Reading Oil Stick...??
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,218
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From: MD
Reading Oil Stick...??
Ok, I messed up and overfilled when changing the oil
What is the highest the level the oil can be on the stick.
I see the add line, then another section then a line with the arrow pointing to it which appears to be the high level. My oil level is about another section above that.
I thought the container was 4 Qts, but no it is 5, so I think I have 7.5 qts in instead of 6.5
What is the highest the level the oil can be on the stick.
I see the add line, then another section then a line with the arrow pointing to it which appears to be the high level. My oil level is about another section above that.
I thought the container was 4 Qts, but no it is 5, so I think I have 7.5 qts in instead of 6.5
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 836
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From: Lake Norman NC
I consistently add 7 qts to fill mine up... 6.5 never seems to get it to the line??? People overfill their C5's by a half a qt to 1 qt before a track day to reduce the chance of oil starvation all the time. I wouldn't worry about it because it will burn off. You can always loosen the bolt and let a little out. IMHO 
Pro
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 531
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From: Northford CT
It will vary, depending on the year. I have an 01 M6 and it takes 7 to fill 2/3 of the way up the cross hatch. I think 7.5 is too much, but I'm no mechanic. I'd remove a half quart to be safe. I'm told by people who service c5s that they take any where from 6.5 to 7.25 quarts to fill. I'm also told that half way up is "full" since the oil expands when hot. Not sure how valid that is either.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Canonsburg home of Yenko Chevy (gone but not forgotten) Western PA
don't do it
Do not over fill oil more than 1/2 qt.
High pressure can bild up and cause blow by (rings) I would drain a 1/2 qt at least if you go over 6 qts....
High pressure can bild up and cause blow by (rings) I would drain a 1/2 qt at least if you go over 6 qts....
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: TN
Cruise-In VII Veteran
overfilling oil can lead to contamination of the intake. Excessive oil will be diverted back into the intake manifold and burnt through the engine, causing sludge and carbon build up throughout the upper half of the motor. That's one reason why most manufacturers put on their dipsticks or in the manuals to "DO NO OVERFILL". Too much oil in the oil pan also means that the crankshaft will have to spin through the pool, robbing horsepower(although it may not be enough to feel).Get messy and dump some of it out, your engine will appreciate it. BTW, I AM a mechanic! 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,137
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From: Oklahoma City OK
Cruise-In III Veteran
An extra 1/2-quart in a LS6 engine will not hurt a thing. The crank will not "spin thru the pool", nor will 1/2-quart cause "High pressure build up and blow-by".
The pan on a LS6 is very wide and was designed with "wings" specifically to keep the oil from doing any of those things.
I run between 6-1/2 and 7-1/2 quarts all the time.
The pan on a LS6 is very wide and was designed with "wings" specifically to keep the oil from doing any of those things.
I run between 6-1/2 and 7-1/2 quarts all the time.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 24,652
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From: NJ
St. Jude Donor '05-'08
Reading is fundalmental 
At the track I put in an additional 1/2 quart before racing, but I usually burn it during a full day of laps.
regular driving I never go above the fill line (which is close to 7 quarts with the filter change). Not sure if it will do damage or not, but if you have the ability to drain some off why not do that?
I also heard that 1/2 way between the lines is full. Not sure if that is right or not.
why can't they make it easy. Bottom line add 1 quart - top line full.
At the track I put in an additional 1/2 quart before racing, but I usually burn it during a full day of laps.
regular driving I never go above the fill line (which is close to 7 quarts with the filter change). Not sure if it will do damage or not, but if you have the ability to drain some off why not do that?
I also heard that 1/2 way between the lines is full. Not sure if that is right or not.
why can't they make it easy. Bottom line add 1 quart - top line full.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 1,896
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From: New Bern NC
The C5 has the most difficult to read stick on any vehicle I ever had. Also, there seems to be a lot of different opinions about what is full. If I go by the stick, it takes right at 7 qts to reach what I consider to be the full line, so 7 qts is what I use. ( That's with the rear elevated for a full drain).
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Team Owner
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From: salem OR
Originally Posted by Beezvette
It will vary, depending on the year. I have an 01 M6 and it takes 7 to fill 2/3 of the way up the cross hatch. I think 7.5 is too much, but I'm no mechanic. I'd remove a half quart to be safe. I'm told by people who service c5s that they take any where from 6.5 to 7.25 quarts to fill. I'm also told that half way up is "full" since the oil expands when hot. Not sure how valid that is either.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: washington d.c. DC
Originally Posted by MHVette
I consistently add 7 qts to fill mine up... 6.5 never seems to get it to the line??? People overfill their C5's by a half a qt to 1 qt before a track day to reduce the chance of oil starvation all the time. I wouldn't worry about it because it will burn off. You can always loosen the bolt and let a little out. IMHO
Last edited by itsmeek; Sep 30, 2005 at 01:54 PM.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 666
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From: Mt. Pleasant SC
There are some good replies here advising not to overfill your crank case. The only reason to ever have more then 6.5 qts in your vette is if you are racing. Trust your Owner's Manual. Drain that extra quart you put in.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: merritt island fl
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Reading oil stick
Originally Posted by itsmeek
no offense but this doesn't seem to be the best of advise. he'll damage his rings if he has that much more oil then he should in there.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Mt. Pleasant SC
Originally Posted by dave pawlowski
Please explain how this happens.
Melting Slicks
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From: merritt island fl
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Reading Oil Stick
Originally Posted by c3andc5
Adding too much oil can overfill the crankcase. As the crankshaft spins around, it can whip the oil into foam if the level is too high. This, in turn, can cause a drop in oil pressure and loss of lubrication to critical engine parts. Also, too much oil may cause leaks as the extra oil is forced past seals and gaskets, sometimes referred to as "blow by".
But my question was about the "damage the rings" part.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 360
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From: Sarasota, Fl.
I think you might infer that
was the answer to your
, as well as other equally critical parts............... 
can cause a drop in oil pressure and loss of lubrication to critical engine parts
question was about the "damage the rings" part
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 908
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From: Ponchatoula la.
Originally Posted by 6 speed Sid
The C5 has the most difficult to read stick on any vehicle I ever had. Also, there seems to be a lot of different opinions about what is full. If I go by the stick, it takes right at 7 qts to reach what I consider to be the full line, so 7 qts is what I use. ( That's with the rear elevated for a full drain).
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 908
Likes: 0
From: Ponchatoula la.
Originally Posted by 6 speed Sid
The C5 has the most difficult to read stick on any vehicle I ever had. Also, there seems to be a lot of different opinions about what is full. If I go by the stick, it takes right at 7 qts to reach what I consider to be the full line, so 7 qts is what I use. ( That's with the rear elevated for a full drain).
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 275
Likes: 21
From: North Carolina
The manual says 6.5 qts. I drained my vette at a downward angle to make sure to get all the oil out. I even let it drain for about an hour. When I put the new filter and filled it with 6.5 qts. the stick did not come up to full. I called every Chevy service dept. around and none said they had this problem. Thing of it is though is that when the dealership drains oil it does not get the rear end high so as to drain all the oil, so I assume if you dont raise the rear end higher then 6.5 would fill it too the fill line. If you do raise the rear to get all the oil out it will take 7 qts to fill it to the fill mark on the stick. At least that is what mine takes...