5.3L Smoke & Oil Consumption

jjz120 · February 13, 2002

I know this topic has been mentioned before (I have been lurking around for a couple of months), but has anyone found a fix yet. To make a long story short, I purchased my truck on October 1, 2001. By 800 miles it developed noticeable oil consumption and smoking at startup. After trying two of the older style PCV valves, the valve seals were replaced at 1900 miles. This provided a fix for about another 500 miles, but unfortunately the problem has returned.

At 3700 miles a new style PCV valve was put on it but has made no difference. Currently the truck has 4200 miles, smokes at every crank of the ignition and burns EXCESSIVE amounts of oil. This past weekend I visited my grandmother which was a 325 mile round trip, and the truck burned almost 3 quarts of oil. It is now going back to the dealer on Monday for a "leak down test". I certainly expected far better quality for a vehicle with an MSRP of $34,500.

Sorry for the long rant, but I feel I have no other option but to pursue a buyback from GM through the PA Lemon Law.

John

bassdog · February 13, 2002

Geez, a quart every 100 miles! Yup, I'd make them fix it or buy it back under lemon law!

jjz120 · February 13, 2002

Bassdog

I am lucky if I can go 100 to 150 miles without the message center popping up a warning of low oil level. Typically, I pull off to the side of the road, find no oil on the dip stick, dump in a quart and get ready to do it again in 100 or so miles. The condition has gotten progresively worse in the last 750 miles. The truck currently has 4200 miles and I have activated the low oil warning message 7 times.

What really agravates me is GM's complete lack of concern. My dealer's service manger had to go out of his way to convince GM to approve the valve seal replacement. He said that he will try the "leak down test" without GM's approval to see if that is a probable cause. Everytime I talk to GM customer service they keep feeding me the same old crap that I should wait until the engine is properly broken in.

Shaners · February 13, 2002

At 4200 miles your engine is broken in enough.

I would start looking into the lemon law. GM should be forced to install a new motor or give you a whole new truck.

GM states that a quart of oil in 2000 miles is normal. Anything over that is considered excessive. Your usage is very excessive!!!

Have you consulted any other dealers???

bassdog · February 13, 2002

Shaners has got a good point, try another dealer or two and see if you get the same results.

I'd personally try to get them to buy it back or do an even trade for another new truck.

THE BIGPUNN · February 14, 2002

im curious! have you found a pile of oil where you park your truck at night? could it be the oil pan bolt, pan gasket, oil filter gasket? have you gotten under the engine with a light to look for a problem? is oil mixing with the coolant? my truck barely goes through 1 quart between oil changes.

jjz120 · February 14, 2002

I have already had the truck to three different dealerships (I live in Harrisburg, PA; finding a Chevy dealer is not that hard). The problem seems to be that GM has no clue as to what is causing the problem or where the oil is going. The engine shows no signs of an oil leak, and it is not dripping oil since I have not moved it in four days. The only external symptom that has been noticed is if the truck sits and idles for a while, the water dripping out of the tailpipe will have a high amount of soot in it. It is noticeable enough that when the water evaporates a black soot stain will be left on the ground. Like I said before, one dealer wants to see it on Monday to check for bad piston rings, but he even told me that they are just guessing at this point.

I did however call a Lemon Law attorney and scheduled a meeting for next week. He said based on PA's laws it should not be a problem getting GM to buy the truck back. I seriously hope they will just exchange it for a new one because except for the oil and smoke problems the truck is incredible.

wack · February 14, 2002

It seems the only way to make the warranty kick in is to see how far you can go without oil.Of course bring 6 qts fill her up and call a tow truck.Maybe bring it in for an oil change a week or so before and have it documented by the dealer.Play stupid and let the service manager handle the problem.This 5.3 you have now is doomed.

bassdog · February 14, 2002

jjz, when you bring it in on Monday, talk them into pulling the cat and have them check it. I willing to bet that the cat is soaked with oil. I saw this on a Trans Am before, and it was using a couple quarts of oil a week, but not leaking anywhere.

Do mention that you've talked with a lawyer about buying the truck back or trading it in, they may just do that and not bother with the fix. If they do tear into the motor, that isn't a good sign. For the $$$ you've spent on this truck you shouldn't have to worry everyday you drive it.

Ed Hahn · February 14, 2002

Hi all,

I received this note from an Avalanche email list I belong to. It sounds like a familiar story, but with a possible solution in sight that has to do with an INSTALLATION error in the vicinity of the PCV valve, and a new TSB to cover it (issued last week?)

Here's the note:

It's been 2600 miles since my last oil change and guess what? Oil level once again is a quart and a half low. Clouds of smoke still bellow out occasionally at start up.

Off to the dealership I went. To my surprise there is a service bulletin that came out last week concerning this problem. The service bulletin said to check for a gap between the valve cover and the baffle that the PCV fits into. Upon inspection it was discovered that I did have a gap that should not be there.

The guys in the service department sealed the gap and guess what? No smoke has bellowed out since!!! It's only been a couple days since they did this so I don't know for sure if the problem is fixed. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I don't have to add more oil before the next scheduled oil change or have any more clouds of smoke at start up.

I'll keep everyone posted if this fixed the problem or not. I'll

know for sure in a couple weeks.

I, too, will pass on any information I happen to receive...

ed

jjz120 · February 15, 2002

Thanks for the info Ed. I will pass it on to my service advisor when I take the truck in next week. Unfortunately, I don't think mine will be as quick of a fix because I tend to believe that the cat is soaked with oil just as Bassdog stated.

John

CapnDean · February 15, 2002

Hey...put my name in that hat wouldja!

I have a 4.8 and I am getting the "Holy Blue Balls of Smoke Batman" too.

I don't get em EVERYTIME, actually, I seldom get the blue cloud - - But when I do get it..you'd think I just set off a smoke bomb or something.

My dealership is currently performing a oil consumption analysis. I bring it in every 500 miles and they check my oil.

So far, I am at 500 miles and down 1/2 a quart.

Otherwise...I don't want em messing with my engine. It gets too good on gas for me to let em monkey with it!

I had a Pinging Dodge before...every time the dealer laid a wrench on it to fix the ping...the mileage got worse and the performance did too!

(Yeah, my timing was more retarded than a Florida ballot box!)

Dean

Colorado Kid · February 15, 2002

At a quart in a hundred miles they should be able to pull the plugs and see where the oil is going. If it's all going through one cylinder there won't be any question, so they may only need to do the first step of the leakdown test (pulling the plugs). They know that there is no way on earth 1 qt/100 miles is OK, they must not believe you. The cat and the O2 sensors are not liking taking oil baths.

I hope you have receipts for evey quart of oil, it'll make the buyback case for you. In my opinion a buyback is the best thing that could happen to you right now. Otherwise they may find and fix the cause, but not some of the effected systems downstream.

1 qt of oil in 100 miles, if you get about 16 MPG, is a 25:1 fuel to oil mixture, which is more oil than most 2-strokes burn! The plugs will definately show effects from this much oil, even if it is distributed evenly through all 8 cylinders.

I don't care if it's the FIRST 100 miles, 1 qt/100 miles is way out of line, but the script that the "Customer Service" folks read doesn't deal with those consumption rates.

CMNTMXR81 · February 18, 2002

This engine is shot! Unless there is a puddle of it somewhere underneath the truck, it is being consumed. In order to burn through that much oil in that short a time frame would lead me to believe that the rings are shot.

There is a normal amount of oil consumption for engines, especially big blocks, but to me this sounds as if the engine is toast.

jst4f · February 21, 2002

I think I am doomed! I have been watching my AV for signs of smoke and oil consumption and it has happened. Not as bad as 100miles/qt oil but I only have 1000 miles on the AV. The AV has issued a blue cloud on startup twice, @ 661 miles and 952 miles and is down 2/3 the way on the cross-hatched area of the dipstick at 952 miles. I called the dealer and I got the oil seal answer. I will be taking it in tomorrow for confirmation. I plan to tell them about the two TSBs one on the wrong PSV #01-06-01-029 and the one listed in this thread regarding improper installation of the PSV baffle. I hope this will get it fixed and not be bad piston rings!

This is depressing. A brand new AV with a proven engine and I could be facing major headaches and maybe even the CA lemon laws.

I will keep you posted!