2018 1.5L engine question:

[bp787]

Might be a weird question, but are there differences between canadian and US chevy equinox engines and transmissions for the 2018-2020 years? Specifically the 1.5L LYX?
Background:
This is my kids vehicle. Piston rings in Cyl 3 ate themselves and now trying to decide whether to try and re-ring it or get a used/Reman engine.
He stated that I we can't just get a 1.5L engine. It has to be for a canadian model due to some variations, including the transmission type/mounting, etc... All of this sounds... silly.
A little searching suggests that they're all made in canada and share exactly the same engine, transmission, etc...

 

[Big Papi]

Apperently an LYX is an LYX across the boarders. From Google: "No, there is no difference between the Chevrolet LYX engine in Canada and the USA, as it is the same North American engine. However, in North America, the LYX engine was replaced by the newer LSD engine in the Chevrolet Equinox in September 2022, which is a different engine altogether."

 

[bp787]

Apperently an LYX is an LYX across the boarders. From Google: "No, there is no difference between the Chevrolet LYX engine in Canada and the USA, as it is the same North American engine. However, in North America, the LYX engine was replaced by the newer LSD engine in the Chevrolet Equinox in September 2022, which is a different engine altogether."

yep. that's all I've seen.

looking on a chevy parts website (dealer page) I only see one 1.5L engine option, so I think my son was... confused.)

 

[PoManNox]

Tell us more about the LYX that ate it's piston rings. What year? How many miles? What kind of maintenance?

Reason I ask all this is this kind of problem is very rare on a 2018+ equinox 1.5

 

[bp787]

Tell us more about the LYX that ate it's piston rings. What year? How many miles? What kind of maintenance?

Reason I ask all this is this kind of problem is very rare on a 2018+ equinox 1.5

Well, it's not actually my vehicle, so I don't have all of the details on maintenance. It is 2nd owner. About 80k miles 2018 lt fwd 1.5lt.

I will say it's likely that oil maintenance was probably not on a proper schedule.

Began blowing large amounts of smoke out the back. Compression/leak down test showed that cyl 3 was bad. Determination was that it's likely piston rings, given that there are quite a few reports about rings going bad.

Have yet to pull apart the engine to physically verify, but given the leak down test, insanely high oil consumption, and fumes... It points to a problem with the rings.

 

[PoManNox]

Well, it's not actually my vehicle, so I don't have all of the details on maintenance. It is 2nd owner. About 80k miles 2018 lt fwd 1.5lt.

I will say it's likely that oil maintenance was probably not on a proper schedule.

Began blowing large amounts of smoke out the back. Compression/leak down test showed that cyl 3 was bad. Determination was that it's likely piston rings, given that there are quite a few reports about rings going bad.

Have yet to pull apart the engine to physically verify, but given the leak down test, insanely high oil consumption, and fumes... It points to a problem with the rings.

The typical failure for GM's small turbocharged 4 cylinder engines in the past has not the rings themselves, but the ring lands on the pistons. The ring lands have been known to crack, causing the loss of compression. I've seen some tear down videos of the 1.5 turbo with cracked lands and oil control rings that are completely gummed up and stuck. For what ever reason we haven't seen this problem on the 2018+ Equinox. I'm sure there's a few out there, but it's rare. It's typically on the Malibu, etc.

 

[bp787]

The typical failure for GM's small turbocharged 4 cylinder engines in the past has not the rings themselves, but the ring lands on the pistons. The ring lands have been known to crack, causing the loss of compression. I've seen some tear down videos of the 1.5 turbo with cracked lands and oil control rings that are completely gummed up and stuck. For what ever reason we haven't seen this problem on the 2018+ Equinox. I'm sure there's a few out there, but it's rare. It's typically on the Malibu, etc.

what else would lead to low compression on cyl 3 and massive oil consumption without a leak? Even if I were to source a replacement engine, i'd want to tear this apart to see what happened. Unfortunately, over an hour away from me.

 

[RIT333]

Bad rings ?

 

[bp787]

Bad rings ?

Well, that's what I was saying, the rings in cyl 3 are likely trashed, but PoManNox was suggesting that ring failure is uncommon in the 2018+ equinox. So wondering if there could be anything else other than the rings or ring lands/pistons causing the actual failure...

 

[PoManNox]

Well, that's what I was saying, the rings in cyl 3 are likely trashed, but PoManNox was suggesting that ring failure is uncommon in the 2018+ equinox. So wondering if there could be anything else other than the rings or ring lands/pistons causing the actual failure...

I don't believe you are understanding what I posted above. The ring lands are basically the grooves in the pistons that that the piston rings seat into. If they crack, you will have loss of compression and oil consumption. Worn or broken rings, stuck oil control rings and cracked ring lands all result in the same thing.

 

[bp787]

I don't believe you are understanding what I posted above. The ring lands are basically the grooves in the pistons that that the piston rings seat into. If they crack, you will have loss of compression and oil consumption. Worn or broken rings, stuck oil control rings and cracked ring lands all result in the same thing.

I understand and I appreciate your replies. I won't know what specifically is the cause until I open it up. I was just asking if there was any other potential cause of the oil loss/smoke/etc...

I think it was just a semantics issue with my original post about the piston rings going bad. either way.... needs repair! now to decide on finding a replacement engine or trying to replace the piston and/or rings. I also assume that the cylinder walls may be damaged at this point.