John, at 16:50 on Feb 04 1997, you wrote to Bill Grimsley...

BG> BTW, GMH are currently having MAJOR problems with the V6's 
BG> oil consumption, and are telling owners that using 2.5l of 
BG> oil per 1000km is NOT abnormal.  Fucking hell, they've got to 
BG> be joking...! 

JT> I've read an article about that engine, they say that if 
JT> people want that sort of economy and performance, you have to 
JT> expect some oil consumption.

That's just the sort of bullshit I'd expect from GMH too.  If Falcons and
Mercs et al can get by without using any oil between changes, there's
absolutely no excuse for the Holden to be using 2.5 fucking litres over a
miserable 1000km.  Bloody hell, just with average use, that's around 50
litres a year, ON TOP of oil changes.  Most other high performance engines
don't use any oil either.

JT> They said that they have had some success with the bad ones with some mods 
JT> around the valve lubrication areas, and better oil control rings.  And 
JT> it still drinks more oil than you would care for.

I'd consider even 500ml to be excessive over 1000km, so I can't imgine
anybody accepting that 2.5l is perfectly normal.  The main problem now
appears to be poor sealing of the oil control rings, and this is just not
good enough in a car which is supposed to see us into the 21st century...

JT> A friend who uses his car rather heavily for work, cringes 
JT> that it takes more oil than this relo's VL, (he has a VR I 
JT> think, and the VL takes no oil at all between changes).

Yep, same here.  208,000km and it's still not using any oil.  At this
stage, I'd suggest it's pretty unlikely that I'll be trading my VL in on a
VS Commodore any time soon...

JT> Going on the rate of 2.5L per 1000Km and his average of 
JT> 26,000Km in the past year, if he had the newer motor, That 
JT> equates to 65 litres of oil in one year. That's not oil 
JT> changes, but oil out the exhaust pipe.

So much for GMH's commitment to the environment then.

JT> But think of it this way, this is normal since holden says 
JT> so, and you never have to worry about where to put the old 
JT> oil between changes, as the engine automatically drains the 
JT> oil via the exhaust.

Developed by GMH in 1948 for the 48/215, and still in use 30 years later...

Regards, Bill

--- MsgedSQ/2 3.50