2010 V6 Camaro-Potential Timing Chain Issues and Burning Oil

[Lschmansky]

Hello everyone!

I'm new here. My name is Laura, and I joined because I always see Camaro5 come up when I look up information for my car. Recently, I came across a few threads about the timing chain being a huge issue on these cars.

Now, I'm getting worried because my car has thrown P0008, P00017, and, just recently, P0449 (trying to remember off the top of my head, this last code may be a bit different) at me. It's had no real symptoms except it sounds deeper and had a slight rattle sound when I accelerate sometimes. I took it to the mechanic, and that's where everything went downhill.

His observations were such: it's burned a quart of oil (,just changed my oil on 5/31/2017) in 993 miles. He said it's most likely the timing chain issue, but won't confirm because he said it'll cost me more for him to take my engine apart and for him to confirm it. He thinks the burning oil means my rings are busted and I'm going to need a new engine. His impression was that I should just get rid of the car.

With all this in my head, I'm pretty stressed. This is my daily driver and has been since I have bought it brand new in September 2010. I don't have money to lay out for a new engine or new car. It has 89,000 miles on it, and I've done all of the routine maintenance in a timely fashion (synthetic oil, breaks, etc.). Up until this point, besides the paint (in my opinion) being sub-par, I've had no issues and have babied this car.

The mechanic said the timing chain shouldn't go this young (car will be 7 in September with 89,000 miles currently) and that he's seen this issue with Cadillacs with the same engine, and GM covers that issue up to 10 years and 150,000 miles. Not such with the Camaros, though.

So I'm really asking for advice here. Am I killing this car by continuing to drive it? Should I just have the timing chain done, or is the oil issue significant in that my car is doomed? I would like to keep it for a few more years, but I really don't want to lay out a ton of money if my engine's going.

I hope this is in the right thread. Thank you, everyone. And advice is much appreciated.

[JerTM]

Burning that much oil is never good, I agree with your mechanic it's most likely rings. Personally I would save up for a new engine and drive the car as little and easy as possible. Keep a very close eye on the oil level. The Band-Aid for the car would be to have the timing chains done and keep a very close eye on the oil level until you can afford a new engine or new car.

[Lschmansky]

Originally Posted by JerTM

Burning that much oil is never good, I agree with your mechanic it's most likely rings. Personally I would save up for a new engine and drive the car as little and easy as possible. Keep a very close eye on the oil level. The Band-Aid for the car would be to have the timing chains done and keep a very close eye on the oil level until you can afford a new engine or new car.

Oh, no. Not good. But why would all of this go bad at 89,000 miles? I feel like that shouldn't be happening. Thank you for your reply.

[JerTM]

Originally Posted by Lschmansky

Oh, no. Not good. But why would all of this go bad at 89,000 miles? I feel like that shouldn't be happening. Thank you for your reply.

The 3.6L engine is a very poorly designed engine and you got an early version with a lot of design flaws stacked on top of each other, sorry. If it adds any weight to my opinion, I am a GM tech and deal with different versions of the 3.6L nearly every day.

[Lschmansky]

Originally Posted by JerTM

The 3.6L engine is a very poorly designed engine and you got an early version with a lot of design flaws stacked on top of each other, sorry. If it adds any weight to my opinion, I am a GM tech and deal with different versions of the 3.6L nearly every day.

Oh gosh. Thank you, though. So my car is pretty much done at this point? Is it worth putting in a different engine? And GM is not doing anything for the Camaro 3.6L timing chain issues, just for Cadillac?

[JerTM]

Originally Posted by Lschmansky

Oh gosh. Thank you, though. So my car is pretty much done at this point? Is it worth putting in a different engine? And GM is not doing anything for the Camaro 3.6L timing chain issues, just for Cadillac?

The entire car is still good, but the engine is limping along. Personally I would look at the cost of a new engine from GM instead of a used one as they have corrected most of the mistakes with the crate engines and I believe you get a 3 yr 100k mile warranty with it (it may have changed, but last I checked that was the warranty). Unfortunately I am just a lowly peon and have zero knowledge of why they warranty some things and not others.

[qcman]

Originally Posted by Lschmansky

Oh gosh. Thank you, though. So my car is pretty much done at this point? Is it worth putting in a different engine? And GM is not doing anything for the Camaro 3.6L timing chain issues, just for Cadillac?

It might be worth it to price a new engine assuming the rest of the car is good. These errors are posted often on here with the LLT motor. One train of thought was following the recommended oil change intervals (oil life monitor) was not adequate but I don't know much about the V6 personally.

No the Camaro isn't covered under that TSB that I'm quite sure of. Very sorry to here of your troubles

[Jazzzed]

Are you sure the oil is being burned, and not leaking out instead?

[Lschmansky]

Originally Posted by JerTM

The entire car is still good, but the engine is limping along. Personally I would look at the cost of a new engine from GM instead of a used one as they have corrected most of the mistakes with the crate engines and I believe you get a 3 yr 100k mile warranty with it (it may have changed, but last I checked that was the warranty). Unfortunately I am just a lowly peon and have zero knowledge of why they warranty some things and not others.

I went to the dealer today and was told that the new engine would be 7,000. Body is in good condition, but resale value around me seems low (if my car was fine right now, I could maybe get 8-10,000).

[Lschmansky]

Originally Posted by qcman

It might be worth it to price a new engine assuming the rest of the car is good. These errors are posted often on here with the LLT motor. One train of thought was following the recommended oil change intervals (oil life monitor) was not adequate but I don't know much about the V6 personally.

No the Camaro isn't covered under that TSB that I'm quite sure of. Very sorry to here of your troubles

It seems like every 2010 has these issues. I've had this car since I was 18, so I'm quite attached to it, but this teaches me not to buy the first year of a "new" car.

The person at the dealership mentioned the same thing. Apparently, following the oil life monitor made people go too long. I do it every 6,000 to 8,000 miles. This issue is just a fact of life I suppose.

Thank you though!

[Lschmansky]

Originally Posted by Jazzzed

Are you sure the oil is being burned, and not leaking out instead?

Haven't seen a leak anywhere. Tailpipes aren't smoking, no signs of oil anywhere I park.

[Synner]

The mechanic could easily do a compression test to see if it's rings or valves in one, all or no cylinders for very minimal labor. Timing chain I agree checking it is a lot of labor. Throwing out an engine without even checking anything?
Timing chain TSB is #12-06-01-009-D. 8 hours of labor on the camaro

Lot of info
http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showth...262443&page=18

[Lil' Nasty]

Originally Posted by JerTM

Burning that much oil is never good, I agree with your mechanic it's most likely rings. Personally I would save up for a new engine and drive the car as little and easy as possible. Keep a very close eye on the oil level. The Band-Aid for the car would be to have the timing chains done and keep a very close eye on the oil level until you can afford a new engine or new car.

+1 this is exactly what I'd do too. Being that I have a 2010 LLT too, I make sure to check the oil every fill up.

Originally Posted by Lschmansky

It seems like every 2010 has these issues. I've had this car since I was 18, so I'm quite attached to it, but this teaches me not to buy the first year of a "new" car.

The person at the dealership mentioned the same thing. Apparently, following the oil life monitor made people go too long. I do it every 6,000 to 8,000 miles. This issue is just a fact of life I suppose.

Thank you though!

Me and a buddy got ours back in '09 so we always have this issue in the back our minds. Good luck!

[Lschmansky]

Originally Posted by Synner

The mechanic could easily do a compression test to see if it's rings or valves in one, all or no cylinders for very minimal labor. Timing chain I agree checking it is a lot of labor. Throwing out an engine without even checking anything?
Timing chain TSB is #12-06-01-009-D. 8 hours of labor on the camaro

Lot of info
http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showth...262443&page=18

I don't know why he didn't check the rings. My friend said he could do a compression check, too, and that it is not hard. Irregardless, I will have the dealership check it out and do their diagnostics. I told them to check that so it's on record.

Thanks-that thread has some great information.