C7 oil consumption
Race Director
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 10,742
Likes: 629
From: Manheim Pennsylvania
At 500 miles, mine is down about 1/16 on an inch from when I checked it at purchase. I would say normal use. My engine has not operated in 4 cylinder mode, yet (seven speed manual).
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,446
Likes: 122
From: No Longer in CA! NV
We picked ours up on 6/13 and have been driving back across country. I did notice at the second gas stop that it was down about a quart, so I added one and bought a second just in case. But ever since it appears to have stabilized and hasn't needed any more.
Typical for new engines to burn some during the first hours of operation.
Typical for new engines to burn some during the first hours of operation.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,841
Likes: 19
From: CLT, North Carolina
We picked ours up on 6/13 and have been driving back across country. I did notice at the second gas stop that it was down about a quart, so I added one and bought a second just in case. But ever since it appears to have stabilized and hasn't needed any more.
Typical for new engines to burn some during the first hours of operation.
Typical for new engines to burn some during the first hours of operation.
Today's engines can be safely operated at sustained full power output from the day they are new.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 639
Likes: 28
From: South Eastern MI Michigan
I don't think some oil burning initially is normal. With today's materials, finishes and manufacturing techniques there is no breaking-in anymore except maybe to break-in the new owner. Cylinder walls are finished to a specified roughness average and rings are lapped during mfg. process.
Today's engines can be safely operated at sustained full power output from the day they are new.
Today's engines can be safely operated at sustained full power output from the day they are new.
I have owned 3 BMW motorcycles.
The first was a 4 cylinder liquid cooled "K"bike. No oil consumption.
The second was a 2 cylinder boxer. The dealer (and forum) told me that it would use oil until the hardened rings wore in. it took about 10K miles and oil usage stopped.
The third was another 4 cylinder "K" bike with no oil consumption.
My current C6 uses none and my other vehicles don't use any.
I have read that because of the AFM, some oil consumption happens. Do not know if this is accurate or not. I would be disappointed if it were true.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 639
Likes: 28
From: South Eastern MI Michigan
I don't think some oil burning initially is normal. With today's materials, finishes and manufacturing techniques there is no breaking-in anymore except maybe to break-in the new owner. Cylinder walls are finished to a specified roughness average and rings are lapped during mfg. process.
Today's engines can be safely operated at sustained full power output from the day they are new.
Today's engines can be safely operated at sustained full power output from the day they are new.
Although I am not a bonafide expert in the field of surface finish, I do have about 2 decades of experience in the field of metrology (measurement) including measurement of surface finish.
There is a parameter called Bearing Ratio Curve or (I think) Abbot Firestone Curve. Imagine a surface finish trace with it's peaks and valleys. The Bearing Ratio is a method of looking at the peaks and calculating that the highest peaks (to be set in the software) will wear away during the initial wear or break-in period leaving behind what is called the "Load Bearing Surface".
This is a great predictor of wear, timing for tool changes at the plant and oil retention for lubrication.
The experience I have tells me that there is and always will be a break-in period, may be shorter in time and mileage, but it is there.
The real interesting thing about all of this is that in the past you would send an engine out to be blue printed... Another term for "Make it to print". It would seem to me that todays engines, because of improved measurement and manufacturing capabilities already are blue printed.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 974
Likes: 0
From: Boca Raton Florida
4300 miles , non z51 , auto . I checked it a few times before my first oil change and I noticed no consumption . Pretty much stayed full , although I would not be worried if it did use a quart or so ..... 
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Pro
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 580
Likes: 32
From: New York
I don't think some oil burning initially is normal. With today's materials, finishes and manufacturing techniques there is no breaking-in anymore except maybe to break-in the new owner. Cylinder walls are finished to a specified roughness average and rings are lapped during mfg. process.
Today's engines can be safely operated at sustained full power output from the day they are new.
Today's engines can be safely operated at sustained full power output from the day they are new.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 2,016
Likes: 73
From: Texas
Don’t believe that, I have a Pontiac G8GT which has a slightly detuned Vette engine with AFM. No detectable oil consumption in nearly 6 yrs. Don
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 6,813
Likes: 287
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
There are not 2 engines that are exactly the same. This is a mass produced engine and there will be variance in assembly tolerance. Some engines will use a little oil and that will be well within spec.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,841
Likes: 19
From: CLT, North Carolina
One more thing on break-in and surface finish.
Although I am not a bonafide expert in the field of surface finish, I do have about 2 decades of experience in the field of metrology (measurement) including measurement of surface finish.
There is a parameter called Bearing Ratio Curve or (I think) Abbot Firestone Curve. Imagine a surface finish trace with it's peaks and valleys. The Bearing Ratio is a method of looking at the peaks and calculating that the highest peaks (to be set in the software) will wear away during the initial wear or break-in period leaving behind what is called the "Load Bearing Surface".
This is a great predictor of wear, timing for tool changes at the plant and oil retention for lubrication.
The experience I have tells me that there is and always will be a break-in period, may be shorter in time and mileage, but it is there.
The real interesting thing about all of this is that in the past you would send an engine out to be blue printed... Another term for "Make it to print". It would seem to me that todays engines, because of improved measurement and manufacturing capabilities already are blue printed.
Although I am not a bonafide expert in the field of surface finish, I do have about 2 decades of experience in the field of metrology (measurement) including measurement of surface finish.
There is a parameter called Bearing Ratio Curve or (I think) Abbot Firestone Curve. Imagine a surface finish trace with it's peaks and valleys. The Bearing Ratio is a method of looking at the peaks and calculating that the highest peaks (to be set in the software) will wear away during the initial wear or break-in period leaving behind what is called the "Load Bearing Surface".
This is a great predictor of wear, timing for tool changes at the plant and oil retention for lubrication.
The experience I have tells me that there is and always will be a break-in period, may be shorter in time and mileage, but it is there.
The real interesting thing about all of this is that in the past you would send an engine out to be blue printed... Another term for "Make it to print". It would seem to me that todays engines, because of improved measurement and manufacturing capabilities already are blue printed.
Diagram of modern cylinder finishing procedure. You don't have to rub peaks off anymore with a recommended break-in procedure and watch them drain out with the oil at the first oil change:
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,130
Likes: 2
I don't think some oil burning initially is normal. With today's materials, finishes and manufacturing techniques there is no breaking-in anymore except maybe to break-in the new owner. Cylinder walls are finished to a specified roughness average and rings are lapped during mfg. process.
Today's engines can be safely operated at sustained full power output from the day they are new.
Today's engines can be safely operated at sustained full power output from the day they are new.
If you buy a 502 Ramjet crate motor the computer sets your break in by hours of operation. So yes new engines do have a break in period.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,841
Likes: 19
From: CLT, North Carolina
OK, are you going to break your's in for speed or gas mileage? Remember the owner's manual is written for the benefit of the average potential new owner regardless of age or knowledge level rather than any purpose GM has in gently urging a fresh new engine into regular service. Can you explain why a break-in period would be necessary? What's to be accomplished? Chevrolet didn't put any rough parts in there that need to be burnished in.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,841
Likes: 19
From: CLT, North Carolina
I'll quote you an example. I'm in the racing engine business for a big company here where we will build and supply around 1000 NASCAR engines by the end of this year. A couple of years ago I was a part of our Research and Development group where we built and tested different designs for maximum power and durability. I could build a complete brand new engine and put it on the dyno, heat the oil in the tank, fill the engine with hot water, prime the oil pressure, start it and immediately go to full throttle at 9500 RPM under full load and it would produce the most power right then it was ever going to make. Our engineers work with the factory engineers and we know their processes and they know all ours.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 667
Likes: 9
From: Melbourne FL
I had my first oil change this past week at 1100 miles. The car is almost eight months old so I asked the Chevy dealer to change the oil. I was concerned because the Engine Oil Life System was reading 35% but every time I checked the oil level it was right up to the top. Dealer said they would not have changed the oil if the car was less then six months old though. I guess the algorithm's are different now, as on my C6 i would go almost a year and still show around 80%. Most of my driving is about 90% around town.
