Sugar Bears 2015 GMC Terrain SLE-2 2.4 AWD

Grumpy Bear · February 26, 2023

1 hour ago, customboss said:

Buckled oil filter media. Sorry for that but does it unseal the filter (?) in the aluminum plastic covered permanent case? Might be normal for this design because I had similar issues with 2009 Chevy Malibu 2.4L no matter what cartridge brand I used. The OEM product was Hengst made for GM and was too efficient in my testing. Fram XG and now called Ultra worked best in our analysis.

Good to know! Thanks.

Hengst. Thanks again. I could not remember what it was called. :crazy:

No, it does not. Nor does it crush the inner support tube. Ultra is what was in there. The TG is standard paper like the WIX. I just had it on hand. At 2.5K per OCI :dunno:

I truly think it was the rash of cold temperatures we had. Thing has a pretty stiff spring for the bypass system. 20 psi? I've used them for quite some time, and it was the first to give. Should have taken a photo. :sigh:

Took the last 24 hours moving this pig around the drive and noting the oil level after 2 or more hours each spot. Uphill and down and on ramps leveled. I have marks and it does not hold 5 quarts. At least now it doesn't. Half a pint less gives me a visible and repeatable mark I can mimic on any grade up to 5.5% (3 degrees). Book actually says 4.7 liters/ 5 quarts approximately.

Grumpy Bear · March 6, 2023

High Performance Lubricants Engine Cleaner | Bob Is The Oil Guy

5:1 Ratio Ester based cleaner. Wish I had known about this stuff before TRIAX S-7.

Grumpy Bear · March 8, 2023

Ordered 6 quarts of:

22:32 hours:

Late update. Advanced Lubrication Inc {Distributor for High Performance Lubricants] package the order as a case instead of singles. I didn't see that option when I orders AND applied a BITOG 15% discount. Canceled the shipping cost plus a few cents a quart.

$15 a quart. Half as much as the TRIAX S-7 and unlike the TRIAX, this contains a heavy dose of Esters high enough to limit it to a dosing of 5:1. The VOA report below is for the SAE 30. I bought the SAE 40 as viscosity of the cleaning products runs close to the bottom of spec. (From BITOG) This is to be run no longer than 2,000 miles first time with filter checks as you go. Easy enough on this motor. Won't lose more than an ounce or two.

Edited March 9, 2023 by Grumpy Bear

Grumpy Bear · March 9, 2023

Operational Notes

3/9/2023

This graph has really settled down since the HP fuel pump was replaced. Each point represents fuel used over the entire OCI so, last 20K miles or so. The most current point is still in service and represents roughly half an OCI.

Oil consumption since I changed measurement method from estimating from adds and dipstick to 'outage' plus adds. Current run not yet graphed. The last point #4 [upper most on graph] was first addition of TRIAX S-7. At the end of that run came the filter collapse. Interesting. Now on the second bottle of this product. I didn't add it to 'fix' anything. Just working off old stock and this cripple seemed as good a place as any to do it. Oddly the fluid is getting tacky like chain bar oil and amber instead of grayish black. Like it did when I solvent cleaned it. Varnish, I think. This prompted the buy of HPL.

This OCI is 1,150 miles along and I started blending alcohol 1,750 miles ago. This may also have something to do with the change is the oil? Maybe. Much better control over the blend once I found several stations with honest pumps and buying 75% content. This chart goes back about 60K miles. Last 8 tanks most recent. I have yet the need to add oil, so far. Curious. I did note that at the last oil change I reverted back to the small CCV orifice.

It is running very well recently. Getting the pep back in her step.

Edited March 11, 2023 by Grumpy Bear

diyer2 · March 10, 2023

I'm not impressed with credentials. Show me your work. BINGO!!!

The office would send guys to the job site that had impressive resumes. Most were apprentice level.

Grumpy Bear · March 15, 2023

199,455 Mile Oil Notes

3/15/2022

First off, should I start a pool on Dizzy making it to 200K or has that ship sailed. :crackup:

Yesterday I went back over her entire history and saw something interesting? Puzzling? NEW!!

The ECOTEC 2.4 I-4 is equipped with a Hengst type cast in the block filter that utilizes a cartridge instead of a spin on. These do not have an anti-drain back feature. It holds perhaps 6 to 8 ounces of lubricant. This is two to three hash marks on the dipstick. Hold that thought.

So the obvious is that cold oil would drain back slower than hot. How about a dirty filter verses a clean one? Yea......can we say chagrined.

See I always thought and have mention many times that she doesn't seem to use any oil for quite some time then, BOOM!

Add the distraction that as recently reported it doesn't hold as much as the book says by about the same amount as the filter holds. So, between overfilling on the initial fill and longer drain backs over time I see where this looks like a nonlinear state when it may indeed be quite linear.

So, over this OCI, besides taking great pains to fill just to the full mark (down 1/2 hatch actually or half a quart) and allowing overnight, greater than eight hours, to check it.....yes indeed. I know where the oil has been hiding in this motor. Consistently as well.

New filter will drain back in roughly fifteen to twenty minutes. One with a few thousand miles on it takes well over four hours. And on a loose paper filter. Nearer 8 hours with a tight synthetic filter.

Last night on a fuel stop I checked the oil at a level pump, hard to find, and it was halfway down the stick. I smiled. Not this time Sister.

I let her sit overnight leveled up and this morning almost ALL of that was recovered. Instead of half a quart it took but a few ounces to recover the level. On a fresh filter and oil and hot it reads nearly full within 15 minutes or so. First add at 2K miles. Well, live and learn. Liver longer, learn more.

mikef95 · March 15, 2023

12 minutes ago, Grumpy Bear said:

199,455 Mile Oil Notes

3/15/2022

First off, should I start a pool on Dizzy making it to 200K or has that ship sailed.

Yesterday I went back over her entire history and saw something interesting? Puzzling? NEW!!

The ECOTEC 2.4 I-4 is equipped with a Hengst type cast in the block filter that utilizes a cartridge instead of a spin on. These do not have an anti-drain back feature. It holds perhaps 6 to 8 ounces of lubricant. This is two to three hash marks on the dipstick. Hold that thought.

So the obvious is that cold oil would drain back slower than hot. How about a dirty filter verses a clean one? Yea......can we say chagrined.

See I always thought and have mention many times that she doesn't seem to use any oil for quite some time then, BOOM!

Add the distraction that as recently reported it doesn't hold as much as the book says by about the same amount as the filter holds. So, between overfilling on the initial fill and longer drain backs over time I see where this looks like a nonlinear state when it may indeed be quite linear.

So, over this OCI, besides taking great pains to fill just to the full mark (down 1/2 hatch actually or half a quart) and allowing overnight, greater than eight hours, to check it.....yes indeed. I know where the oil has been hiding in this motor. Consistently as well.

New filter will drain back in roughly fifteen to twenty minutes. One with a few thousand miles on it takes well over four hours. And on a loose paper filter. Nearer 8 hours with a tight synthetic filter.

Last night on a fuel stop I checked the oil at a level pump, hard to find, and it was halfway down the stick. I smiled. Not this time Sister.

I let her sit overnight leveled up and this morning almost ALL of that was recovered. Instead of half a quart it took but a few ounces to recover the level. On a fresh filter and oil and hot it reads nearly full within 15 minutes or so. First add at 2K miles. Well, live and learn. Liver longer, learn more.

I'm not sure if she'll make it to 200k, might want to start that poll...

I had posted on this thread a while back about our 2014 Equinox. Well, she was running like crap and was due for an oil change. Turns out she was almost completely out of oil, roughly 5-6k since last oil change. Odometer is just about to hit 100k. So she's definitely consuming oil now!

We have our first kid on the way in June, so I don't really have time to dig into this. I've asked a couple mechanics and none seem to be super familiar with this issue. Carmax is offering us $7k for the vehicle, and we can get by with only 1 car for a while. Thinking the best course of action might be to take that offer and run.

Grumpy Bear · March 15, 2023

4 minutes ago, mikef95 said:

I'm not sure if she'll make it to 200k, might want to start that poll...

I had posted on this thread a while back about our 2014 Equinox. Well, she was running like crap and was due for an oil change. Turns out she was almost completely out of oil, roughly 5-6k since last oil change. Odometer is just about to hit 100k. So she's definitely consuming oil now!

We have our first kid on the way in June, so I don't really have time to dig into this. I've asked a couple mechanics and none seem to be super familiar with this issue. Carmax is offering us $7k for the vehicle, and we can get by with only 1 car for a while. Thinking the best course of action might be to take that offer and run.

I'll bet they are. Have you looked on their site to see what a 2014 Equinox is selling for?

Used 2014 Chevrolet Equinox in Chicago, IL | CarMax

They may stuff a Jasper motor in it and still clear $5K. That's not a deal, that's a mugging (If otherwise in very clean shape).

See @Black02Silverado and ask for a Synthetic Advantage UOA "Tuner Test". I'd bet dollars to donuts the HPFP is leaking into the crankcase and has gummed up the rings and plugged the CCV orifice. Could be injectors but the test would sort and confirm.

New family and bleeding both cash and transportation is a hard way to go. If I can help, ask.

mikef95 · March 15, 2023

1 minute ago, Grumpy Bear said:

I'll bet they are. Have you looked on their site to see what a 2014 Equinox is selling for?

Used 2014 Chevrolet Equinox in Chicago, IL | CarMax

They may stuff a Jasper motor in it and still clear $5K. That's not a deal, that's a mugging (If otherwise in very clean shape).

See @Black02Silverado and ask for a Synthetic Advantage UOA "Tuner Test". I'd bet dollars to donuts the HPFP is leaking into the crankcase and has gummed up the rings and plugged the CCV orifice. Could be injectors but the test would sort and confirm.

New family and bleeding both cash and transportation is a hard way to go. If I can help, ask.

I was thinking of trying to sell it privately, but not sure if anyone would pay more than $5k if it needs a new motor. I could try listing it and see what kind of offers we get though. Unfortunately we no longer have the used oil, so would have to wait until the next oil change to do a UOA. Our other vehicle is a 2018 Equinox with the updated powertrain and the 2.0 engine, (we ended up with 2 Equinoxes by accident), and the plan is to try to find something with a 3rd row to accomodate a kid and a dog. The upside is that we don't have to rush.

Grumpy Bear · March 17, 2023

199,595 Mile Notes

3/17/2023

At the end of the first TRIAX-S7 addition the oil filter collapsed, and oil consumption was as high as it has been in quite some time. I didn't think much of it at the time. Installed a bit looser filter and changed oil. Swapped orifice plates out and continued with the alcohol blending. Focus, as I mentioned earlier, was getting consistent readings which over this oil change has improved greatly with patients. Now nearing the end of this 2,500-mile OCI and I've added once. Less than a cup to top off. Hardly worth the effort. Improvement? Time will tell. This does not 'look' nearly as dark as the last few changes.

For the upcoming maintenance I bought 4 Purolator L15436 filters. I expect I will use a few during the next leg of this journey. Cheap and in the middle of the filter spectrum. I also bought 4 quarts of Valvoline 5W30 Semi Synthetic SP to use with the High-Performance Lubricants 40-EC. It's suggested I do the first filter 'check' (replacement) at 500 miles and use it as a gauge to determine the next. First pass is not to exceed 2K miles.

Conventional Oil has sort of lost its meaning. I doubt there has been a true straight cut convention paraffinic oil made in the USA since sometime around 1980. We call a Group II Conventional, but it has been processed well past distillation. And that's good. Wax and sulfur have been removed to the benchmarks required for the Group. The only straight Group II I could find that wasn't labeled Bill's Swap Oil was Valvoline's SAE 30 SP and it's just not warm enough yet for that.

Anyway, The Group II majority of the Semi-Syn has some natural solvency that won't diminish the ester cleaner and enough dispersant to hold whatever junk it can shake loose in 2K miles in suspension. Cheap fluid for a nasty job.

Bought enough Red Line D6 for the 50K transmission service coming up as well.

Grumpy Bear · March 19, 2023

199,750 Mile Services

3/18/2023

Drop and fill 4 quarts Red Line D6 @ 75% Red Line now.

Rotate and balance tires. .75 Ounce on the worst.

Level checks on this 6T45 transmission is NOT straight forward. You have to force it to a temperature is will not reach normally by running it in 2nd gear until it reaches the minimum. We are going at this level check again tomorrow.

Also, only about 1/2 the fluid will come out of it UNLESS it is stone cold then about 6 quarts of the 8.5 to 9.0 it holds. Has some sort of internal thermostatic standpipe/accumulator system? Why so complicated?

Late addition: We found a small oil weep on the timing cover while doing the transmission service. Damp as is the frame below it. This will be part of a larger service to come.

Edited March 19, 2023 by Grumpy Bear
additional content

OnTheReel · March 19, 2023

Were they nice enough to give you a dipstick for the transmission or no? These things are becoming a maintenance nightmare for the DIY’er. Of course many of them are “lubed for life” now anyway. Lol.

Grumpy Bear · March 19, 2023

1 hour ago, OnTheReel said:

Were they nice enough to give you a dipstick for the transmission or no? These things are becoming a maintenance nightmare for the DIY’er. Of course many of them are “lubed for life” now anyway. Lol.

I use an independent mechanic. So, no, no dipstick. I do see where some models came with one. Hummmmm

I ran it through GM's procedure today to get the fluid up to spec temp. Over 185 ish. No joy, Beat it like a pup. 143 F tops. It's good. This is the third service and first I knew of this. If was going to die, it would have already. 31 miles to go!!

Grumpy Bear · March 20, 2023

0.3% Club

Maintenance

3/20/2023

199,999.8 actual.

2,501 miles this OCI

66% on OLM

28 ounces of makeup. 1:3,139 At least it's consistent.

4 Quarts Valvoline Semi-Syn 5W3, 6 ounces Kirkland 5W30 (To make HPL 40-EC ratio)

26 ounces High Performance Lubrication 40-EC (1:5.2)

Purolator L15436 "Red" filter (This will be changed in 500 miles per instructions).

Made and installed .062" CCV orifice plate.

1 10-ounce Techron to full tank of E-20

2,520 miles (fuel) / 94.149 gallons = 25.56 mpg for this OCI

Edited March 21, 2023 by Grumpy Bear

Grumpy Bear · March 21, 2023

Sorry I don't know your first name so, good morning @newdude.

I own both a 2014 Buick Verano and a 2015 GMC Terrain with the LEA I-4 2400. The LEA is listed as an E-85 capable motor and yet neither vehicle is. I know that there is a different fuel pump requirement but what I do not know is if the alcohol sensors are already there, or at least the wiring for plug and pay, and fuel maps naturally. How difficult is converting these two to E-85 and would you provide a 'road map' to doing so?

Thanks for any assistance you are willing to provide.

Marty "Grumpy".