I had a low oil light and when I completed trip I checked the dipstick and it read add. I found a Mobil station and added 1 Qt 5W30 Mobil One and checked the dipstick, this time it had trace of oil on full mark. Mileage since last oil change is about 4500 miles. I have been changing oil in previous cars every 3000 miles and never closely monitored oil consumption before and with Mobil one I had allowed myself 7500 miles on the first change. With all the post's I've read on a problem with dipstick I was wondering if I should double check something or am I ok? The real question is does being 1 quart low actually trigger low oil light, I have a 2001 Coupe?
:confused:


[Modified by Bullitt, 11:17 PM 8/12/2001]

 

I am not sure when the oil light is activated.

When I picked up my new car, the oil stick was way above full. I beleive GM puts in 7 quarts, I now do this. I change my oil at 5000 mile intervals.

 

Bullitt, I'm coming up on my first oil change (1,386 miles) next month (I normally change the oil every six months). I, too, have noticed that my dipstick now reads about halfway to three quarters between the ADD and MAX holes. When, I first picked her up in late March the oil was also a tad bit above the second (MAX) hole. I agree with walstAl that GM is putting in 7 quarts at the factory (though the manual states 6 and a half). I remember that on my C4, I was told that the proper fill was 4 and half qts by Gordon Killegrew (the master of C4s) and I did that religiously everytime I changed the oil and filter...however when checking my dipstick it was always a little under the MAX line. I believe that GM was putting in 5 quarts on the C4 when they left the factory. Oh, well, I've always been told that the dipstick never lies...but this dipstick is very hard to read. Also, a lot of '01 owners have been posting problems about severe oil consumption (some are using a quart of oil at 400 miles...some of the Z06s at 300 miles!). Sorry for beating around the bush, but if I get low oil level light/message on the DIC I will add one quart (I think the manual may state that). With a flat, baffled oil pan, figuring out exactly how much oil you have is a real problem (unlike any other car). And for us do it yourselfers in changing oil...having a drain plug that faces forward and is just about impossible to get at without lifting the entire vehicle and crawling from under the front...GM really screwed us on this design. No, I take it back, GM wants you to take your car to them for oil changes (just make sure they lift it right...I had mine in for a tailpipe alignment and they didn't lift it properly with the correct pads and now I have a few small cracks under the rocker panel...not visible to anyone looking at the car but I know it's there).

 

Thanks for the feedback, 1 quart seems to have done the trick.