I added 6.5 quarts of Mobile 1 this weekend and checked my dipstick shortly after several times but could never see oil on it. Knowing that I added the oil myself, i know it's in there, so I just disregarded it. Now I'm having second thoughts and would prefer that my dipstick read properly. Am I doing something wrong or does my 2000 FRC have a faulty dipstick?

 

I don't have the part # in front of me but I'm pretty sure it's completely stock (except Indy Cat Back exhaust).

 

Any chance the dipstick tube is pulled out from it's seat a bit? 6.5 quarts is +/- a bit, but you should definitely show on the dipstick.
I'd get to the bottom of this (pun intended).

 

EDIT: I'm just going to let 8VETTE7 handle it :-)

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The part number is towards the hash readings on the stick; an eight digit number.

1997-2000 cars have the early type while 2001-2004 cars have the later type. The reason the question was brought up about headers is because many header installations require updating to the later style if you have a pre-2001 car. A check of the part number will tell you what style you have.

The tube itself is bolted to the engine about mid-ways up. It seats itself into the engine with an o-ring. I would imagine that if you have an improperly seated tube you would be seeing an oil leak of some sort but it's no fault in checking.

It can be very difficult to read the dip stick, especially if you have just put oil into the car. You should also check it after you have ran the car and allowed it to cycle through the filter element and such, and then settled back into the pan. Don't check it immediately after changing the oil. My vision isn't the best so I have to lay my stick at an angle to a piece of paper towel and press so I can clearly see the oil. Another trick some people have done is drill additional holes in the hash area that will allow it to be read a bit easier (oil will fill the holes at whatever level the oil is at).

If you changed your oil at home by lifting only the front of the car you'll want to confirm for sure at what fill level you are at. Since the drain pan bolt on C5s is on the front of the pan, just raising the front often does not drain all the old oil. It's usually recommended on an oil change that the car be near level or even jack up the rear a little so the oil pours more completely out of the drain hole. It won't be a lot that was residual but it could be in the neighborhood of .2 - .3 quarts.

 

If there were residual he'd be reading high, not low...

 

WELL,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,, If I added 6.5 qts and didn't see any on the dip stick,,,,,,,,,, The engine WOULD NOT crank till I figured out WHAT THE HELL WAS GOING ON!

YEP,,, You CAN NOT mix sticks and tubes. You have to use an EARLY Stick and tube or a LATE stick and tube.

The way the tube is bent to go from the hole in the block to the head (or header/exhaust manifold) mounting location is different on the two assemblies. The LATE Model stick/tube is LONGER than the early stick and tube assy.

 

I used to mix my stick in all kinds of tubes back in the day.


The oil dipstick on these cars is really crappy. There have been times where I stopped and parked for a few minutes (getting gas, rest stop, etc) and checked my oil to see absolutely nothing on the stick!

2 minutes later I check and it's perfectly full! I'm super **** about my oil level, but it's near impossible to get a clean reading on this dipstick. At least it's better than the vq35 dipstick though.

 

Thanks. Yeah I made sure the car was level and I put it on 4 jackstands. I knew how much I drained & added and since there was no leak, I knew it had to be something else (vision or dipstick or tube).

 

I also have found that sometimes it helps to get a clear line when you insert your dipstick, turn it 45 degrees, and then pull out. Sounds weird but I get the best results that way

 

I just changed the oil in my C-5 yesterday. I put 6 qts. of fresh oil in it, and because as we all know, sometimes all of the old oil doesn't drain out, the engine might take another .5-1.0 qts of oil. So we check it on the dipstick.

HOWEVER....... fresh motor oil, on a slightly heat discolored dipstick, is sometimes hard to see. I had to look REALLY carefully at the dipstick, to see where the oil level was. After stepping out of the garage, and into the sun, then twisting the stick at several angles, I was able to see the oil level. I then added another .5 quart...........


My point is this....the OP's dipstick and tube might be just fine, and all he needs to do is look at the stick more closely.

 

I own a 2000 FRC. I checked out parts numbers for dipsticks after seeing this post and was told by the local Chevrolet parts sales man that he found three parts numbers for C5 oil dipsticks. He ran my VIN and told me the 2000 Corvette oil dip stick has a different part number from the years before and after and is discontinued.

 

Ok sold the car (to another WTC survivor) but always had a question about the dipstick, my car (a 2001 base C5 A4 coupe) had a stick that was twisted......the stick was helical, like the DNA molecule.....a uniform twist.....all the way down....not tight....like one revolution in three inches. I just thought it was odd, didnt know if that was a result of previous owner or a stock thing. As I recall, it read full with 6 qts of oil.....was just wondering . . .
Was the stick supposed to be twisted like that?

 

The stick is supposed to be twisted. It prevents it from "clinging" to the side of the tube, which would cause an abnormal reading (most likely high). It also prevents the stick from kinking or bending.

 

Good information - .

 

I am having the same hard to read issue also.

I was thinking that I might spray paint the end of the dipstick with heat resistant flat black paint to get a better visual.

Would this work without any side effects?

 

It "shouldn't" have an effect, but you do run the risk of flaking off paint and having it rolling around in your oiling system. Not ideal.

Some folks in the past have drilled very small incremental holes between the high and low marks in order to get an easier reading.

 

Really ??????????????????

 

Bad idea. The paint will not hold up to being submersed in oil. The paint will just come right off.

 

ah yes, that's the thread I was thinking of

 

That"s not what I meant,I just NEVER had a problem reading the oil level in any car I have ever owned ????????????????? and most of them the oil was clean after whatever miles were on !!!!!!!!!