Sugar Bears 2015 GMC Terrain SLE-2 2.4 AWD

[Grumpy Bear]

8/25/2021

 

For whatever reason repeatability between pump to ScanGauge is awful. All over the map and I don't know why. So I'll start by isolating first the station and pump I fill at. It's not missing by tenths high or low but by a gallon either side of center. This does not affect hand calculated results it's just that real time tracking is unreliable. It bothers me. 

 

Data noise aside, the mpg average is still slowly improving as it hot idle MAP and oil consumption.

 

1,800 miles without loosing any oil so far. Breather is dry and clean as is fill cap. Dip stick is spotless. 

 

I took some measurements recently and locating raw materials to make a dip stick that is readable. Working on a drawing. If pretty enough maybe I'll post a pic....or not.....

 

Also playing with an idea for a heated block to filter breather tube to prevent winter icing issues. I also studied the Buick Verano set up. MUCH different layout and that one does not freeze. Lots of do-hickys though and unsure what they all do.... I'll get it figured out. I love a good challenge. 

 

Blue dots are individual tanks. I load shot shells with tighter patterns.  

 

[Grumpy Bear]

Dizzy's Oil Usage Continues to Improve

 

 

According to fuel used so far this OCI we have an expected oil consumption range of 2.91 to 4.85 ounces inclusive. 

Actual measured amount was 3 ounces dead to put her on the full mark. At the very bottom of the "normal" range. 

As good as this is, this is the worst in the stable. And yet she is still improving. Meaning the detergents added are still cleaning and have more yet to do. 

 

After careful review of my notes and observations which showed fits and starts of improvement by any other means;

 

I am going to conclude that TRIAX S7 detergent additive is a great product that does exactly what it claims it can. What every other method could not and hold on to. 

 

I'll be changing oil in the next day or two and until this improvement finds a peak I'll be charging this product as part of my routine oil maintenance program at a rate of 24 ounces to 4.25 quart 5W30 or a treat ratio of 5.6667:1.

 

5:1 is the ratio TRIAX recommends for cleaning AND heavy service. 10:1 as a maintenance dosing. Well get there.  

 

 https://www.uleidemotor.com/files/home/ULEI DE MOTOR - POZE PRODUSE/TRIAX OIL BOOSTER S7 - PRODUCT DATA SHEET.pdf

 

 

[Grumpy Bear]

147,500 Mile Services

9/4/2021

Dizzy

2015 Terrain SLE 2.4-six speed AWD

 

147,510 actual 

2,541 mile OCI

3.0 Ounce of makeup oil

 

4.5 Quarts Kirkland 5W30

0.5 Quarts TRIAX S7 (9.0:1)

1 Purolator Pure One PL15436 Filter

3 Ounces DOT 3. (Needs a power bleed) 

Reset tire pressures. Fall and it's getting a bit cooler. Down a pair per tire. 

 

Under hood detail. 

Interior detail. ( Oh yea, wifey helped allot ) 

Wash. 

 

I like my Valvomax but like ALL of these valve...you can't get all the oil out. 

My drive has more slope than I realized. Digital protractor in the drivers window frame had me 90% up my new ramps with the back wheels to get -3.0 down slope. Same as sitting on level ground. 

 

Someone recently posted a service bulletin on checking the oil showing a note that it needs to sit for a minimum of 2 hours before checking. Checking every 20 minutes I found that to be about what it takes. I have never seen a motor drain down as slow as these do. 

 

I tried a mock up of a new stick. Yea, it did not work. Not stiff enough. Back to the drawing board. 

In the mean time I cleaned this one with Ether then blackened it with a permanent Magic Marker. Much easier to read.  

 

Three tanks at the same station and same pump and now the fill difference is identical to Pepper. 0.17 of a gallon. 

 

 

Edited September 5, 2021 by Grumpy Bear

[Grumpy Bear]

9/10/2021

 

830 miles this OCI. FULL (1/3 of the OCI) 

 

I know this looks funny but it is on the money. Taking a looooong contractors level and an electronic protractor I found the slope in the drive to be 3* +/- a smidgen. The wheelbase is 112.5". Ergo the rise is 5.9 inches. These are a 6" ramp to the flat. Didn't know that when I set it up. Close enough (there is a wheel chock on this set). I could set it all the way up and it drops back down to 6". Perfect. 

 

Now level I find a spot in the engine compartment that is also level. Happens to be the battery case in both planes. Good! I now have a reference for any other location in the world. (slopped gas station pad, motel parking lot) 

 

Then I start measuring the oil level every 30 minutes to find the time it takes to drain down fully. (Book says 2 hours).  I should have done every 15 minutes. It's more than or equal to 30 minutes but less than an hour. 

 

Rolled it off the ramps and rechecked my battery box. -3* perfect. Then checked the level again and filed a mark in the bullet so identify the full mark parked on the pad. The difference happens to be 3 ounces. So now any place it sits a half hour and is under -3* slope it just needs to be between the marks bias to the exact measured degree. An ounce per degree. (makes more sense if you can see the waffle pattern in the stick.) 

 

I know this sounds off the deep end but when you don't have a level drive and there is never a time you can just sit at the pump an hour AND your keeping track of oil usage this sort of thing is quite practical.   

 

Edited September 10, 2021 by Grumpy Bear

[Grumpy Bear]

 

148,700 Mile Service

 

9/15/2021

 

Rear diff service. Valvoline 75W140. About a pint +. Yes it calls for 78W90 but she has this noise I wished to isolate as not gear related. (likely tires). I don't remember doing this service ever. My bad. However the fluid I took out, while about 5.5 on the color scale was free of debris other than the expected gook on the magnet. No glitter. Not chunks. No gray fluid. Not bad at all. And happy me...the noise was unchanged. That is a $700 parts bill saved  

 

The half shaft seals are damp on this box but not wet. (note to self) 

 

 

[Grumpy Bear]

149,275 Mile Services

 

9/23/2021 Complete brake work.

 

After fighting the braking system I dumped the entire system. Every last nut, bolt and clip from hub up. This entire system is now once again GM OEM Direct Fit parts 100%. Four Nitride rotors and matching ceramic pads. Fully rebuilt E brake as well. As fresh as the day it was bought. I won't even attempt to explain the damage/wear. Master, calipers and lines passed all inspections. They were not getting the services the owner (who did the job this time) was told and I was told they were getting. What a cluster..... 

 

We also flipped the tires on the rims. We still have to address the -0.9* camber in all four positions that are beating the tires off Dizzy. 8/32 center tread left and singing like the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. The fella that left the shop never ordered the parts nor posted to the schedule. It's now in the works but I need a few weeks recovery time ($$$$) as I want this top shelf as well. This will be a custom alignment as there are no factory provisions for the work. Just toe. Good job GM...another winning engineering job. 

 

Oil change coming up soon. Still on the full mark. Deepest into an OCI without measurable usage to date.  

 

 

[diyer2]

[Grumpy Bear]

149,360 Miles

 

9/25/2021

 

$1,300 worth of brake work.  Expensive! About twice what I paid for the last brake job and I'm good with that like I'm good with the cost of OEM Direct Fit wiper blades. If something cost twice as much and last two or three times as long and works twice as well...I'm not seeing a downside.

 

Same shop. Different mechanic and a totally different experience. Totally different result. Mrs. Bear was white faced when she saw the bill.   After a short ride however she was all smiles.  Quite, smooth and powerful. Dizzy feels like a NEW vehicle again. Actually it wasn't this good when she bought it. Safe is the word she used. She feels safe. Good! 

 

Yep I was charged MSRP to the penny for parts. 30% over what I pay at that same window at the local dealer. Labor part of the bill was well under the going rate and it took five days in the shop to turn the job around. One rotor was returned. Warped in the box and we don't cut Nitride Rotors EVER!! That cost us 48 hours sourcing and delivery of the replacement and of course that wheel was taken down to the hub again. Naturally it was a rear rotor so a second run at the parking brake as well. 99.9% of other mechanics would have sent the first one out the door. The pulse was hard to notice. It was the sound that was the tip off but the difference was night and day.

 

Jason, the guy who did the job this time and owner of Deegan's Automotive took the time day one to bring in all the parts for show and tell. Explaining what we were looking at and why it was what it was...PLUS...a plan for 'better'. I'm the one insisting on GM OEM Direct Fit parts. He sells Power Stop and/or NAPA Platinum. 

 

We never got metal to metal but the pads were stuck in the holders. Paper thin on one edge and full thickness the other. Every one different. Top to bottom. Side to side. Both at one position and only one on others. Slides were free. Calipers were perfect. The holders used on the last rebuild were poly coated carbon steel. That coating does not last long and if these are not serviced every six months what we had is what you get. Rot and stuck. This service is now standard and scheduled for all my vehicles. Spring and fall.

 

The parking brake...yea....that 'other fellow' who 'adjusted it' nearly every time I came in and was telling me the cable was stretched and was going to need replacing..... Seems they were never properly adjusted to begin with. Cable was fine Shoes were fine. They were just a mile off the drum. She's now three clicks off the top instead of on the floor and still not holding. I was quite disappointed with why this happened and very please Jason not only told me the truth but did what needed doing. 

 

Mrs. Bear gets quite upset when a job takes this much time and when Jason is doing the work this is normal. EVERYONE wants him to do the work and work he does. He's only one guy and with this 'labor shortage' he is two weeks out even if the job is as simple as putting air in a tire. They use to be five guys. I've seen this guy go three days round the clock...

 

 

See what happens when I can't sleep and have two cups of coffee in me?

 

 

[garagerog]

Grumpy, glad you got your brake job done to you and your wife's satisfaction, even though it take some $ and persistence. I just replaced the original wiper blades on the wife's 17 Nox yesterday with AC-Delco OEM blades that I sourced from Rock Auto and wanted you to know that I wholeheartedly agree with you on using OEM parts even for something as simple as wiper blades. Yes, they cost twice as much as others, but the originals lasted better than 4 years and the replacement was easy as could be, no need to mess with adapters, so OEM all the way!  Others would disagree, but I even use AC-Delco batteries when the need arises as I've had good luck with them.

[KARNUT]

I use the dealer for my service and brake replacement. Never have done front and back at the same time. My brother on the other hand still does his own work. He uses auto zone. You only buy once with a life time warranty. He has their brakes on his 79 little red express truck he races. He bought it new. He has lots of history with them. Never heard him complain. 

[Grumpy Bear]

22 hours ago, garagerog said:

Grumpy, glad you got your brake job done to you and your wife's satisfaction, even though it take some $ and persistence. I just replaced the original wiper blades on the wife's 17 Nox yesterday with AC-Delco OEM blades that I sourced from Rock Auto and wanted you to know that I wholeheartedly agree with you on using OEM parts even for something as simple as wiper blades. Yes, they cost twice as much as others, but the originals lasted better than 4 years and the replacement was easy as could be, no need to mess with adapters, so OEM all the way!  Others would disagree, but I even use AC-Delco batteries when the need arises as I've had good luck with them.

 

yes Roger...OEM Direct fit too. No Professional and no Advantage.   What was there when it left the plant it was made in. IF I want garbage I'll go to XYZ.

 

Do I have some exceptions? Yes. Tires are on the list but GM doesn't make, spec or license tires. They choose tires. Me too and I don't always like their choice. Shock or struts or coilovers, springs that sort of depends on the ride they give. I hated the ones on Pepper. I love the ones on Dizzy. It's more of a valving/ride preference than a statement of the quality of the OEM part. There are others but you get the idea. 

 

I replaced a spring on the Honda Civic a few years ago. He wanted to install a set of aftermarket loaded struts. "Is it leaking?". "Is it holding N2"? "Is it damaged?" No? "Just a spring...."  and now 238,000 miles and it rides just fine.

 

************************************************************* 

 

I have a bit over 1/32 taper in tread wear from the nearly 1 degree negative camber. That's the next project. Stand those tires up. This isn't a late model dirt car. Turning the tires over will buy me a few ten or twenty thousand more miles. Really quite now that they are reversed. Slight vibration in the seat frame... gone. So the wife says. I never felt a thing.  

 

2,000 miles this OCI. Added 2 ounces. Overnight. A bit over full. (edit from last nights measurement)  Cleaned up under the hood some as well. He's a good wrench and gave cleaning a go but....yea....I'm picky. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 26, 2021 by Grumpy Bear

[Grumpy Bear]

150,000 Mile Services

 

10/3/2021

 

149,877 Actual

2,367 miles this OCI

 

4.5 Quarts Kirkland 5W30

.125 quarts Royal Purple (what I had on hand to make up the shortage) 

0.375 Quarts TRIAX S7 (13.3:1)

1 Purolator Pure One PL15436 Filter

20 ounce of make up oil. 8 I added and it was 12 short of full measured. 

That's a quart in 3,442 miles 

 

Shop had the truck a week and used it about 100 miles. My data recorder shows that trip at 72 mph. Something I have avoided like the plague. Breather is just overwhelmed under that much load. This motor is just hurt. 

 

The 16 ounce bottles of TRIAX S7 also only contained roughly 12 ounces.  At least the one I poured today. If that was the case then it was never full from day one by 4 ounces and the rate would be then 4,734 miles per quart. 

 

Ran it long enough to get pressure and off the ramps. Showed nothing on the stick. This is getting stupid. 

 

It also took roughly two hours before the bottle I was draining into stopped rising in level. WHATEVER> 

 

 

 

Edited October 4, 2021 by Grumpy Bear

[Grumpy Bear]

150,000 Mile Milestone

October 5,2021

09:57 CST

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Grumpy Bear]

Next Issue Please! 

 

10/13/2021

150,283 miles

 

Resonator split right down the seam. Walker replacement ordered. Life time guarantee. To be installed this Saturday. 6 years and over 150K? Not bad for a factory part me thinks. I'm good with that. 

 

***********************************************************

 

Talking to my head wrench I ask about "timing chain" life. A concern of the 2.4 Ecotec. He's been doing this quite awhile and I value his observations and opinions more than most. He said the earlier motors had 'some' trouble with this issue BUT he continued,  "Guys that change oil like you do have never had this problem. Guys that went by the OLM couldn't avoid it". Good to know. 

 

 

 

  

 

[diyer2]

You know me grumpy and my frequent oil changes. Never had a problem with timing chains even on my 230+ K mile 93 5.7. Put a timing light on it and it was right on the mark.