I guess I don't have an oil problem

 

:mad I have a big problem with a new car that costs 50 big ones consuming a drop of oil right of the bat!! I bought a new pick up five years ago that cost one fifth the price and through hard times and fast times it has yet to consume a drop (over 118000 miles!) of oil. My wifes nissan suv has 24k and it doesn't consume a drop. I had a toyota with 166000 unknown miles due to 4 previous owners and it didn't consume oil :U . Needless to say I think it's :bs when a car company atributes consumption to driving habits, get with the program!! it's not 1910 when the auto was recent to the world, all this new technology and they can't keep oil from been spent into the atmosphere?? Why do other cars not burn oil?? Sorry this subject really pi$$es me off.

 

I have a 2001 M5 and it uses 1 quart of oil every 1,000 miles. The owners manual says it's normal for the first 5,000 miles or so(writing from memory).
"oil consumption, like fuel, is associated to the way you drive your car". It suggests you check the oil level everytime you stop for fuel.
The M5 also has synthetic from the factory.

[Modified by Pio, 3:27 PM 8/24/2001]


[Modified by Pio, 9:15 PM 8/25/2001]

 

I just got a call from my GM customer service rep & even though the computer said the replacement rings were ready to be shipped, they are now telling me the rings are on back-order. I guess they are leaving me no other choice than to file a Calif Lemon Law suit. I noticed some of the forum members posted negative comments on suing GM, maybe they need to understand what it feels like having a legitimate problem that is acknowledged by GM, but still not offered any immediate remedy & remember I am one of the few that have even been given the replacement part numbers! I have 8,900 miles & just added my 13th quart of oil!
Bob

 

If you would like some firsthand advice on how to proceed with the california lemon law let me know. I had the unfortunate experience of having two vehicles repurchased under the law. One I handled myself and the other I used an attorney. I can say that having gone one round with GM they are far more aggressive in fighting the law even in light of the significant safety related issue I experienced. If you choose to go forward I would strongly advise you to familiarize yourself with the law, and the sooner the better. Good luck in resolving your problem. :boxing

 

You do have a legitimate gripe and I do feel for you, and you are doing the right thing. The problem I have is with the zero who started this thread.

His class action lawsuit represents a few isolated cases, hardly a class. :rolleyes:

 

Hi SMFCPACFP--
Thanks for your response. Maybe I was too sensitive about the prior comments. I really don't want to bump heads with GM. I just want to start enjoying my Z06. The GM customer service rep offered to extend my warranty to 5 years/60,000 miles, if I wait to have the rings installed, but neither she or the service manager knows when the rings will become available! I know everyone in this forum comes from different backgrounds, age groups & financial status. This is the first Corvette for me, because it took me this long (I'm 55 years old) to be able to afford the car & the monthly payments. I use this as my daily driver & the enjoyment was supposed to be after work, weekends & vacations. Now I just use my Z06 to commute to work, because there is a smoke trail behing me, if I go to WOT. I would appreciate anyone's help or advice, expecially if you know someone at GM who can help.
Thanks,
Bob Work 800-666-6634 ext 7919 (7:00 am - 3:00 pm Pacific Time)

 

Just out of curiousity, has anyone other then Ricker812 (who said it FIXED his problem, switched to conventional oil for 1-3k miles, then back to synthetic?

If not, why not? If so, did it fix your problem as well?
:confused:


[Modified by holysin, 12:12 PM 8/27/2001]

 

Hey,
I am just a humble C4 owner, but I would be really outraged to purchase a new car that costs that much and have anything wrong with it. We (corvettte enthusiats) tend to be very meticulus with our cars. How many times have you oued and awed a an older mint condition all matching number vette. People spend big money and time getting older vettes to "just off the showroom floor" condition.
Were I to spend this much on a ZO6 and have it act like my 1989 toyota supra, which burned a quart every 800 miles, I would be pissed. It should be perfect.
And lastly what does this do to the resale value of a ZO6, I would not consider buying a car that burns that much oil new, what will it burn at 75,000 miles????. So even if mine was perfect I still would be very concerned with the plite of those affected because when and if you try to sell yours, a smart buyer will be aware of this issue...

Gonzo :smash: :smash: :smash:

 

One last thought, for anyone who thinks this is not a problem GM should be all over, and that the words "Class action" offend.

Picture this add:
Mint condition Corvette, all original, garage kept, secondary car, very low milage, Zaino, to many extras to list, Burns only 1 (one) quart of oil every 600 miles!!!!! CallXXX XXX XXXX

Would you even consider calling?????

Gonzo

 

Hi There--
In answer to your question, why people haven't tried to change to regular motor oil? In my case, I didn't read that thread until I had over 5,000 miles & I e-mailed a few people, including c4c5specialist & was advised this procedure would not help & would void the warranty. At the time, I was having the GM service manager run an oil consumption test. Right now I'm not sure at what mileage changing from synthetic oil to regular oil might be effective & would greatly appreciate anyone's input on this ! I currently have close to 8,900 miles.
Thanks,
Bob

 

I have an update--
My service manager called me today & said both sets of replacement rings had arrived at his dealership & his senior engine tech (20 yrs experience & already has replaced one set in a Z06) would be ready to install the rings on Sept. 10th, when he returns from vacation. I don't have anything in writing from the GM customer service rep about extending the warranty to 5 years/60,000 miles & I am going to leave her a message. Does anyone who has gone through this, have any advice?
Thanks,
Bob

 

Anybody out there in Southern Cal have any experience with a lemon law attorney. I am looking for recommendations.

Thanks.

 

:U

Anyone who thinks they can outsmart GM engineers and use mineral oil as a means of breaking in their rings and solving this problem is sorely mistaken. You are overlooking one CRITICAL issue: Mineral oil does NOT dissipate heat as well as synthetic oil does. I have spoken with 2 GM powertrain engineers regarding this, and they concur (independently, I might add) that running mineral oil will allow cylinders to become too hot. Nothing like swapping an oil consumption problem for a whole host of NEW problems!!

For you geniuses who choose to take the "easy way" out and violate your warranty and damage cylinders by running mineral oil in place of factory-recommended synthetic oil as a means of make-shift "solving" this problem: GOOD LUCK!

As for me, I'm going to address it head-on with GM until it is PROPERLY resolved! And I don't think I'm alone when I say that my brand new $50,000 sportcars car should NOT require the engine to be ripped apart.

EILIG

 

Sorry Jay but saying that conventional oil will damage the cylinder walls is totally nonsense. Modern engines have nikisil lined cylinders and plasma moly rings that are extremely hard and durable. That is part of the problem with ring break in. Motorcycle manufacturers having been using these coatings for years. For example, with my racing motorcycles I install the piston and rings totally dry and free of any oil what so ever. This allows the rings to seat in quickly and does not cause any measurable wear at all. On engines that I have built where I did lubricate the piston/rings I would always see blowby.

BTW, my '90 ZR-1 came from the factory with CONVENTIONAL oil. It was not until a few years later that GM began shipping cars with Mobil 1. Running 1000 miles on conventional oil will do no harm at all. Anyone that has built race engines knows that.





[Modified by Cam Potter, 11:27 AM 8/28/2001]

 

My Z06 was picked up 4-01 and used 5 qts. in 3k miles at which time the dealer switched to 5w-30w Chevron. It has now used 6+ qts. in the past 4K miles and no relief from GM or the dealer. Dealer says he has no idea when the new rings will be here, and thus far he has not done any work on any Z06 engine..
How many times does it take to invoke the “lemon law” in AZ?

Torch Red/Mod. Torch Red Interior No Mods.

 

MRZ06, was that non-synthetic Chevron oil?

 

That's great to know, Cam. Now why don't you share that info with the folks at GM, since they seem not to be "in the know" nearly as much as yourself. They seem to think that synthetic oil dissipates heat from the cylinders better than mineral oil. In fact, they feel so strongly about it that they warn not to use mineral oil, and will void warranty for it. If I'm going to work through this issue with GM, I prefer NOT to void my warranty, thank you very much.

 

Jay, don't take this personally. I know you are just repeating what you have been told. However, I still believe it is total nonsense.

It is very true that synthetics are more stable at high temps than conventional motor oil. This is why GM swithched to synthetic oil when they dropped the oil cooler provision on the LT-1. This is really important if you race your car and see high oil temps. On the street we normally don't see oil temps over 250 degrees and that is were the biggest benefit of synthetic comes in to play. They maintain viscosity at higher temps. They don't actually lower oil temps much at all. As far as the oil helping to dissipate heat from the cylinder walls, I really don't buy it as that is the job of the water cooling jackets. The really high temps are in the heads not the cylinders. Any effect of syn. oil on the cylinder wall temps will be very minimal. The cylinder walls require very little lubrication actually. 12,000rpm 2-stroke engines run with oil mixed in the gas at ratios as high as 100:1. That is very little lubricant. Their piston and rings use the same coatings as our late model Vettes. They hold up extremely well while making much more power than any 4 stroke engine, based on displacement.

I am just disputing your claim that conventional oil can or will harm the cylinder walls. This is just not true no matter what engineer you spoke with. There is no basis for this claim what so ever. Just opinion.

As far as your warranty is concerned it does not appear to be very useful. Who would know if you switched back and forth anyway? The only oil they could anaylze is whatever is in engine when a sample is taken. That's as easy as an oil change to handle.

BTW, I have Mobil 1 in all my cars currently. I just break in new engines with dino oil and I have never had any cylinder wall damage ever. In fact I have never had any oil related engine failures of any kind. The engineers that you spoke with are spouting company line and are full of BS.


[Modified by Cam Potter, 1:35 PM 8/29/2001]

 

Cam -- Your info is well-taken and seems well supported. Thanks for the post. I'm in process of trying to decide how to approach this. All I want is a Z06 that doesn't pass a quart every few hundred miles and I'll be the happiest guy around!