3blackcars

my 2008 z06 rattles on cold start up after a week or so sitting in the garage. my buddy says "check the oil", and i did ! it was quite low so i put 2 quarts in and started it up. holy crapolla!!! smoking like a bonfire and skipping! so i shut it off and now the dipstick says, way over full! i then drain off the excess oil and start it up, only it won't start and instead makes a big POW, backfire i guess, so i attempt a restart and all i get is the whirring of a bad starter motor! is it possible the engine was hydro locked because of excess oil in the cylinders?

dr_gallup

Very likely.

airmed2

Where did you put the two quarts? In the dry sump tank, or through the cap on the engine block?

LowRyter

shouldn't matter if it's in the can?

3blackcars

in the dry sump tank. after all, the dipstick read "empty"!

3blackcars

i can't believe GM wouldn't put a warning on the dry sump tank so dummies like me couldn't do major damage by adding oil!!!!

JJLAI724

Time to pull the plugs and see if they are full of oil. Please let us know what you find out. Hopefully it will be good news and a easy fix.

Seadawg

Or at least have a high level or high pressure sensor somewhere in the engine that would shut it down before major damage occurred.

Several dealerships have messed up engines for folks, that I've seen out here on the forum over the years.

I've even had a corvette mechanic tell me that they have seen the fill cap blown off the sump and shot oil all over the dealership from overfilling dry sumps.....

stew1100

If the car has been sitting awhile it will read lower than the actual level. On a LS7 you have to start the engine and let it run awhile, then turn it off and wait for at least 4 minutes. Then you check the oil.

ruxvette

Makes me think the car was overfilled to begin with and the extra two quarts was the final straw...

3blackcars

where were you yesterday? SIGH

GOLD72

Reading the Owner's Manual is fundamental, particularly if you are going to do any kind of maintenance activity including checking the oil level correctly.

airmed2

It's the same with the dry sump LS3 engine.

1 slow 97

This is what happened on my father in Law's GS(same dry sump as Z i believe), took it in for oil change, 45 minutes later service writer explained that oil change guy overfilled oil, and voila you are getting a brand new Ls3 engine.

Have you looked at side of engine block or anywhere for damage (Father in laws block had a hole in the side of it).

3blackcars

i just removed the plugs, and number 6, followed by 8, the 7 were soaked to the point of dripping! i then turned engine over 3 full revolutions by hand from the crank pulley. no metallic noise (whew), but starter is definitely gone. i will push (by hand) to start the car, then drive it to mechanic to replace starter, it looks like a job for superman!!

Kent1999

Same with the LS3 dry sump motor... NEVER check and fill when the motor's been off for more than 15 minutes.

OM says make sure the motors warm, then shut down, wait at least 5 but not more than 15 minutes to check oil level.

Kent1999

I'll have to check tonight, but I thought my LS3 dry sump oil tank *did* have a warning to "use the specified method for checking oil level" or some such wording...

EDIT TO ADD: Nope... I was wrong... no such wording.

3blackcars

wouldn't there be oil on the floor?

3blackcars

my 2008 z06 doesn't have any warning

3blackcars

checking the oil should be as easy as putting gas in the tank!! this is my 23rd corvette, i'm 72 years old, and have been working on cars my whole life!! now you want me to refer to a manual? i'm willing to bet that there have been hundreds before me!