# Oil ?s



## GTO_400 (Jul 7, 2005)

hey all, just checked the oil today and noticed that it was a quart low and the color was very dark all of this within the first 1,000 miles, the owners manual calls for an extra half quart if the car is used in competive driving, but my car is very lucky to see 100 miles a month of just crusin, is it normal for the gto (ls2) to use this much oil? i did check the oil when i first got the car and it was about a half quart over full but now she is a good quart low any idears :confused


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## Wing_Nut (Mar 6, 2005)

My experience is similar. My GTO used about 2 quarts in the first 5,000 miles. In the first 1,000 after it's first oil change it's down about a quart.

That's the worst oil consumption I've ever had in a new car. 
GM + Aluminum block = Oil Consumption. 

My wife's Denali has 50,000 miles on it and doesn't use a drop between oil changes (5K miles). It also has a GM 6.0L small block but, it's cast iron rather than aluminum.

The ten year old Volvo 850 Turbo I traded in for the GTO had 145,000 miles on the clock and likewise, never used a drop of oil between 5,000 mile oil changes.

If the GTO is using oil at this rate when new, I am very nervous about oil consumption at 50,000 miles when the warranty has expired.

I'm not so much concerned about the cost of a quart of Mobil 1 once a month. I'm worried that if I forget to check it for a while, the damn thing will spew oil to the point that damage could result. I've just never had to monitor a car that closely. At least, not since the 70's.


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

GTO_400 said:


> hey all, just checked the oil today and noticed that it was a quart low and the color was very dark all of this within the first 1,000 miles, the owners manual calls for an extra half quart if the car is used in competive driving, but my car is very lucky to see 100 miles a month of just crusin, is it normal for the gto (ls2) to use this much oil? i did check the oil when i first got the car and it was about a half quart over full but now she is a good quart low any idears :confused


I had my first oil change at 2200 miles. The only question I have is... the manual calls for 6.5 quarts. The dealer only put 6 Qts in and it registers full. I will be checking that from time to time. I did not detect what you describe. But I am going to be keeping an eye on it.


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

*Oil Change Intervals*

How many miles between oil changes is the suggested change? The general rule of thumb is 3000 miles. When I first got my car I was told 5,000 miles. Everyone has their own theory and I always changed oil out at 5000 miles With the synthetics, is 5000 miles reasonable?


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## silvergoat05 (Jun 15, 2005)

GTO_400 said:


> hey all, just checked the oil today and noticed that it was a quart low and the color was very dark all of this within the first 1,000 miles, the owners manual calls for an extra half quart if the car is used in competive driving, but my car is very lucky to see 100 miles a month of just crusin, is it normal for the gto (ls2) to use this much oil? i did check the oil when i first got the car and it was about a half quart over full but now she is a good quart low any idears :confused


This seemed to be an issue on the LS1 series when it first came out. Then it apparently was fixed. Know I have read where other people with the LS2 are having the same problem. 

Back then, GM said the drivers were holding the revs up when traveling slow. Like 3K rpm and only like 30 mph. 

Most today are also M6 cars.


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## fergyflyer (Apr 18, 2005)

GTO judge said:


> How many miles between oil changes is the suggested change? The general rule of thumb is 3000 miles. When I first got my car I was told 5,000 miles. Everyone has their own theory and I always changed oil out at 5000 miles With the synthetics, is 5000 miles reasonable?


I would say that unless you are racing the car at a track regularly, or 5,000 miles is an extended amout of time (more than a year), it should be just fine.


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## Wing_Nut (Mar 6, 2005)

GTO judge said:


> How many miles between oil changes is the suggested change? The general rule of thumb is 3000 miles. When I first got my car I was told 5,000 miles. Everyone has their own theory and I always changed oil out at 5000 miles With the synthetics, is 5000 miles reasonable?


I've run Mobil 1 in my cars for the past 20 years. I've always used a 5,000 mile change interval. On our Denali and GTO I use the 5,000 rule or the oil monitor, whichever comes first.

I've had several cars go more than 100,000 miles with no problems and the engines were spotless.


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## JMVorbeck (Jun 1, 2005)

My car used 1 qt in the first 3K miles, got the oil changed and it hasnt used any more since. Some engines do consume some oil durinng the break in period where the rings and seals are seating. If you use much more than this, and it keeps up I would see the dealer. Also, unless you checked the oil when you picked it up from the dealer I wouldnt be too suprised to find out it wasnt all the way full from the factory. The dealers seem to suck at properly prepping this vehicle.


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## fergyflyer (Apr 18, 2005)

silvergoat05 said:


> This seemed to be an issue on the LS1 series when it first came out. Then it apparently was fixed. Know I have read where other people with the LS2 are having the same problem.
> 
> Back then, GM said the drivers were holding the revs up when traveling slow. Like 3K rpm and only like 30 mph.
> 
> Most today are also M6 cars.


The problem happened in 2001. GM made a change to the rings in the LS1 and LS6. Most of the cars that had problems were driven hard during break-in and were m6's. If you held revs or downshifted to a stop the cars tended to use oil. Some were really bad. I had a friend that had to add a quart of oil at every fuel stop in his C5 vert, basically every 300 miles. They eventually gave him a new engine, but for about 10,000 miles he went through gallons of Mobil 1. He saved the receipts and GM reimbursed him for all the oil. 

I've heard of one other LS2 with oil problems. GM rebuilt the motor. Haven't heard of any problems since. 

I have 4200 since the last oil change and I'm still right at the full line. Even with about 30 passes at the drag strip.


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## Wing_Nut (Mar 6, 2005)

JMVorbeck said:


> My car used 1 qt in the first 3K miles, got the oil changed and it hasnt used any more since. Some engines do consume some oil durinng the break in period where the rings and seals are seating. If you use much more than this, and it keeps up I would see the dealer. Also, unless you checked the oil when you picked it up from the dealer I wouldnt be too suprised to find out it wasnt all the way full from the factory. The dealers seem to suck at properly prepping this vehicle.


That's true. I thought the GTO was a joke when I drove the first sample. The car rode extremely hard and was really noisy. I drove a second GTO and the difference was dramatic. It was of course the tire pressure issue.

If GM wants to be taken seriously, they better get these dealers to take their heads out of their butts. Part of the reason people go to BMW, Volvo, Infiniti, Lexus, etc is because these marques have realized that service is a big part of the buying / ownership decision. A good car will be passed by because it is not presented to the customer properly.


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## silvergoat05 (Jun 15, 2005)

This issue seems to be a big topic over at ls1gto.com

And yes, GM dealers need to step up their CS skills. I had this very talk with numerous GM people over the dealership level. They are aware of the problem, but their stand right now is that dealerships are independantly owned and operated. 

I suggested they do something about it or GM will be independantly owned and operated by Toyota.


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## JMVorbeck (Jun 1, 2005)

silvergoat05 said:


> This issue seems to be a big topic over at ls1gto.com
> 
> And yes, GM dealers need to step up their CS skills. I had this very talk with numerous GM people over the dealership level. They are aware of the problem, but their stand right now is that dealerships are independantly owned and operated.
> 
> I suggested they do something about it or GM will be independantly owned and operated by Toyota.


 :lol:


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## Tom (Nov 1, 2004)

Wing_Nut said:


> If GM wants to be taken seriously, they better get these dealers to take their heads out of their butts. Part of the reason people go to BMW, Volvo, Infiniti, Lexus, etc is because these marques have realized that service is a big part of the buying / ownership decision. A good car will be passed by because it is not presented to the customer properly.


EXACTLY!!! 
That in my opinion is a major part of the reson GM stock is in the toilet, and people are getting laid off.

Lousy dealer experiences coupled with even lousier people manning the so called "customer service" (HA!) numbers is the reason the two new GM vehicles in my driveway (04GTO and 05 Rendezvous Ultra) get returned to GMAC when the bumper to bumper ends. I got burned buying a 37k Aurora, and wont get fooled again.

GM makes great used cars. Very inexpensive to buy, replace a few parts at your local shop, and drive. 


silvergoat05 said:


> I suggested they do something about it or GM will be independantly owned and operated by Toyota.


 When GM launched saturn, they could have probably spent the same money and bought one of japans big three. Now Honda or Toyota could probably buy GM!

I was not a honda fan until I had my trouble free Legend Coupe for a few years.


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## GTO_400 (Jul 7, 2005)

so true, when i went to buy my goat i new more about it than anyone in the showroom even the manager! he could not even tell me what the driver information menu was or what it did, so he tells me to just keep fooling around and you will get it "whatever" anyway just glad to know im not the only one with the oil issue here, thanks guys


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## EEZ GOAT (Jul 9, 2005)

GTO_400 said:


> hey all, just checked the oil today and noticed that it was a quart low and the color was very dark all of this within the first 1,000 miles, the owners manual calls for an extra half quart if the car is used in competive driving, but my car is very lucky to see 100 miles a month of just crusin, is it normal for the gto (ls2) to use this much oil? i did check the oil when i first got the car and it was about a half quart over full but now she is a good quart low any idears  :confused


hey i just love this gto forum :cheers . i read this tread about oil. and just check it yesterday and it was a quart low.(5,450 mi) going in for my 2nd oil change tomorrow (BTW just got the car on may 28th :willy: ). i will keep i on my oil from now on. thanx all of you. this is the best way for info on your gto :cheers


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## BigNick (Jan 7, 2005)

I'm approximately one quart low (oil comes up to the line at the bottom of the crosshatch area on the corkscrew-dipstick).

Had my oil changed (Mobil 1) at 750 then again at 3000 miles. I think I was short-filled (6 quarts instead of 6.5) on the 3000-mile change, will have to check the paperwork.

I'm sitting at just around 4400 miles now. One quart of Mobil 1 is about the price of 2 gallons of Sunoco 94, so it's not much to have to put in a quart between changes, but I don't think I should have to.

No leaks or drips that I can see. No smell or smoke.


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## WRA (Jun 17, 2005)

My GTO did not have any windshield washer fluid upon delivery and after 1,500 miles I checked my oil and it was dirty and low. Granted I did not check it out until then. I should have after realizing that the dealership had forgotten to fill the windshield fluid resevoir. I did drive it hard during the break-in period. I now have 2,500 miles on the car and the oil seems to be staying at the correct level and is a lot cleaner. Nice observation.


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## fergyflyer (Apr 18, 2005)

I didn't have any windshield washer fluid either. The washers didn't work on the test drive so the dealer filled that. The oil was a little low, not quite a half qt. Think of this, You are a large car manufacturer and you ship every car short a half qt of oil, low or no windshield washer fluid, gear oil a little low etc..... Think how much money you save per car, maybe $5, times all the cars they make.


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## Punchy (May 11, 2005)

Wing_Nut said:


> That's true. I thought the GTO was a joke when I drove the first sample. The car rode extremely hard and was really noisy. I drove a second GTO and the difference was dramatic. It was of course the tire pressure issue.
> 
> If GM wants to be taken seriously, they better get these dealers to take their heads out of their butts. Part of the reason people go to BMW, Volvo, Infiniti, Lexus, etc is because these marques have realized that service is a big part of the buying / ownership decision. A good car will be passed by because it is not presented to the customer properly.


 I went through same thing and even commented on the feel on my test drive, gee tires seem hard, oh they`ll get that on prep 2 days being home 60 psi, yes prep sucks thats why I claybarred car myself.


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