Hi,

Looking at an 01 Z06, and I have seen some bad things said on here about them. Probably a dumb question but is the build date listed in the door frame, or do you have to decipher it from the VIN number some where?

 

driver door sticker.

 

What bad things?

Its not like the 2001 Z06 is a bucket of **** - its still one of the most competent on the road... especially for the price today.

And the build date is printed on the door sticker.

 

Oh just something about a little oil burning. Doesn't sound like a huge deal, but I'm kind of **** so it would really mess with my head. Thanks for the info. Does this problem apply to all pre-02 Vettes or just the 01 Z06?

 

Read up on the whys of the oil burning issue to fully understand it. I did and bought my 01 anyway. Now has 83k miles on it and never been apart. I love it.

 

You can look up the build date with the last 5 numbers of your VIN.

But concerning the '01 , don't believe the majority of what is placed in print. All LSx engines use oil to some degree thats the natural of "race" engines. The GM engineers had designed 9 pounds of ring tension to the '01 LS6 and the '02-'04 LS6 has a Napier scraper ring design and 13 pounds of ring tension . That is increased friction and friction means loss of HP! Don't mistake oil consumption as a weakness. GM engineers will tell you that drivers style makes the difference in oil consumption for all LS6 engines. http://www.rjsmith.com/gm-894549.html

 

The 01 Zs were shipped from the factory Without oil drain plugs-

 

That's ok, as long as the hole to pour in the top is bigger than the one it comes out of in the bottom.

 

You can find that information here as well:

http://www.c5registry.com/MembersOnl...2001c5prod.htm

just look up the last digits of your VIN on that chart.

I discovered that my '03 was built on June 6th. Pretty neat!

 

If that were true...

1) There wouldn't be a fix and

2) The 02 - 04 would have the same problem.

 

One thing about that Service Bulletin is that on the late build 01s and all 02s the rings have already been updated, so the only statement that really applies to them is:

"On the LS6 engine only, the engine has a unique aluminum valley cover that has composite oil separating baffles and PCV plumbing incorporated. In some cases, the PCV baffles may not be properly sealed to the valley cover, causing oil to enter the PCV system."

 

ZeeOsix , show me when the new napier ring was introducted to the '01 Ls6 production line , please.

http://www.rjsmith.com/gm-894549.html Why is it that the oil consumption service bulletin covers Corvette 1999-2002 ?

See I have a June 18th 2001 build date. I'd love to believe it but only the new pistons were introduced in mid April '01.

I have a an article ' The Ruthless Pursuit of Power, Sequel ". i'm sure you are aware of the article. It is a press conference at Irwindale Speedway in 2002 held by Dave Hill and John Juriga
to explain the '02 LS6 power up.

In the article John reveals ; " We implemented this (the new Napier design ring pack) for the start of (MY02 ) production on LS6 and a couple of weeks afterwards it went into the LS1, so it is across -the - board on both".

Right from the horses mouth. The revised ring pack went into production with the 2002 model year. John also stated that the revised ring pack was validated in-part from use in the field with engines having trouble with hi oil comsumption under hi rpm/low load conditions.

The service bulletin reads : Higher than normal oil consumption ( replace rings and engine valley cover).
Then it lists the vehicles and years that the bulletin covers. Directly under that it states : with 5.7 L engine (VINs G, S,---RPOs LS1 , LS6)

Why did GM include the 2002 Corvettes if the production line for 2002 already had the new ring packs for both LS1 and LS6

The valley cover and PVC system for the LS6 are unique to themselves. That the valley cover baffle may not be sealed and to check this first . As there are two possible causes of oil consumption on the LS6. That is all that is meant , to check item one before going to item two . If they had found the oil in the manifold or throttle body, the dealer would them send you on your way. Or set up another oil consumption monitoring test.

Think it this way, dealerships get a flat rate for warranty work. In essence they can't gouge GM like they do the public. Dealerships do NOT like to do warranty work.

Hey but find me something that differs from what John Juriga said . Later , dave

 

Feel free to email me your VIN# directly for build information.

 

That explains a lot.. hehe my car was built on the Thursday before Labour Day weekend in 2000

Folks just had the weekend on their minds

 

Interesting that I just read the TSB and it mentions Camaros in the same year range; I previously owned a 2000 Z28 for about 2 years. I never noticed that it had a problem. Maybe I just got lucky.

 

If what were true? LSX engines use oil? That ring tension increases friction? That friction is the enemy of HP? Or that GM engineers concluded that drivers style is the variable in oil consumption with regards to ring flutter ( and not the valley pan baffle)?


Why would all 2002-2004 have the same problem ? The revised ring with the napier face and increased tension to 13 pounds was the" fix". According to GM engineers normal oil consumption for LSX is 2000 or more miles per one (1) of oil. This miles per quart number was directed at manual transmission vehciles with LS1 but particulary the LS6 because of its higher rpm range.

 

Did you have an automatic or manual transmission?

That is just the point , your car did not have a problem for you to discover. How could you possibly that there are "good " engines and "bad" engines? The production of engines today is so controled and with closer tolerances than ever before. It's a 1 out of a million that an OT engine would find its way out of the factory. That's my personal opinion from 35 years as a journeyman machinist.

You need to read the service bulletin closer ; Causes:

 

Eh, not sure if you're attacking me here but if you are I'm not sure why. My Camaro was an M6 of course.

Some people seem to have problems with these cars and other don't; maybe it's their driving style but they all claim they are driving the cars normally. Who knows? I don't have one (yet) to compare notes on, but I did have a Camaro that was a manual that fell in the same range of years and all I'm saying is that I didn't have a problem.

Did I drive around at 4500 RPM? No, and I can't imagine why anyone would on the street. Run hard up through the gears occasionally, but most of the time let's face it: you're in 5th or 6th at ~1500 RPM loping along.

 

No, you didn't just "get lucky" ..... very few cars had an "oil" problem .... even among the 2001 Z06. As DieselDave is trying to point out to you the "problem" has been blown way out of proportion.

Not every 2001 Z06 burned oil from the factory. In fact, very few did. But those who had the problem were "vocal" and over time the idea has grown that all or most 2001 were/are oil burners. Based on my discussions with some GM engineers and the Service Manager at my local dealership, less than 10 percent of the 2001 ever exhibited "oil burning".

I was very involved in this issue as I bought my 2001 Z06 (still have it today) in August of 2000 (yeah 2000 ... it was one of the first cars delivered to the West Coast). Without going into all the details, my car was one of several around the US that had the "early" fix applied to validate that the rings would fix the problem. The Service Manager showed me the FedEx package from GM Powertrain that contained the rings (GM Parts didn't stock them .... ) and I had to coordinate the dates they would work on the car because Powertrain was sending an engineer to validate the kit of parts and procedures that Powertrain was assembling so once they rolled out the "fix" it would be relatively easy for any dealer to do the work. My car was re-ringed in November of 2000.

I'm still not totally sold that the ONLY reason the engine burned oil was because of my driving style. I did an HPDE in October of 2000 where the car burned a quart in less than 200 miles ...... and I certainly wasn't driving "high RPM with no load" .... I was driving at high RPM, but always at WOT ..... clearly it was a ring problem (since the re-ring the car has steadily consumed a quart every 2000 miles .... street driving ... highway driving ....track driving) but I suspect there was another element besides driving style that comes into this.

Bottom line, if you're looking at a 2001 Z06, ask the obvious questions .... does the car burn oil ... has it been re-ringed .... ???? Worst case, you buy a car that you have to throw a quart into once in a while .... BFD .... ask any owner of an aluminum engine performance car .... Ferrari, Porsche, Audi .... all have to watch their oil levels and most have to add at least one quart between oil changes ... it is the nature of the beast.

 

That's what I'm saying ... that GM is not clear in that TSB. Since ALL 2002 LSx engines had the updated pistons and rings, then IMO only the valley cover/PCV oil separator is suspect if indeed a 2002+ LS6 engine consumes too much oil.

I highly doubt high oil consumption on a 2002+ would be from a ring issue unless it was some kind of damage done that was not related to the design of the new ring pack.