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[Z06] 2001 LS6 Oil issues

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Old Apr 12, 2011 | 12:53 PM
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Default 2001 LS6 Oil issues

Hey guys my car is currently just a regular run of the mill 2002 ls1 car with an auto. I recently got a steal of a deal on a 01 z06 shortblock with 5000 miles on it so I'm completing it as an 02 ls6 spec engine and will be putting it in to replace my higher mileage ls1. I've heard before that 01 specifically wasnt a great year for the ls engines due to ring flutter which causes more than the normal amount of oil consumption. Now is this just an ls6 issue and should I be concerned about it? The motor looks literally brand new inside (the pistons dont even have carbon build up on them yet) so theres no evidence of burning oil on the top of the piston. My friends and I have had several 98-02 ls1 cars with no more than the "normal" amount of oil consumption but then again none of these were ls6's did the ls1/ls6 share the same rings in 02? Has anyone ever experienced these excess oil consumption symptoms.
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Old Apr 12, 2011 | 07:48 PM
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Originally Posted by redbird555
Hey guys my car is currently just a regular run of the mill 2002 ls1 car with an auto. I recently got a steal of a deal on a 01 z06 shortblock with 5000 miles on it so I'm completing it as an 02 ls6 spec engine and will be putting it in to replace my higher mileage ls1. I've heard before that 01 specifically wasnt a great year for the ls engines due to ring flutter which causes more than the normal amount of oil consumption. Now is this just an ls6 issue and should I be concerned about it? The motor looks literally brand new inside (the pistons dont even have carbon build up on them yet) so theres no evidence of burning oil on the top of the piston. My friends and I have had several 98-02 ls1 cars with no more than the "normal" amount of oil consumption but then again none of these were ls6's did the ls1/ls6 share the same rings in 02? Has anyone ever experienced these excess oil consumption symptoms.
I have a 2001 Z and fortunately I've never experienced the oil issue. The issue from what I understand usually occurs with the 02 and later cars. But that's not to say it didn't occur on some 2001s. Congrats on the purchase.
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Old Apr 12, 2011 | 08:05 PM
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Actually the oil burning issue was on early build Z06's. Mine was built in the last month of production, and I have had no problems. 115,000 miles now.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-z...-question.html
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Old Apr 12, 2011 | 08:11 PM
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I have noticed some oil usage after about a 1000 miles.I was told the issue was fixed when I bought the car from a dealer.I can live with it!I have an 01 Z.
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Old Apr 12, 2011 | 08:15 PM
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Originally Posted by stevedun
Actually the oil burning issue was on early build Z06's. Mine was built in the last month of production, and I have had no problems. 115,000 miles now.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-z...-question.html
My mistake.

Last edited by DARRYLZO6; Apr 12, 2011 at 08:37 PM.
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Old Apr 12, 2011 | 09:39 PM
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Some 2001 models had an oil issue and it was corrected by 2002.. Seems like this issue was blown out of porportion just like the 2002 valve spring problem
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Old Apr 12, 2011 | 10:11 PM
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Originally Posted by David426
Some 2001 models had an oil issue and it was corrected by 2002.. Seems like this issue was blown out of porportion just like the 2002 valve spring problem
Tell that to all the folks that have had the issues.
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Old Apr 13, 2011 | 01:07 AM
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Mine burns half quart 1500 miles.
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Old Apr 13, 2011 | 01:36 AM
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I have an 01Z and liked mentioned, it was blown outta proportion. I just did a cam install less than a week ago but ive had my car 3 1/2 years now with 91K on the clock and i can tell you in 3k it may use a quart. I cant speak on tracking it days in and out, but with that quart in 3k i CAN say thats with a fairly decent amount of "spirited" driving.
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Old Apr 13, 2011 | 10:40 AM
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Thanks guys so u think it would be fine? Like I said the tops of the pistons and cylinders were spotless so I dot think it was burning oil that fast haha but you all think it will be ok to put it together and run it?
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Old Apr 13, 2011 | 12:17 PM
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I wouldn't worry about it at all.
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Old Apr 13, 2011 | 09:22 PM
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Go for it!
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Old Apr 14, 2011 | 01:32 AM
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I have an 2001 Z06 and it will burn some oil, but nothing major. When it was still under warranty I went through the GM program where they were doing re-rings for engines that failed consumption tests. My engine just barely failed the test and I was eligible for a re-ring, I decided against it. I figured that my options were adding a couple bucks of oil occasionally versus having the dealer pulling my otherwise perfectly functioning engine in a grimy shop and changing the rings.

During daily driving, I might need to top off occasionally, but I'm getting 1000+ miles before I need to check. On the track I'll go through about a 1/2 quart of oil a session, but that is not nearly as bad as the amount of gasoline I consume, so I just make sure I check the level between track sessions.

Fear not. FWIW, my oil consumption has not changed a whit in the nine years since I was offered a re-ring.

My new S4 burns more oil than my 80k mile z06.
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Old Apr 14, 2011 | 01:39 AM
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Originally Posted by Quickshift_C5
Tell that to all the folks that have had the issues.
They brought it on themselves with driving like no engineer ever thought they might.

Drive like an idiot=use oil

Last edited by ztheusa; Apr 14, 2011 at 11:38 AM.
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Old Apr 14, 2011 | 08:03 PM
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MY March built '01 uses none street driving and abtc a pt. in 400 miles of HPDE track.
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Old Apr 14, 2011 | 09:16 PM
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my brothers 2002 z28 wih 30,000 miles will burn some oil between oil changes...and his car looks like it just came off a showroom floor
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Old Apr 15, 2011 | 02:02 AM
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Originally Posted by ztheusa
They brought it on themselves with driving like no engineer ever thought they might.

Drive like an idiot=use oil
Regardless of the opinion of the above post, normal driving around town with an ocassional on-ramp or canyon pass equal a solid quart loss in 1,000 miles.... unless of cours I'm just an idiot....
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To 2001 LS6 Oil issues

Old Apr 15, 2011 | 06:39 AM
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Originally Posted by ztheusa
They brought it on themselves with driving like no engineer ever thought they might.

Drive like an idiot=use oil
Think like fool, post like a fool = must be a fool.

The oil issue is specific to the 01 models as mentioned above and is attributed to the ring flutter occuring at higher RPM's. The oil use becomes most noticable during track like driving. Corvette z06's weren't designed specifically for that kind of thing though so only idots burn oil.
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Old Apr 16, 2011 | 03:20 PM
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Originally Posted by ztheusa
They brought it on themselves with driving like no engineer ever thought they might.

Drive like an idiot=use oil
My new '01 Z06 (June '01 build) used a quart of oil every 1500 miles of the 9000 miles I owned it. Oh, BTW, I averaged 19 mpg in mostly city driving, so I don't think that comes under your specifications of driving like an idiot.
My new '03 Z06 has never used any oil between oil changes of 6000 miles during the 46,000 miles I have driven it. Same driver, same driving.
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Old Apr 19, 2011 | 01:32 AM
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It looks like it's unanimous, ZTHEUSA, we're all not idiots.
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