Oil useage Question - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

Desert Dog · 05-06-2011, 09:11 PM

Hi All. I have 3K miles now on Red Rover....(took delivery Xmas Eve). I checked the oil for the second time tonight and I was down a whole quart.

This is my third LS motor (Two Corvettes: one with an LS1 and the other an LS3 before this), and I don't remember using ANY oil in the beginning on either of those cars.

Is this extreme or normal? What have you guys seen? Please advise, as I am about to embark on a 1,700 mile ride.

Thanks!

Desert Dog

nancygrl · 05-06-2011, 09:13 PM

I've had mine 15 months, 14k miles and oil level is rock solid.

Phoenix328 · 05-07-2011, 08:37 AM

i have 28k miles and mine uses about a quart every 2k miles religously.....i went to the dealer and they did a oil consumption test and after that was done they determined that it is within factory specifications. so i normally check my oil every 1k miles.

=Stephens= · 05-07-2011, 09:23 AM

What kind of oil are you using? Full synthetic or conventional? I have 6700 miles on mine and I drive everyday. I was down about a quart when I did my first oil change.

Russell James · 05-07-2011, 09:37 AM

Not uncommon for a new engine to use a little oil during the first couple thousand miles of break in. I'd just watch it over the next 3K.

If it's using a little less on this next change, then it was just the normal break in usage. I'd keep it full though. If it get's low, that can accelerate the usage and make it seem worse. Because when there is less oil, the condensates and combustion byproducts become more of a % and they burn off quick on long highway drives.

A good test of oil consumption is to take a long highway trip on fresh oil. Then there is not a lot of junk in the oil that burn off quickly. If you do that 1700 miles, and it uses say 1/2 qt or less - I'd call that normal. If it is down over a qt in that trip, I'd wonder why. Keeping in mind that a long highway trip will use some oil. Most cars I've owned and taken long trips in, they are down just a bit. A problem will really show up on that long trip as using several qts.

SC2150 · 05-07-2011, 11:18 AM

Run it hard to get the rings seated. Also, take your TB off and look iside the snout to see how much oil is ingesting into the intake air charge. Then get a good oil separating can for it.

stso634 · 05-07-2011, 11:35 AM

There is an issue on some of the LS3's regarding excessive oil comsumption. There is a post on this forum somewhere and the fix was to replace and/or re-seal the valley cover. Oil is splashing around the valley cover and getting into the PCV system. There is not a TSB on it yet, but several forum members had this issue. You should be able to do a search on excessive oil consumption and find the post I am referencing.

Desert Dog · 05-07-2011, 12:22 PM

Thank you to everyone for the great input. I will follow up on these suggestions. I do appreciate it! I just remember my 2008 C6 LS3 and it never used oil.
To answer the question on what oil I am using, I just have the original Mobil 1 in the car. I added a full quart of the same last night.
I will keep track of the usage on the trip. I will also look into the valley cover issue. I will email the service team at my dealer and see what they say.

Thanks agian to everyone!

Desert Dog

05-06-2011, 09:11 PM	#1
Desert Dog Drives: Red Jewel 2SS RS 6M Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Scottsdale, AZ Posts: 33	Oil useage Question Hi All. I have 3K miles now on Red Rover....(took delivery Xmas Eve). I checked the oil for the second time tonight and I was down a whole quart. This is my third LS motor (Two Corvettes: one with an LS1 and the other an LS3 before this), and I don't remember using ANY oil in the beginning on either of those cars. Is this extreme or normal? What have you guys seen? Please advise, as I am about to embark on a 1,700 mile ride. Thanks! Desert Dog

05-07-2011, 08:37 AM	#3
Phoenix328 Drives: 2010 Camaro SS/RS IBM Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: USA Posts: 347	i have 28k miles and mine uses about a quart every 2k miles religously.....i went to the dealer and they did a oil consumption test and after that was done they determined that it is within factory specifications. so i normally check my oil every 1k miles. __________________ 2010 Camaro SS/RS IBM 6M 1100: 07-01-09 4000: 08-25-09 4200: 08-25-09 5000: 09-02-09 6000: 09-02-09 2000: 07-24-09 2500: 07-29-09 3000: 07-30-09 3100: 08-02-09 3300: 08-05-09 TPW 08-17-09 3400: 08-13-09 3800: 08-24-09

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05-06-2011, 09:13 PM	#2
nancygrl 雪の玉 Drives: '22 Z71 RST Silverado Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: South Posts: 3,415	I've had mine 15 months, 14k miles and oil level is rock solid.

05-07-2011, 09:23 AM	#4
=Stephens= Drives: 2011 LS Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Kearney, Nebraska Posts: 3,541 View My Garage	What kind of oil are you using? Full synthetic or conventional? I have 6700 miles on mine and I drive everyday. I was down about a quart when I did my first oil change.

05-07-2011, 09:37 AM	#5
Russell James Drives: '15 SS 1LE, '69 Z28 drag car Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Mich Posts: 4,482	Not uncommon for a new engine to use a little oil during the first couple thousand miles of break in. I'd just watch it over the next 3K. If it's using a little less on this next change, then it was just the normal break in usage. I'd keep it full though. If it get's low, that can accelerate the usage and make it seem worse. Because when there is less oil, the condensates and combustion byproducts become more of a % and they burn off quick on long highway drives. A good test of oil consumption is to take a long highway trip on fresh oil. Then there is not a lot of junk in the oil that burn off quickly. If you do that 1700 miles, and it uses say 1/2 qt or less - I'd call that normal. If it is down over a qt in that trip, I'd wonder why. Keeping in mind that a long highway trip will use some oil. Most cars I've owned and taken long trips in, they are down just a bit. A problem will really show up on that long trip as using several qts.

05-07-2011, 11:18 AM	#6
SC2150 Account Suspended Drives: 2012 Camaro RS, RX supercharged Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Bradenton, FL Posts: 6,063	Run it hard to get the rings seated. Also, take your TB off and look iside the snout to see how much oil is ingesting into the intake air charge. Then get a good oil separating can for it.

05-07-2011, 11:35 AM	#7
stso634 Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SS/RS Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Shreveport, LA Posts: 379 View My Garage	There is an issue on some of the LS3's regarding excessive oil comsumption. There is a post on this forum somewhere and the fix was to replace and/or re-seal the valley cover. Oil is splashing around the valley cover and getting into the PCV system. There is not a TSB on it yet, but several forum members had this issue. You should be able to do a search on excessive oil consumption and find the post I am referencing.

05-07-2011, 12:22 PM	#8
Desert Dog Drives: Red Jewel 2SS RS 6M Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Scottsdale, AZ Posts: 33	Thank you to everyone for the great input. I will follow up on these suggestions. I do appreciate it! I just remember my 2008 C6 LS3 and it never used oil. To answer the question on what oil I am using, I just have the original Mobil 1 in the car. I added a full quart of the same last night. I will keep track of the usage on the trip. I will also look into the valley cover issue. I will email the service team at my dealer and see what they say. Thanks agian to everyone! Desert Dog