[m6-lt1]

Originally Posted by 302crossram

uh, spark plugs are on the outside of the head....

He means the intake port.

I’m surprised to hear about the intake service being needed every 3rd oil change. These engines have now been out for 10 years and I have yet to hear of any issues due to caked intakes valves. Do they get some oil on them? Yes, but I have yet to see it cause any issues.

One other thing, I sold my last 6th Gen SS with 52k on it. My current one with 1,700 miles feels no faster than my 52k one. If anything I’m getting worse mpg’s in my new one but I think that’s because I was avoiding highway cruising during break in plus the pops and crackles are intoxicating.

Op, I wish you had shined a light into the intake port. I agree that the port itself looks bad but I would have loved to see how covered the actual valve is. I’m also wondering if the reason the port looks so bad is because the head is off versus when people shine a light down the port with the head still installed on the engine.

[The Chief (tm)]

KHA,

I guess I'm glad -- if I'm reading and concluding correctly -- that the gasket failure did not create other, more catastrophic damage (heads, block, etc.), and hopefully will help hasten the repair and return of your ride.

Question: did the dealership mention a specific "name" for that chemical-wash procedure? I mean, sure, on paper I don't like the idea of a $300+ service every third "erl" change either, but I'm only putting on ~7,500 miles per year so as a preventative measure, I'd probs cough up the dough.

Do tell. And hang in there!

[keep_hope_alive]

Head gasket pics of each side







and the other





They pointed out a few very small spots where they think coolant got thru, hard to see in the photos.

[keep_hope_alive]

Originally Posted by m6-lt1

He means the intake port.

I’m surprised to hear about the intake service being needed every 3rd oil change. These engines have now been out for 10 years and I have yet to hear of any issues due to caked intakes valves. Do they get some oil on them? Yes, but I have yet to see it cause any issues.

One other thing, I sold my last 6th Gen SS with 52k on it. My current one with 1,700 miles feels no faster than my 52k one. If anything I’m getting worse mpg’s in my new one but I think that’s because I was avoiding highway cruising during break in plus the pops and crackles are intoxicating.

Op, I wish you had shined a light into the intake port. I agree that the port itself looks bad but I would have loved to see how covered the actual valve is. I’m also wondering if the reason the port looks so bad is because the head is off versus when people shine a light down the port with the head still installed on the engine.

I didn't want to move anything around. I'm going to ask them about cleaning the heads and intake pathways while the head is off. I really hope that's something they'll do. I also would like to see the valves.

Originally Posted by The Chief (tm)

KHA,

I guess I'm glad -- if I'm reading and concluding correctly -- that the gasket failure did not create other, more catastrophic damage (heads, block, etc.), and hopefully will help hasten the repair and return of your ride.

Question: did the dealership mention a specific "name" for that chemical-wash procedure? I mean, sure, on paper I don't like the idea of a $300+ service every third "erl" change either, but I'm only putting on ~7,500 miles per year so as a preventative measure, I'd probs cough up the dough.

Do tell. And hang in there!

You are correct that no major damage occurred, mostly because I shut it down immediately upon it running poorly and had it towed. It spent about 30 seconds at idle when it was down cylinders.

They didn't give me a technical name, but I will inquire in more detail the next time I stop down. They are just 4 minutes from me. I stopped in this morning for head gasket pics and they just welcomed me in and let me walk up to the car/bench.

They said that the computer takes control of the car and runs it through a 45 minute cycle of revs while "washing" the intake. Then they change the oil. So it is something you'd do before the third (or fourth) oil change and just let them do the oil change. I'd like to see the GM documentation on it. They had recently been trained on the process from GM and said they were glad that GM was finally acknowledging the issue.

[The Chief (tm)]

Would be wonderful if there was a TSB about it...

[Scargoes]

Originally Posted by david_acm

What are the darkened ports on the 3rd and 4th pic?

Those are exhaust ports. You can see the spark plugs in each picture.

[keep_hope_alive]

Originally Posted by The Chief (tm)

Would be wonderful if there was a TSB about it...

This is what is on ACDelcoTDS today. I bought another 3-day subscription and will snag what I can.

[CalgaryZL1]

I am dumbfounded by all the miscellaneous issues people have, I literally drive the living shit out of my car every time I am in it. maybe because I know that is what it was made for. After reading, I was expecting something to fail. Still nothing?? I’m of the mindset that the car wants me to piss it off, so I try my hardest! I have never been a helicopter parent, that’s probably why I was doing 6000 RPM after I got out of town from the dealership.

[m6-lt1]

Originally Posted by Scargoes

Those are exhaust ports. You can see the spark plugs in each picture.

Oh man now I feel stupid for my comment earlier

[Mid_Life_Crisis]

They said that the computer takes control of the car and runs it through a 45 minute cycle of revs while "washing" the intake. Then they change the oil. So it is something you'd do before the third (or fourth) oil change and just let them do the oil change. I'd like to see the GM documentation on it. They had recently been trained on the process from GM and said they were glad that GM was finally acknowledging the issue.[/QUOTE]

I’d like to know more about this. Bananas.

[keep_hope_alive]

Originally Posted by CalgaryZL1

I am dumbfounded by all the miscellaneous issues people have, I literally drive the living shit out of my car every time I am in it. maybe because I know that is what it was made for. After reading, I was expecting something to fail. Still nothing?? I’m of the mindset that the car wants me to piss it off, so I try my hardest! I have never been a helicopter parent, that’s probably why I was doing 6000 RPM after I got out of town from the dealership.

I drive mine as a daily. 20k mi. in the first year. I expect this car to see 200k, just like all of my others. This issue was unexpected, an anomaly. a range module will go in once warranty is out since we know that is an issue.

[302crossram]

IIRC range device shows no signs of use when removed.
mine has been plugged in since delivery.

[keep_hope_alive]

Originally Posted by 302crossram

IIRC range device shows no signs of use when removed.
mine has been plugged in since delivery.

I'm guessing that there is an internal log of the amount of time the vehicle is in V4 mode.

[Dynamical]

Well looks like you'll have it back together soon. That's good.

Thanks for the pics. Would of loved to see the intake valves. I suppose the tech didn't mention exactly what vehicles/motors they saw better performance from after the valve cleaning? In my mind he's probably talking about the general population and we know how they take care of their cars...or DON'T.

With your driving habits of tracking high MPG, I am under the impression you like the AFM/DOD? I bought my car with 2,400 miles and it's had a Range most of that time. I always hear that spirited driving helps the DI issue with intake valves vs driving easy all the time. But like someone else already said, there doesn't seem to be those issues on these motors?