2019 6.2L Lifter Early Warning Signs?

[relevante]

Have been thinking more and more about the lifters on my 2019 6.2L with about 95k on it. No symptoms so far, but just weighing options in terms of keeping the truck, trading it, possibly doing a preemptive service, etc. At this point my feeling is that the odds are good enough that with some good monitoring I should be able to get comfortable that I could get some warning of a problem before it gets too far along.

 

How likely is it that I'd see signs in idle misfire counts (pulling from an OBD tool, not just looking for a CEL) before a lifter totally fails?

 

And with the failure modes I see with people doing the repair (the rollers and cam lobes eating each other) it seems like there would be an early signal in oil analysis with increased metals. Unfortunately I just changed my oil and didn't think to grab a sample, but am I right to think that if I start sampling there's a good chance I'd see early signs of a problem before it gets catastrophic?

 

Anything else to keep an eye on?

[diyer2]

How often have you changed the oil? A key factor I think for this issue. 

[KARNUT]

48 minutes ago, relevante said:

Have been thinking more and more about the lifters on my 2019 6.2L with about 95k on it. No symptoms so far, but just weighing options in terms of keeping the truck, trading it, possibly doing a preemptive service, etc. At this point my feeling is that the odds are good enough that with some good monitoring I should be able to get comfortable that I could get some warning of a problem before it gets too far along.

 

How likely is it that I'd see signs in idle misfire counts (pulling from an OBD tool, not just looking for a CEL) before a lifter totally fails?

 

And with the failure modes I see with people doing the repair (the rollers and cam lobes eating each other) it seems like there would be an early signal in oil analysis with increased metals. Unfortunately I just changed my oil and didn't think to grab a sample, but am I right to think that if I start sampling there's a good chance I'd see early signs of a problem before it gets catastrophic?

 

Anything else to keep an eye on?

My sister in law drives a 2019 Escalade. Short distance. She wouldn’t let her husband touch it. She takes it to the dealer when it tells her to. She has 75K miles on it. She definitely has a snobby attitude claiming if you have a caddy you don’t work on it yourself. My brother is definitely capable. When the 6.2 failure started. 2019 is supposed to be ok.

[relevante]

18 minutes ago, diyer2 said:

How often have you changed the oil? A key factor I think for this issue. 

 

Every 5k typically. Longest it ever went (one time) was 6,200. Average interval over the life of the truck is 4,950. Always full synthetic, quality filters, etc.

[diyer2]

Great!

[relevante]

26 minutes ago, KARNUT said:

My sister in law drives a 2019 Escalade. Short distance. She wouldn’t let her husband touch it. She takes it to the dealer when it tells her to. She has 75K miles on it. She definitely has a snobby attitude claiming if you have a caddy you don’t work on it yourself. My brother is definitely capable. When the 6.2 failure started. 2019 is supposed to be ok.

 

I've definitely seen a few reports of 2019s failing, but I do think it's probably less common. Part of why I'm leaning toward just continuing to roll the dice. But I'd like to have some way to keep eyes on it to get some advance warning if something is starting to go.

 

Seems hard to believe that something like that lifter on the right in the attached picture (and the matching cam lobe wear) wouldn't show up in an oil analysis before completely failing, but I'm just a little surprised with all the chatter on the subject, I don't see anyone talking about it. Same with watching the misfire counts.

Edited February 3 by relevante

[relevante]

3 minutes ago, diyer2 said:

Great!

 

Yeah, I've babied this thing since day one, planning to keep it for the long haul. Changed the diffs and transfer case fluids at 4300 miles (dealer parts guy looked at me like I was insane when I went in to get fluid) and again since then, did the trans fluid and filter, etc, etc. I'm pretty invested in it (time more than money, really) so hoping to stick with that plan.

Edited February 3 by relevante

[RyanbabZ71]

I have almost 84K on my 2019.  I do oil analysis (2x a year) and the only "issue" i ever see is higher fuel dilation in the winter months.  Im going to stick with my 3K mile oil changes as I plan to keep this truck for some time.  

[KARNUT]

13 minutes ago, relevante said:

 

I've definitely seen a few reports of 2019s failing, but I do think it's probably less common. Part of why I'm leaning toward just continuing to roll the dice. But I'd like to have some way to keep eyes on it to get some advance warning if something is starting to go.

 

Seems hard to believe that something like that lifter on the right in the attached picture (and the matching cam lobe wear) wouldn't show up in an oil analysis before completely failing, but I'm just a little surprised with all the chatter on the subject, I don't see anyone talking about it. Same with watching the misfire counts.

Keeping up with maintenance even if the engine goes it’s cheaper to replace it versus getting a new one. My wife with her 2011 Genesis even though it’s a cream puff it’s probably worth about 6-8K. She’s made it pretty clear the engine will be replaced if it goes. For about 8 years it rattles like crazy when it starts for about 2 seconds, 5 if it’s cold. They have a problem with the timing chain tensioner bled off overnight. I go out with her everyday when she starts it up to make sure it doesn’t blow up. 

[diyer2]

I change fluids more than most do, it has served me well over 50 years.

[relevante]

1 hour ago, KARNUT said:

Keeping up with maintenance even if the engine goes it’s cheaper to replace it versus getting a new one. My wife with her 2011 Genesis even though it’s a cream puff it’s probably worth about 6-8K. She’s made it pretty clear the engine will be replaced if it goes. For about 8 years it rattles like crazy when it starts for about 2 seconds, 5 if it’s cold. They have a problem with the timing chain tensioner bled off overnight. I go out with her everyday when she starts it up to make sure it doesn’t blow up. 

 

Yeah, agree - my main thing is, if a lifter is on its way out, I'd like to catch it before it totally fails and blows the engine full of metal chunks and who knows what else. In that case, I don't even think replacing the engine would be my answer. I'd just park it and take my time opening it up and replace the lifters and cam and maybe do a DoD delete at the same time (although I'm not nearly as big a hater of DoD as many are, I'd probably turn into one once it led to me having to rip my engine apart). So at that point the cost (at least dollar cost) wouldn't even be that great.

 

At least as importantly, I'd prefer to know ahead of time so I don't end up stranded on the side of a snowy road with my son and his friends going skiing when it's -15 out and we're 3 hours from home and we all have work/school the next day.

 

Really curious if any one has reported a failure that was picked out early by oil analysis or misfires or any other symptom. Seems almost obvious to me that it would be detectable, but again, also just seems weird that no one is talking about it as a way to help manage this risk.

Edited February 3 by relevante

[diyer2]

Do the dod delete, problem solved. 

[relevante]

4 hours ago, diyer2 said:

Do the dod delete, problem solved. 

 

I just feel like that's the same work I'd be doing if a lifter goes (or potentially more even), but instead of having a 1% chance or a 5% chance or whatever the chance actually is, by deciding to do it, I'd be voluntarily choosing a 100% chance of doing the work.

 

I know a lot of times a lifter going leads to an engine replacement, but I think a lot of that has to do with dealer shop labor rates and expertise changing the economics to where that's just what makes sense. And if it was under warranty, I'd kick and scream until I got a new engine out of it. But for me out of warranty, I'd most likely park it and take my time tearing it down and fixing it.

 

Plus, I might be the only one here, but I actually appreciate the fuel savings of DoD. I'm amazed when I can get like 20MPG going 85 on the highway in 6000lb vehicle with all the aerodynamics of a barn. So if it's not actually causing a problem for me, I wouldn't mind keeping it, particularly if there's a way to get some advance notice if a problem is developing (at which point I might just do the delete to be done with it while I'm in there).

Edited February 6 by relevante

[davester]

It can be more work/expense if the lifter goes, because it doesn't just wipe out the cam, but also can result in crankshaft damage by sending metal debris to it.

 

But it's a risk vs rewward thing, as even doing the delete up front isn't risk-free, as some debris can get into the wrong spot while doing it, or you get a bad part...

[relevante]

1 hour ago, davester said:

It can be more work/expense if the lifter goes, because it doesn't just wipe out the cam, but also can result in crankshaft damage by sending metal debris to it.

 

But it's a risk vs rewward thing, as even doing the delete up front isn't risk-free, as some debris can get into the wrong spot while doing it, or you get a bad part...

 

Yeah, part of me wishes I'd just traded it for a 2500 last summer. According to KBB mine has dropped 25% in value since then. Oh well, too late now. Let's gamble!