Z06 Oil Change
 

I see that for DIY oil changes on the Z06 everybody always has the rear end jacked up as well. If you just drive the front up on ramps to do the oil change how much oil do you REALLY miss by not having the car level ? Is it significant ?

one of the drain plugs is in the front of the pan. You'll leave 1/2 quart or so of old oil in the engine.

Since the OP question was answered, I will hijack the thread to ask another.

If the oil isn't supposed to be checked until 5-20 minutes after the engine/oil is fully warmed up, then how is it possible to start the engine after oil and filter change and then check the oil after running for less than a minute to get an accurate reading?

The manual explicitly states not to check the oil when cold or with the engine running as the dipstick will not provide an accurate reading then.

It seems to me like you should be able to calibrate the dipstick to be accurate when checking the oil when it is either completely COLD (overnight) or running at normal temperature.

In a wet sump engine, all the oil drains back into the oil pan after shutdown. That's where the dipstick is located. With the dry sump, the oil is stored in the reservoir and that's where the dipstick is located. After shutdown, some of the oil slowly seeps back into the oil pan, plus there is a small amount of oil in the sump that the pickup can't pump to the reservoir, thus the requirement to check the oil level after the specified time of 5 to 20 minutes. During that short interval, only a small amount of oil will drain drown from the reservoir. You let it sit for an hour or two or three, then the level of the oil in the reservoir is low and will give a wrong reading as to the TOTAL amount of oil in your engine. Best to follow GM's instructions on checking the oil level.

I take about an hour or slightly more to drain all the oil out. I even get anal and tilt the back of the car up a bit so the front drain plug drains more oil out then I tilt the car slightly up on the right side to drain the side plug.

I measure out exactly what my car requires and pour that into the tank. No need to check the oil level after an oil change is done. I'll only check after I drive the car like what GM requires after the oil is hot.

Tony

I read the manual before posting.

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After changing the oil and inserting the drain plugs, it says to start the engine, run for 15 seconds, then check the oil quantity - which will not yield the desired results.

On a 911, which this isn't, where dry sumps have been for many, many years, the engine oil used to be checked with the engine running. On a Corvette, it "could" be checked running or static, if the dip stick were calibrated that way.

Maybe this is an opportunity to market a new product ...

No, it says to start and run the engine for 15 seconds to circulate the new oil. Then it says to shut off the engine and then check the engine as the manual describes for the Z06. That means to wait 5-20 minutes to check the level.

Btw, the Z06 is not a 911, so check the oil as described for a Z06, not as described for a 911, by P.

Marking this for future reference.

JoesC5,

Thanks for the procedure correction. Wouldn't running it up for 15 seconds and shutting it off not get the oil up to operating temperature? And the procedure to check the oil is to run the engine to get it to operating temperature. Maybe that doesn't matter after draining the oil for an hour and then filling. That's what I was getting at.

And I know this isn't a 911 - I stated so: "On a 911, which this isn't,". My point was that with a dry sump system -on a 911, a Corvette, or even on aircraft - it is possible to run the engine at idle and measure the the quantity in the tank.

Why GM decided to make a procedure that was different may be because they had no previous experience with dry sump oil systems - I don't know.

I'll do some record keeping of my own to determine if it is necessary to take such a scenic route.

If serviced properly, the oil will be at a certain point on the dipstick when the engine is idling and warmed up. That being the case, you would be able to check the oil quantity accurately before shutting the engine off.

It just isn't documented.

And one way would be exactly equal to the other way in terms of the quantity of oil present. Think of it as check tires pressures at different outside air temperatures.

30 PSI at 32 degrees won't be 30 PSI at 100 degrees.

The manual says to run the engine until it is at at least 175*. They are talking coolant temp, not oil temp. If you were to start a cold engine and run it until the coolant temp read 175*, I doubt if the oil temp would have reached ambient air temp + 20*. If you change the oil when the engine is warm, and then run it for 15 seconds, you have pretty much replicated the initial instructions. Not sure, but I suspect the reason GM calls for checking the oil with the engine off and to wait 5 minutes, is because the reservoir has a built in air/oil separator. Running, I imagine that there is a lot of oil being thrown around in the top portion of the reservoir, that would be all over the dipstick, making a clear reading near impossible.

What are you DIY'ers doing about lubing the rear sway bar end links. After one track event mine make all sorts of noise. My dealer lubes them during oil changes.

Tom

Are you talking sway bar end links or is it the tie rod at the back suspension??? There is a tie rod for toe adjustment at the back and it has a grease fitting on the bottom. GM recommends adding some grease to the fitting every 10,000 miles or so, more if you track the car.

Sway bar shouldn't need any lube, maybe some if there is some squeaking noise from the bushings and you know it is coming from the sway bar bushings.

In the service manual, the procedure for changing the oil is somewhat different.

It says to remove the filler cap, lift the car, remove the two drain plugs, remove and replace the filter. Reinstall the drain plugs.

Add 10-1/2 quarts of oil, check the oil level, lower car, start engine and check for leaks. Then shut engine off and after 2-3 minutes to check the oil. Not the 5-20 minutes in the owner's manual.

No need for the pros to wait so long. In fact, they aren't even directed to warm up the engine. Probably, because in the days of sludge from non-detergent oil- which this isn't - that was a necessary step.

Fixed :D

:thumbs:

My bad - wrong terminology. This is from page 437 of the 2007 Owners Manual:

(b) Visually inspect front and rear suspension and
steering system for damaged, loose, or missing
parts or signs of wear. Inspect power steering lines
and hoses for proper hook-up, binding, leaks,
cracks, chafing, etc. If you have the Z06 or Z51
performance package, lubricate the outer ends of
both rear toe-links.

So my question remains, how do you DIY'ers lube these fittings. I know mine needed lubing (which my dealer did) after 56 laps at Road America as they started making noise after the event. Lubing cure it. My 06 Z51 experienced the same symptoms after a HSDE at RA back in 2006, that's why I was aware of the need to lube these fittings.

Tom

Just use a grease gun with a flexible hose. On my spyder wheels I just reach thru the wheel and attach the hose and add grease. Be careful not to add too much.

Thanks for posting this guys. I’m curious though if the manual indicates different amounts for the year. My understanding is the oil tank is 8 quarts from 06-08, and then in 09-13 they stepped it up to 11 quarts. I just had Lingenfelter add an extension onto my 08 z06 to get the 11 quarts

Yes, oil amount for C6Z is 8 quarts 2006 to mid-2008, 8.5 quarts mid-2008 to end of 2008 MY, then 10.5 quarts 2009 and newer.

On checking the oil after an oil change on my 10.5 quart system, I fill the oil filter before installing, then add 9 1/2 quart. I drive the car enough to get the OIL Temperature up to 175* (engine temp at 175* could still have the oil at 120*) since we are checking the OIL level, not coolant level. I shut the engine off and check 5-6 minutes later and add enough (usually 1 quart or a little less to the full mark.

(actually since I do track events I only fill it to the middle mark as when the oil level is at the mid-mark at 175* it will be at the full mark at 240* (track temps get up to 280*+). For a street driven car it is fine to fill it to the top mark.

Even in an 8 quart system if you only put in 7 quarts and then drive it on the street to get the oil up to 175*, you won't have any problems with the dry sump pump loosing discharge pressure before you check the level and add enough to get it to the top mark on the dry sump tank dip stick.

The owners manuals don't always clearly define how the whole process works differently between wet sump LS2 and LS3 engines and the Z06's LS7 and later Grand Sport LS3 dry sump engines with the manual transmission.

Not relevant to this discussion on C6 engines, but the C8 LT2 engine is dry sump and requires checking the oil level when warm and the engine running at idle, the first factory Corvette to have the oil level checked with the engine running.

just to add, I also prime the system after an oil change; hold accelerator to the floor (engine will not fire!) and let starter crank. It will stop automatically in about 10 sec.
Then just start normally. Yes, a bit anal perhaps, but it doesn't hurt.

Now, I just wish there was someway to 'easily' drain out old oil (approx 1-1/2~2qts!) from my Improved Racing oil cooler :rolleyes: