L92 6.2 Issues and Fixes for the incredulous NOOB

[MontanaBoy]

Hey Crew, I did it. I got shiney wheel goggles on and got so excited about a good deal on a nice truck that i overlooked even the most basic stuff. After a week of driving my "Nused" 2007 Denali I decided to glance at the oil pressure gauge. I'm an idiot. No, its not just a bad sending unit. Perfect symptoms, it Starts up with a lifter clatter cold, builds 40 psi of oil pressure drops to 20 as it warms (oil thinning) and settles in around 8 at idle. it still has a slight lifter tick around 2000rpm at operating temp. (still maybe 20psi?)

What i am looking for is L92 Specific Common problems and their associated confirmed fixes. The L92 is a 6.2 WITHOUT DOD or AFM. I am under the impression it does in fact have VVT? from the reading i've done thus far i am trying to sort out the following potential problems...

1 oil filter (proven brands/Numbers?)
2 oil sending unit screen
3 Oil pump pickup tube o-ring
4 oil pump
5 oil pressure bypass (in Pan?)
6 oil pump pressure regulator (in Pump?)
7 camshaft bearings/Cam shaft
8 Lifters
9 valve cover/PCV? (5.3 only?)
10 Oil Bypass shield? (AFM only?)
11 High Pressure, High Volume, or stock oil pump?
12 does anyone make a quality upgraded motor mount?
13 VVT Actuator etc etc
I know i can buy the pump the gaskets and all the jazz for a few hundred bucks and just dive right in but it has been unclear the more i read as to which of these directly apply to the L92 6.2 the is found in My 2007 AWD GMC Denali. I'm quite fit to do all the work but im just wondering what im getting into and id like to not waste my time fixing stuff that doesnt need it.

Thanks for humoring the noobie, any and all help is appreciated. As you can imagine the only threads i read before buying the truck were about how rad it is going to be after getting it tuned by "Lew" or blackbear...

 

[FrankU]

Welcome !

I'd start with the basic's, putting a known good mechanical gauge on the engine. Then a good oil and filter change. How many miles are on the engine ?

 

[MontanaBoy]

Welcome !

I'd start with the basic's, putting a known good mechanical gauge on the engine. Then a good oil and filter change. How many miles are on the engine ?

Yeah I'll be getting those things done this week. Engine has 150k.

 

[MontanaBoy]

Did the oil change today. Wix XP filter. compared it to the regular wix and the bypass spring (coil) seems to be even better than the regular wix along with a better filter element. I used Mobil 1 full syn 10w30.
Oil pressure is now bottoming just under 20psi at idle and close to 40 above 2000rpm. I wouldn't be surprised to still find the failed pickup tube o-ring.
Old filter removed was a Napa Pro Select which I'm assuming is Junk. Hard to say now whether the filter is to blame or if the thicker oil is the result of higher pressure. I guess next change I'll go back to 5-30 and see what it does. Still have a consistent noticeable low toned clatter even at operating temperature.

 

[FrankU]

Is it possible that the clatter could be the injectors ? Won't be the first time that's been the culprit.

 

[MontanaBoy]

Is it possible that the clatter could be the injectors ? Won't be the first time that's been the culprit.

Are you referring to the normal ticking/clicking of normal injector operation or is there a specific failure associated with the injectors that causes and internal engine noise? The noise I have I would normally associate with valve train or piston slap. It can lightly be heard from in the cab driving at city speeds with the windows up.

 

[FrankU]

Piston slap was common when cold with the earlier engines , and harmless too. The slap noise quiets down a bit when hot.

Was the oil really dirty when it was drained ?

These LS engines take lot's of abuse and neglect and keep on running.

 

[t.stimpson]

yeah my 2009 is very noisy when cold but goes away in just a few minutes. my oil pressure is usually around 30-40

 

[kctyler]

My 07 6.2 makes noise too. Always on start up, then when it gets warm it shuts up. People say "normal"....haha, its almost embarrassing sometimes.

Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk

 

[JML07denali]

I have a 07 6.2 as well. Same issue here sounds like a diesel in the morning after the engine warms up it goes away. My oil pressure at idle is about 12psi and jumps up to over 40 when driving I think I might have a blown out o-ring on the oil sender tube. Other than that truck runs like a champ!