I am getting an Oil Consumption test done on my car now. Oil was just checked at 1000 miles. The Oil level was at the bottom of the "ADD" area, about 5mm from the bottom of the "Hash" marks on the dipstick.

The dealer is saying it is only 1/2 quart low, I am thinking closer to one quart.

This is not my dipstick but I posted it to show the hash marks. My level was about 5mm to the right of the far left hole.

I cant pull out my dipstick at the moment because it is sealed till the next 1000 miles.

 

Just my opinion, but even a 1/2 qt in 1000 miles is too much. I would want to know where the oil is going. Leak, valve stem seals, piston rings, or PCV. A differential compression test would help to tell the story. What year is your vette and how many miles are on it?

 

It is a 2001 and falls in the TSB about Oil Consumption. Only 21,000 miles on it.

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/...il+Consumption

 

I really have a hard time determining where the oil is on my dipstick. I've even lightly scuffed it up as suggested on this forum and I still have trouble.
I'll bet that GM will state that even a quart of oil per 1,000 miles is within a acceptable tolerance limit so don't be surprised when they tell you "all is well".!

 

from what you dscribe it is 1 Qt low

 

The dealer says 1/2 quart per 1000 is OK by GM.

All of my cars use maybe 1/2 quart in 3000 miles but they all have well over 100k on them.

My 2001 Corvette was eating oil when I bought it with 14k on it, been through almost 5 quarts in 6000 miles. At that rate there is no need for an oil change, just a filter change!

 

if it is a quart low, you need to pull that dipstick to check and add 1 1/2 qts ASAP

Better to run 1/2 to 1 qt more then under.

 

The stated refill capacity of 6.5 quarts, will put my oil level exactly midway between "add" and "full" on the dipstick.

I've found that it takes 7 quarts to bring my 2001 right up to the full mark.

Your dealer probably put in only 6.5 quarts, before starting the oil consumption test.

 

same with my 2000

 

My 1998 shows full, 6.5 quarts, at the TOP of the hash marks.

BUT, I know some later years (not sure on the transition year) show full at the half-way mark of the hash marks, this is why some people use 7 quarts of oil to fill it up.

 

When I started the test it was full to the top of the hash marks, all the way to the top cause I was shown it before I left the dealer. Now it is at the bottom of the hash marks so it was full and this was the reading after 1000 miles.

 

It is my understanding that the oil usage in the pre-2002 engines depends heavily on how the car is driven. This is of course assuming that the oil is getting past the rings and the PCV valve, and not somewhere else.
Per the factory engineeers, as reported in Hib Halverson's article "The Relentless Pursuit of Power, Part 2" when the car is driven at high RPM (above 3200 RPM) at low loads, the high vacuum tends to suck oil past the rings. Conditions such as running around town in 2nd gear to listen to the pipes and stay on the torque band are the suspects. A lot of the Z06 guys like to drive this way (me too occasionally).
This driving habit also can pull more oil thru the PCV system.

You would probably see increased oil consumption during your test if you drove in this manner (just an observation, certainly not a suggestion!!!!!).

You can Google the article above, or check the Idaho Corvette Club website to read the article, very informative.

DG

 

If I drive my car like a Grandpa it barely burns oil but I do not own a Grandpa car that never get revved up past 1500RPM.

Fact is GM made a mistake and is proven by their TSB. No car sold at this price should burn oil like this.

 

1200 miles later and I am down 1 1/2 quarts.

My dipstick was almost 1/2 inch below the add oil mark on the dipstick. Imagine where it would have been if I waited till 2000 miles to get it looked at!

 

So, is the dealer going to do anything for you?

 

I am in the middle of an oil consumption test. If it fails it will cost me $100 to have the TSB done to my car.

Bought the car with 14k on it, it now has 22k.
Things replaced since I bought it in 2008.

Drivers seat track
EGR system part
TSB to be done next week on the Brake Pressure Booster
Oil Consumption test going on now
Brand new 6 speed Transmission
rear axle seal

I still have the intermittent fuel gauge issue, it never acts up when in for service. Chevron does nothing for this issue.

You just gotta love GM.

So far this is the WORST car I have ever owned for the little amount of miles put on it (8000) that needed major repairs. Heck I put 80,000 hard Supercharged heavily beat on miles on my 1992 Mustang GT and all it needed was a few clutches and a starter.

This probably will be my last GM, thank God for extended warranty's cause I would be broke fixing this car but with the warranty I am out only $100 so far!

 

First let me congratulate you on finding a GM dealer that would , after nine (9) plus years even consider testing oil consumption. Fact is I don't believe that the dealer will warrantee this issue particulary for a second (2nd) owner C5. GM Corp passed the reponcibility judge and descide if the warrantee will be honored in regards to "excessive oil consumption".

The dealer was to take this oil consumption issue on a "case by case " basis on vehicles purported to consume one (1) quart of oil within 2000 miles or more. There is no offical minimum mileage per one (1) quart oil that defines an automatic warranty coverage. This is the option of the dealer. Most dealers do not want warranty work as the dealer receives only a set payment from GM Corp. Most dealer have more than enough work from paying customers and can bilk customers for much more profits. ( Know that service writters get a % of the total customer bill from most all car dealerships and auto repair shops).

John Juriga , Assistant Chief Engineer for the GEN 3 Passenger Cars ( along with Dave Hill , Chief Engineer for C5 development,) stated that owners driving style was the major factor in the vast majority of customer complaints. That simply modifying this aggressive habits ( particularly on manual transmission cars) that the problem went away. John notes that engines tested that used one quart between 500-800 miles would be candidates for the revised (more aggressive Napier scraper faced rings w/ higher ring tension) Note that your owners manual gives only a suggestion as to mileage between oil changes at 3000, BUT that is depended on owners driving style. No where will a customer find a definitive mileage number.( Also note that neither of my C5es have oil consumption issues at < 25,000 miles. But that the LS1 has the LS6 valley pan and LS2 PCV oil seperator baffle and the LS6 also has the improved LS2 oil baffle)

Also note that EVERY oil dipstick has to be CALIBRATED. Note too that in 2001 both LS1 and LS6 have a 6.5 quart oil capacity w/filter (2000 LS1 has 6.0 quart cap) and that capacity idealy will bring the oil level to the top of the "hash" marks or operating range. (see owner manual) .Note that My two C5s (2000 FRC and 2001 Z06 late production 6/18/2001)) have full capacity in the middle of the "hash" marks. Any additional oil added to these two engines ( both with oil catch cans installed ) will 'throw out ' the excessive oil in short order and capture it in the catch cans.





An interesting comment by John Juriga was that even after the band-aid ring fix , if the owner continued an aggressive driving habits that the possiblity was that oil consumption may not decrease.


As I stated at the onset of this post , this is an old issue but one that was technically misunderstood for years. Yes the 2001 LS6 gets blame and is the oil burner's scapegoat but only because the GMPT took the LS1 (with its original flaws ) and enhanced the performance even more. The problems start at the 5300 utility block, to the loose cylinder bore machining tolerance for both taper and bore, to the poorly designed PCV system. Read my #18 post on this recent CF thread ( mostly about the LS6 but applies to the LS1 as well) http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-z...-question.html Documentation from GMPT engineers support the information posted.

 

I have an extended Warranty. The warranty company will fix the issue per TSB if my GM dealer says it has the Oil consumption Issue.

So far my extended warranty company honored the TSB for the seat track and replaced it. They also are doing the TSB on my power brake booster.

My extended warranty company said they will perform the TSB for oil consumption if it is proven to have high oil consumption.

My last post I even thanked God for extended warranty companies!

I never mentioned the dealer or GM would honor the TSB.

 

nextime ; the whole point of the oil consumption issue from day one has been that neither GM or your warranty company has a definitive mileage per quart of oil. Has anyone told you or do you have a document that says what the minimum miles per quart is to qualify as a oil burner? I'll put money on that the answer is no to both questions. That has been the issue from day one to today ( today being those that have just purchased a pre owned GM product an now realize that the engine uses oil between changes.)

History supports the point that it was up to the dealer's dedication to customer service for the vast majority of engines warrantied and how noisey ( "squeeky wheel") the customer protested. With oil consumption ranging from 400 to 3000 miles per quart the dealer 'test' never had a definite number that was offered to the customer before the 'test'.

(Documented) GMPT and GM Customer Service took the purported worst offending owners cars and drove the cars themselves. Cars with complaints of 600-800 miles per quart were tested and reported 5000 mile per quart results just because of the driving style.

I totally support your indignation towards a GM product that doesn't reach a standard of quality , particulary with their 'flagship'. Hope that you get a satisfactory result from your warranty. I also hope that you will continue to post on this story.

Good luck , DD

 

Dealer said the warranty company said 1/2 quart per 1000 miles was acceptable anything over was not acceptable, this is the guidelines the dealer is going by for the TSB. I am at 1200 miles 1 1/2 quarts, well over the guidelines.

Yes I will keep posting my results.