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Old Jan 5, 2012 | 01:10 AM
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Default oil level c5 zo6

I bought a spare quart of oil and want to check it tomorrow morning. Check it cold or let it warm up and.check it.... Can't find a straight answer. Depending on how the temp is, how full on the dipstick should have the oil
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Old Jan 5, 2012 | 01:34 AM
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Mine is always warm when I check it, I do it while I am filling up. Mine is always around the top mark.
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Old Jan 5, 2012 | 03:38 AM
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I was always taught to check it cold with all the oil drained back into the sump. It should read full on the dipstick. The capacity is 6.5 qts including the filter

Last edited by DeeGee; Jan 5, 2012 at 03:41 AM.
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Old Jan 5, 2012 | 04:09 AM
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Originally Posted by DeeGee
I was always taught to check it cold with all the oil drained back into the sump. It should read full on the dipstick. The capacity is 6.5 qts including the filter
I have checked it cold on all of my vehicles for decades...but my Vette reads at the full line with 7 quarts...maybe I have a 1.5 quart filter?
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Old Jan 5, 2012 | 04:12 AM
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Originally Posted by Yello95
I have checked it cold on all of my vehicles for decades...but my Vette reads at the full line with 7 quarts...maybe I have a 1.5 quart filter?
After an oil change I seem to need 7 qts to full 6.5 is the book figure.
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Old Jan 5, 2012 | 04:21 AM
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Originally Posted by DeeGee
After an oil change I seem to need 7 qts to full 6.5 is the book figure.
to my friend across the big Atlantic drink
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Old Jan 5, 2012 | 08:50 AM
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There are 2 different dipstick "systems" on a C5. Early years read full (6.5 quarts) at the normal fill point at the top of the hash marks.

Later year C5's read full (6.5 quarts) at the MIDDLE of the hash marks (normally this is the half a quart low mark). This is why some people put in 7 quarts, (which won't hurt the engine).

After an oil change with 6.5 quarts of oil, note where your level is. Oh, you drain 4 ounces more oil if you raise the rear end higher than the front when draining oil. The shop manual says to drain oil with the car level, so this four ounces of "old oil" won't hurt anything. I still raise the rear and drain it all, and I only put in 6.5 quarts of new oil.

Last edited by Oldvetter; Jan 5, 2012 at 08:53 AM.
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Old Jan 7, 2012 | 10:50 PM
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I normally run my 04 Z06 with the oil a little below the full mark when the engine is cold. I figure that the extra oil that drains down offsets the increase in level when the oil is warm and there is still oil up in the engine, so the level comes out right.
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Old Jan 7, 2012 | 11:06 PM
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I always check mine cold. And keep it just below the full mark
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Old Jan 7, 2012 | 11:22 PM
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I always check mine cold - that way all the oil is back into the oil pan. If I check it warm, I wait a while until the oil can drain back down to the pan.
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Old Jan 7, 2012 | 11:39 PM
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I have always checked it cold.
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Old Jan 7, 2012 | 11:56 PM
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I always run 7qts.

If you ever track your car or maintain high rpms you want a full oil pan.

If you're running a stock oil pump and just driving normal then you guys are splitting hairs over nothing.
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