I have a 2001 and aware of some oil consumption issues. I have owned the car for three years. It is a garage queen and change my oil once a year as usually put about 2500 miles on it. Never an issue until now. I got "low oil warning" today. The oil life says 75% remaining. I checked the oil and it is low. Should I be worried or just get the oil changed? What should I be looking for or have the mechanic check? Thanks

 

I'd say just change it and monitor it via the dipstick for the next six months.

A quart is not bad, I consumed a quart on a 2200 mile trip (actually longer because I didn't get the warning until weeks after getting back) and now run about a quart per oil change. Depends on the driving too, lots of over 3200 rpm shifts or running constantly at very high rpms will consume more than usual.

 

I have posted on this issue many times and as you may know due to the style of rings used there could be higher than normal oil use if:

You have 2001 car with a mn6 trans and drive in town in a low gear say 40 mph at 3000 rpm or more likely. You are in a no load condition. The rings can flutter causing oil consumption. The solution is ONE of the following. SHIFT UP to a higher gear, add oil as needed and continue to drive at high RPM in town, or change the rings.

 

Tvette is right, if you don't get the rings changed you must monitor your oil level...Good luck...

 

Is changing rings expensive?

 

I'd top it off and watch it closely!

 

It wont be cheap

GM are aware of the high oil consumption on the 01s. Most members who tried to persuade them to fix it under warranty had a real hard time getting the work done free.

The TSB says 400-600 miles per quart is the likely figure.

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/...il+Consumption

 

My 2001 A4 was an oil burner. I bought it new in June of 2001 (born June 5, 2001). The first time I received the low oil warning, the car was 2 years old with 16,000 miles. It was burning approximately 1 quart every 1500 miles. A year and a half later at the 28,000 mile mark, the dealer replaced the compression & oil expander rings per Bulletin 01-06-01-023A.

 

Do you have a catch can?

I was wondering because you shouldn't be low like that unless you are sucking the oil in the intake!

I wouldn't be worried just change it and if it does not have the LS6 valley cover then I'd get a catch can for the oil and you can put it back in!

Thanks,Matt

 

Get under the car and check around the oil filter area. If you see a fine coating of oil or staining on the oil pan surrounding the filter, then your filter is leaking a little caused by not torqueing, yes I said torqueing, the filter to spec (22 lb ft, it's in the service manual). I used to do the ole 1/2 turn past hand tight, got the "Low Oil" alert after an oil change when the weather started getting hot last spring and thought I had the intake/PCV problem. I had staining around the filter area on the oil pan. Read you should torque these filters down. Next oil change, cleaned the oil pan using a degreaser and torqued the filter to spec using a 3/8" torque wrench and filter cap you can get at any Auto store. Changed oil Wednesday night. 5500 miles later, NO 'Low Oil' alert during that entire time (May - Setember) time, consumed less than 1/2 quart over 5500 miles and the oil pan area was sparkling clean. Not a drop on it. Before it looks like I was misting a very fine spray of oil because the filter wasn't tight enough. I've seen several pictures of owners cars up on lifts where the oil pan/filter area was stained a little with oil. Looked like mine before I started torqueing the filter to spec. I believe that's due to not torqueing the filter and using the old shade tree mechanic rule of so much twisting (1/2 or 3/4 or 1, depends on who gives the advice) turn after hand tight. I take a lot of heat advocating this (torqueing a filter), but it's according to the manual, you should torque the oil filter. It works for me. It may not be the problem, but it's a cheap thing to try vice a ring job or buying a catch can. Eliminate one problem at a time starting with the cheapest. Can't hurt only help!

 

My '01 burnt a quart ever 1200 miles... it got old. I had the valley cover replaced (under the intake manifold) and the re-ring done in January '04. No I have minimal oil consumption between 6000-8000 mile change intervals and I run HPDEs.

Since you barely drive it... just top it off and monitor it every now and then.

 

Is your car a mn6 transmission or auto. We still don't know. If a stick just get out of 2nd gear and shift up.

 

I have a 01 mn6 - burned 1.5 quarts every 800 miles. It was under warranty and GM did their re-ring. Everyday driving now I do not lose that much oil. On the track I lose about 1/2 quart per day which my catch can catches and I pour back into the engine.

 

My car is an auto. I added a quart today. I just was more or less concerned since never noticed low oil before. I will keep an eye on it. Thanks

 

how much are we looking to spend on a valley cover? And also how much (estimate) would it cost for someone to re-ring your pistons if you have the block out of the car?

 

In a word, yes. They have to tear into the engine and strip it down to where they can get the pistons up and out of the cylinder to change the ring. Thankfully, I had mine done under warranty.

 

American quality!

 

There's a good side to everything. If your car burns oil, then it means you have to add oil, right? So, your engine gets more fresh oil between oil changes than a car that doesn't burn oil!