I have a 2003 coupe with 9,000 miles. It goes through a quart of oil approximately every 3,000 miles. This seems excessive to me but having never owned a C5 before I am not really sure and was wondering what others have experienced. I am using the Mobile 1 5W 30.

 

My 97 did the same thing. The Vette shop that worked on it said it was pretty normal, just kept an eye on the oil level and got 85k worry free miles out of it before I sold it.

 

My 01 does about the same thing. I know it's not leaking oil, so it must burn it. You wouldn't think a car with under 20k miles on it would burn oil. Anyone know why this is a common thing with C5's?

 

I hope it's not a common thing with C5's - I've never experienced this problem on any Vette I've owned, so I hope this one follows suit!

 

I use absolutely NO oil in my '04......or in any of my other GM vehicles, either.

So I have to ask this burning question (sorry about that......): how was this thing broken in?

 

My '02 burns about an 1/8 of a quart between oil changes - and I change the oil when the DIC reads "20% oil life left". However, I have heard of other LS1s burning a quart or more every oil change. I've read that oil consumption issues were supposedly fixed after the 2001 model year.

Of course, they said piston slap was fixed too but my '02 exhibits a very faint amount of piston slap when the engine is cold.

IMO, a quart every 3000 miles isn't something to be overly concerned about. I'd just keep my eye on it and drive it like you stole it.

 

I followed the owner's manual to the letter when I broke it in. I varied the speed and rpm etc. for the first 500 miles.

 

If you want to check out how your engine is doing, go to Blackstone Labs on their web site. They'll send you a free sample container. You take an oil sample and mail it in. Very simple. $20.00. They provide an analysis of the oil, and will tell you how your engine is doing/wearing, given the mileage. I just tried it in my '00 that I bought this spring. They are very friendly and provide a good narrative description on what they find. (Note: Make sure your engine is up to normal running temps when you change the oil and take the sample... for a more complete analysis.)

MFH4

 

I just typed a very long explanation to this and when I went to
send it, the forum server could not be found and I lost it.

Here's a briefer explanation.

Model year 2001 had a different ring set and allowed a oil to bypass
and increase consumption. Happened mostly to MN6 owners but
also to many A4 owners. Supposedly fixed in model year 2002.

1 quart per 3k miles is just fine and wouldn't worry.

1 quart in anything less than 2k and I would demand a fix from GM.

I did (got new rings and pistons) and all is fine.

Excessive oil consumption leads to many other issues...Carbon buildup,
piston slap, pinging and a lot of crap on the exhaust tips.

Car eventually will run like crap and lose value if you don't fix it.

...George

 

This is a long-time existing problem on certain C5s. In the old days it was discussed plenty, and ultimately GM issued some type of paper about it, which I think rose to the level of a technical service bulletin.

The problem ultimately was determined to be the top ring on each piston, which under certain conditions permitted oil to slip upward into the combustion chamber, thereby consuming it (ring "float" or "flutter," I think). There was lots of debate as to whether this was caused by driver error or design flaw, but the issue is much more dominant in 6-speed cars, because routinely they see higher rpms even under daily driving. One big debate was at what RPMs the leakage began, and in my car I found above 3k rpms was the killer, even though others here suggested 4k rpm, which also might've been the GM mantra.

Anyhow, GM took the position that 1 quart per I think 1,500 or 2k miles was acceptable, but folks who whined loud enough still got help from the "good" dealers. What they were doing is changing your PCV valve, taking down your mileage and sending you off for a period of time. After that, if your car over-consumed, they would replace the defective rings (yes, requiring at least removal of the heads and oil pan). In my case, my car consumed enough during the test to justify the change -- of course, during that time, I drove it like a sports car, not killing it, but not coasting in 6th gear, either. After all, this is why I bought it.

Since the fix, my car has not consumed oil in any considerable amount, if at all. This is the case even with a later-added supercharger.

Good luck.

 

Its not considered excessive by GM. At the time my rings were replaced, I was using a quart every 1200 miles. GM's standard for excessive was a quart in 2000 miles or less. Just keep an eye on it and if it gets worse, have it repaired.

 

Will GM fix this problem if you meet the criteria with no warranty left?

 

All the posts I've read in this thread that say their Vette uses oil and it is normal are true, for their Vettes. However the 2002 and up LS1 and LS6 should not use any oil. The exception to this is if the vette is run on the track. My 2003 Vert does not use any oil. This summer I was on the road for 4-weeks and put on over 9,000 miles. The oil is down less than 1/8th of a quart.

 

Best write up I've seen on this subject...

http://idavette.net/hib/02ls6/page5.htm

My 2k a4 uses oil if I drive around in 3rd. If I drive around in 4th, not much at all. For me it seems to be the "above average rpms with no load" caused the excessive burn of oil.

 

I don't have that problem!

 

Hi:
My '00 FHC uses a couple of quarts, sometimes three between 5k oil changes. I don't drive around in 2nd and 3rd gear (it's not a 2 liter 911!).

Regards,
Garibaldi

 

The short answer is no...But if you find a sympathetic dealer that
you have a good relationship with and you're not that far out
of warranty, you could make your case to GM. But it is no longer
their responsibility.

...George

 

I have not had to add a drop of oil to my '97 MN6... I drive like an "old man" (or so I am told) most of the time

 

Normal day to day driving I really have no problems. But when I drive from NJ to Florida I do need to take a quart with me. I will get the oil changed before I leave
and check it after about 1000 miles. There have been times I needed to add 1 quart under these hi speed, long distance drives.

 

I noticed in your profile that you're from Pensacola, so I checked around. I found the following at the link below. Check with Consumer Affairs in your state. The implied warranty is where you get your car fixed. Essentially, it boils down to this: Should any car with the mileage you have on yours use a quart of oil in X number of miles? If the answer is "No," then the manufacturer must repair the problem.

Historically, the warranty evolved as a part of the bargaining process between buyer and seller. In recent years the obligations of the seller have been precisely spelled out in the Uniform Commercial Code and through the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. The Uniform Commercial Code recognizes two basic types of warranties -- implied and express. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act spells out conditions involved in the written or express warranty.



The Implied Warranty
Implied warranties are promises that are legally in effect even though they are not in written form. Any ethical and responsible manufacturer or retailer will honor them. Implied warranties include the following provisions:


<<snip>>

Suitability, or fitness for purpose. This implied guarantee assures the buyer that the product will do what it is supposed to do. For example, if you tell the seller you want a machine that will sew fabric, or a pair of scissors that will cut fabric, then you can get your money back if the scissors will only cut paper or the machine will only sew leather.
<<snip>>

Implied warranties are legally valid. If they are not met, the merchant or manufacturer usually will either refund your money or exchange the merchandise. They are most often honored on recently purchased new items. They do not provide much recourse over a longer period of time because it is legally difficult to determine what is a "reasonable expectation" over a "reasonable period of time."

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/BODY_HE672

Regards,
Garibaldi