Blown engine

[Jakemey]

Here we go , 2022 Ct5v bw three months into ownership been left of the side of the road twice and now have a blown up motor at 8500 miles (sold my m3 comp for it) first issues was the alternator seizing and making one of my belts snap, then it just randomly died while i was driving on the highway, and got the call that the bottom end was blown and they need to replace the whole engine lol. I have so many questions like how does this affect the value of my car , can Cadillac or GM do anything to help with the troubles this has caused? I bought it used in fl with 5500 miles on it so there is no lemon law or anything , I’m stuck , obviously everything I’d covered under warranty but let’s say i want to get out of it am i going to be buried in this car now ?
Hopefully someone can help me here

 

[NorCal Blackwing]

From what I've heard, the engine replacement shows up on a carfax as a regular maintenance, but optimistically, if they're now getting in-spec crankshafts and they give you an engine with one of those, once they replace your engine you'll be worry free.

 

[Jakemey]

Thank you !!!

 

[jbawden]

I think at this point an in-spec LT4 replacement is what future buyers will actually seek out. Am I speaking for the group that we secretly hope for a replacement?

Still think most LT4's will live a long life. I wonder how many of these failures did a 500 mile oil change?

 

[Jakemey]

also looking for tips on if i should call Cadillac and what to say to them

 

[hawk02]

With numbers matching no longer a major factor, a warranty replacement won’t diminish the car’s value. As the second owner, this will simply be your first opportunity to complete a proper break-in.

 

[CB34]

My guess is that these failures are connected to the same issue that blew up so many engines in the 6.2L for trucks and suvs during the same time period. From what I remember in the NHTSA report, the defect was related to improper machining of either the cam shaft or something else on the bottom end. I thought the LT4s were built separately from all of the other LT based engines but maybe it’s just a difference of where assembly happens and enough components are still shared that the LT4 picked up the same bug.

 

[jbawden]

I want to think the LT4 manufacturing process is a bit more specialized than the L87 truck engine, but probably not knowing GM. The "built by" deal is more marketing than special treatment I gather. I mean its true one human built my engine, but it's just parts bin supply chain and no blueprinting or similar checks, it's just put together by one person. Oh well, 4/5 more years on the warranty for this to work itself out I guess.

 

[668LT4]

It is deflating when 22s are failing with plenty of miles on them. I would think such a catastrophic failure would happen earlier.

I'm not quite a year in on my 24 BDT. 4200 flawless, highly enjoyable miles. Will I be utterly distraught if my LT4 fails? That depends on if the replacements have fixed the issue for the long haul. If they have, sign me up. I'll definitely go through the process to get a correct one. Hell, I might even pay for roundtrip enclosed shipping to Sewell so I know its done right. I want to keep my 5 Blackwing forever, and I want the engine to be bulletproof.

 

[Bald Guy]

I would take it one step at a time and try to get it fixed/replaced first.

 

[hawk02]

My guess is that these failures are connected to the same issue that blew up so many engines in the 6.2L for trucks and suvs during the same time period. From what I remember in the NHTSA report, the defect was related to improper machining of either the cam shaft or something else on the bottom end. I thought the LT4s were built separately from all of the other LT based engines but maybe it’s just a difference of where assembly happens and enough components are still shared that the LT4 picked up the same bug.

On the L87 truck engines, the culprit ended up being crankshafts that were out of spec, which trashed the main bearings. Different deal with the LT4 though—the LT4 uses a forged steel crank, while the L87 is running a cast nodular iron crank. Two very different parts.

If I had to guess what’s blowing up LT4s, I’d look straight at the oil pump. That was a known weak spot on the early ’17–’18 Camaro ZL1s. GM supposedly updated the pump in 2019, but you still hear about the occasional failure even on the revised version. The Corvette Z06 didn’t really see the same issue because that LT4 had a dry sump setup, whereas the Camaro and Cadillac versions are wet sump.

 

[blkout]

My guess is that these failures are connected to the same issue that blew up so many engines in the 6.2L for trucks and suvs during the same time period. From what I remember in the NHTSA report, the defect was related to improper machining of either the cam shaft or something else on the bottom end. I thought the LT4s were built separately from all of the other LT based engines but maybe it’s just a difference of where assembly happens and enough components are still shared that the LT4 picked up the same bug.

Totally different engines assembled in different plants. No relation whatsoever.

 

[Slick Blackwings]

Well after 6 weeks got the call late night car ready for pickup! I’ll speak to tech I’m sure he pulled the pan I’ll let everybody know. First oil was changed around 500 miles again at 1500 , and when it tells us usually around 4500.

 

[blkout]

On the L87 truck engines, the culprit ended up being crankshafts that were out of spec, which trashed the main bearings. Different deal with the LT4 though—the LT4 uses a forged steel crank, while the L87 is running a cast nodular iron crank. Two very different parts.

If I had to guess what’s blowing up LT4s, I’d look straight at the oil pump. That was a known weak spot on the early ’17–’18 Camaro ZL1s. GM supposedly updated the pump in 2019, but you still hear about the occasional failure even on the revised version. The Corvette Z06 didn’t really see the same issue because that LT4 had a dry sump setup, whereas the Camaro and Cadillac versions are wet sump.

It's not the oil pump that's failing though. GM did resolve the issue in 2019+ model ZL1s and I haven't heard of any oil pumps failing on CT5 Blackwings.

 

[blkout]

Here we go , 2022 Ct5v bw three months into ownership been left of the side of the road twice and now have a blown up motor at 8500 miles (sold my m3 comp for it) first issues was the alternator seizing and making one of my belts snap, then it just randomly died while i was driving on the highway, and got the call that the bottom end was blown and they need to replace the whole engine lol. I have so many questions like how does this affect the value of my car , can Cadillac or GM do anything to help with the troubles this has caused? I bought it used in fl with 5500 miles on it so there is no lemon law or anything , I’m stuck , obviously everything I’d covered under warranty but let’s say i want to get out of it am i going to be buried in this car now ?
Hopefully someone can help me here

Do you know if the car is 100% stock since you bought it used? Also, according to GM, more Cadillac owners track their cars than Corvettes or Camaros so I'm curious what kind of early life the car had. Also, is the car an M6 or A10 trans?

 

[NorCal Blackwing]

This guy may have an axe to grind, but I found the video illuminating. I am sure they are buying certain engine parts from the same supplier across all their V8s and following the mantra of going for the cheapest possible part and then asking the supplier to cut corners to make it cheaper still.

 

[Jakemey]

Do you know if the car is 100% stock since you bought it used? Also, according to GM, more Cadillac owners track their cars than Corvettes or Camaros so I'm curious what kind of early life the car had. Also, is the car an M6 or A10 trans?

As far as i know it’s 100 % stock and a old gentleman owned it before definitely was not tracked and he bought it new, a10

 

[blkout]

As far as i know it’s 100 % stock and a old gentleman owned it before definitely was not tracked and he bought it new, a10

Curious to hear what your dealership or GM determines was the cause of failure.

 

[Jakemey]

Curious to hear what your dealership or GM determines was the cause of failure.

When he called he said everything so fast something about the pistons and the lower end i should get a detailed sheet when i pick it up

 

[NorCal Blackwing]

Here is a good overview. Yes, I know the L87 is not the LT4. However I think you’ll find the failure mode to be eerily similar.