Are you having any oil consumption issues? If so, you might want to get the dealer involved in the oil consumption test as I think I've read the 2013's are the last year that are covered under the extended warranty for that issue. If you're having only minor oil consumption, cleaning the PCV orfice may resolve that. In any case if you decide to do the job yourself, don't buy any parts needed from a GM dealer as that will leave a paper trail that they can use to deny any extended warranty in the future or even litigation. Genuine GM parts are available from 3rd party vendors like Rock Auto or even Amazon.

 

I have a 2012, 2.4, looked into removing the intake manifold. There is an ac line that runs right in front, and that needs to be disconnected which involves evacuating the ac system...never got a solid answer though.

 

I just did the job last week definitely didn't need to. The oil dip stick has a bracket coming off it. I gently bent it out of the way a little while holding the dip stick tube not to have pressure on it. I got it with a little pressure on the ac line. Not to difficult. More of a pain to get it back in with the cover staying where it should.

 

Tank is right. My Alldata says that the AC line will have to be removed as well as the low pressure fuel feed pipe from the fuel pump. A few things will need to be repositioned but the fuel pump can remain on the manifold. Removing the studs will allow the intake manifold to be removed without removing the fuel pump.

 

Thanks for the tip, Garagerog. Yes, it's having an oil consumption problem, but apparently not enough to qualify for any coverage. About 2 quarts in 2000 miles, which GM considers "acceptable". Still more than my 42 year old MG uses per mile, and I need a catch pan under that because it drips on the garage floor.



AC line? Well, that's a head scratcher. The AC lines are far from intake manifold. There's even a Youtube video on removing it that doesn't involve disturbing the AC lines. Exhaust I could believe, but it looks like there's plenty of room to remove the intake. Only thing thing that bugs me about the Youtube video is the guy doesn't seem to take any precautions with the fuel pump, just cracks open the high pressure line and unbolts it.

 

that doesn't sound right, when I had my oil consumption work done I was told by my dealership and was able to confirm it online that if your terrain/eqiunox burns 1.25 quarts or more within 2000 miles you qualify. see this TSB


https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2016/SB-10090366-2280.pdf


This is for a 2011 but I am pretty sure its the same threshold for the 2012. So if yours is burning two quarts in 2000 miles you should qualify.

 

sparky dave, i guess there are different ways to remove the intake manifold. step 13 in Alldata says this: 13.Remove the A/C line nut (1) and line (2) from the compressor and reposition the line to the side. ?It does show the AC lines from the compressor being disconnected. Personally I would do anything I could to avoid that myself.
Not sure why if it is as you say. I'll have to look at my 13 nox 2.4 tomorrow to see what this is talking about. Maybe Tanks 2012 is different than the 2013.

 

Right across the front on the 12' there is a line. I refuse to open the ac system, it's a pita imho to keep dry and recharge correctly, any moisture can easily destroy the system.

 

When I had my oil consumption test on my 2011 nox, it was 1 qt every 1000 miles.

 

The "Class Action Lawsuit" brought by 13 plaintiffs in 3 states includes a new Special Coverage Adjustment (SCA) for 2013 2.4L Equinoxes/Terrains, however, you will still need to qualify for it:

1.) Vehicle must have been built prior to the "changeover" date (May 2013?) when new piston rings started to be installed.

2.) Coverage is only for 7 years, 120,000 miles.

But this Lawsuit settlement hasn't even been Finalized yet! It's still only been verbally agreed to. Finalizing is supposedly coming in October - as long as nobody Objects, or it doesn't get Continued, or Dissolved. You will get a letter if your VIN is included, but that doesn't mean you'll get any $$ relief. The 13 plaintiffs, meanwhile, will likely get paid upwards of $4500 for their time in bringing the case.

If you don't qualify, you should "OPT-OUT" to preserve your personal right to sue GM for recovery of your losses in fixing their defective engine. If you don't explicity "OPT-OUT", you will be automatically included in the Settlement, you'll get nothing from it, but GM will be able to close out this issue forever.

Search this forum for the "GM Lawsuit" thread. There's a link in there for the document detailing the Settlement.

 

I've taken AC systems apart. No problems really. I payed a dealer (cheapest AC service around) $130 to evacuate the system, let me take it home to do my work, and come back to recharge it. I put caps or tape over open lines to keep dirt and moisture out. The recharge should involve putting the system under vacuum for an hour, which will remove any moisture present. If the service place doesn't do that, find another place.

Just look for a shop that will let you do the AC job in two stages, and you'll be fine.

 

Update:


I got pretty grimy, and somehow I've lost the oil filler cap in the engine compartment (don't ask), but I got the manifold off and reinstalled. Unfortunately, the suspect PCV orifice is not clogged, so if the PCV is clogged, it's somewhere else.


Here's what I learned:


It is not necessary to disconnect the A/C lines to get it off. I bought the Haynes book, and while it was better than nothing, it's not very good. It would lead you to believe it's easy, but no, it's a little bit involved. The high pressure fuel pump DOES have to come off, which the Haynes book doesn't mention. You will have to remove the high pressure pipe that feeds the fuel rail, but the low pressure line will let you move the pump out of the way. I anticipated the pump would have to come off, so I started with pulling the #52 fuse from the underhood fuse block marked "fuel system control". Couldn't find a fuel pump fuse, but apparently that's it. Start the car, and it will run for a few seconds. I got a check engine light, presumably for low fuel pressure before it stalled. Cranked it again until it wouldn't sputter anymore.



You'll have to unbolt the dipstick tube bracket, that's also not mentioned. Once I got the manifold off, it was pretty grimy inside. The little hole at the center port looked questionable, but blowing some Gumout with the little tube through it blew some Gumout into the ports. I rinsed the inside of the manifold off with Gumout and got some crud out of it. I ran a 1/16" drill bit through it too like the service bulletin says, but it doesn't appear it was clogged.


Clean off the mating surface of the cylinder head carefully, I wet a paper towel with some solvent and wiped the grime away from the ports. I stuck my shop vac hose tip in the ports to suck out anything that may have fallen in to the intake. o Putting the HP pump back on was pretty straightforward, I just tightened each bolt a little each time so it went on relatively straight. Only problem I had was apparently the high pressure fitting didn't seat quite straight, and although it started and ran, I checked and it was leaking rapidly :surprise:. Loosened and re-tightened the fittings, it was OK.


So after all was said and done, it still blows puffs out of the filler cap. I guess it was better than spending an additional $630 for the dealer to do the procedure and find out it didn't really fix anything. My cost was $7.99 for a new throttle body gasket, and apparently another $8 for a new filler cap since mine has vanished to the nether regions.

 

Update:

I got pretty grimy, and somehow I've lost the oil filler cap in the engine compartment (don't ask), but I got the manifold off and reinstalled. Unfortunately, the suspect PCV orifice is not clogged, so if the PCV is clogged, it's somewhere else.
Here's what I learned:
.....
So after all was said and done, it still blows puffs out of the filler cap. .

Very interesting observation.... still puffs and blows....
And wow,
a lot of work to ensure your dirty side PCV orifice is clear....
Well,done!

I have three 4 cylinder equinox's
And they all puff out of the oil cap.

For that reason I believe it is the design of the engine, crankcase, and PCV system.
Also for that reason I use the cfm vented oil cap....
To keep my crankcase at zero psi pressure...
And prevent rear main seal failure

There are other choices
.... and risk if Equinox is snow covered...
As discussed in other posts...

See Post 81.
4 choices for venting crankcase

https://www.equinoxforum.net/18-faq...-service-bulletin-14882-blocked-pcv-valve-causing-rear-main-seal-failure-9.html

 

Sparkdave, you saved a lot of money and learned quite a bit too. So did we. Only question I have now is how did the dealer confirm a plugged pcv orfice?

 

The receipt from the dealer said the fuel trim didn't change when pulling the breather line off the valve cover, which points to a clogged PCV system instead of bad rings. That makes some sense, if the pressure was because of excessive blowby, it would be throwing off the O2 sensor reading because it would be feeding lots of exhaust instead of air into it. Now the trouble is, where is it clogged, or did the dealer mis-diagnose and it really is blowby from the rings? I gave a shot of Gumout into the port on the cylinder head that feeds the little orifice, and when I put the blow gun from my air compressor into it, I could feel air coming out of the filler cap, so I don't think that port is clogged. The breather tube isn't clogged, either.


Still, it was somewhat refreshing that I didn't spend a fortune at the dealer, it all went back together and seems to run fine with no check engine lights, and I know the orifice wasn't the problem.

 

We drilled a small hole in the front of the manifold and cleared PCV orifice with a paper clip. Then sealed the hole with a screw. This took a few minutes (see posts and videos online).

There is some risk of breaking the manifold.

Also, by removing the manifold, one can check that all 4 passages inside the manifold are clear.

 

From that hole there's Pathways to each intake port that can be clogged mine were. Have you tried taking your oil fill cap off while it's running to see if there's a lot of pressure escaping? I was shocked to see how much pressure was coming out. That's why I did the pcv cleaning. It also give a clue to how much blow by is happening around the piston rings. Now that the pcv is clear the pressure is much lower. Now to try and free up the piston rings so it doesn't burn so much oil.