New to me C4, too much oil?
01-19-2017, 08:52 PM
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
New to me C4, too much oil?
I just picked up a new to me 94 C4 with an auto transmission. Car runs great, just has a rough idle, it needs more interior work than anything.
I was planning on draining all the fluids once I got home. I check the oil, clean the dipstick and every time I am consistently getting 1-2" of oil on the stick above the level indicators. I am thinking overfilled and I am worried the previous owner might have damaged this engine by overfill.
Saving grace is he didn't drive it much and I only drove it home. car drives great, occasional rough idle which I attribute to plugs.
If I drain and put in 4.5 quarts, what are the odds there was any damage done previously, is there anyway to tell?
I am new to all this still, I am a mechanical apprentice who bought the car to supplement my learning on the side.
Thanks for your time.
I was planning on draining all the fluids once I got home. I check the oil, clean the dipstick and every time I am consistently getting 1-2" of oil on the stick above the level indicators. I am thinking overfilled and I am worried the previous owner might have damaged this engine by overfill.
Saving grace is he didn't drive it much and I only drove it home. car drives great, occasional rough idle which I attribute to plugs.
If I drain and put in 4.5 quarts, what are the odds there was any damage done previously, is there anyway to tell?
I am new to all this still, I am a mechanical apprentice who bought the car to supplement my learning on the side.
Thanks for your time.
Last edited by Powerstroked89; 01-19-2017 at 08:52 PM.
01-19-2017, 09:03 PM
#3
Instructor
Thread Starter
01-19-2017, 09:10 PM
#4
What is the part# on the dipstick? A '94 I'd expect a 10108430. If that's the stick that's in it then a change using OE capacities should put the level at the FULL indication. If the dipstick has that ID and a factory fill does something different then you need to determine why.
01-19-2017, 09:25 PM
#5
Instructor
Thread Starter
What is the part# on the dipstick? A '94 I'd expect a 10108430. If that's the stick that's in it then a change using OE capacities should put the level at the FULL indication. If the dipstick has that ID and a factory fill does something different then you need to determine why.
Last edited by Powerstroked89; 01-19-2017 at 09:37 PM.
01-19-2017, 10:05 PM
#6
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The oil is not brown or milky looking is it?
01-19-2017, 10:09 PM
#7
Instructor
Thread Starter
no normal looking consistency, if anything it hasn't been changed in awhile, more black than the normal gold.
I just bought new oil/filter, going to drain and refill drive and see if it levels out on the dipstick.
My main concern was running a motor that was overfilled.
I just bought new oil/filter, going to drain and refill drive and see if it levels out on the dipstick.
My main concern was running a motor that was overfilled.
Last edited by Powerstroked89; 01-19-2017 at 10:10 PM.
01-20-2017, 05:32 PM
#8
Team Owner
no normal looking consistency, if anything it hasn't been changed in awhile, more black than the normal gold.
I just bought new oil/filter, going to drain and refill drive and see if it levels out on the dipstick.
My main concern was running a motor that was overfilled.
I just bought new oil/filter, going to drain and refill drive and see if it levels out on the dipstick.
My main concern was running a motor that was overfilled.
For my '93 LT1 engine, an oil change without a filter is 4 quarts. With a filter change, it's 4.5 quarts. The oil filter is listed as an AC Delco PF51 or equivalent. The '94 LT1 should be the same.
The recommended oil is Mobil-1 5W-30 full synthetic. That was the factory fill beginning in '92. Any quality full synthetic oil that meets the current DEXOS1 standard will work just fine. Oils like this can easily go 6000 miles between changes.
01-20-2017, 05:38 PM
#9
Instructor
Thread Starter
Do you have the Owner's Manual? There is a section in the back that will show all of the various fluid capacities, filters, and other maintenance items.
For my '93 LT1 engine, an oil change without a filter is 4 quarts. With a filter change, it's 4.5 quarts. The oil filter is listed as an AC Delco PF51 or equivalent. The '94 LT1 should be the same.
The recommended oil is Mobil-1 5W-30 full synthetic. That was the factory fill beginning in '92. Any quality full synthetic oil that meets the current DEXOS1 standard will work just fine. Oils like this can easily go 6000 miles between changes.
For my '93 LT1 engine, an oil change without a filter is 4 quarts. With a filter change, it's 4.5 quarts. The oil filter is listed as an AC Delco PF51 or equivalent. The '94 LT1 should be the same.
The recommended oil is Mobil-1 5W-30 full synthetic. That was the factory fill beginning in '92. Any quality full synthetic oil that meets the current DEXOS1 standard will work just fine. Oils like this can easily go 6000 miles between changes.
01-20-2017, 05:42 PM
#10
Le Mans Master
no normal looking consistency, if anything it hasn't been changed in awhile, more black than the normal gold.
I just bought new oil/filter, going to drain and refill drive and see if it levels out on the dipstick.
My main concern was running a motor that was overfilled.
I just bought new oil/filter, going to drain and refill drive and see if it levels out on the dipstick.
My main concern was running a motor that was overfilled.
) someone drain the transmission pan of his Rambler and add 4 quarts of oil to the engine back in the 60's. It smoked like crazy, but his only complaint was that the transmission seem to not be working right... 
Ironically, he was an engineer at Mobil Research in Paulsboro, NJ where they were at the time developing Mobil-1 synthetic oil. He actually drove the car for ~ 3000 miles and changed his oil a second time before he asked my Boss if he had any idea why his transmission was not functioning properly.
We had previously serviced his car for him, when he decided that as an Engineer he should be able to do something as minor as changing his own oil. We all agreed and actually showed him how to properly change his oil and filter. The good news was that he didn't do any real damage to the engine or the transmission... now his ego, well that was a different story.Good luck... GUSTO
01-20-2017, 05:48 PM
#11
Instructor
Thread Starter
The engine would have to be overfilled by quite a bit to do any significant damage, at least in the short term. I have seen (heard about it after the fact ) someone drain the transmission pan of his Rambler and add 4 quarts of oil to the engine back in the 60's. It smoked like crazy, but his only complaint was that the transmission seem to not be working right...
Ironically, he was an engineer at Mobil Research in Paulsboro, NJ where they were at the time developing Mobil-1 synthetic oil. He actually drove the car for ~ 3000 miles and changed his oil a second time before he asked my Boss if he had any idea why his transmission was not functioning properly. We had previously serviced his car for him, when he decided that as an Engineer he should be able to do something as minor as changing his own oil. We all agreed and actually showed him how to properly change his oil and filter. The good news was that he didn't do any real damage to the engine or the transmission... now his ego, well that was a different story.
Good luck... GUSTO
) someone drain the transmission pan of his Rambler and add 4 quarts of oil to the engine back in the 60's. It smoked like crazy, but his only complaint was that the transmission seem to not be working right... Ironically, he was an engineer at Mobil Research in Paulsboro, NJ where they were at the time developing Mobil-1 synthetic oil. He actually drove the car for ~ 3000 miles and changed his oil a second time before he asked my Boss if he had any idea why his transmission was not functioning properly.
We had previously serviced his car for him, when he decided that as an Engineer he should be able to do something as minor as changing his own oil. We all agreed and actually showed him how to properly change his oil and filter. The good news was that he didn't do any real damage to the engine or the transmission... now his ego, well that was a different story.Good luck... GUSTO
Good news is the fluids are getting drained today.
01-20-2017, 05:59 PM
#12
Le Mans Master
Be sure to put a new mark on your dip stick if it ends up being different than the factory mark so you will know in the future. I think I would mark it and drill a small hole there. It will make seeing the full mark that much easier, especially at night.
Good luck... GUSTO
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Pushrodv8 (01-20-2017)
01-20-2017, 08:49 PM
#13
The C-4 Corvette is the best platform to start on in my opinion.
It is very simple and you can access everything if you need to work on the car yourself. Quite easily.I have heard the doing something as simple as an oil pan gasket on a C-5 requires some major dismantling of the transaxle.
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Pushrodv8 (01-20-2017)
01-20-2017, 08:50 PM
#14
Instructor
Thread Starter
congrats on the new vette, on your first vette, and welcome to the Corvette forum.
The C-4 Corvette is the best platform to start on in my opinion.
The C-4 Corvette is the best platform to start on in my opinion.
It is very simple and you can access everything if you need to work on the car yourself. Quite easily.I have heard the doing something as simple as an oil pan gasket on a C-5 requires some major dismantling of the transaxle.