GM Replacing Some Failed 6.2L V8s With Remanufactured Engines Instead

There's a new question flying around General Motors’ large-scale recall involving catastrophic failure of the automaker's 6.2-liter V8 L87.

Some owners are wondering whether the replacement engines installed under the recall are brand-new. The short answer from GM: they’re not.

The recall, launched last year, affects roughly 721,000 of GM's full-size SUVs and pickup trucks built between 2021 and 2024. Impacted models include the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Tahoe, and Suburban, along with the GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL, and the Cadillac Escalade. Under the recall, all vehicles must be inspected, with some requiring a complete engine replacement.

Additionally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration decided to probe a further 286,000 GM vehicles equipped with the L87 V8 after receiving more than 1,100 reports of engine bearing failures on vehicles reaching back to 2019, outside the original recall scope.

General Motors confirmed that not every vehicle needing a replacement will receive a newly built engine. In a statement made to GM Authority, the automaker confirmed, “The replacement engines associated with GM’s L87 recall are a mix of new and remanufactured engines,”

Remanufactured engines are rebuilt to GM specifications and are designed to meet the same durability and performance standards as new units, though they are not freshly produced from the factory. The type of engine used in the corrective recall action depends on availability and the specific circumstances of the repair. Although GM did not detail the remanufacturing process, nor how it decides which circumstances require a new engine versus a remanufactured unit.

Speaking of corrective actions, NHTSA said it has received dozens of complaints from owners who say their engines blew up even after the prescribed recall fix was performed. This prompted the federal safety regulator to open a formal inquiry to evaluate whether GM's corrective actions are sufficient.

As part of the recall campaign, engines will be evaluated by dealership mechanics, with vehicles being sorted into two groups: those that require a full engine replacement, and those that pass inspection but still need updated service procedures.

Specifically, there are two simultaneous problems with the L87 V8. The first is rod-bearing damage from machining sediment left on connecting rods and in crankshaft oil galleries. The second issue is out-of-spec crankshaft dimensions and surface finish irregularities.

Trucks showing diagnostic trouble code P0016—indicating crankshaft or camshaft misalignment— are eligible for a replacement engine.

Vehicles that pass the inspection scan are updated to a higher-viscosity oil, given a new oil cap, and a revised owner’s manual insert before being kicked out the door. GM initially revised the oil specification from 0W-20 to 0W-40. The automaker has since updated its guidance again, telling dealers to use Mobil 1 FS 0W-40 engine oil instead.

Our Take

With almost a million vehicles affected by the recall and subsequent investigation, it's almost unsurprising that GM is having to resort to using remanufactured engines. Given the large scope of the action and GM's work to retool its Tonawanada, NY, engine plant that churns out the majority of GM's Gen V small-block engines, the automaker was already struggling to secure enough engine allocation to satisfy the recall requirements and keep trucks and SUVs rolling off the assembly line.

At this point, the automaker is just working to weather the storm as best it can before the expected introduction of the Gen VI small-block V8 later this year. It's unclear if the [potentially] reborn Corvette Grand Sport will get the honor, or if that will instead fall to the redesigned Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, which should break cover in 2026.

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