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5.3L burning/using oil?

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Old 03-02-2010, 01:05 AM
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Default 5.3L burning/using oil?

Got my oil changed about two months ago. Verified that oil was put back into the engine before I left Oil Changers. Got back home and verified it again, after vehicle set for a few hours. Put about 2200 miles on engine since then. Had a low-oil level message on dash board the other day. Checked the oil dipstick and nothing was even registering on the dipstick at all. It took about three quarts to bring the oil to the proper level. Never has there been a clue of oil leaking out of any seals and or any gaskets thus far. Vehicle now has about 129,xxx miles on it. Oil pressure is always upwards of 40 lbs..

Question 1- Is anyone else having these issues with there LS1's?
Question 2- Is this normal for these engines at this particular mileage level?
Old 03-02-2010, 02:37 PM
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Is the car smoking at all? See anything leaking out? These cars do burn a lot of oil, but that seems extreme. Do a search and there is a ton of info on oil usage. I'm at your exactly milage pretty much, but the car doesn't use that much oil. I only have added about half a quart the past 1k+ miles.
Old 03-02-2010, 02:44 PM
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Change the pcv valve, or add a nice catch can. That usually helps with the oil usage.
Old 03-02-2010, 03:17 PM
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Originally Posted by matrik
Is the car smoking at all? See anything leaking out? These cars do burn a lot of oil, but that seems extreme. Do a search and there is a ton of info on oil usage. I'm at your exactly milage pretty much, but the car doesn't use that much oil. I only have added about half a quart the past 1k+ miles.
Vehicle doesn't smoke at all...no dripping, no puddles under the truck, no indication of any leaks...hmmm...
Old 03-02-2010, 04:17 PM
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Mine had 90,xxx on it, and it ate a little more tha a quart every 2000-2500 with noe smoke, dripping or puddle. But then it threw a rod, hope not the same for you. Have someone stand behind the truck on a cold start up and see if you get a puff of smoke when it starts, it may be smoking very faintly the whole time its running.
Old 03-02-2010, 05:16 PM
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Originally Posted by Justus67
Mine had 90,xxx on it, and it ate a little more tha a quart every 2000-2500 with noe smoke, dripping or puddle. But then it threw a rod, hope not the same for you. Have someone stand behind the truck on a cold start up and see if you get a puff of smoke when it starts, it may be smoking very faintly the whole time its running.
It only puffs upon very hard acceleration I noticed.
Old 03-02-2010, 08:41 PM
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Originally Posted by sixt9er
It only puffs upon very hard acceleration I noticed.
I know you said it doesn't smoke, but verify the car doesn't smoke at all on startup or idle. Mine was very faint at first, then got progessively worse. Put out a nice blue cloud at WOT toward the end. Also, the car was burning a lot oil. I drove the car maybe 120 miles up to D.C and the low oil light came on when I got there. Had checked the oil before I left too. Had to replace the valve seals, and no more smoking/crazy oil consumption at all

You can also pull the oil filler cap off, and see if its smoking out there at idle. That would be a result of blowby which = bad piston rings.
Old 03-02-2010, 08:50 PM
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Good point, Matrik!
I will run that check when the sun comes up.
Worse case scenario is that I need to replace the entire engine with a new 5.7L...with a way bigger cam!



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