When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '25
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
The dealer should have a set of jacking pucks for the car, but I installed a set of pucks that stay in place so the dealer (or any other shop that may work on the car) does not have to worry about it.
Does the dealer have jacking pucks or do you have to purchase before taking to dealer for service
Best to permanently set-up your car w/jacking pucks just in case the mech has not had a lot of experience working on the C8 before. I've bought & installed four of them from Paragon Performance (click here to access their website). Don't know why they sell them individually - but you'll need all four lift points covered.... "Sold individually. If you wish to buy 4 for permanent install please select 4pcs. ($10 off will be auto applied in your cart to orders of 4pcs or more)"
Last edited by Jacques Albrecht; Mar 9, 2022 at 01:55 AM.
Reason: additional info
The dealer should have a set of jacking pucks for the car, but I installed a set of pucks that stay in place so the dealer (or any other shop that may work on the car) does not have to worry about it.
Yep safer to install the permeant ones!
Can't expect "dealer" to buy Corvette jack pads for all techs! And don't expect Tech's to buy them for themselves (as they do all their tools) for your car! And the Tech taking the time to go to check them out (often special dealer bought tools kept at the parts counter) and return them is unlikely!
C7 had a number of free oil changes. Had one done they cracked the rocker panel on one side. I checked it before I left the lot. Dealer said how’d you find that….I said laid down next to the car on a towel in your lot. They fixed it at my body shop.
Wife has a palisade. Hyundai has free oil changes. She comes home it’s leaking oil. I crawl under see its cross threaded, not all the way in, take pictures and go back to dealer. They say no leaks no problem. I said I have pictures of the oil on the garage floor., oil is running down the underbody, the plug is not tight etc. they put it on the hoist for me to look at. Drain plug is tight, I say did someone jam it in? 3 techs? And the service lady, no one did anything. I bring out my phone, show the pictures, they all shrug. It’s still leaking!
Moral is………trust no one with your car! Especially the young kid assigned to change oil.
I got all the free oil changes on my 2 c7s…..but I insisted on watching them do the changes.
I fear the pride of working on a nice car is lost of even there’s resentment at some places.
I’m too cheap to pass on free oil changes but after that’s over I do my own!
I’m too cheap to pass on free oil changes but after that’s over I do my own![/QUOTE]
Not me! The risk(s) for my two C7 dry sumps were too much for me. As you say especially the newbie tech working the oil change bay (who may have been flipping burgers a few months before: )
First jacking. No way will most Techs waste their time going to check out Corvette jack pads OR for sure NOT buy for their own tool box as each use their own tools.
Then since few cars had two drain plugs did they know they had to remove both?
Even if they did would they go to the parts dept and take out 8 quarts of synthetic 5-30 Mobil 1 and lug back to their work area OR MORE LIKELY use the dexos approved oil the dealership bought from the "low cost supplier in 55 gallon drums." Yep likely a blend as that is the cheapest and usable for all Chevy's AND acceptable for C7 Corvette (up to 2019 as I recall.) Not "preferred" but acceptable.
If using the "stuff" in 55 gallon drums how much will they fill? The amount it says in a Table and just pull the pump lever? OR as my 2014 Service Manual clearly says, that is only an estimate do what I have done for 65 years. Underfill and check the dip stick. IT'S THE LEVEL NOT VOLUME THAT IS CORRECT!
But with the dry sump the oil has to be at 175 F to check. That means underfilling, starting the engine and letting it run for ~10 minutes! With 4 exhaust tailpipes his fellow mechanics won't be happy breathing fumes as their exhaust suckers may not work well collecting from all 4 as he walks outside to have a smoke! (BTW, same issue with the C8 and the super corvette Tech that changed my C8 oil underfilled form 8 quarts of Mobil ESAP 0W-40 oil.. He ran the engine for ~10 minutes and checked oil temp before checking the level twice. Then filled to just below the max line- I watched and was talking with him!)
Nope for my C7's FREE not worth the risks so I changed my own oil. Thankfully have found a great Corvette Tech at a small Chevy Dealer (compared to the large Chevy dealer in town with 20 service bays and one dedicated to oil changes) who does just what I would have done!
I’m too cheap to pass on free oil changes but after that’s over I do my own![/QUOTE]
Not me! The risk(s) for my two C7 dry sumps were too much for me. As you say especially the newbie tech working the oil change bay (who may have been flipping burgers a few months before: )
First jacking. No way will most Techs waste their time going to check out Corvette jack pads OR for sure NOT buy for their own tool box as each use their own tools.
Then since few cars had two drain plugs did they know they had to remove both?
Even if they did would they go to the parts dept and take out 8 quarts of synthetic 5-30 Mobil 1 and lug back to their work area OR MORE LIKELY use the dexos approved oil the dealership bought from the "low cost supplier in 55 gallon drums." Yep likely a blend as that is the cheapest and usable for all Chevy's AND acceptable for C7 Corvette (up to 2019 as I recall.) Not "preferred" but acceptable.
If using the "stuff" in 55 gallon drums how much will they fill? The amount it says in a Table and just pull the pump lever? OR as my 2014 Service Manual clearly says, that is only an estimate do what I have done for 65 years. Underfill and check the dip stick. IT'S THE LEVEL NOT VOLUME THAT IS CORRECT!
But with the dry sump the oil has to be at 175 F to check. That means underfilling, starting the engine and letting it run for ~10 minutes! With 4 exhaust tailpipes his fellow mechanics won't be happy breathing fumes as their exhaust suckers may not work well collecting from all 4 as he walks outside to have a smoke! (BTW, same issue with the C8 and the super corvette Tech that changed my C8 oil underfilled form 8 quarts of Mobil ESAP 0W-40 oil.. He ran the engine for ~10 minutes and checked oil temp before checking the level twice. Then filled to just below the max line- I watched and was talking with him!)
Nope for my C7's FREE not worth the risks so I changed my own oil. Thankfully have found a great Corvette Tech at a small Chevy Dealer (compared to the large Chevy dealer in town with 20 service bays and one dedicated to oil changes) who does just what I would have done!
I believe it says the engine needs to be at 175 when checking the oil, not the engine oil being at 175.
^^^
Yep, it says "at least 175 engine temp" BUT it's the oil temp that defines it's volume and level. It also says," .... the dipstick is designed to read the engine oil level only after the engine has run long enough to reach normal operating temperature. Do not add engine oil based on cold engine dipstick readings."
Generally my oil temp is about 5 degrees less than my coolant temp! I have both always showing in my display. Doubt 5 degrees will cause a measurable difference!
^^^
Yep, it says "at least 175 engine temp" BUT it's the oil temp that defines it's volume and level. It also says," .... the dipstick is designed to read the engine oil level only after the engine has run long enough to reach normal operating temperature. Do not add engine oil based on cold engine dipstick readings."
Generally my oil temp is about 5 degrees less than my coolant temp! I have both always showing in my display. Doubt 5 degrees will cause a measurable difference!
Based upon what I am reading about TCE's ... a 100 degree difference would be about a 4% difference. (75 to 175)
Is that what you get as well?
Best to permanently set-up your car w/jacking pucks just in case the mech has not had a lot of experience working on the C8 before. I've bought & installed four of them from Paragon Performance (click here to access their website). Don't know why they sell them individually - but you'll need all four lift points covered.... "Sold individually. If you wish to buy 4 for permanent install please select 4pcs. ($10 off will be auto applied in your cart to orders of 4pcs or more)"
In a discussion with my son, who happens to be a BMW tech, he enlightened me about jacking pucks.
1. The pucks are used to extend the frame where the jacking points are located to keep the jacks pads from touching the body causing cracks, etc. - I “get it”.
2. The engineers want the underbelly of the car “clean” to the point there are panels so road trash and objects can’t snag anything on the underside of the car. - I “get it”.
3. The Pucks are made to be removable (see #2). - I get that too.
4. Now they make pucks that you attach permanently. - I don’t get that?
Based upon what I am reading about TCE's ... a 100 degree difference would be about a 4% difference. (75 to 175)
Is that what you get as well?
If you're trying to say it makes little difference re oil temp when checking level, assume when GM says engine temp they mean when the engine components reach a stable temp. That is based on being run sufficiently for the parts to have stabilized at the 175 F coolant temp they chose to use. Since most understand and measure coolant temp probably why they use those words! It does take some time. But lots of variables, tank size change as well as oil expansion re the fluid level relative to mark on the dip stick.
Pretty simple IMO, run the engine for ~10 minutes and the liquid/liquid oil cooler (heater) will have the oil within about ~5 degrees of coolant temp! My C7 dry sumps had similar liquid/liquid oil cooler heat exchangers.
Now if you're a Corvette Tech and justifying why you don't take the time to wait- false rationalization!
^ Yep I agree, as I know two C7 owners who had their permanent pucks fly out and take gashes out of the side of their C7s. So Loctite is a great idea.
Personally I prefer these. Takes about 120 seconds to install them.
I also have this set but GM service said they use their own so I did not need them. Just wondering if you leave them in or remove after lifting? Mine are in a bag in the front trunk.
I also have this set but GM service said they use their own so I did not need them. Just wondering if you leave them in or remove after lifting? Mine are in a bag in the front trunk.
I never understood the point of leave them in. I install them than remove them after jacking the car.
^^^
I would only take my Reverse Logic pads apart to remove the white spacer and lock them in IF going to a tire dealer. Or any location where I would not trust them lifting the C8. Too many places to lift the 60% rear weight C8 wrong!
I have several sets of jack pads and keep 4 Reverse Logic in my tool bag in the Frunk. In fact the Corvette Tech who did the PDI for my 2017 Grand Sport and the C8 uses mine.
When I had the C8 engine oil and DCF filter changed I brought my 2 inch high Katech Aluminum jack pads knowing he needed room to get the 4 bolts around the GM oval slots. Watched the Rick Conti video where his tech Chuck had to lift a C8 several times reposting his jack arms to clear the 4 bolts vey close to the GM oval lift slots. Left those on the passenger seat on the passenger side. Turned out they were too high to fit his jack arm but knew I had a tool bag in the frunk and found them! Pic below shows he just had enough room with the i" high pads to get the bolts out.
Tech used my Reverse Logic Pads when replacing my DCT filter to remove the aluminum rear plate.
Too many places to incorrectly lift the 60% rear weight C8. I had discussed with Tech before he did my C8 PDI (his 1st C6.) He agreed much safer to use jack pads even with his lift arm pads. Assures you're 1) lifting in the frame and NOT outside 2) lifting as far back as possible (why GM put the oval lift slots where they did!)
A bit of a bind here.... I had a shop do ppf, ceramic, etc. They brought in an outside guy for tint and he went too dark so it's not legal in MA and my car won't pass inspection. They will redo the tint but I need a short term solution.
I have a shop that will pass it with the tint as is, but the RMV requires them to jack up the car for some reason and the rmv also has cameras and mics at all inspection stations to make sure that happens.
they have the crappiest low profile jack ever. Very deep rusty cup. I just went home and put the jack pucks on my car but they only come maybe 5mm below the 5VM side skirt. That rusty jack will destroy stuff. Should I just grab a bunch of different depth hockey puck type things (dunno if that exists)? Basically something thick enough that when placed in the jack cup it will contact my lift pads before the metal cup contacts the car is what I'm thinking. I also thought 2x4 but don't think the jack will fit under the car going that route. I can also stop at a pep boys or harbor freight and pick up something.
Thanks, his cup looked like it was 4+" in diameter. I'll go up to my storage area and pick up my own jack and buy a hockey puck. What a PITA this is turning out to be.
