I know I am beatin' it to death. Rookie LT-5 owner here. Reading other post's on this also.
Oil level was at the half mark, add/full. Did a run, got it hot.
Changed it today, first time.
Took off K&N filter, drilled little hole in top, let drain for over and hour, clean pull. Pulled plug. Let crankcase drain over one hour. Measured all, exactly 8 quarts came out. + or (-) an oz. here or there.
New K&N back on. Added 8 quarts Mobil 1. Backed off ramps to level, then start.
All fine. Shut down, hot out, grab two Miller Lite's, chugged and one Corona Extra for chaser.
Checked in one hour. Looks like it is a quart low. Wait longer? When do you check the oil to make sure it is right? Are you going to get a different read after it sits all night, or after 24 hours? Could I have been a quart low or just right if not sitting long enough?
Any answers appreciated,
Boatman
I agree with Tommy on the drilling I would not ever do that or punch a hole in the filter, I have never had any problem making a mess changing the oil by just laying a rag down, but if I was concerned with spillage I would just let it drain overnight. Acording to the service manual the capacity with a filter change is 8.6 quarts. The .6 may explain your low reading. I have never had a problem with low readings after my oil changes. The only other thing that could have caused a problem could have been not starting with the Corona's after the oil change. Mark
Will check it in the morning Appreciate all reply's. Understand about the metal shavings. Had drill area surrounded with 2 magnets and caught metal. Would have drained OK without the hole. I did make a piece from the bottom of a plastic bottle, fits right under the filter.
Mark, I had to spend 2 nights in Rome, GA once on business.
Our customer took me out on the town, took me to a bar, first thing they did was cut my tie off, then I drank with them, JD and coke.
Had a very good time, had a hangover for 3 days.
Boatman
Hobe Sound, FL
When it comes to changing oil in the LT-5, (and Corvettes in general)I think it pays to do it right. I mean isn't it the engine that makes these cars so unique? What percentage of the price of the car was the engine alone? No you won't find your neighborhood Napa, Pep Boys, or even GM dealer stocking parts for your hand assembled, exotic, "Rolex" engine. You can cause engine damage just as much by overfilling as by not putting in enough.
No offense to anyone, but for those who sweat the details like me, I think it just makes sense to let the oil drain overnight. IF YOU HAVE ALL THE OIL OUT OF THE ENGINE, YOU WILL KNOW THAT IT TAKES 8.6 QUARTS TO FILL IT. Besides, if you are guessing if all the oil is out of the engine, checking the dipstick as you add oil isn't going to give you an accurate reading anyway as it takes time for that oil to get to the pan. There are intricate oiling passages and alot of mechanical hardware in this engine, if you want all the oil in the pan, let it drain overnight!
The second thing I have always done when changing oil is to have my cars parked on a level surface. If you look at the LT-5 oil pan, you will see that the drain plug is on the SIDE, about 2" from the rear. I don't see how you will get all the oil out if you have the front end in the air. (You could easily have oil sitting in the rear of the pan.)
This means that you have to get the whole car higher. Until I can afford a 4 post lift, a simple way to do this and get the height you need is to drive the car up on blocks. What I did was go to the lumber yard and buy 12' of 2"x10" board. While I was there, I had them cut that into four 2 ft lengths with the remaining four ft. cut into 1 ft lengths. If you now stack your shorter board on the longer one and either nail or bolt it together you will have the ramps you need and all the height you need for changing oil. So the boards don't slide as you try to drive up on the longer one, you can either bevel the edge or put a smaller piece of wood in front of it so you have a little bit of a ramp. Changing oil on a ZR1 is so easy anyway because you don't have to fight with a filter underneath the car.
Most of you know that even in letting the engine fully drain, that you still don't get the oil out of the oil cooler, but regardless, a fully drained engine will take a little over 8 1/2 quarts (8.6) with or without a filter change (if your filter allows the oil to drain down)
Location: This city NEVER sleeps! Frank's back yard!
Just a quick note about the filter. Drilling or punching a hole in the top of the filter does nothing to remove the oil from it. It has an anti-drainback valve. No oil will drip from the filter. Period. Unless your drill bit is 5 inches long, and you drill through the valve at the bottom of the filter (please don't do this), the oil will still be sitting in the filter when you take it off, and if you're unlucky, you'll tip it upside down, and get oil on your shirt. Simply remove the filter and junk it.
Maybe you will get to come to Rome again soon. I wouldn't cut your tie off but like your customer I only wear one on very happy or very sad days. I guess that must be a Rome thang. I hope you enjoy your car as much as I have. It is truly unique, Mark
1) When I bought my car in 1990, someone told me that only 1 other chevy had been equiped with an upside-down oil filter. If I recall correctly, I believe they told me it was the Vega.
Can anyone one confirm this?
2) This next piece of oil filter trivia I remember with certainty. In 1990 they discontinued the black oil filter. It wasn't until all of us screamed about it that they brought back the black colored oil filter.
Location: This city NEVER sleeps! Frank's back yard!
Quote:
Originally Posted by webgear
1) When I bought my car in 1990, someone told me that only 1 other chevy had been equiped with an upside-down oil filter. If I recall correctly, I believe they told me it was the Vega.
Can anyone one confirm this?
2) This next piece of oil filter trivia I remember with certainty. In 1990 they discontinued the black oil filter. It wasn't until all of us screamed about it that they brought back the black colored oil filter.
Howard
90 zr1 blk/blk, orig. owner
My father owned a Vega for 25 years - total POS. Oil filter was NOT upside down. Now - the Cosworth DOHC engine was a piece of work - maybe you're remembering a quotation about the all aluminum engine that it was?
My father owned a Vega for 25 years - total POS. Oil filter was NOT upside down. Now - the Cosworth DOHC engine was a piece of work - maybe you're remembering a quotation about the all aluminum engine that it was?
Wow, if he keeps his "POS" for 25 years, I can't help wondering how long your dad keeps a car he actually likes!
I've had one of my cars since 1974. I'm still deciding if I like it.
The Buffalo Vega cars rusted out within several years. First the front fenders (the entire front fenders) as I recall. Engine smoke began typically around 50k miles. Maybe the Cosworth had the upside down oil filter with built-in valve.
Location: This city NEVER sleeps! Frank's back yard!
Quote:
Originally Posted by webgear
Wow, if he keeps his "POS" for 25 years, I can't help wondering how long your dad keeps a car he actually likes!
I've had one of my cars since 1974. I'm still deciding if I like it.
The Buffalo Vega cars rusted out within several years. First the front fenders (the entire front fenders) as I recall. Engine smoke began typically around 50k miles. Maybe the Cosworth had the upside down oil filter with built-in valve.
He bought his 74 Vega in 76 - put three motors in it over the years. The only thing that consistently worked in this piece of crap was the goddamn selt-belt buzzer - never faultered! I did the final engine in by trying to go 70 mph - had my foot to the floor, and she wouldn't go more than 65!!!! When I got it home, it was bucking and burping - oil came up through the PCV valve, and got sucked into the carb. It never ran the same after that - when the engine was removed, it was discovered that one of the rods was bent! That's what I call a piece of SHIIT!!!!
Corvette Store
LT-5 Dipstick Check. Beating Old Horse?
