Check Oil When Engine is Warm??
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Instructor
Joined: Sep 1999
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From: Ridgefield CT
Check Oil When Engine is Warm??
A guy I work with has a 2001 SS Camaro with the LS1 engine. His owners manual says to check the oil after the car has been warmed up since checking it when it's cold will result in a reading that's too high. When he told me this I couldn't believe it so I made him show me the manual and he's right. This is opposite everything I've ever read. Can anyone explain this? :confused:
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From: Nassau NP
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St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'10-'11
Re: Check Oil When Engine is Warm?? (skidmark)
Our C5 manuals say the same thing.
To check the engine when warm, but after the car has sat for approximately 20 minutes on a flat and level surface.
I think that is how it goes.
FWIW
Neill
To check the engine when warm, but after the car has sat for approximately 20 minutes on a flat and level surface.
I think that is how it goes.
FWIW
Neill
Team Owner
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From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
Re: Check Oil When Engine is Warm?? (skidmark)
I must be on another planet.. Oil is always checked when hot.. thin .. even when I was a little kid working in a gas station.. when you got your oil checked and windshield clean.. the oil level was based on hot..oil after the car was shut off.. and stitting for several minutes.. ther are alot of small engine motors.. that say oil level HOT on the dip stick.. same with automatic trans/// everything is in the operating temp..I always check tire pressure hot too.. thats the temperature the tires see when you are actually using them..BUt hey I am old... I have no problems with my car.. no codes.. tires last forever..etc.. car is more fun than anything you can do with your pants on..
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Instructor
Joined: Sep 1999
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From: Ridgefield CT
Re: Check Oil When Engine is Warm?? (Evil-Twin)
Evil Twin, then what makes the dip stick read over full when the engine is cold? I thought all dip sticks went to the lowest point in the pan. Re tire pressure, I thought the recommended pressure was cold pressure and if hot pressure was equal to recommended pressure the tires were 3-5 lbs under inflated. Am I wrong? :confused:
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Joined: Mar 2001
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From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
Re: Check Oil When Engine is Warm?? (skidmark)
this is what Ive always done.. was taught at Keystone automobile club.. drain warm oil from the car.. remove oil filter... fill new oil filter with fresh oil..install filled oil filter..fill craNK CASE WITH THE PRESCRIBED amount of oil.. in my case 6.5 qts.. start engine run motor check for leaks...let run four or five minutes... shut off motor.. allow hot oil to drain back in the pan.. and the initial run wil fill the oil filter... check fill level.. as far as the tires are concerned.. I know what works for me.. Ive put 37000 on my tires and the run temp is 30 psi... if they where underinflated..the outboard tread would wear.. if they where over inflated the center.. lke many ppeopl on tis forum wear out first.. at 37000 miles my outboard tead is 3/32 deep// and the middle is 3/32 deep... Ill get 40.000 miles from these tires..if Im doing something wrong .. you tell me... I see many post here about ppl going through tires in 7 to ten thousand miles... these are front tires too.. to tell me who is right and who is wrong.. all I tried to do is share some input..
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From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
Re: Check Oil When Engine is Warm?? (Evil-Twin)
Correct oil change procedure is to have car level and let the pan drain for 10 minutes before adding the new oil. Correct procedure for checking the LS1/6 oil level after the oil change is to run engine for several minutes and then turn it off and let it sit for 3 minutes. Then check the oil level.
As for cold oil levels all I know is that on my 97 7 quarts of oil will take the level up to the first little crook in the dip stick. This happens to be the way it came from the factory since I checked the oil level several hours after it came off the truck. Thus I have always put 7 quarts back in when changing the oil and haven't worried too much about checking the hot level as long as I haven't mistakenly poured a bunch of oil on the floor instead of in the engine.
Bill
As for cold oil levels all I know is that on my 97 7 quarts of oil will take the level up to the first little crook in the dip stick. This happens to be the way it came from the factory since I checked the oil level several hours after it came off the truck. Thus I have always put 7 quarts back in when changing the oil and haven't worried too much about checking the hot level as long as I haven't mistakenly poured a bunch of oil on the floor instead of in the engine.
Bill
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From: chicago il
Re: Check Oil When Engine is Warm?? (skidmark)
the reason for letting the car sit for two to three minutes is so that the oil from the top of the block reaches the bottom for a accurate reading i think unless your vette leaks oil or burns it there is no other reason to check it unless it is a daily driver so follow the manual or call chevy for any other details
