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2009 Chevy using engine oil ? 47000 miles

Started by MartyParsons, October 31, 2010, 08:18:35 PM

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MartyParsons

Hello,
we have a Chevy Surburban 2009. It has 47,000 miles. I changed the engine oil last week as the computer warned me it needed. Lisa said the service engine light was on also. So I put the vehicle up on the lift and pulled the oil drain plug.  :o  I was shocked to find out there was only a little oil in the engine. I would guess about 3 qt. I checked the engine for a leak. It was dry. I dont smell any engine oil or see any signs at the exhaugst.  I have been checking since and today it is down about 1 qt in about 1500 miles. Anyone have any idea what may be a fix? I worked at GM dealers as a tech so I know they will side step me. Oil cosumption test etc. I am not saying they will not fix it but I thought I would see if others have the same issue.
Oh and the engine service light code was engine oil low. It has not come back on since I changed the engine oil.  ::)
Thanks if you have heard anything that may help me.
Marty
"A pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty." -Winston Churchill

Norm

Marty we had the same thing happen at 14,000 on our 2008. Chevy told us it was with in spec,s.

I traded it for a different SUV not too much later.

Reddog

The only easy fix I can think of is if it is leaking around the intake manifold. But not a real easy way to check that.

Larry

A quart in 1,500 miles is not bad.  You might check in the radiator to see what it looks like.  An oil analysis might show a cause also.

Your right about the manufacture not showing any sympathy...I bought a new Ford back round '87 and it burnt a quart every 800 miles until I sold it with about 150,000 miles on it.  Ford said it was within specs...I asked em how much it had to burn to be out of specs and never got an answer.  I think if I pressed the issue Ford would have done something...I was scared the something might be worse than putting up with the oil usage.
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

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Jeff

I'd tell ya how much oil our 1999 uses but last time I said something it cost be a bunch of money.  :-X
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tyb525

My dad has a '92 Chevy 2500 with the 350, it has burned oil ever since he bought it new. Started out at least a quart every 3000, now it's up to almost 2 quarts every 500.

I've heard that if you only really drive around town and shorter trips, it is good for your vehicle to take it out on the highway and open 'er up (assuming it is full of oil...). Supposed to help seat the piston rings and help stop blow by.

A 2009 shouldn't be using 3 quarts every 1500. A quart max every 3000 would be acceptable, especially for an '09 with less than 50k. Sounds like a piston may have accidentally had the gaps in the rings get too close to lining up? I always wonder if that is what happened with my dad's truck, he could never find the cause.
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magicmikey

  The intake manifold gaskets are plastic and have a tendency to fail. A quick check is to remove the spark plugs, often shows on the 2 centre ones. An aftermarket gasket with a metal insert is a better replacement
mike

scsmith42

Also check your PCV valve to make sure that it's not stuck open, as this can lead to increased oil consumption.  One tell-tale sign of this is increased ash buildup on the spark plug associated with the intake runner that the PCV valve is plumbed to.
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ely

if the engine is using that much oil it should show up in the exhaust emmisions as a blue smoke. i had an engine in my gmc that would use a quart between changes everytime, 3k miles, if i use a quart of lucas oil treatment in it the engine oil level would remain the same. not sure why, i just know i tried it several times and it worked.

easymoney

the brand of oil you use can have an effect on how much oil an engine uses. i am a firm believer in castrol oil. several years ago i bought a little datsun car. that was before they called them nissan. it had 100,000
miles on it. the first 1,000 miles i drove it it used a quart of oil. i switched to castrol after that it never used any oil no matter how many miles i went between changes. so i am a firm believer in castrol oil.

aksawyer

My brother in law runs chevy and gmc both very religiously,the Lithia dealer up here in Fairbanks tells everyone its the newer aluminum engines and it is "with in specs".Give me a break,my wifes 07 ford has 43000 on it and it never is low at the oil change intervals.Neither is my 75 F-350 flat bed thats is a daily fire wood deliverer.Though the engine was rebuilt 38000 miles ago,with a few tricks added to it,to turn peoples heads as it blows past them with two cords of wood on it.Aksawyer

brdmkr

I have a Dodge with 87k on it and I can't tell that it uses any oil.  I had a Mazda PU once that got overheated following a radiator flush at Wal-Mart (Thermostat got stuck so the revved the engine to unstick it!).  It used about a quart/1000 miles after that.  I don't take my truck to Wal-Mart anymore!
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SPIKER

My fords usually never use even a quart in 5k miles  now the one with 140,000 miles started leaking at the mains, 1~1/5qts in 5k.   the truck has 120
k miles and never uses oil, though the mains are leaking now as well 5k miles after a  new pan...

mark
I'm looking for help all the shrinks have given up on me :o

Ironwood

within specs? that would tick me off, my 2000 7.3 (200,000 miles) MIGHT, might use 1 out of 16 quarts in 5-6000 miles. As a ratio, in a gasser that usage is 25-30%, I would have to go thru GALLONS.

I did have a '78 Dodge one ton 4x4 dump that leaked at the rear main, it went thru that much oil, but it had an excuse.

Most people today would run the engine until it died using that much oil!! :-X :-\, how many suburbanites even check their oil AT all. Unacceptable.

Ironwood
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

Captain

It is NOT your intake manifold gasket(s), there is no access to engine oil as in a previous generation small block chevy.  It also has a fixed orifice PCV valve so that is out also.

There is an emerging issue with 07+ truck engines with AFM (active fuel management) where piston rings are getting stuck due to an oil aeration condition in the crankcase.  The repair is to drop the oil pan and install a baffle on the oil pump pressure releif and to unstick the rings with a soak.  Reference the bulletin below:

#10-06-01-008A: Engine Oil Consumption on Aluminum Block Engines with Active Fuel Management (AFM) ( Install AFM Oil Deflector and Clean Carbon from Cylinder) - (Sep 28, 2010)

This bulletin does NOT include 2009, but will soon...condition is the same.

There are also lifter concerns causing oil intrusion into the PCV system outlined in the below bulletin covering the 2009 MY Suburban:

#PIP4492R: Oil Consumption And/Or Exhaust Smoke - Possible PCV Bafflr Or Lifter Concern - (Oct 14, 2010)

PM me anytime Marty

Captain

wooddog

Hi marty I work for gm dealer and we have seen this trouble, could be a problem the valve cover or lifters,  I attached a document from gm that might help, Please read carefully to   see if it applies to your truck, before going to your dealer.

I don't know why the pic,s did not come out this document if someone can  help let me know???

MartyParsons

I like this note at the bottom. (GM bulletins are intended for use by professional technicians)
I will need to get under the hood on this. Thanks so much for the info!
I would assume the cat would burn any oil coming out of the tail pipe.
What does GM say about synthetic engine oils? This is the first engine that I used it on. I realy dont see any advantage. Maybe I should not say that. I am in no way saying the synthetic oil is the problem! I have been surprised at the color of the engine oil since new. It is always black almost like a diesel.
Captain / Wooddog where are you from again?   ;)
Over active lifter. That is a new one. I would assume this would be a roller lifter cam?
Marty
"A pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty." -Winston Churchill

tyb525

Marty, the black oil could be from blow-by during the combustion stroke, meaning unburnt fuel and carbon are getting into the oil, turning it black.
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den

The black oil could be that the cyl. walls glazed over before the rings seated. Driving a vehicle on interstate
highways is bad for engine brake-in, back country hilly roads is best. Under load the rings push against the cyl.
walls removing metal. Coasting, the rings have little pressure against the cyl. walls and the metal then is removed
and goes out the exhaust or in the oil. Thats one of the reasons to change oil and filter at about 400 or 500 miles
the first time.
If I have to add oil between oil changes I would call that high oil consumption, even with 200,000 miles
on the engine. I can't remember the last vehicle that I had to add oil.


I just bought a new 2011 Obama truck, I don't expect much from this truck. It will probley suck oil like Obama's
going to suck money from me.
I can't drive the truck because Line-X did a bad job and I'm trying to get them to fix it.
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Captain

An over-active lifter pumps too much oil to the top end of the engine, literally spraying at the lower side of the rocker cover where it can be scavenged by the PCV system.  IF this is the problem, the intake will be laden with oil in the order of 16oz or so in the bottom.  Techs remove the intake and stand it on end to see if any drains out.  No oil = good lifters, no oil getting into the PCV system.  All of the plugs will be indicating oil on one side.

Captain


wooddog

Marty i'm from cobalt ont canada :D  As for using synthetic oil GM use's it in it's corvette and the diesel oil is a synthetic i think, and the trans oil is synthetic I myself stay with gm spec's We have changed some valve covers but the lifter seem fix the 09 model  I attached the bulletin for the deflector on the pan, you have to get the RPO code for the engine it's in the glove box on a sticker I would have to know what engine you have to know what bulletin apply's,  as for professional  tech's note  Thats just to try to stop people from running to the garage with a bulletin and demanding that they fix as per the bulletin they don't  alway's apply to the trouble there having.  If you look hard on the internet you can find all this info Go to google and try GM techlink it has a lot of good stuff and it open to the public..  

MartyParsons

Thanks,
The attachment is all #?
I have not had a chance to pull the Surburban in and start looking. I would like to go to the dealer educated a little and have some consumption numbers for them. We dont have a dealer close so it would be a drive to get to them.
Marty
"A pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty." -Winston Churchill

Jeff

Marty, make sure the attachment opens with IE or firefox. Its an html document, or basically a webpage.
Just call me the midget doctor.
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Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

wooddog

Try this right click on the attachment go to save target as, my documents should come up just hit save it will save  there, and you can open the pic's also

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