anybody know what the engine life is on the 4 cyl in the new malibu vs the 3.5 engine in the newer impalas.....I was just waundering if the 4 cycl holds up as well as the the 3.5 6 cycls.....and how many miles you can get out of each one doing the proper oil changes....thanks
Engine life of the 2.4 vs 3.5
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The ecotec is a very solid engine. If it can have 1000+hp on the stock block, I'd say it'll hold it's own. Having owned a 3.4, and knowing that the 3.5 is very similar, I'd opt for the ecotec. The 3.4/3.5's aren't bad engines per se, but the 3.4's are notorious for having LIM gaskets leak, and it's almost guaranteed that the 3.5 will have problems as well.
With regular oil changes (and gasket replacements on the 3.5), both engines should last well over 100-200k. I would give the ecotec the advantage though.
With regular oil changes (and gasket replacements on the 3.5), both engines should last well over 100-200k. I would give the ecotec the advantage though.
honestly the 4 cyl should last longer * flame suit on* given care and maintenance is done properly to both. some may say the bigger engine has less work to do, while this is true the 2.4 is a European engine, its designed to sustain high RPM and rapid ( as rapid as a 4 cyl can) starts. along with forged connecting rods and pistons from the factory. ( im not sure about the crankshaft though)
my vote is 4 the 4cyl
my vote is 4 the 4cyl
I think any opinions would be purely subjective. Unless one of these engines has a inherent design flaw or weakness, I don't think anyone could conclude that one will always outlast the other. No engines are designed to have the block crack in half, and spill its innards at some predetermined number of miles, or number of months in the future. Longevity obviously takes time to determine, however some engines have shown a determined interest to expire early, like the Oldsmobile converted Diesel V-8.
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As is stated ANY engine will outlast the car with regular maint and upkeep regardless if it's a 4,6,8 or 10 cylinder
I agree with previous statement above this 100%
The 2.4 is about the best 4cly on the planet. Yes, it's better than most import 4cly. Cheaper,quieter,smoother,more power for the money,better mileage. Honestly I think typical crappy American driving skills and maintenance patterns this engine will do 200,000 with nothing done other than minimal oil changes! I am judging it by early owned 2.2ltr 2.8ltr gm 4cly that would not die with over 200,000 nasty miles.
The 2.4 is about the best 4cly on the planet. Yes, it's better than most import 4cly. Cheaper,quieter,smoother,more power for the money,better mileage. Honestly I think typical crappy American driving skills and maintenance patterns this engine will do 200,000 with nothing done other than minimal oil changes! I am judging it by early owned 2.2ltr 2.8ltr gm 4cly that would not die with over 200,000 nasty miles.
Both engines are 200K-300K engines with regular fluid changes. My personal thought is the 2.4 Ecotec is a much better built engine and has a higher lifespan potential, but realistically they could each do 200K+ with not much effort. The rest of the vehicle is cause for concern...
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I can agree with many of the comments here.. I had many problems with the 3.4 and the leaky intake gaskets over all good motor but for that case.. I also had the GM quad 4 motor and it was a beast.. I ran that thing to 230K and except for changing a water pump that motor was running strong as the day i got it with 30K.. So I am all in favor of GM 4 bangers.. they have always served me well
Hey preachr......Yea i know alot of gm engines had leaking intake and timing covers due to the anti-freeze used in gm engines...Dex-cool...Everybody i talk to said to get it out as fast as you can and put the green back in it...the dex-cool would eat up the gaskets..I had my silverado flushed out good and put prestone green back in it to make sure..
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The engine coolant has nothing to do with the gasket failures. It has everything to do with poor engine design (Per a GM engineer that used to frequent the Grand Am site). If the coolant was truely the culpret, every GM vehicle would be having gasket failures. My wife's 2002 Alero had an Ecotec with 115,000 miles and had no problems with the gaskets. People are just scared of the Dex-Cool because it's something new and scary. Just like people are still sticking to 3mo/3,000 miles. People are stuck living in the 60's and 70's when the products they had were sub-par to what is out nowadays.
like you said Dexcool is new and different. it does turn acidic alot sooner than many other types of antifreeze though. it does need to be checked yearly with ph strips to make sure it dose not get to high.
^ thats directly from my uncle who was a GM engineer
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Meh, if it was that big of a deal, GM would stop using it. I'm not going to worry about it. I'll change the coolant every 5yr/50k.
All the radiator shop that i spoke with said they replace alot of those gaskest due to dex cool..and recommend flush it out and put green in....when it due a change if its a new car.Also other people i have talked to said its ok as long as air doesnt get into the system thats when you have the troubles and causes electrolis...Dont know who or what to believe...????????????????
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I hear a lot of oil change shops recommending the 3yr/3k oil change as well, it doesn't mean they're right. I would trust those types of people about as much as I'd trust a pedophile to watch my kid. I have no doubt that they can change the oil/flush the radiator. But I would not trust their views the aformentioned issue.
Here's my view of a greese monkey/backyard mechanic/I went to tech school 20 years ago:
Not trying to offend anyone, but that's truely how I feel. Most of these guys have no schooling, or they went to a tech school 20+ years ago. Most of their views on fluids is based off of hearsay or the way they did things 20 years ago. It's been proven that you can go on annual 12k mile oil changes, yet people still recommend the 3mo/3000 mile oil changes.
GM uses Dexcool across the board and quite frankly you only see a MASS problem on the 3400 and it's offspring. If there was truely an issue with the engine coolant, more issues than what we're seeing.
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The common wisdom on Dexcool is all wrong. I and my family have had it in 7 GM cars since 1996. Kept all but one of the vehicles long enough to make the 5 year coolant change. One went through its second 5 year period. The Dexcool that came out always looked like the day it went in. My daughter doesn't pay much attention to car service periods and her Olds Intrigue went 7 years and 95K miles on its initial fill. Never had a problem with Dexcool and there are millions of other people that have not had a problem. My experience with the green stuff over 36 years previous to 1996 was terrible. Had to change it every two years and when it was changed it looked rusty.
If a shop tells you to change to the green stuff go to another shop. They do not know what they are talking about.
Bill
If a shop tells you to change to the green stuff go to another shop. They do not know what they are talking about.
Bill
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180 Posts
My 2 cents.
There has been enough concern over Dexcool that I would stay away from it, if possible, and that don't necessarily mean using the green.
GM had three engines that are noted for gasket problems, 3.0, 3.4, & 3.8. Ford had two, 3.0 & 3.8. The latter being much worse. When they added the 24 valve 3.0 a lot of cracked heads became an issue. I've seen a lot of GM 3.8 with blown gaskets and I had a 3.0 that blew gaskets twice in 150K. I used the orange in several Ford 3.0 without trouble, all having over 150K when they departed me.
But, in all of them I noticed this crud/sludge forming in resevoir and used several flushes trying to get it out. On one I removed the bottle and put oven cleaner in it after trying several solvents and soaps. That apparently broke it down enough to wash out with brake cleaner.
I don't know where this stuff hangs up in system, but I'm sure I don't want it. I was about to flush an Aurora, but traded. Damn stuff was all over the resovoir and suspect it gunked up radiator because I was having cooling issues in summer. I've read through some of the class action and there is no doubt some of the claims are bogus, but still many have validity. I have seen pictures of eaten up head gaskets. Whether it was because of dis-similar metals and or the Dexcool acting as an electrolyte or acid could be debateable. The problem makes lawyers rich and trouble for the consumer. GM and all just need to fix the problem and it should not take years to do it.
The main reason you change oil and antifreeze is because of the contaminants that accumulate, not that the main components wear out. Oil has additives for anti-oxidation and detergent and others. Quite a few do-it-yourselfers foolishly used racing oil thinking it was better. It has nearly no additives and is purer oil, but designed to run one race and then be drained, maybe 500 miles. And they also often tear down engines between races.
So, what did they add to the orange that would greatly extend its life? If you look closely at specs on green, it should be changed every year! One of the big components was rust inhibitors. Far less iron in the system these days. I looked at some GM specs a few years back and I found the permissible seepage alarmingly high. Just as blow-by gasses deteriorate oil, so does seepage of it into coolant damage it. A few years back, you could find a Prestone recharge on shelves for the DexCool. It was to be added yearly, but it did not sell and got removed from shelves. It probably had a small amount of lubricant, but mostly acid neutralizers and anti-oxidants.
There has been enough concern over Dexcool that I would stay away from it, if possible, and that don't necessarily mean using the green.
GM had three engines that are noted for gasket problems, 3.0, 3.4, & 3.8. Ford had two, 3.0 & 3.8. The latter being much worse. When they added the 24 valve 3.0 a lot of cracked heads became an issue. I've seen a lot of GM 3.8 with blown gaskets and I had a 3.0 that blew gaskets twice in 150K. I used the orange in several Ford 3.0 without trouble, all having over 150K when they departed me.
But, in all of them I noticed this crud/sludge forming in resevoir and used several flushes trying to get it out. On one I removed the bottle and put oven cleaner in it after trying several solvents and soaps. That apparently broke it down enough to wash out with brake cleaner.
I don't know where this stuff hangs up in system, but I'm sure I don't want it. I was about to flush an Aurora, but traded. Damn stuff was all over the resovoir and suspect it gunked up radiator because I was having cooling issues in summer. I've read through some of the class action and there is no doubt some of the claims are bogus, but still many have validity. I have seen pictures of eaten up head gaskets. Whether it was because of dis-similar metals and or the Dexcool acting as an electrolyte or acid could be debateable. The problem makes lawyers rich and trouble for the consumer. GM and all just need to fix the problem and it should not take years to do it.
The main reason you change oil and antifreeze is because of the contaminants that accumulate, not that the main components wear out. Oil has additives for anti-oxidation and detergent and others. Quite a few do-it-yourselfers foolishly used racing oil thinking it was better. It has nearly no additives and is purer oil, but designed to run one race and then be drained, maybe 500 miles. And they also often tear down engines between races.
So, what did they add to the orange that would greatly extend its life? If you look closely at specs on green, it should be changed every year! One of the big components was rust inhibitors. Far less iron in the system these days. I looked at some GM specs a few years back and I found the permissible seepage alarmingly high. Just as blow-by gasses deteriorate oil, so does seepage of it into coolant damage it. A few years back, you could find a Prestone recharge on shelves for the DexCool. It was to be added yearly, but it did not sell and got removed from shelves. It probably had a small amount of lubricant, but mostly acid neutralizers and anti-oxidants.
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hey just an FYI.. I was always under the impression that the 3.4 or 3400 motor that was running into problems was in the intake gaskets and them sucking the antifreeze into the combustion chamber and thus causing a lot of problems if not rectified quickly.. and the intake gasket was due to a poor OEM gasket or a poor fit from the heads to the intake.. but the quick fix was always a slightly thicker gasket.. but I Have never heard of any head gasket problems..
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The proper fix was a gasket that has a metal core and not a plastic one. Its simple as that. The OEM piece had plastic that would break down after numerous hot/cold cycles and would break and would allow the coolant to leak.
Also, the coolant would leak into the oil. It it was to leak into the combustion chambers it would just burn off. However, it leaked into the oil and would cause the car to develop the "milk shake" in the oil and spun bearings would result if the coolant, oil and lower intake gasket was changed. My old 3400 has 180k miles on and the LIM was changed at 46k by the previous owner to the new better one. As you can tell by the mileage its still going strong.
Anyways, OP, the 3500 is based off the 3400 which was based off the 3100. How many times do you hear of a 3100 failing? Not much. 3400?? Oh yea, because of the LIM. 3500? Not really but it could be too early to tell. Regardless, GM learned from the 3400 and the 3500 is a very good engine and will last.
The 2.4 has been around for what 10+ years now? Only time they go is in owner neglect of the engine. They are also very, very good engines.
However, they are VERY different engines. You have to choose which power curve you want.
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