue with that one connecting rod and that a whole batch isn't in tolerance somehow. I don't want to start to see more threads like yours. I still think it's bad faith on the dealer's part if they don't give you full value if you end up on the trade block. This isn't something you've brought upon yourself.

[Camarodriver]

Well, I keep missing the sluggish starts with my video camera, but here are two vids that I did manage to catch. tell me what you think, please. Mostly, it starts just fine but now and then it starts up sluggishly, but does correct itself and then it runs fine usually. Sometimes it starts ok but then as you are driving, it starts running really rough and I have to pull over like in this longer vid.

I hopped out of the car just in time for it to correct itself and then it ran fine for the rest of the day. Well this vid is earlier today, we will see if it happens again today. This car has now started super rough and stalled at least 6 times and it started sluggishly easily over 10 times in the space of a week. it also stalled at least twice while I was driving as it did today, causing once again the check engine light to go on. Thats the third time in 8 days. It's going to the dealship tomorrow.

eB

[Diabel1969]

From what I see on the pics, the mechanic did a complete tear down, and didn't really need to. What they're going to do is most likely throw a crank kit at it, with new bearings and a new oil pump and ship it out the door. Is that the right thing to do? not by a long shot. You paid for a brand new car, not a rebuilt one. There are tons of concerns now though. Are the cam bearings scarred? how are the piston bores, any scarring in there at all? FYI, any tech worth they're salt doing a rebuild, or taking one down as far as they did, would stamp each rod as they pull them to verify location, along with all the main caps would be stamped too. Since he took it down to where it is, he may as well have the block and heads flushed/boiled out by a reputable machine shop, put in all new bearings and rings, etc, etc, etc... That's a tough one.. your going to have to watch that engine, and specifically the oil pressure, and listen for noises etc.. I wish you luck with that...