New guy with a 2013 Escalade ESV Premium AWD

[skpyle]

Update on the Escalade...its a daily driver. I have put almost 5000 miles on it, and am loving it! It goes where I want it to go, and I am comfortable doing it. It just eats up the miles.

Shortly after I bought my Escalade, my wife brought me a souvenir back from New Orleans. I now have a pirate voodoo doll hanging from the rear view mirror. He is my Copirate on all my drives.

I am draining the catch can every 1000 miles, getting around 1/2oz of oil/water/milkshake.

I have been trying different brands of fuel and different gas stations, all while monitoring knock retard. I will run the fuel tank as low as I dare go, then refuel with 24-25 gallons of the selected fuel. I then drive until the fuel tank is down to 3/4. This ensures all the last batch of gas is gone. I then monitor knock retard, engine load, engine RPM's, and vehicle speed via the Tech 2 on my drive to work. This drive is consistent, so the data points are the same for each test.

So far, the results have been consistent: I see around 5 degrees knock retard at part throttle, around 1500RPM and around 60MPH. It seems to happen most when the grade increases slightly. This has been very repeatable.
I will continue this testing until I find a 93 octane fuel in my area that doesn't cause knock retard, or I run out of gas stations.

 

[skpyle]

My Copirate…

 

[adventurenali92]

View attachment 362568

My Copirate…

Love the copirate! Lol.
Glad to hear you’re loving the caddy!

 

[skpyle]

Love the copirate! Lol.
Glad to hear you’re loving the caddy!

Thanks! I am not big on trinkets and accessories hanging from a mirror. However...this one just seemed right.

I absolutely love this Escalade! I was heartbroken to lose my Explorer, but this is filling the hole nicely.

 

[pwtr02ss]

Glad it's been treating you well!

 

[skpyle]

Glad it's been treating you well!

Thank you!
I am now a firm believer in the GMT900 platform.

 

[skpyle]

Follow up to my February update on fuel and knocks.

I have tried all of the major gas stations between Blacksburg and Spartanburg. I have run tanks of 93 octane fuel from each. And the results have been the same. Consistent knock as described in my February update.
For lack of a better idea, I just kept driving.

Last week, after I refueled from my local QT, I added two 15oz bottles of Lucas Octane Booster, part number 10026. 'Theoretically' each can adds 3 octane levels. So, 'theoretically' my fuel tank would be full of 99 octane gasoline. Honestly, I was hoping for around 96 octane.

I drove around for a day to mix the fuel. Next day, I watched the OCTSCL_M factor value on my EFILive AutoCal V3 unit. Black Bear said the OCTSCL_M factor is what indicated I needed better fuel. Ideal value was 0.0. I was seeing anywhere from 0.9 - 0.5. With this batch of treated fuel, I saw different results.

Trip to work, value went from 0.5 eventually down to 0.1, with a few peaks and valleys. Most of this was highway driving, with a little surface street driving. I noticed the value dropped more on surface streets.
Trip home, value started at 0.0, worked its way up to 0.2, then back down to less than 0.1.

Tonight, on my trip to work, I monitored knock on cylinders 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 on my Tech 2 using Live Plot. For the most part, knocks were quiet. However, I saw random spikes on cylinders 2, 4, and 5. They did not seem to correspond to load or RPM. Once I hit surface streets, I saw no more knock spikes.

My plan is to SeaFoam the top end on Wednesday, then replace the knock sensors on Thursday.
And drive again...

 

[gooffeyguy]

Do you have any E85 in your area? I'd try running a tank of that to help clean out the combustion chambers. It'll also help with knock, it's like 105 octane

 

[skpyle]

Do you have any E85 in your area? I'd try running a tank of that to help clean out the combustion chambers. It'll also help with knock, it's like 105 octane

I wish!

Nearest E85 station is 40 miles from home, and way out of my way for work. I am stuck with gasoline.

Thanks!

 

[skpyle]

OK, I was able to SeaFoam the combustion chambers this morning.

After arriving home from work, I set the engine speed to 1850 using Tech 2 Special Function, Engine Throttle Speed.
I made a little rig with tubing and a throttling valve. Suction side went into a can of SeaFoam, discharge side went into the PCV vacuum port on top of the intake manifold. I used the suction line from the catch can.

I ran two 16oz bottles of SeaFoam through the intake. I pretty much just cracked the valve I heard the engine speed slow down. I had good flow of SeaFoam.
Emptied both cans in quick fashion.
I noticed a little white smoke from both tailpipes.

I let the engine idle for a moment, then shut it off to soak.

After an hour, I restarted the engine. It took several revolutions to fire, sputtered once, then ran fine.

I took the Eacalade on a ye olde Italian Tune-Up on some back roads. I kept the shifter in M3, and RPM’s around 3000.
Nice little jaunt around the countryside, then a leisurely highway ride home.

Engine is running fine.










Tonight, I start replacing the knock sensors…