[N Camarolina]

Hey guys. Needing help from those with some experience in trying to keep the oil level at the top of the dipstick hashmarks needed for tracking.

Quick backstory: I take the car to the dealer so they can change the oil. I give them 10 QTs of 0W-40 ESP. They give me the car back with no left over quarts. I later (the next day) check the oil level at home after the engine cooled overnight, and it's 1/3 the way down from the top of the hash marks. Did all the correct steps to ensure oil level is accurate (level surface in my garage, wipe stick, leave out for 15 minutes, reinsert stick, twist 180 or 360 degrees, pull back out, etc).

SO..... I add 1/4 quart of oil, drive the car, let it cool overnight, and recheck. The level now reads 1/4 low (instead of 1/3 low). I add another 1/4Q (1/2Q total now added) drive, cool overnight, measure, and the level STILL reads 1/4q low (no change on the dipstick after adding 1/4Q). No leaking oil on the ground. Haven't seen this with my LT1 in the past, so left scratching my head. It's possible the car currently has 10.5 quarts in it (or less if the dealer didn't put all 10Q in).

Have any of you guys experienced this when you try to add oil to work your way up the top half of the hashed area on the dipstick? I have a track event this weekend, so wondering whether to add any more oil or not?

[Baddawg53]

I've never had a cars oil level not rise when adding oil. I will say though that my car has always taken 11 qts to get to the full mark on the stick.

[2004YZFR1]

Did you check the level after you added a 1/4 quart and before you drove it? And ever time I drain my oil and do oil and filter 10 quarts is perfect to the top of the fill or hatched line.

[N Camarolina]

Originally Posted by 2004YZFR1

Did you check the level after you added a 1/4 quart and before you drove it? .

I'm not sure what you are getting at. Each time I drove it after adding oil, I only drove it 20 miles or less, so there's no way I consumed the oil that I just added before the next measurement. Since new, the engine hasn't really consumed any oil, even with track use.

[Christian1LE]

I feel like there are only 2 possibilities here, you're either adding oil to the wrong hole or you have a blown head gasket.

[5.M0NSTER]

To have another data point on oil consumption check right after you added oil while the engine is off. Can’t consume oil if it’s not running.

[Briland_1LE]

Originally Posted by Christian1LE

I feel like there are only 2 possibilities here, you're either adding oil to the wrong hole or you have a blown head gasket.

Been real quiet since this comment haha hope it wasn't the wrong hole

[beworthy3]

I do find it pretty difficult to read the oil level. What I found works is to take the dipstick out and leave it out for 15 mins to find an accurate reading.

When I add oil I also do not start the car before measuring

[Badmojo]

[5.M0NSTER]

Originally Posted by Briland_1LE

Been real quiet since this comment haha hope it wasn't the wrong hole

That’s what she said!

[N Camarolina]

To provide an update to close the loop here, I added another 6oz of oil and finally got the level to top of the hash marks without going over. That essentially means it required almost 3/4Q to get the level to rise through the top 1/3 of the hash mark area. Perhaps the oil level in the pan does not rise in a linear way as more is added.

And while I don't think the engine consumes much if any oil during street driving, it is consuming oil at the track, as noted in the video posted by Badmojo.

Thanks all!