Oil low (or not there?!!?)

[Blade]

So...I am about 200 miles short on my dealer recommended interval for an oil change. So yesterday I decided to see how the oil looks. The car had been sitting there all day w/o starting, from about 9 am to 4:30 PM on relatively flat surface. I pull the dipstick out and it's covered to the top of the gauge with oil, clean and push her back in and now there's barely any oil collected on the gauge. There is a thin amount that goes up to the full line on the side but the cross-hatch section of the gauge is almost dry! Did the wipe and check a couple more times same result.

This morning I drove to work, the drive to work is about 25 miles. Park the car in the same spot at 8:15 and check at 9 AM. Again the gauge is full, but push the stick back in and the gauge comes back with the same results as yesterday. I did this about 4-5 more times and eventually the entire gauge was dry.

1) I have called my dealer already and he recommends bringing the car in to be checked out, so I am going tomorrow, that is the earliest I can make it.

2) The performance of the car has been just fine, even recently.

3) Does that pipe that holds the dipstick collect oil too? I ask because if the cross hatch portion keeps coming up dry and the sides of the gauge are marked with oil, maybe it grabbing oil from the inside of that pipe.

4) I had Amsoil full synthetic poured in last time at the dealer, does that take forever to collect in the oil pan so maybe the gauge is off because of that? I mean yesterday I let her sit there for 7 hours before checking, how long does it need?

This is a getting to be annoying since the engine blew up on me in November last year because of low oil, and now 4500 miles since my last oil change on the rebuilt motor and I am measuring low oil.

[formare]

The gauge is going through the tube and exiting into the oil pan at a slight angle. It will pick up oil in the tube as it travels. I twist the gauge 360 when it is fully inserted so as to mark the entire guage. the cross hatch area is the part to measure.

[BaylorCamaro]

Originally Posted by Blade

This is a getting to be annoying since the engine blew up on me in November last year because of low oil, and now 4500 miles since my last oil change on the rebuilt motor and I am measuring low oil.

I was going to say something about how these engines eat up the oil (or can), but I totally forgot you were one of the one's that had a blown engine.

As for the cross hatch section on the the dipstick, are you talking about the cross hatch section above the top line? It's kind of hard to tell through writing, if you can take a pic with your camera phone that would be good

I've done my oil changes myself and ever since I've heard of some people's engines blowing I check my oil level at least once a week. Do you by chance have a catch can? If so have you checked it recently?

[Blade]

Ok....I twisted the stick around 360 degrees and pull it out and this time the oil is indicated below the bottom cross hatch mark. Wipe, dipped, twisted and check again and now I don't "see" oil on the stick at all. I say "see" because one thing noticed was that even though I didn't "see" the oil, when I wipe with the paper towel, I see residue on the paper towel.

I could take a picture, but it's just blurry and doesn't show shit.

[HDRS]

Blade do not run the car untill you put oil in it.
If the dealer says dirve it over do not untill you put oil in it
I want to see you at the fest. BTW my sons motor had to be rebuilt after the new one was installed.same thing no oil 2x WTF.

[ParisTNDude]

I would add oil until it shows on the dipstick and if it ever shows overfill, that's better than no oil at all. Once you see oil on the dipstick, immediately take it to your dealer service guys and explain what's happening. This is odd that GM is having trouble with oil consumption on this engine. I wonder if it's a problem for the Cadilac and other models that use this basic engine?

[Blade]

Originally Posted by HDRS

Blade do not run the car untill you put oil in it.
If the dealer says dirve it over do not untill you put oil in it
I want to see you at the fest. BTW my sons motor had to be rebuilt after the new one was installed.same thing no oil 2x WTF.

Uggh....according to the manual "If the oil is below the cross-hatched area at the tip of the dipstick, add at least one liter/quart of the recommended oil."

Guess I am making a run to the store with a coworker for some oil. This is ridiculous.

[2010camarolt]

see if you can get road side assistance to tow you to the dealer. its better for them to see it with low oil and document the problem. If you fill it up the dealer can the dealer really do anything?

[formare]

Ok folks lets say this together:
"usage of 1 quart of oil within 500 miles is within normal design parameters"

[Blade]

Originally Posted by formare

Ok folks lets say this together:
"usage of 1 quart of oil within 500 miles is within normal design parameters"

Well you and Spike are pretty much saying the same thing, so I am gonna grab 4 qts and see how much I have to put in to the car.

[formare]

When you first pull the stick out the reading is useless - you need to wipe it off replace the dipstick and make sure its all the way in, remove it then read.

Oil in the crankcase sloshes around like your soda in a soda bottle when you are driving and will coat the dip stick end that is resting in the crankcase.

Originally Posted by Blade

Ok....I twisted the stick around 360 degrees and pull it out and this time the oil is indicated below the bottom cross hatch mark. Wipe, dipped, twisted and check again and now I don't "see" oil on the stick at all. I say "see" because one thing noticed was that even though I didn't "see" the oil, when I wipe with the paper towel, I see residue on the paper towel.

I could take a picture, but it's just blurry and doesn't show shit.

[PsychoZL1]

I have noticed that my V6 starts to burn oil prior to doing the oil change. I checked the oil level 1-2 weeks prior to my oil change and the oil level was full. When I checked my oil prior to changing it, the oil level was a little over 1/4 qt. low.

However, the oil level is usually fine during the first 1500-2500 miles after an oil change.

[Blade]

Well.......I put 1 Qt in......and......bam full reading!

WTF.....1 qt, and I went through all this?!?!? I am gonna check again in a couple hours and update you guys.

[PsychoZL1]

Good luck!