birdflu

I changed my oil at 600 miles and installed magnetic plugs.
I pulled the plugs at 2200 miles to see how they looked. The plug in the oil pan still had quite a bit of crap on it.
I dont think a magnetic plug in the sump drain is necessary, but the oil pan is a good idea. You do NOT have to drain the oil to change the plug. I was able to swap mine out, and I didnt even lose a 1/4 quart of oil.

rramjet

Sent my dealer a copy of the bulletin I found here after he said they had no information on it. They found it and did my oil change today.

Said they use Mobile 1 but I didn't check.

This forum has provided me a wealth of information including Supplier Pricing I would never have known about. Thanks!

DICK RUZZIN

Justify that statement.

DICK RUZZIN

Justify that statement.

Woodson

He was joking.

PetroniDE

At 285 miles; will hit 500 some time next week. Will get the oil changed once 500 miles is achieved.

gkeeper

Does anyone know whether the 500-mile break in oil change for dry sump engine still stands?

I have a 2016 Z51 Manual. Already near 1000 miles. Then I saw this thread.

I called a nearby Chevy dealer; they looked up my VIN and said there is no need to do the break-in oil change.

Anyone has a link to the TSB? Thanks a bunch!

Boiler_81

The 500 mile oil change for dry sump engines is called out on page 299 of the 2016 manual.

gkeeper

Ah thanks. Should read the manual...

The Z51 engine is dry sump, right? Time to call the dealer back...

Boiler_81

Yes, the Z51 is dry sump.

gkeeper

Thank you! Called a different dealer. This one is aware of the break-in oil change requirement. Made appointment.

owc6

Just to clarify, in case someone reading this comes to an incorrect assumption due to phrasing, there is no such thing as "break-in oil", merely an oil change during the break-in period. The factory fill is Mobil 1.

JerryU

Yep, get it changed but don't panic! The GM Bulletin that defined why it should be changed came out 13 months after I got my Z51 C7 in October 2013! I changed my own oil at 1500 miles and had no problems. The Bulletin defines oil "may," in essence, burp out with the air that must vent from the dry sump tank, "and cause oil to drip out of the air cleaner if the engine is run continuously at high speed." I did not run my engine continuously at high speed! In fact IMO more oil drip problems were probably caused (and are still being reported) by the oil in a dry sump engine being overfilled by the "mechanics helpers" changing oil at a dealer!
Suggest you also carefully read the Owner's Manual and learn how to check the oil level (which you should do periodically anyway.) Then check the oil level immediately after the dealer changes the oil. If over the max fill line bring it back-just drive slowly! (Or as some have done, tell them to fill 1 quart low, give you the extra quart and you fill to where you'd like when you get it home.)
Checking the oil requires you to use your watch! The oil must be hot, you wait 5 minutes after shutting the car off (for it to drain down from the tank baffles) but not more than 10 minutes per the manual. The reason is oil will slowly drain back from the dry sump tank thru the scavenge pump gears to the pan so will give a false low reading! Having a dry sump does require more care in reading the oil level. Many of us keep the oil level 1/2 way in the hatched area, i.e. 1/2 quart lower than MAX, to help assure no oil gets burped with the vented air. That is also about a 1/2 quart more than the bottom of the hatched area where GM says to add oil if lower. Trying to keep the oil level at the Max level is not needed and could create more of a risk of burped oil into the air intake tube!

gkeeper

Very helpful! I got the oil changed today at the dealer. Will check the level after the next drive.

rmorin1249

I would find a new dealer.

gkeeper

I did find a new dealer. Got my oil changed on Wednesday; checked the oil level on Friday, around 1/4 below the max mark.

Then today (Saturday) I noticed oil on the floor. Jacked up the car and found a whole lot of oil covering everything. Eventually I traced the source of the oil to the bottom of the air box

Kicking myself for not checking the oil level earlier. Now I don't know if it was due to overfill. Anyway it is going back to the dealer next week.

BTW I did read several threads on this topic. Hope it is just an overfill, instead of anything major.

JerryU

Made an oil change yesterday. Filled 1 quart low and put 1/2 quart more in today. Not that easy to see the oil level with new oil! After a couple of tries was able to see it best on the back on the dip stick!
If oil was dripping from the air cleaner really no way for it to get their other than "burping" from the dry sump tank. Even if you don't want to install a "catch can," which has nothing to do with oil getting to the air cleaner so of no benefit for that problem, consider a Clean Air-Oil Separator. For $99 it replaces the oil fill cap on the dry sump tank with a 2 1/2 inch high cylinder filled with stainless steel ribbon. The "burped air" hose location is changed to come from the top of the device. Any oil mist that might come with the burped air can condense in the stainless ribbon and drain back to the tank. Perhaps belt and suspenders but just too may posts of oil getting to the air filter. You can see details of that device in this picture PDF: http://netwelding.com/Catch_Can.pdf

ed9700

Forgive my ignorance; doent the dry oil sup has a separate reservoir
and the engine should not have a dip stick on it. Is this correct.

My window sticker on the 2015 says I have the Z51 performance pkg on it including the Dry Sump but its not there. I assume this would have to be put on at the factory and not after the fact.

Thanks in advance for your replies.

JerryU

Your correct, no way to add a dry sump after! It has a special oil pan, scavenge oil pump built in to the front engine cover etc etc.
Also correct there is NO dip stick on the engine, it's on the dry sump tank that is next to the firewall on the passenger side.
Another check you can make is the shocks, visible thru the rear wheel. If yellow it's a Z51, if black either standard shocks or mag ride. If mag ride there is a wire coming from the top of the shock, visible in the engine compartment for the front shocks. Perhaps you have the Z51 "look alike" package, which is the spoiler, large tires and wheels only.