Low oil level message
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 86
Likes: 7
From: Everett, WA
Low oil level message
So I did some searching through old threads related to the low oil message and couldn't find an answer for my question. I'm curious how much oil is in the motor when The message displays? Thanks.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 193
Likes: 16
From: Vegas NV
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 3,638
Likes: 245
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 86
Likes: 7
From: Everett, WA
I check my oil and all other fluids every other time I fill up on gas.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 874
Likes: 107
From: Detroit MI
I put 5.5 quarts in it instead of 6.5 quarts at my last oil change because of a brain fart. As soon as I fired it up, oil pressure built fine but the low oil level warning came on. Checked the manual, felt like an idiot, added the extra quart and the warning went away.
Probably shouldn't have admitted that, but I learned what triggers the low oil level warning in my car!
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 3,638
Likes: 245
I daily my C5 by choice and I guess you can consider it on double duty for those back road top speed runs. That's good it show's low just with 1qt, mine still will not show until I'm 4qts low. Could it possibly be a bad sensor somewhere? Sure, but for 1qt low I would take that any day rather than 4qts.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,206
Likes: 21
From: Roswell GA
First time in 18 years
For the first time in the 18 years I have had the car, the low oil level message appeared. I added one quart and it was back fine on the dip stick. Like the others, I came on here to see if it could be that sensitive, and I guess it can.
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Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,707
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From: Douglas County WI
One quart low when mine came on. Scared the hell out of me until I checked the dipstick and saw it was only one quart down. Ordered a new sender just in case but didn't have to install it. Only cost about $20.
Last edited by glbeauchamp; Aug 13, 2019 at 10:03 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 12,861
Likes: 4,664
Low oil......
I found out the following info by accident years ago. Had my 2000 C5 at the dragstrip on a day when, unbeknownst to me, the low oil level warning in the DIC was ready to come on. I made several runs, and noticed the mph was higher than normal, by approx 2mph. Thought it was due to better weather conditions. Then I made 1 more run, thinking man it's running good today!!! THEN-LOW OIL Warning flashes!! I was freaked out!!! Oh no, I damaged something. But like you, I soon found out it is triggered when oil is down 1-1.5 quarts. The extra speed was explained by Kurt Urban as "decreased windage losses due to more air space in the sump, because of a lesser amount of oil". Not that I would recommend running an engine with the oil a quart low!!!!