oil consumption question
oil consumption question Last night i started my car to leave work, and for the first time ever, the oil low light came on. i checked the oil and added 1.5 quarts! i havent noticed any leaks in my garage at all. i work at a shop, so i brought it in a lifted it up and as i thought....it was BONE DRY. not one leak from anything. I changed my oil about 1000 or maybe even 1500 miles ago, and i know i put the right amount in. somewhere between 5.25 and 5.75 quarts. any ideas here?
Staging Lane
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
From: Central Illinois
The first thing you could do is check the intake manifold gasket for leaks. This gasket can move to the point of causing rough idle and oil consumption. To do this let the engine idle then remove the oil fill cap, did the idle change at all? If so then the gasket has moved. If this is ok then the next thing I would do is check the drain holes for the oil return. If these holes plug up the oil can't get back to the oil pan and this can cause the oil to go down the valve stem into the cylinder. Could also be valve seats (but highly doubt it). As far as it being on a low mileage engine idk... hope you find it soon!
Last edited by SSOTRUE; Nov 2, 2007 at 09:10 AM.
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 120
Likes: 0
From: Marysville,OH
Its common for some 01 , mine use to go thru some.What helped mine is changing oil type.I started to use GC 0-30 and a long K&N filter and it helped a lot.Now my next oil change Iam going to try the mobile 1 euro 0-40 just to compare.I think 01s had loose piston ring issues and combo that with the PVC valve.I am going to change my PVC valve soon here also.
i just recently went over 15k on the clock. i have only ever used mobile1 full synthetic. I do not notice any smoke at all either, nor do i smell anything from the exaust. ill try that oil cap trick later today when i get some time. i just think it to be really odd to use a quart and a half in less than 1500 miles without seeing somekind of smoke or something. and double odd that it is happening on a low milage car. i have heard about oil consumption problems from ls1s before, and heard about oil catch cans....i am going to do some of these checks and see what comes up
Take off your lid/MAF, open up the throttle blade and look in the intake with a flashlight. If it's wet then the oil is getting pulled in through the PCV.
I just installed a catch can from thunder racing:
http://www.thunderracing.com/catalog...vid=3&pcid=316
I had the intake off recently so I also put on a LS6 valley cover, SDPC has a good deal on them: http://www.sdparts.com/product/12568002/COVER.aspx.
Here is a nice writeup on that install:
http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=18
If you're not taking the intake off for any other reason I'd say just do the catch can.
I just installed a catch can from thunder racing:
http://www.thunderracing.com/catalog...vid=3&pcid=316
I had the intake off recently so I also put on a LS6 valley cover, SDPC has a good deal on them: http://www.sdparts.com/product/12568002/COVER.aspx.
Here is a nice writeup on that install:
http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=18
If you're not taking the intake off for any other reason I'd say just do the catch can.
Last edited by massls1guy; Nov 2, 2007 at 10:22 AM. Reason: oops... changed Z06 to LS6
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The PCV is a problem and adding a catch can will trap the oil but, not eliminate the consumption problem. Going to a thicker oil can help. I have used Mobil 1 10w-30 and switched over to Castrol Syntec GC 0w-30 since it is thicker. These cars use oil and not much you can do about that other than finding what oil works best and locating any leaks.
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Mine was low about 1.5 qts at 2500 miles. 13,000 miles on the car at this time. I use amsoil 5w-30 with a mobil 1 filter. Do you guys know if the 01-02 f-bodies used the GM LS6 PCV system? I am assuming they do since the 01,02s came with the LS6 intake.
My 01 did not have the LS6 PCV/valley cover. Does now.
I've only had the valley cover on about a week and a half. I installed the catch can tuesday night. I'll know in a week or two if the level stays the same.
I thought the valley cover would fit without cutting the block (see the ls1howto.com writeup) but I was wrong. I wasn't thrilled about cutting into the block and having aluminum shavings go all over the place. I tried hard to keep it clean but they go everywhere. So I would recommend the catch can over the valley pan unless you are the brave type.
I thought the valley cover would fit without cutting the block (see the ls1howto.com writeup) but I was wrong. I wasn't thrilled about cutting into the block and having aluminum shavings go all over the place. I tried hard to keep it clean but they go everywhere. So I would recommend the catch can over the valley pan unless you are the brave type.
I've only had the valley cover on about a week and a half. I installed the catch can tuesday night. I'll know in a week or two if the level stays the same.
I thought the valley cover would fit without cutting the block (see the ls1howto.com writeup) but I was wrong. I wasn't thrilled about cutting into the block and having aluminum shavings go all over the place. I tried hard to keep it clean but they go everywhere. So I would recommend the catch can over the valley pan unless you are the brave type.
I thought the valley cover would fit without cutting the block (see the ls1howto.com writeup) but I was wrong. I wasn't thrilled about cutting into the block and having aluminum shavings go all over the place. I tried hard to keep it clean but they go everywhere. So I would recommend the catch can over the valley pan unless you are the brave type.
yeah i actually installed a bored throttle body and did the throttle body bypass last week, and when i had it off i noticed it was wet in the intake. i didnt think about it untill now. its starting to make some more sense. im gonna go ahead and do the catch can. i dont think ill be doing the valley cover anytime soon, not really wanting to cut any of the block.
what about ls6 pcv? is it any better, any worse? or am i misunderstanding what we are talking about
what about ls6 pcv? is it any better, any worse? or am i misunderstanding what we are talking about
well getting rid of all tubes leading oil back into the intake isnt going to change the oil usuage, its just going to change what happens to the oil. ive heard there is an updated PCV valve from a buddy of mine that works at the Chevy house. im going to look into that too.
I think I have the latest design PCV valve as well. It has no moving parts in it, it's hollow. The front tapered part looks the same and the back just has a small diameter hole in it. A better name might be PCV 'restrictor' as opposed to 'valve'.