Piston slap or hydraulic lifters?

[Skylarking]

Since these LS3 powered vehicles people test drive before purchase don’t sound like tractors, it could be that the dealer is hand picking test vehicles or warming them up prior to any test drives to hide this “normal condition“ as Holden likes to call. If that’s the case it would be deceptive conduct and/or product misrepresentation under Australian consumer law.

Also, nobody would knowingly buy a petrol engine that sounds likely tractor for the 10 to 15 minutes it takes until it warms up. Nobody would buy a vehicle knowing it would only lasted for some 60k - 70k kms before it started to sounded like a tractor before it warmed up.

A normal consumer would consider such sounds to be unacceptable in a modern vehicle, even if cold. As such, under ACL this would be considered a major defect as the owner wouldn’t have bought the vehicle knowing such noise would occur.

I’d be looking at making a claim under you ACL statutory warranty and expecting Holden to foot the rebuild costs by a reputable engine builder (since any replacement factory LS3 can have the same issues later) OR take back the car and provide full purchase price refund.

Don’t wait too long as you may be left holding the bill with no one to pass it too.

GM seems to be putting an ultimatum to dealers to accept their franchise com deal so the complete and utter disappearance of Holden may occur quicker than expected. At the end of the day they can simply walk away from any of their obligations by winding up the ABN#... and blame it all on COVID19 and the Chinese

 

[Anthony121]

Since these LS3 powered vehicles people test drive before purchase don’t sound like tractors, it could be that the dealer is hand picking test vehicles or warming them up prior to any test drives to hide this “normal condition“ as Holden likes to call. If that’s the case it would be deceptive conduct and/or product misrepresentation under Australian consumer law.

Also, nobody would knowingly buy a petrol engine that sounds likely tractor for the 10 to 15 minutes it takes until it warms up. Nobody would buy a vehicle knowing it would only lasted for some 60k - 70k kms before it started to sounded like a tractor before it warmed up.

A normal consumer would consider such sounds to be unacceptable in a modern vehicle, even if cold. As such, under ACL this would be considered a major defect as the owner wouldn’t have bought the vehicle knowing such noise would occur.

I’d be looking at making a claim under you ACL statutory warranty and expecting Holden to foot the rebuild costs by a reputable engine builder (since any replacement factory LS3 can have the same issues later) OR take back the car and provide full purchase price refund.

Don’t wait too long as you may be left holding the bill with no one to pass it too.

GM seems to be putting an ultimatum to dealers to accept their franchise com deal so the complete and utter disappearance of Holden may occur quicker than expected. At the end of the day they can simply walk away from any of their obligations by winding up the ABN#... and blame it all on COVID19 and the Chinese

You cannot get factory replacement LS3 engines anymore. Stock has been cleaned out.

As for the noise, just drive it easy until the engine warms up. I have one noisy engine and one quiet one. So far at 50k it hasn't got worse. It's much quieter with an oil change so thats what I'll do when its for sale

 

[Skylarking]

@Anthony121, whether LS3 replacements are available or not doesn’t detract from the fact that these engines are defective and a well argued case will get full refund under ACL (as was the case in NZ where a chap got full purchase price refund).

The fact no more LS3 engines are available through parts doesn’t bode well for Holden’s support of its customer base

PS: a 50% pass rate (as you’re experiencing) seems rather poor in my view

 

[lmoengnr]

@Anthony121, whether LS3 replacements are available or not doesn’t detract from the fact that these engines are defective and a well argued case will get full refund under ACL (as was the case in NZ where a chap got full purchase price refund).

The fact no more LS3 engines are available through parts doesn’t bode well for Holden’s support of its customer base

PS: a 50% pass rate (as you’re experiencing) seems rather poor in my view

I think the LS3 QC went downhill, especially in the last 2 years of production, 2015-2017.
The VF/Chev SS were the last GM vehicles to use the LS3 OEM...

 

[Paulie81]

What I find interesting is that these LS3 Engines are fitted with Hypereutectic pistons which are designed for tighter clearances as well as durability. Regardless of this, many owners, including myself are experiencing Piston Slap. One positive I can take from it is I no longer trust the temp gauge before giving it a good rev. I now wait for the Slap sound to go which I think is a better guide.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

What I find interesting is that these LS3 Engines are fitted with Hypereutectic pistons which are designed for tighter clearances as well as durability. Regardless of this, many owners, including myself are experiencing Piston Slap. One positive I can take from it is I no longer trust the temp gauge before giving it a good rev. I now wait for the Slap sound to go which I think is a better guide.

For oil temp to get to 100 degrees, takes are least 10-15 minutes in my experience. Temp gauge is about coolant temp. which only takes 5-10 min to get to operating temp.

 

[Paulie81]

Does anyone know what Alloy GM use for the LS3 Hypereutectic pistons, ie 4032 vs 6218.

This is worth a read on the differences. https://www.jepistons.com/blog/2618-vs.-4032-material-differences

 

[Skylarking]

Doesn't GM use recycled coke cans
So when it's noisy, think of how you're helping the environment
Ignore those throughts that GM has botched its QC/QA

 

[07GTS]

Does anyone know what Alloy GM use for the LS3 Hypereutectic pistons, ie 4032 vs 6218.

This is worth a read on the differences. https://www.jepistons.com/blog/2618-vs.-4032-material-differences

Hypereutectic pistons are the type of alloy used they are cast not forged like the 4032 or 2618 alloys, they are closer to the 4032 as they also do not expand as much as the 2618 but that also makes them weaker

 

[Paulie81]

Hypereutectic pistons are the type of alloy used they are cast not forged like the 4032 or 2618 alloys, they are closer to the 4032 as they also do not expand as much as the 2618 but that also makes them weaker

Thanks for clarifying. I misunderstood the original source material.