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the display can show oil pressure once started. (See picture below, not mine)
But first do the oil level thing, draining it all and refilling to the correct amount. It should show in your dip stick before trying to start. Don't forget to save some of it to send for testing .
172? Where do you live? I might want to move there.
Hopefully neither of the oil drain plugs fell out. If you drain the oil out and collect only 6 or 7 quarts, you probably did not pour enough in.
Keep in mind that draining oil does not always equal what was originally poured in. Dry-sump systems trap oil in: the oil cooler, lines, scavenge pumps and filter housing. This can leave 1 quart or more behind. But you need to drain the oil and analyze it for metal glitter. Check for a burnt smell or contamination.Also on a dry sump system, the Corvette needs to be level while draining to get as much oil out as possible. I use four ramps on my Z51 to do this.
So as an update. I think im screwed. It was bone dry in oil, so much that it took 6-8 qrts to get it back to full(1 5qrt container and about half of another). Even if i only added 7 qrts instead of the 9 required qrts the last time i changed the oil(which im pretty sure was not the case) where did it all go?? It couldn't have possibly burned it all in a few months worth of joyrides right?
My brother and i filled it up, I pressed the start button, It again whined up like normal and actually turned on and stayed on….BUT…the noise it was making lets just say wasn’t pretty. Loud knocking or clanking metal to metal type sound and it would have kept going if we hadn't shut it off right then.
Im pretty sure im screwed but does anyone know what it could be? And with wishful thinking could it possibly just need the oil to reach the engine to stop the noise?
Lastly, if it had low oil why the F did it not alert me before it reached an unsafe pressure???
Last edited by Ronfer97; Dec 29, 2025 at 09:51 PM.
I don’t understand how it could be empty of oil without you knowing it. That’s a lot to leak, and there would be oil everywhere underneath and on the back of it. If it was run without oil, as appears to be the case, the knocking is likely loose rod bearings. It could also be wiped lifters and flattened cam lobes. The engine is, unfortunately, probably in need of major repairs.
So as an update. I think im screwed. It was bone dry in oil, so much that it took 6-8 qrts to get it back to full(1 5qrt container and about half of another). Even if i only added 7 qrts instead of the 9 required qrts the last time i changed the oil(which im pretty sure was not the case) where did it all go?? It couldn't have possibly burned it all in a few months worth of joyrides right?
My brother and i filled it up, I pressed the start button, It again whined up like normal and actually turned on and stayed on….BUT…the noise it was making lets just say wasn’t pretty. Loud knocking or clanking metal to metal type sound and it would have kept going if we hadn't shut it off right then.
Im pretty sure im screwed but does anyone know what it could be? And with wishful thinking could it possibly just need the oil to reach the engine to stop the noise?
Lastly, if it had low oil why the F did it not alert me before it reached an unsafe pressure???
Sorry to hear this.
Fingers crossed that you are able to solve the issue and get it repaired affordably.
So as an update. I think im screwed. It was bone dry in oil, so much that it took 6-8 qrts to get it back to full(1 5qrt container and about half of another). Even if i only added 7 qrts instead of the 9 required qrts the last time i changed the oil(which im pretty sure was not the case) where did it all go?? It couldn't have possibly burned it all in a few months worth of joyrides right?
My brother and i filled it up, I pressed the start button, It again whined up like normal and actually turned on and stayed on….BUT…the noise it was making lets just say wasn’t pretty. Loud knocking or clanking metal to metal type sound and it would have kept going if we hadn't shut it off right then.
Im pretty sure im screwed but does anyone know what it could be? And with wishful thinking could it possibly just need the oil to reach the engine to stop the noise?
Lastly, if it had low oil why the F did it not alert me before it reached an unsafe pressure???
Bone dry as in you pulled the drain plugs and nothing came out, or you looked at the dipstick in the oil tank?
So as an update. I think im screwed. It was bone dry in oil, so much that it took 6-8 qrts to get it back to full(1 5qrt container and about half of another). Even if i only added 7 qrts instead of the 9 required qrts the last time i changed the oil(which im pretty sure was not the case) where did it all go?? It couldn't have possibly burned it all in a few months worth of joyrides right?
My brother and i filled it up, I pressed the start button, It again whined up like normal and actually turned on and stayed on….BUT…the noise it was making lets just say wasn’t pretty. Loud knocking or clanking metal to metal type sound and it would have kept going if we hadn't shut it off right then.
Im pretty sure im screwed but does anyone know what it could be? And with wishful thinking could it possibly just need the oil to reach the engine to stop the noise?
Lastly, if it had low oil why the F did it not alert me before it reached an unsafe pressure???
If it didnt leak out, it blew it out. Usually a sign of a camshaft or a valve lifter problem. Either way it can be repaired if no serious engine damage
If it didnt leak out, it blew it out. Usually a sign of a camshaft or a valve lifter problem. Either way it can be repaired if no serious engine damage
wondering if a broken valve spring can cause this... as this one is a 2015, so maybe the old spring?. Will the oil will go out (bit by bit) thru the exhaust in that case?
OP hasn't said when he changed the oil or how many miles since then, but I have a hard time believing it would burn 6-7 quarts of oil due to a broken valve spring. Burning that much oil would leave visible deposits on the back of the car and likely result in smoke from the exhaust.
Been watching this thread and I feel terrible for you. Hopefully by some miracle it’s not too costly to fix and you dodged a bullet. Good luck and definitely let us know the outcome. 🤞
wondering if a broken valve spring can cause this... as this one is a 2015, so maybe the old spring?. Will the oil will go out (bit by bit) thru the exhaust in that case?
No, a broken spring will stop your engine immediately with catastrophic results. . You haven't said when you last checked your oil or changed oil.
With normal driving, you can blow out over a quart per week unnoticed if it's the lifter.
No, a broken spring will stop your engine immediately with catastrophic results. . You haven't said when you last checked your oil or changed oil.
With normal driving, you can blow out over a quart per week unnoticed if it's the lifter.
Blow a quart a week, sure. Unnoticed??? No low oil pressure light? No loud clattering when it gets a few quarts low???
It should not be possible to be catastrophically low on oil and the car give no indication whatsoever.
Blow a quart a week, sure. Unnoticed??? No low oil pressure light? No loud clattering when it gets a few quarts low???
It should not be possible to be catastrophically low on oil and the car give no indication whatsoever.
You are right, but the OP did say the car was not completely out of oil, just very low. The car has a dry sump, 9 3/4 quarts
My guess is a lifter leaked oil out the exhaust or a weak spring.
