2019-2024 Chevy Silverado 6.2 V8 Engine (L87 EcoTec3): Problems, Longevity, and Specs

The Silverado is now taking the second place in the list of the most popular vehicles of all types in the US. It only loses the competition to the F-Series trucks by Ford. Surprisingly, the Chevy comes with a lot of engine types and I've already covered several of them in other articles on this blog.

Today, I will tell you about the 6.2 V8 Chevy Silverado engine (L87) and will outline its main advantages and some common problems you may encounter in this machine. The engine is wonderful and offers great flexibility for your truck. Yes, it's not going to be economical at all, but when you buy a V8, you should initially understand this flaw.

Key features and my opinion about the engine

• Production years:2014-now
• Average lifespan of L87:250,000-280,000 miles
• Fuel supply type:direct injection
• Power range:420 hp
• Fuel efficiency:bad
• Engine block material:aluminum
• Engine reliability score:high
• The most common problems:lifter failure, spontaneous stalling, carbon buildup on intake valves, oil consumption.

What should you know about the 6.2L V8 in the Silverado?

This is the engine that belongs to the legendary series of LS Small Block units. The 5th generation of these wonderful machines is still offered new in numerous GM vehicles. The L87 version that powers the Silverado 1500 is also available in the Tahoe, Suburban, Escalade, and also GMC models (Yukon, Sierra, Yukon XL).

Also, the new Silverado offers another Small Block engine - the 5.3L V8. There are other options - the 2.7L Turbo engine and the 3.0L diesel turbocharged machine. But the 6.2 V8 can be considered one of the toughest and most interesting GM engines among all powerplants that are still in production and can be bought new, so it deserves your attention.

Here's what you may want to know about the engine:

• this is the 6.2-liter V8 gasoline naturally aspirated engine codenamed L87, it changed the L86 version with several minor updates;
• the engine is based on an aluminum block and aluminum head, it offers 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque;
• the engine is equipped with a good 10-speed automatic transmission that is capable of many miles even in hard conditions;
• simple phasers don't spoil the work of this engine and even add efficiency;
• the DFM (Dynamic Fuel Management) allows the engine to choose between many possible cylinder activation patterns;
• the engine is direct-injected, so it will bring several common issues in its life;
• the timing system is driven by the chain - it may break or stretch if you tow a lot, so it's important to check it from time to time;
• the estimated gas mileage is 14 MPG in the city and 17 MPG on highways - not bad, but in real life you will get less.

The DFM system in these engines came to change the nasty AFM system in the older L86 model. Now, the system can deactivate almost any cylinders at any time. Every 125 milliseconds, the system calculates the load and makes a solution on what cylinders should work. There are 17 different firing order types to choose from.

The engine is powerful and it feels just perfect when you drive the Silverado. Also, I wouldn't say that the gas mileage is catastrophically worse than in the 2.7L Turbo, for example. Given the 6.2L engine will obviously live longer and bring you much more flexibility in how you use your truck, it seems to be a great choice.

How many miles will the 6.2L engine last?

So, the EcoTec3 6.2L V8 engine can last approximately 250,000 miles. This is a well-known fact that after hitting this mileage, the engine will start showing all kinds of different minor and major problems and if you keep driving it, you are going to spend a fortune on repairs.

Also, you may kill the engine much earlier than that if you don't know how to maintain it or just neglect regular maintenance. This is not the engine to abuse. Although it's tough and can tow and haul a lot of weight, it doesn't mean that it can live a happy life when you are pressing the gas pedal to the metal each time you get into it.

Driving habits and maintenance routines are two extremely important factors that determine the durability of this engine.

If you use the Silverado for all those things people buy trucks for, the 10-speed automatic transmission is not going to last more than 200,000 miles. So, you should be prepared for transmission repair. But fortunately, it's a simple automatic transmission that is not so hard to repair or replace.

What are the common problems with the L87 engine in the Silverado?

This engine will show little to no problems up until it hits about 100,000 miles. After that, the number of problems you have to deal with depends purely on the driving style and maintenance quality. I've seen these engines die after 100K miles because they had seen things in their lives. Also, I've seen 6.2L engines that had over 400,000 miles on them with just some minor and cheap repairs.

So, here are the common issues you can encounter in the 6.2L V8 Silverado engine:

1. Direct injection - it's sensitive to fuel quality

First of all, this engine is super sensitive to fuel quality. We tend to think that a huge V8 engine can burn even raw oil. But this is a very old belief that you should forget now. Modern engines, especially direct-injected ones, are very sensitive to the quality of gas and can cause super-expensive problems if you use low-grade fuel.

Also, the direct-injected V8 engine will require regular valve cleaning. The intake valves will inevitably get some carbon buildup after 40-50 thousand miles.

2. Lifters failure

Unfortunately, hydraulic lifters are not good in these engines. Well, lifters may be good, but the system of their lubrication is pretty faulty. It means that the lifters may go bad too early and cause problems with the valves and camshafts. Repairs are going to be extremely expensive if your Silverado is not covered by the warranty anymore.

Lifter failure is one of the most commonly reported problems with this engine. But I should say it mostly happens after the engine reaches 100K miles or if it idles a lot.

3. Valve springs cracks

I haven't heard about this problem in any other engine in the world. However, the 6.2L V8 in the Silverado may have problems with the valve springs. They may get cracked and won't push the valve. This will immediately lead to misfiring in one cylinder and to harsh work. Also, the DFM system will start throwing codes and messages.

This is an unpleasant problem because one little spring will require taking apart one of the engine heads. And this is expensive!

4. Oil consumption

The engine is not going to have bad piston rings or valve seals - GM took care of it in the L87 model. But there is another problem - the poor work of the crankcase ventilation system. When it's cold, the system just doesn't work and may get clogged with the viscose oil. This leads to high pressure in the crankcase and the oil behaves very weirdly.

This may lead to oil consumption. If you see the oil pressure light illuminating, you should check the crankcase ventilation system valve first.

5. Overheating problems

The L87 engine hates overheating and may easily die if it overheats for some time during your driving. So, you should make sure that the water pump is OK, and the radiators aren't clogged or dirty.

Also, you should replace the water pump with the timing chain at about 150,000 miles if you want to avoid common fatal issues in the near future.

Can you prolong the life of the L87 EcoTec3 engine?

When you know the common problems with this engine, it's much easier for you to prolong its life. You will just need to prevent these problems from happening and save your money and time.

Here's what you can try doing:

• regular maintenance should be exactly within the intervals the manufacturer states;
• buy only OEM oil and filters for better quality maintenance;
• avoid overheating at all costs - stop the vehicle if the engine overheats even a little;
• change the chain kit at about 150,000 miles to avoid stretching and breaking;
• if the engine misfires, take it in for the inspection as soon as possible - this may be a lifter or a valve spring.

Final thoughts

I personally love this engine and think this is one of the best and last big powerplants on the market. I don't think the Silverado will offer LS units in the upcoming generations of its vehicles, maybe only in heavy-duty versions. So, if you want a good V8 truck, it's time to buy it now.

Emission rules are getting stricter and manufacturers have to change their technologies. This is one of the reasons the new 6.2 V8 is not as durable as some old V8 engines made by GM a decade ago.