2020 5.3 Burning 2 QTs per 4k ish miles, trade it in?

[ero2]

So far I've been generally happy with my 2020 5.3 Elevation, but as of late it's been burning oil.  3 oil changes ago, 2 qts low, perform GMs consumption test, no loss, next oil change 2 qts low.  I'm still under extended warranty for 14k ish miles, but am wary of trusting it, despite reading how common it is.  I would like to keep the truck forever, and if adding a qt of oil will let me keep it theoretically another 5 years, I would, but am not sure that's reality here?  With all of that said, the tech kept referencing how ~1/3 of my engine hours are idle hours.  I live where there's a ton of traffic and it's pretty cold, so...I either idle in traffic or idle picking my kids up/dropping them off at school, etc.  58k miles on it, mostly city.

 

Is the idling thing BS, or accurate as it seems from reading?  Can I save/protect it by 3-4k oil changes and keeping it topped off, or should I trade it in now?

 

For clarity, looking at a 3.0, but I don't tow or anything so it would be for MPG only, OR, a 2025 SR5 Tundra.  At any other point in my life I'd be like, Hell Yeah, new truck, but I'm at that stage where ever penny goes to my kids, so if I can safely avoid a new one and get another 50-75k miles out of this one, I'd like to.

 

Would love some thoughts, if anyone has any to share!  Thanks!

[DK91105]

Whats the mileage for your oil change interval? If you are burning 2qt per 5k miles that is definitely excessive.  Has it always been like this or is this a new problem? Any smoke on startup or that you notice at all? leaking?  I would definitely not let it get out of warranty where the buck is passed to me if this is an issue that has shown up out of nowhere. 

[KARNUT]

I’ve had two vehicles use oil from new. They never change. The change would concern me. I would either extend the warranty.  Or trade it in. 

[richard wysong]

If it is a new thing I would check the crankcase ventilation system, if it gets plugged up it works in reverse and will suck the oil out of the engine, On older models the baffles in the valve cover could get clogged requiring a new valve cover. Not familiar with the system on your truck

Edited December 11, 2024 by richard wysong

[ero2]

1 hour ago, DK91105 said:

Whats the mileage for your oil change interval? If you are burning 2qt per 5k miles that is definitely excessive.  Has it always been like this or is this a new problem? Any smoke on startup or that you notice at all? leaking?  I would definitely not let it get out of warranty where the buck is passed to me if this is an issue that has shown up out of nowhere. 

I normally do when the truck tells me, but the last 4 I have done at 4k or less.  Always at the dealership.  To the best of my knowledge it's started in the last 15k, as they have never indicated it was low when I took it in before, and up until 4 changes ish ago, I got the low oil light, meaning it's at minimum 2 qts low or more.  No smoke at start up, and no leaking.

 

With all of that said, I, as well as my wife, are a bit wary of another GM now, but also know all vehicles have issues.  Go 25 Tundra?  Go 25 3.0 Diesel, or another 5.3 and pray?

[ero2]

1 hour ago, KARNUT said:

I’ve had two vehicles use oil from new. They never change. The change would concern me. I would either extend the warranty.  Or trade it in. 

Already spent 1k on on the extended to get me to 72k and 6 years, so would hate to put even more into that.  Could put that 2k into a downpayment on a new one too I guess...

[silveradosid]

do not buy a diesel with the driving pattern you have. i would try some oil treatment to try and clean the piston rings first, might save you a lot of money

[ero2]

Thanks, I was thinking the same but the mileage increase is so good.  I think my driving pattern, even round trip at 26 miles a day, would lead to emissions issues due to not enough push on the engine to burn/get through a regen?

 

My buddy at the dealership recommended this stuff, but someone told me that if I add it at 1qt low the dealer could tell and potentially void the rest of my extended warranty?

 

https://a.co/d/glye7FP

 

I’d prefer NOT to buy a new truck, but am unsure if I’m at that point, or if this ultimately is just normal for a 5.3 from 2020.  I would keep it if all I needed to do was keep an eye on the oil, just worried that since it’s burning enough for the tech to comment, something has changed for the worse, and they can’t find it.  I brought it in last week.

 

I can price out extending the warranty beyond the current extension and see what it looks like too I guess?  Thanks everyone for the thoughts and insight so far, keep it coming!

[DK91105]

10 hours ago, ero2 said:

I normally do when the truck tells me, but the last 4 I have done at 4k or less.  Always at the dealership.  To the best of my knowledge it's started in the last 15k, as they have never indicated it was low when I took it in before, and up until 4 changes ish ago, I got the low oil light, meaning it's at minimum 2 qts low or more.  No smoke at start up, and no leaking.

 

With all of that said, I, as well as my wife, are a bit wary of another GM now, but also know all vehicles have issues.  Go 25 Tundra?  Go 25 3.0 Diesel, or another 5.3 and pray?

 

I have recently had a personal fundamental shift in philosophy in regards to vehicles. I will never purchase a new vehicle again and let the warranty expire while I still owe on it.  I recently had a huge repair on my Silverado as documented in another thread here. My truck is paid off and it is also out of warranty. If I wasn't just barely as handy as I am and hadn't of paid the truck of early I would have been stuck with an over $10k repair bill while still making payments or forced to trade it in with a busted engine that would destroy my trade-in value.  One thing people are not always privy to is that the cost of these extended warranties is negotiable and they REALLY want to sell it to you. Just keep declining it until about the 5th offer comes around and you know you are pretty close to if not their rock bottom price on it.  

 

As far as jumping ship to another vehicle or brand.... They all have problems.  Toyota is in the middle of figuring out a huge engine recall where they are replacing the entire engine....  I expect if I am going to hang onto a vehicle beyond its warranty coverage that I am going to have to shoulder the cost of some unexpected maintenance. To me this means things beyond normal wear items like, water pump, alternators, A/C system, radiator, maybe fixing a leak on a rear axle...  I didn't until recently consider the engine / trans to be in this list of items but with the problems lingering out there they definitely seem to be. Take this all with a grain of salt, these forums typically showcase the worst of all the problems. The only thing I would suggest is if the cost of a new engine or trans would hurt you financially that you should keep at the bare minimum a comprehensive powertrain warranty buffer between your truck and your wallet. 

[richard wysong]

Try taking it out on a quiet hi-way and doing a wide open throttle run to clear the carbon and rings. Put it in second and hold the pedal to the floor as long as you dare, look in the mirror,big cloud? repeat until the smoke is gone, Around town driving all the time ain't healthy for any sizeable engine. Short trips where the engine does not reach operating temp long enough to burn out the contaminates may have compromised the PCV system resulting in excessive oil consumption. Don't give up on it until you check these things out, it may be an inexpensive repair

[Grumpy Bear]

19 hours ago, ero2 said:

So far I've been generally happy with my 2020 5.3 Elevation, but as of late it's been burning oil.  3 oil changes ago, 2 qts low, perform GMs consumption test, no loss, next oil change 2 qts low.  I'm still under extended warranty for 14k ish miles, but am wary of trusting it, despite reading how common it is.  I would like to keep the truck forever, and if adding a qt of oil will let me keep it theoretically another 5 years, I would, but am not sure that's reality here?  With all of that said, the tech kept referencing how ~1/3 of my engine hours are idle hours.  I live where there's a ton of traffic and it's pretty cold, so...I either idle in traffic or idle picking my kids up/dropping them off at school, etc.  58k miles on it, mostly city.

 

Is the idling thing BS, or accurate as it seems from reading?  Can I save/protect it by 3-4k oil changes and keeping it topped off, or should I trade it in now?

 

For clarity, looking at a 3.0, but I don't tow or anything so it would be for MPG only, OR, a 2025 SR5 Tundra.  At any other point in my life I'd be like, Hell Yeah, new truck, but I'm at that stage where ever penny goes to my kids, so if I can safely avoid a new one and get another 50-75k miles out of this one, I'd like to.

 

Would love some thoughts, if anyone has any to share!  Thanks!

 

How many miles are on this truck? 

[ero2]

35 minutes ago, Grumpy Bear said:

 

How many miles are on this truck? 

58k

 

which is why I hate to trade it, but I just went out to it now and remote started as I walked up and there was quite a bit of ticking, which the dealer says is the fuel pump, not lifter related.

[redwngr]

Are you checking the oil level (engine cold) between oil changes and adding a quart when it gets to the add mark?

 

 

 

[ero2]

6 minutes ago, redwngr said:

Are you checking the oil level (engine cold) between oil changes and adding a quart when it gets to the add mark?

 

 

 

I never checked it until I was told I was burning oil, now I check it at least once a week and top it off, yes

[TheRiver]

3 hours ago, ero2 said:

I never checked it until I was told