Oil Consumption
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Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Park Ridge NJ
Oil Consumption
I recently purchased an 01 Vert A4 with 38K miles from a dealer. It's a GM certified car with a 3 year 36K mile bumper to bumper warrenty. My question is what is considered "normal" oil consumption? After about 1,500 miles it looks like I burned about 1/2 quart of oil. I've read that the 01 have ring tension issues. Is this considered excessive oil consumption and is it worth pursuing this with GM and or the dealer.
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GM was re-ringing 2001s if the owners complained. There is a TSB out on that issue. I should think they would still re-ring your car if its GM certified. It was said that the "ring flutter" was caused by using to thin of a ring and would not really cause any damage to the engine. The problem is more evident with "lead footed" driving then with normal driving. I would indeed look into having the "fix" kit installed under your warranty.
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From: Oklahoma City OK
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Originally Posted by mdhmi
I wouldn't bother bringing the car in for service if you're only going through a quart every three thousand miles.
Mark
Mark
Safety Car
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From: Hooterville, NJ
I have an 01 coupe and generally the problem is mostly the MN6's cause of high RPM light load causing ring flutter. Anyway, if you are using 1/2 qt in 1500 you're fine I would not worry about that at all. If you start using a qt every 1200 then start the consumption test.
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
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From: Guelph, Ontario
Originally Posted by sxe60
A 1/2 quart in 1500 miles is good. A quart in under a 1000 would be cause for concern. 
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Drifting
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From: Toronto
Originally Posted by Shortimer
Makes sense to me. I would not want a dealer tearing the engine apart to replace rings because it used a quart of oil in 3K.
I would not want a dealer tearing the engine apart to replace rings because it used a quart of oil in 3K.I have the same car and I would not be concerned,
Safety Car
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From: Hooterville, NJ
Just little more info.....I had the re-ring done when I had my Head /Cam swap back in June. Not by the dealer either, I had the Tuner do it since the engine was already apart. So with that said, the oil consumption before re-ring was about 1qt in 1200 to 1500 as low as 900 once with black soot around tailpipes. Since re-ring no real consumption. According to the dealer whom I took the car to...the LS1 engine will settle down on consumption after about 18k miles. I bought the car with 7043 miles as time was progresssing it "seemed" like it was getting a little better at 12755 miles. However, before the H/C install the tuner did a leak down found most of the cylinders within spec...except number 7. So I told him just do the re-ring. Anyway, Bottom line if you're using a 1/2 qt every 1500 you are most likely ok. If it was me and my engine was using the same level I would leave it alone. LS1's do use a little oil. 
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When I had my rings replaced due to oil consumption, I was using a quart every 1200 miles. The standard at that time was anything in excess of a quart every 2000 miles was excessive. Check with your dealer and see if the policy has changed. 1/2 quart every 1500 miles may not meet the standard per GM.
NCM, WSCC &amp;amp; SCC Member
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1/2 Quart is normal for casual driving. Hard stop & go driving, up to 5,000-6,000 r.p.m., About one every 500-750. Racing, one burnt for 1.5-2 hours. A little oil burnt and very mild blowby is good to cool the rings on a high performance motor when you are putting your foot in it. Others, may beg to differ.
NCM, WSCC &amp;amp; SCC Member
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Oil comsumption affected all Z06's, ans LS1's(Corvette, Camaro and Malibu).
The 02-04 Z06, had 13 lb. tension Napier ring vs. a 7 lb. in 01 Z and the other LS1 motors. The oil issue in the 01 Z's was a little bit more pronounced, be driven harder than the lS1's, more compression, a year older(more miles than later models), etc.
Franky, I think(I KNOW) the stock rings, pistions and tolerances in all the late model GM cars suck. GM, could have made a warranty recall, but it would have cost them hundreds of millions. Instead they have attempted to hide the problem and fix this on a case by case basis, after you go through an inorbinate amout of work and finally complain that you are going to sue them. There are number sites on the internet that talk about this. This my opinion, but is supported by a lot of fact and actual experience.
Also, I mentioned tolerances. I have seen two of these blown factory motors stripped, the tolerances and bores checked and parts weighed. The Japanese or Germans would throw of these new motors on the junk heap if was their work, not even looking back.
The 02-04 Z06, had 13 lb. tension Napier ring vs. a 7 lb. in 01 Z and the other LS1 motors. The oil issue in the 01 Z's was a little bit more pronounced, be driven harder than the lS1's, more compression, a year older(more miles than later models), etc.
Franky, I think(I KNOW) the stock rings, pistions and tolerances in all the late model GM cars suck. GM, could have made a warranty recall, but it would have cost them hundreds of millions. Instead they have attempted to hide the problem and fix this on a case by case basis, after you go through an inorbinate amout of work and finally complain that you are going to sue them. There are number sites on the internet that talk about this. This my opinion, but is supported by a lot of fact and actual experience.
Also, I mentioned tolerances. I have seen two of these blown factory motors stripped, the tolerances and bores checked and parts weighed. The Japanese or Germans would throw of these new motors on the junk heap if was their work, not even looking back.
