"Captain_Spadaro" (Captain_Spadaro)
04/22/2015 at 17:28 • Filed to: shit I noticed, production changes, minutiae, General Motors, GM, engines
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"Captain_Spadaro" (Captain_Spadaro)
04/22/2015 at 17:28 • Filed to: shit I noticed, production changes, minutiae, General Motors, GM, engines | 0
| 8 |
A quick check of the 2016 GM VIN decoder reveals that the LKW, the 2.5L Ecotec 4-cylinder engine, is gone. The 2016 Impala order guide shows it as being replaced by the LCV, which is the same engine less the iVVL system, and the 2016 Malibu Limited (which is the current car, but likely only available to fleets) will also drop the LKW in favor of the LCV.
My question is, why? The system was only introduced about a year or so ago, so I’m having a hard time believing that reliability issues crept up in such a short time. This would also seem to indicate that GM is not going to use it anymore, which I find very odd. Does anyone have info? I realize these cars aren’t exactly popular with Jalops, but the iVVL system is a smart idea IMO.
Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
> Captain_Spadaro
04/22/2015 at 18:06 |
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Most likely it’s because the 2.5 will be an el cheapo fleet engine and the mainstream base engine will be the 1.5L turbo engine that does have stop-start:
http://www.autoblog.com/2015/04/01/201…
Axial
> Captain_Spadaro
04/22/2015 at 18:48 |
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Impala? Not popular? They’ve been selling 9,000 a month since the new one came out, man...
They are really nice cars. I wouldn’t kick one out of my driveway.
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Captain_Spadaro
> Axial
04/22/2015 at 19:27 |
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You’re right, I should have said ‘not popular with Jalops’. Will edit text in a sec.
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Captain_Spadaro
> Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
04/22/2015 at 19:30 |
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That’s just it, though: I’m not surprised that the N/A 2.5L is being phased out (it’s not gonna be available on the new one), but I AM surprised that GM would spend the money to develop iVVL and then just walk away from it after 2 model years. That’s why I asked if anyone knew anything about this.
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Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
> Captain_Spadaro
04/22/2015 at 23:01 |
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I can only guess it has to do with cost combined with a different engine becoming available with a stop-start system.
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Captain_Spadaro
> Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
04/23/2015 at 07:27 |
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I guess...still can’t believe GM would just walk away from tech like that. Then again, it IS GM.
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Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
> Captain_Spadaro
04/23/2015 at 09:17 |
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I can TOTALLY believe it. They practically walked away from owning key NiMH battery patents that they could have made A LOT of money off of though *reasonable* licensing terms... as one egregious example.
Yep... that was part of the fuckup with how they handled the EV1 program.
RacinBob
> Captain_Spadaro
08/08/2020 at 20:39 |
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My ‘07 uplander has the 3.9 IVVL V6. It’s a really good engine and well suited to pulling my 4000 pound race car trailer. It has excellent power and economy and will cruise at 75 mph all day with hardly any noise.
The only issue I have had in 12 years and 70,000 miles was a coolant weep from the intake manifold maybe 7 years ago. GM stop leak fixed that. It was one of only 2 pushrod VVT engines in the world at the time, the other one being the Corvette V8.
Per Wiki
The new LZ9 3900 features Variable Cam Timing , a new feature on a pushrod engine, roller rocker arms and has a variable length intake manifold . A computer controlled plenum divider that, along with the VVT cam function, improves efficiency across a broader RPM range.
It produces 240 hp (179 kW) and 240 lbft (325 Nm) torque, with a wide torque curve . 90% of the torque is available from 1500 rpm to 5500 rpm.