GM 2.0 Turbo Ecotec Engine

[flht99b]

Very good option is to put on a PCV catch can on the vacuum side. Keep some of the crankcase liquids out of the intake and off the back of the valves. Pretty amazing what those little cans catch sometimes. Some of the 4 bangers have the PCV internally though, whole different set of problems with that. I'll never own a (another) GM four cylinder engine.

Catch cans are great, have an Elite catch can on my 2010 LS3. Unfortunately, building a catch can setup for the 2.0L GM Ecotec is damn near impossible. If you remove the intake on one of these engine you will see the design issue. There is a port in the head between cylinders 2 and 3 that connects to a port in the intake manifold, this is where crankcase/oil vapors are introduced into the intake. That is why cylinders 2 and 3 are more prone to the carbon deposits on the intake valves. Type of gas run makes no difference. Great little engine, especially at 22 to 23lbs of boost but it will require the intake valve cleaning service on a regular basis. First indication there is a problem are codes P0302, P0303 and the catch all code P0300, random misfires with enough to set a check engine light. Took me 1 1/2 hours to do it on my son's Solstice GXP plus an intake gasket. I did the cleaning with plastic tools, CRC GDI cleaner and rags as opposed to the blasting of the intake ports/valves with walnut shells which is what BMW and other OEM's recommend. Running the top end cleaner for GDI engines such as the CRC brand through a vacuum source on the intake does remove some but not all the deposits, especially the backside of the valve and bowl of the port.

 

[The Champ]

When I worked for an ACDelco warehouse distributor, one of the ACD trainers highly recommended Top Tier fuel and the ACD fuel injector cleaner (also known as Chevron Techron). I use Top Tier fuel exclusively and add a bottle of ACD or Chevron at each oil change. I've got 150,000 miles of driving experience on my 4 cylinder turbo GM motors (1.4L, 1.5L and 2.0L) without any issues.

 

[tom3]

Trouble is that with these direct injection motors the valves never see the gas. The solution, as noted before, is dual injection with a shot of gas in the port now and then.

 

[flht99b]

Trouble is that with these direct injection motors the valves never see the gas. The solution, as noted before, is dual injection with a shot of gas in the port now and then.

Some later Lexus GDI engines do utilize a small injector pointed at the intake valve to do exactly that, wash off the carbon (from recycled oil vapor). Not sure any other manufacturer is doing that yet but I assume they will in the future. Just ask a BMW GDI owner what the intake cleaning runs, I believe it is a maintenance item at 50k miles.

 

[carhead22000]

just bought the xt5 Cadillac with the new 2.0i turbo. hopefully all the previous troubles have been addressed.not reading anything yet on the newer version.anyone have any imput?

 

[The Champ]

I replaced my ATS with the 2.0L turbo with the CT4 with the 2.0L turbo last July and very happy I did. As much as I liked my ATS, I like the CT4 even better. It is even more fuel efficient, handles better, is more comfortable and has many added convenience features.

In the nearly 2 years since my original posts on this thread, no issues with the 2.0 in 6 years of driving.