FYREANT

Decided to check my oil today for the first time since I have seen many "oil leak" horror stories on here lately.. (I have 4300 miles and its a M7 non Z51 so no dry sump, old fashioned oil pan here) and when I checked it there was NOTHING on the dipstick!!!!! car was cold, so I started the car and let it warm up and rechecked and still NO OIL ON THE STICK!! WTF! No oil leaks that I can see so far. Odd thing is I didn't get the low oil light yet. So I kept RPM's low and drove it right over to the dealer and left my keys in the night drop. Going to have them check things out in the morning, and likely do the first oil change (OLM at about 43% I believe), and will have them check the diff fluid level as there are known issues there. Also going to have them do the update for the memory seats while I am at it and also my first alignment check since I am lowered on stock bolts just to be safe.

1) Has anyone else had their oil level this low before? is it normal or is there something I am missing here?

2) what else should I have them do/check while they have it in the shop tomorrow?

thanks

Ant

Vettefan666

My Z51 might have been 4 or 5 ounces low after 1000 miles. You probably did the right thing dropping it off at the dealer. Hopefully they can check/change the oil tomorrow. Can you tell me more about the power seat update?

Glen e

I'll bet it was low from the start, did you ever check the oil before?

Did you really drive 4000 miles without checking oil level....?

owc6

During the break-in period, you should check your oil level every fuel fill-up, after that you can check it occasionally (if your oil consumption is nil or next-to).

That said, what was your oil consumption during break-in and since? Did you check it? Or is this the first time?

FYREANT

I heard that several people have had them do an update on the power seats to try to correct it from moving the seat at the wrong time. Thread on it with more info here: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c7-t...ing-wheel.html

Actually I remember checking it a few hundred miles in and remember that the oil level was fine then. Haven't checked it since though.. I know.. on me..

owc6

Hopefully, this is just oil consumption during the break-in period (and you didn't catch it), and not something more serious.

Steve_R

There is no low oil level light, there's a low oil pressure light. (See pg 5-22 in the Owner's Manual.) Big difference. You can be a couple of quarts low and still have good pressure if you're not doing high G turns or high RPM driving. If you get the low oil pressure light because the oil level is low you're in trouble.

FYREANT

that's good to know, I must have missed that in the manual. Hopefully tomorrow will shed some light on if there was any damage actually done. I sure hope that I didn't just bork her

Steve_R

If you never got the low oil pressure light you didn't hurt the motor.

owc6

Yep, no oil light, but does anyone know if the C7 will give a low-oil level warning on the DIC like the base C6 will?

bglmn

Yea, I have a feeling that you're assuming the C7 would let you know if you were a little short. I'm guilty of the same thing.

stevebz06

The LS series engines commonly used oil if you used high rpm. I would imagine that the LT1 would have a similar issue, so if you drive it like it was intended, you should be checking the oil more often than once and a while even after the break in period.

kp

The LS engines had a low oil level sensors, the wet sump ones anyhow. Here is a pic of the LT1, the arrow is pointing at the low oil sensor in the pan. Possible it could be an oil temp sensor but thats exactly where the LS level sensor was. Not sure if the dry sump cars have one.

You have to be like 2-3 quarts low before it trips the low oil sensor though.

I would have just added oil until to see how low it really was, thats all the dealer is going to do (or just change the oil and start over) and send you on your way and tell you to keep an eye on it.

FYREANT

hmm.. well that's good to know.. and a good pic too. Thanks kp. I'll make sure to ask them if they can confirm just how low it is when I talk to them in the morning..

kp

I found a pic of the inside of the pan, its different than the LS engines, looks like a level sensor though - just different from the older ones.

I dont have a service manual to look yet..

Mine used about 1/4 quart in 2500 miles, but I drive it like an old lady 99% of the time. If you are hard on it it probably will use more.

3 Z06ZR1

4300

FYREANT

UPDATE: just talked to the service department and they advised that yes, the oil is tooo low and has signs of burning too much oil. He noted that the exhaust tips have too much soot on them as a result. They said they must keep the car and call GM Technical on Tuesday to determine how to proceed due to it being such low mileage. I think I am going to be sick..

SRQStingray

Fluid levels probably not check at PDI by dealer. I doubt that much oil loss could be consumption. I suspect it was never properly filled. You should also be sure that the differential fluid is at the right level. On mine, I was over a quart low. Dealership claimed they checked it at PDI, but obviously not.

A lot of people don't check oil on new cars, but I think it is ESSENTIAL. It is the first thing I do when I buy a car.

FYREANT

I do remember the level was ok originally though. I let them know to check the diff fluid as per the TSB, update the program for the memory seats, and check the alignment. Now I have to go down there to get a rental. Probably a malibu.. Yuck.

NSC5

"Soot" on the exhaust pipes isn't a good indicant of anything with DI engines. Every DI equipped car I have owned quickly develops some buildup on the exhaust tips if not cleaned regularly that makes it look like it was powered by one of those oil burning Mitsubishi engines used in Chrysler minvans

In 4,000 miles it could certainly have used a bit of oil, are you absolutely sure it was correct after delivery (and checked on a level surface of course). You really have to check them often during break-in including right after delivery. My 2008 CTS was not only a quart low when I checked it right after I got home from the dealer I also found the dipstick wasn't fully seated.