okay, soem of you might of known that I just got a 01 z06 on wendsday. The seller said that he had taken it to the chevy dealer near by and changed the oil. So how come already it says that the oil is too low. I did check the oil level and it does need oil. The oil life span is 99% right now. No leaks or anything, so what is the problem? I have not driven this car for no more than 10 miles since I've got it.

 

most likely dealer didnt put enough in

 

The dealer probably put in the called for 61/2 qts. If I do that with mine it's 1/2 qt low. I have to put 7 qts in to fill it up completely.

 

 

Same problem when I got mine. Dealer said it needed to run for a while after oil change and mssg would go away. Brought it back and they said oooops! They only put in 6 qts!!!! At least they admitted it...

 

i believe that you get the message when the car is about a qt. low. your DIC % has nothing to do with quantity.

also... do a search for oil consumption. its a common problem on 01 cars! you most likely have the problem. no big deal, just keep adding oil, and check the level when you get the message!

 

My '01 coupe is only showing the pic of the oil can on my HUD?
The DIC is not showing any warnings? SO am i just low on oil or what?
Thanks for your help.

 

eddie44. I don't even think they put 6 1/2 in. When I checked it right after the low oil level came up on the DIC, the oil level was right where the add marker was. Like I said, I have not driven this car for no more than 10 miles, and I haven't done any high speeds or reving or anything. So I think they might of just put 5 qt tops. I have the bill that the seller gave me, I'm going to see if it says how much they put in it. I do know they charged $85 for the bill with the air filter changed, so I would think they should of at least put all 7 qts in. 7 qts would only be about $40 or so. For their charge, they should of filled it up!!

 

You definitely need to drive it more. Oil tends to contract when the car, especially Corvette's, are not driven as they were designed. Spirited driving will expand the oil and the car will be happy and the message will go away.




O.K. Seriously... Maybe the dealer didn't fill it all the way. You've only had it 10 miles. Fill it up, drive it and keep an eye on how full it stays.

 

vette 01, the HUD will just show the oil pressure, it's saying that the oil pressure has built up for best performance. If the check gages icon appears, then check the DIC to see if it says anything. Really you can still check the oil level manually, just to make sure.

 

I've heard figures of everywhere from $35 to $100 for an oil change at the dealer with Mobil 1. If I were in your position and the dealer was convenient I'd be taking it back and having them check and fill that baby. If it's too much of a PITA to get back to the dealer I'd just buy a couple qts and do it myself. Sounds like you're within 10 mi of the dealer. Also, I'd talk to the service mgr and explain what happened. We all tend to complain here about dealers but they can't fix a problem they don't know about. Good Luck!

 

from the "book"

Engine Oil and Oil Filter Replacement
Removal Procedure

Open the hood.
Remove the oil fill cap.
Raise and suitably support the vehicle. Refer to Lifting and Jacking the Vehicle in General Information.
Remove the oil pan drain plug.
Drain the engine oil into an appropriate container. Allow sufficient time for the oil to drain.

Remove the engine oil filter from the engine block.

Important
Check the old oil filter to ensure that the filter seal is not left on the engine block.


Empty the oil filter into the drain pan.
Allow sufficient time for the oil to drain from the oil filter opening.
Wipe the excess oil from the oil filter mounting.
Installation Procedure

Wipe any excess oil from the oil filter mounting.

Notice
Use the correct fastener in the correct location. Replacement fasteners must be the correct part number for that application. Fasteners requiring replacement or fasteners requiring the use of thread locking compound or sealant are identified in the service procedure. Do not use paints, lubricants, or corrosion inhibitors on fasteners or fastener joint surfaces unless specified. These coatings affect fastener torque and joint clamping force and may damage the fastener. Use the correct tightening sequence and specifications when installing fasteners in order to avoid damage to parts and systems.



Important
Lightly oil the engine oil filter gasket, using CLEAN oil.


Install the oil filter to the engine block. Tighten
Tighten the engine oil filter to 30 N·m (22 lb ft).

Wipe any excess oil from the oil pan drain hole.
Install the oil pan drain plug. Tighten
Tighten the oil pan drain plug to 25 N·m (18 lb ft).

Lower the vehicle.

Important
DO NOT use any engine oil additives in Corvette engines.


Fill the engine with the appropriate amount and type of engine oil. Refer to Capacities - Approximate Fluid and Fluid and Lubricant Recommendations in Maintenance and Lubrication.
Run the engine for 3 minutes.
Raise the vehicle.
Thoroughly inspect the oil filter and the oil pan drain plug areas for leaks.
Allow the engine to cool for a minimum of 3 minutes.
Lower the vehicle.
Check the engine oil level.
Top-off the engine oil to the full mark on the oil level indicator (dipstick), if necessary.
Install the oil fill cap.
Close the hood.
Reset the engine oil life monitor. Refer to GM Oil Life System - Resetting in Maintenance and Lubrication

 

When ever I change my oil I pour a quart though the block with the drain plug and oil filter off.

after 1/2 to 3/4 qt has drainned though the block the oil color changes from the black sludge in the bottom of the oil pan to the clear golden brown of new oil. When that oil is finished draining then I put in the plug and fliter and fill it up.

IMHO this gets most of the sludge out of the bottom.

 

I agree that it sounds like they didn't put enough oil in when they did the change. If it says on the repair order what they put in, that would be your first clue. Certainly take it back and have them add enough to make it read full.

 

Did the seller charge you for the oil change? If not, go buy a couple of quarts of Mobil 1 5-30wt, drop 'em in, check dipstick for level, and drive the car! Not too difficult.

 

as someone mentioned earlier this is a common problem on the 01's ....its a ring problem that GM knows about and alot of people have them replaced, however to do this they need to pull out the entire engine what isnt always a good answer, there is no issue with the oil going past the rings just a pain to refill every so often. I found with mine that when I auto-x'd or drive a little more aggressive it goes down quicker... If you drive it normally it doesnt seem to go down as quick. There are a LOT of threads on the forum about this that date back years, if the search function works have a look.

Also, when the light comes on I think its more like 1 1/2 qts low maybe even 2...

 

For the $5-10 cost of 1-2 quarts of Mobil-1 5w30, just add what's needed based on the dip-stick and at your convienence stop by the dealer and complain.

Better to get the oil in the engine before driving it, than to worry about making the dealer 'pay' for it and drive it 1+ quarts low.

 

This is probably the case. Even though my dealer says that added 7 quarts, it was still MORE than 1 quart low. (Added the quart -- it's at the bottom of the range on the dipstick.)

 

I think the only thing that can cause low engine level is bad motor mounts.








BTW, for those who don't know, the oilcan symbol on the HUD simply means the right bargraph of the HUD display is displaying oil pressure. You can set it to display fuel level or coolant temp by using the page button.