CT5-V Engine failure

[AACaptRet]

Raptor. Thank you. I had not seen that. I fear there will be others.

 

[jbawden]

Based on the known builds and reported casualties, we are over a 1% early life failure rate. On the surface that seems high, but I don't know what the industry standard is.

 

[AACaptRet]

Very interesting. I really appreciate all of the feedback I’m getting. As bad as I hate to say it, one of you might be next. In this case, misery does not want company.

 

[Throat Yogurt]

Who was it? I don't know? Do you?

It was a joke in another thread. Several engine problems all had the same builder name. I don't think anyone actually believes multiple engine failures can be caused by the same person.

It's a crappy situation all around...good luck AAC, sounds like you have a healthy attitude going into it.

 

[Throat Yogurt]

Based on the known builds and reported casualties, we are over a 1% early life failure rate. On the surface that seems high, but I don't know what the industry standard is.

Any industry standard failure rate for a mass produced item is much, much lower than that. I guarantee there are engineers at GM right now who are very, very distressed by this.

 

[Seth]

Any industry standard failure rate for a mass produced item is much, much lower than that. I guarantee there are engineers at GM right now who are very, very distressed by this.

Yeah, I agree. 1% sounds insane. Imagine if this was a car that sold like 200,000 units. There would be a lot of people hearing about this.

 

[AACaptRet]

Yogurt. I hope they are distressed enough to find out the cause. I was very fortunate that my engine failed on a semi rural road and I had a convenient place to coast to a stop off of the road. If I had been on the interstate or in a high traffic area, at the least it would have caused a traffic jam and at the worst, a fatality... me. Again, I appreciate the feedback I am getting.

 

[Throat Yogurt]

Yogurt. I hope they are distressed enough to find out the cause. I was very fortunate that my engine failed on a semi rural road and I had a convenient place to coast to a stop off of the road. If I had been on the interstate or in a high traffic area, at the least it would have caused a traffic jam and at the worst, a fatality... me. Again, I appreciate the feedback I am getting.

Yes, as far as engine failures go, it sounds like yours could have been much worse in terms of when and where it happened. I'm sure the engineers are working overtime to find a cause, so that a fix can be implemented before the situation gets out of hand. We have (I think ) 3-4 documented LT4 failures on the forum, plus Car and Driver's. And we know forum membership is only a small fraction of total BW ownership, so...this is a problem. Even worse, when you go back and read about each failure they all seem to be a bit different.

 

[Vigster]

Curious to see what the issue is when they're done with the diagnostics.

The factory oil shouldn't have been an issue but it wouldn't have hurt to get it done sooner. I had mine changed at 1200 miles just to make sure there was no metal or anything fishy going on. Checked the dipstick every week when the engine was cold to make sure oil levels were good. Maybe paranoia from reading all these stories on here but rather safe than sorry. (Side note, your first oil change is NOT covered if it's under 5k miles)

Hopefully you get your car back in reasonable time @AACaptRet ! Glad you're safe/unharmed. Is launching the BW as fun as take-off or does nothing really compare to taking off in a plane?

 

[AACaptRet]

The BW initial acceleration is greater than a typical airline aircraft. I did not fly any aircraft with afterburners but I understand their acceleration would exceed the BW. The Boeings I flew had reasonable acceleration but the BW (0 to 60 in 3,5 seconds) is a little better. (I was a B-52 pilot. It had enough power)

 

[raptor5244]

Yes, as far as engine failures go, it sounds like yours could have been much worse in terms of when and where it happened. I'm sure the engineers are working overtime to find a cause, so that a fix can be implemented before the situation gets out of hand. We have (I think ) 3-4 documented LT4 failures on the forum, plus Car and Driver's. And we know forum membership is only a small fraction of total BW ownership, so...this is a problem. Even worse, when you go back and read about each failure they all seem to be a bit different.

I get the feeling there wasn't as much testing performed on this iteration if the LT4. Although, remember the overheating issues on the initial C7 Z06 LT4s? The 2017-2018 ZL1 LT4s have high oil pump failure rates. Remember the C6 Z06 LS7 head issues. I also keep seeing Silverado V8s with lifter issues...

I think the consumers wind up being the test subjects nowadays as manufactures tend to rush products to market.

 

[1Evil55]

Glad it was on a rural road and not at 30,000+

 

[Throat Yogurt]

Side note, your first oil change is NOT covered if it's under 5k miles

My understanding/experience is that the *first* oil change (no matter the miles) is covered. My first oil change at ~1500 miles was covered. Subsequent changes are not.

 

[PrimeTime]

Yogurt. I hope they are distressed enough to find out the cause. I was very fortunate that my engine failed on a semi rural road and I had a convenient place to coast to a stop off of the road. If I had been on the interstate or in a high traffic area, at the least it would have caused a traffic jam and at the worst, a fatality... me. Again, I appreciate the feedback I am getting.

Good morning Captain, I'm curious to know if you use the "mycaddy" phone app? If so, did/does the app in the "Vehicle Status Diagnostics" section give you any indication or warning of what the probable cause of the failure may be?

 

[LF4472]

I get the feeling there wasn't as much testing performed on this iteration if the LT4. Although, remember the overheating issues on the initial C7 Z06 LT4s? The 2017-2018 ZL1 LT4s have high oil pump failure rates. Remember the C6 Z06 LS7 head issues. I also keep seeing Silverado V8s with lifter issues...

I think the consumers wind up being the test subjects nowadays as manufactures tend to rush products to market.

The C7 Z06 overheating issues are mainly a function of not enough air flow during full-send track duty. The automatics were worse because they carried higher RPMs on average. There were a couple changes across model years to increase cooling capacity.

 

[PrimeTime]

Is there another way to get an indication if you are getting "blow by" in the SC with oil on the cooling bricks without actually having to take the lid off the SC? Will it bleed thru in another location that may indicate this issue? Any SME out there that can weigh in? One of the other members had posted this on another thread? thinking about this now with this recent meltdown. I just did a 300 mile easy ride trip, 4800 miles on the car and the oil level was checked before I left and when I returned it was a full Quart short? No smoke, performance of the car is outstanding? It got my attention being it should be past the break-in point? Is this typical oil consumption in an LT4?

 

[Vigster]

My understanding/experience is that the *first* oil change (no matter the miles) is covered. My first oil change at ~1500 miles was covered. Subsequent changes are not.

Not at Rick Hendrick Norfolk... GF got the same feedback from Toyota for her new GR86. Both were "outside of the recommended service window, and as such not covered" But the service manager got me taken care of for like $50. Said the next one will be free

 

[DustinEarnhardt]

Yeah, I agree. 1% sounds insane. Imagine if this was a car that sold like 200,000 units. There would be a lot of people hearing about this.

1% major component failure rate on an engine is horrible. There are a ton of people freaking out about this right now.

My understanding/experience is that the *first* oil change (no matter the miles) is covered. My first oil change at ~1500 miles was covered. Subsequent changes are not.

You are correct. You can definitely do it at less than 5,000 miles. They don't care when, or if it's even the actual first oil change. Just the first time you bring it to the dealership, that one is on them.

I do believe that my coupon that I got in the mail for it though said it had to be done within the first year of ownership, so maybe just be aware of that.

 

[ClassaxV]

Yes, as far as engine failures go, it sounds like yours could have been much worse in terms of when and where it happened. I'm sure the engineers are working overtime to find a cause, so that a fix can be implemented before the situation gets out of hand. We have (I think ) 3-4 documented LT4 failures on the forum, plus Car and Driver's. And we know forum membership is only a small fraction of total BW ownership, so...this is a problem. Even worse, when you go back and read about each failure they all seem to be a bit different.

The LT4 is a great platform but in stock configuration we really are asking a lot of it at 660hp. Let's not forget there are at least 11 documented ZL1 low mile engine failures to go along with 30 plus Zo6s in the past 7 years. Of course they get made in way more numbers. It's hard to believe in two full model years there still will be fewer Blackwings made than ZL1s or Z06s in any given year....

Cap, sorry to hear this but glad you're ok.

 

[LF4472]

1% major component failure rate on an engine is horrible. There are a ton of people freaking out about this right now.


You are correct. You can definitely do it at less than 5,000 miles. They don't care when, or if it's even the actual first oil change. Just the first time you bring it to the dealership, that one is on them.

I do believe that my coupon that I got in the mail for it though said it had to be done within the first year of ownership, so maybe just be aware of that.

When I tried to get the free oil change early, I was told the oil life monitor had to show less than 20% oil life to be covered.