New GM L31 crate engine has awful oil pan noise.

[honkon]

Been there!
That is the sound of the oil pump pickup resting against the bottom of oil pan, vibrating. If this continues the pickup could fall out of the pump completely, causing a loss of oil pressure. Maybe it already has. Mine did(twice) and I only noticed loss of oil pressure while braking heavy. When that happened I could slap the outside of the oil pan and hear the pickup bounce inside.
I would hold off on completely replacing the engine. It depends on what you find once you take the oil pan off, but this issue by itself shouldn't damage your engine. Maybe get GM to give you an extended warranty or something.
When you open it up, make sure to position the oil pickup correctly. Give it a couple spot welds between the pickup and pump to secure it.

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[Fragment]

Been there!
That is the sound of the oil pump pickup resting against the bottom of oil pan, vibrating. If this continues the pickup could fall out of the pump completely, causing a loss of oil pressure. Maybe it already has. Mine did(twice) and I only noticed loss of oil pressure while braking heavy. When that happened I could slap the outside of the oil pan and hear the pickup bounce inside.
I would hold off on completely replacing the engine. It depends on what you find once you take the oil pan off, but this issue by itself shouldn't damage your engine. Maybe get GM to give you an extended warranty or something.
When you open it up, make sure to position the oil pickup correctly. Give it a couple spot welds between the pickup and pump to secure it.

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Winner winner! That’s precisely the sound. And probably precisely the fix.

I was planning on tacking the pickup too.

Development though... sounds like GM will no-go my own fixing it.

Per my guy:
The problem is GM wont do that they need to have a dealership do the work. If you to tear apart the engine they will void the warranty and any future warranties on the engine even though it may be an issue you still have to follow GM’s rules when it comes to warranties. I will forward the message to them but I am 99% sure they will say you are on your own if you open it up.


So now I’m in the pickle. Void the whole warranty, or have them swap the engine.

Seems silly to not take them replacing the engine on their time and dollar... but I’m still not crazy about letting a dealership do an engine swap on a 22 year old truck.


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[Pinger]

So now I’m in the pickle. Void the whole warranty, or have them swap the engine.

Have them swap the engine and preserve the warranty.....

Seems silly to not take them replacing the engine on their time and dollar... but I’m still not crazy about letting a dealership do an engine swap on a 22 year old truck.

.....and keep taking it back to them if it isn't right until it is. But it will be from the get go.

 

[honkon]

Winner winner! That’s precisely the sound. And probably precisely the fix.

I was planning on tacking the pickup too.

Development though... sounds like GM will no-go my own fixing it.

Per my guy:
The problem is GM wont do that they need to have a dealership do the work. If you to tear apart the engine they will void the warranty and any future warranties on the engine even though it may be an issue you still have to follow GM’s rules when it comes to warranties. I will forward the message to them but I am 99% sure they will say you are on your own if you open it up.


So now I’m in the pickle. Void the whole warranty, or have them swap the engine.

Seems silly to not take them replacing the engine on their time and dollar... but I’m still not crazy about letting a dealership do an engine swap on a 22 year old truck.


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I'm glad I can help, but it seems you're at a bit of an impasse. What is the warranty on the engine currently? Safest bet is to let GM handle it...surely.
Is your truck 2wd? If so it's not hard at all to take the oil pan off. For the sake of downtime, I would be highly tempted to log off this forum, fix it myself, then play dumb with the GM rep. That's probably not the smartest move though. Basically depends on how much you care about other people touching your truck.
Good luck.

 

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I'm glad I can help, but it seems you're at a bit of an impasse. What is the warranty on the engine currently? Safest bet is to let GM handle it...surely.
Is your truck 2wd? If so it's not hard at all to take the oil pan off. For the sake of downtime, I would be highly tempted to log off this forum, fix it myself, then play dumb with the GM rep. That's probably not the smartest move though. Basically depends on how much you care about other people touching your truck.
Good luck.

It’s 4wd so a little more difficult but not impossible at all...

I wish I hadn’t already contacted and I’d do just that but I have.. so no sense in messing around now.

Warranty should be fresh out of the box so what 3yr 100,000m? Not something I really should throw away given it’s already had a little issue. With them replacing it, they’d have to cover future labor work as well I would imagine?


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[PlayingWithTBI]

Warranty should be fresh out of the box so what 3yr 100,000m?

Who installed the engine originally? A lot of these warranties require an approved shop to install it otherwise, your warranty may already be void or reduced to 1 year? It should say in the fine print.

 

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Who installed the engine originally? A lot of these warranties require an approved shop to install it otherwise, your warranty may already be void or reduced to 1 year? It should say in the fine print.

I did all of it... But as I understand it that makes it a parts only warranty instead of labor and parts.

Then again... they’re offering to cover labor and parts on this replacement.


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[PlayingWithTBI]

I did all of it... But as I understand it that makes it a parts only warranty instead of labor and parts.

Then again... they’re offering to cover labor and parts on this replacement.

Do you have any of that in writing, just saying.

 

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Do you have any of that in writing, just saying.

Not yet I don’t.

I was trying to get the guy to tell me that before close of business today but no reply... so tempted to fix that thing tomorrow morning and be done with it.


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[man-a-fre]

I bet they will charge you for a bunch of stuff you already replaced., but if they don't put it on new it will void your warranty. Like spark plugs ,possibly cap and rotor intake gaskets plug wires. Also charge for silicone antifreeze oil plus all disposal . It wont be just a no charge R&R deal.