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Chevrolet Impala heavy oil consumption

86 messages,  Last post on Apr 04, 2013 at 5:41 AM

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What is this discussion about? Chevrolet Impala, Chevrolet, Oil, Sedan

Messages Page 7 of 9

#56 of 86 Re: Impala [autumn55mn] by onemorebob

Dec 23, 2011 (5:58 pm)

Replying to: autumn55mn (Dec 15, 2011 6:41 pm)
I'm still enduring the consumption test. Just was in for the scheduled oil change and continued to discuss this issue with the Dealer. They are still maintaining the company (GM) line that... "expected oil usage for this car is 1 quart every 2,000 miles". I find that totally unexceptable. I also shared the information from these postings, and he just shrugged off information from "blogs" or non-GM websites. I've also advised the dealer that it seems my lifelong loyalty toward GM might be at an end. And now I have to make another hi way trip where I'll be nearly out of oil by the time I reach my destination (350 miles) like the 3 trips before. Getting to know the GM dealers that as much as this one at home! This just doesn't sound like the image GM keeps trying to convince us they are. Pretty sad...

#57 of 86 Re: Impala [onemorebob] by howards_411

Jan 23, 2012 (5:41 pm)

Replying to: onemorebob (Dec 23, 2011 5:58 pm)
I also owned an 2006 Impala SS that consumed far to much oil. My gut feeling says the root cause is caused by the displacement on demand. Like everyone else, oil consumption was far heaver on the highway compared to city driving.
 
While driving to Chicago from Indiana I notice an issue when the engine went from 4 cylinders to 8. I could only replicate this problem If I drove 65-70mph on 4 cylinders anywhere from 5-8 miles without engaging all eight cylinders. After the extended 4 cylinder mode driving I would gently press the gas to engage all 8 cylinders and a plum of smoke would exit the exhaust. I am not talking about a small amount of smoke either, It was a significant amount.
 
The challenge is to keep your car from engaging all 8 cylinders for an extend period of time. A neighbor who owns a 2007 was able to replicate the exact same problem Has anyone also notice this problem?

#58 of 86 Re: Impala [howards_411] by onemorebob

Jan 23, 2012 (5:55 pm)

Replying to: howards_411 (Jan 23, 2012 5:41 pm)
The latest in this never-ending story is that the dealer added some dye to the oil, then after 500 miles, scoped the engine and under carriage with a black light. I'm still waiting to hear the results but this was supposed to prove the oil wasn't leaking somewhere. A total of 3 different GM dealers have checked every inch of the vehicle and could not find any leak. But anything they want to do to prove the problem is consumption rather than leaking, I'll endure. I just want the problem addressed and fixed. But they still seem extremely reluctant to admit any problem. There was even a factory letter GM published about the 8 cylinder Impala. Same problem but the letter doesn't address my 6-cyl Impala. I'll share the info the dealer offers me (if any); it looks like I'll have to call them because they haven't called me like they promised, and its been over a week. Customer service - what a crock.

#60 of 86 Some results by onemorebob

Feb 14, 2012 (6:35 pm)

After 5 - 6 months of the oil consumption test, and the dye, I had the "check engine" light come on, with a traction warning (while driving in a snow storm) so I had them look at that while doing the next oil consumption check. Several things were "discovered" -
Steering Fluid gear leaking - replaced
Tie Rod Ends loose - replaced
Small Leak from Intake Gasket - replaced gasket
Front Crank Seal leaking - replaced seal
Trans Fluid leak - replaced trans line fitting
 
Gasket replacement covered by factory warranty
All else covered by extended warranty
 
We will see if this solves the problems. I'll take it back in 500 miles for another oil consumption check. Does seem to be a lot of "problems" in a car only 4 years old and 51,000 miles! My trust in this car has been severely compromised. I see a trade in near future!

#61 of 86 2006 Impala SS oil consumption by leisure40

Feb 22, 2012 (10:05 am)

We have a 2006 Impala SS, we bought it new and it it using 1 qt every 1000 miles, told the dealer and there answer was it is acceptable to Chevy to use this amount of oil in this engine, GM wil do nothing about it, but I have owned Chevy all my life and am serously thinking about buying Kia or ford, I have been told that the oil is getting burned up in the catalytic converters and this is why you dont see the smoke , and there are no leaks anywhere, If someone has an answer as to how to remedy this with GM or what to do, I would really appreciate it,

#62 of 86 Re: 2006 Impala SS oil consumption [leisure40] by onemorebob

Feb 22, 2012 (3:18 pm)

Replying to: leisure40 (Feb 22, 2012 10:05 am)
My 2008 had the same problem (see earlier posts). Finally they agreed to replace gaskets where they claimed they found "small" oil leaks - this after 6 months of an oil consumption test. I don't have the invoice handy now to identify exactly what they did but I mentioned all the work done in an earlier post within the past week. If you can't find the post, let me know and I can reply again with more info. Dealer had told me the same thing - the GM line is that a quart per 1000 miles was "acceptable". I raised the roof because that wasn't acceptable to me at all. I have to believe they found it when they added a dye to the oil when they changed it once (part of the consumption test) then scoped it with a black light after 500 miles or something like that. It took another problem for them to fix both the oil issue and the other issue that came up - the gasket replacement was covered by factory warranty, and the rest by an extended warranty. Good luck ... I know what a hassle you are experiencing.

#63 of 86 Unhappy owner of oil drinking 2008 Impala by oileatingchevy

Mar 28, 2012 (9:45 am)

Too much BS going on ! My 2008 Impala will suck the oil pan dry long before its due for a oil change. Same story taking car in for 20 min sit & wait, to check oil every 500 miles. The wife drives it to work 80 expressway miles round trip a day, plus her other shopping so almost 100 miles a day. Its sitting at the dealer day 2 now for another check engine light on. I found a Chevrolet Customer Relations Department # 800-222-1020 the lady was nice and said they will call the dealer today she even gave me a case # a phone# ext# as I told her, I will make signs of my car drinking out the hood with a baby bottle of oil, put them on the both sides front & rear and park it in front of every chevy dealer in town, I will make a unhappy chevy owner picket sign and have some of the internet emails to show interrest people thinking of buying a chevy! with chevy saying using 1 quart of oil every 1000 or 2000 miles is OK ! It dont leak a drop of oil, its not in the cooling system, so its burning it ! even if no sign of smoke !

#64 of 86 Re: Unhappy owner of oil drinking 2008 Impala [oileatingchevy] by gmcustsvcsarah

Mar 28, 2012 (12:21 pm)

Replying to: oileatingchevy (Mar 28, 2012 9:45 am)
Good afternoon oileatingchevy,
 
I'm happy to hear you've been in touch with our Customer Assistance Center - do you have a case number (71-**********)? I would be happy to check in on it to see if there are any updates for you.
 
It is correct that the accepted rate of oil consumption in passenger vehicles is 0.946 liter (1 qt) in 3200 km (2000 mi). All engines require oil to lubricate and protect the load bearing and internal moving parts from wear including cylinder walls, pistons and piston rings. When a piston moves down its cylinder, a thin film of oil is left on the cylinder wall. During the combustion process, part of this oil layer is consumed. As a result, varying rates of oil consumption are accepted as normal in all engines.
 
Other factors can affect oil consumption, including continuous driving at high speeds/high RPMs may increase oil consumption (because this may not always be an everyday occurrence, it is hard to determine exactly how much the oil economy will be affected) and engine wear (piston scuffing, excessive piston-to-wall clearance, tapered or out of round cylinders, worn, damaged or improperly installed valve guides, seals and piston rings will all cause an increase in oil consumption).
 
Again, I'm happy to check into your case if you wanted to get that number to me!
 
Regards,
Sarah
GM Customer Service

#65 of 86 Got them to fix ( I hope ) my Chevy Impala by oileatingchevy

Apr 13, 2012 (7:56 am)

Like I told Gm Customer Service , I made signs w/ pictures of my car drinking oil, a picket sign that said UNHAPPY CHEVY OWNER ! I parked it in front of 4 Chevy dealer lots, only took 5 mins for them to come out and talk to me. They were all nice to me except one , who called the cops on me, but its not against the law to picket, just keep moving, be nice, dont block people or cars ! He later came around to my way of thinking and said he will make some phone calls and try to help. I gave them all the case # names ect. only took 15 - 20 mins at each place. One of the Bigger Chevy dealers said they already fixed a car with the same problem before, and would gladly check into it, make some calls and call him back Monday morning, ended up taking the car there at 11:00 he gave the wife a 2012 loaner car. Car was ready next morning they did the heads, and also found the intake manifold gasket was leaking but not on the ground, they found it with mirrors. We bought 3 new chevys from our small town Chevy dealer in 2009, where we buy our next car ?

Messages Page 7 of 9

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