[2SS Capt]

Originally Posted by OzzieSS

I did my first LT1 oil change today with my recently purchased '16 1SS. I let the oil drain 30 minutes and I always prefill my oil filters. I filled it up with ten quarts of oil on top of what little oil it took to prefill the oil filter. The dipstick still showed the oil level a tiny bit below the half way mark 30 minutes after start up. So this tells me these engines take a tad bit more than ten quarts. I know people in this thread swear up and down these engines are ten quart engines no matter what. Today's results from my experience prove otherwise.....

(Note: I haven't changed my oil yet as my 2020 2SS only has 91 miles on it) But I have found on my other cars, if I let them drain a long time (30+ minutes) they tend to take a bit more oil than the stated amount in the manual (1/4 to maybe 1/2 qt)... Not sure if that is the same on the LT1, but I imagine it could be, especially on a 10qt engine...

[OzzieSS]

The comments mentioned in this thread, "the LT1 takes 10qts, no more no less" amazes me how those people are so dead set on this. As I said earlier, I let mine drain for 30 minutes just to make sure the pan was pretty much emptied. I prefilled the filter AND I put in 10qts. I let it sit overnight and it still shows low. This tells me there's no way the "10qts no more no less" comment cannot be accurate.

[2SS Capt]

Originally Posted by OzzieSS

The comments mentioned in this thread, "the LT1 takes 10qts, no more no less" amazes me how those people are so dead set on this. As I said earlier, I let mine drain for 30 minutes just to make sure the pan was pretty much emptied. I prefilled the filter AND I put in 10qts. I let it sit overnight and it still shows low. This tells me there's no way the "10qts no more no less" comment cannot be accurate.

I've always been a fill it to the upper level of the hashing on the dipstick when filling oil. I start with the recommended amount and then add small amounts until at the proper level...

[KLG]

The wet-sump LT1 engine oil capacity, as GM states, is 10 quarts. The oil pan on my 2016 is the same as other stock LT1s. All wet-sump LT1 engines should have the same oil capacity of 10 quarts. Granted there may be a stack-up of manufacturing tolerances, but not enough to significantly change the crankcase capacity.

So why might different owners get different oil level readings after putting in 10 quarts of oil? Two possible reasons:
• Is the vehicle setting level (side to side, front to rear)?
• Has enough time been given to allow the oil to drain back into crank case?

Besides these reasons, what other reasons would cause these various readings? My thinking is that some of the oil level reading variances might be due to manufacturing variances in the dip-stick and dip-stick tube.
Also how far the dip-stick tube was installed at the factory. Too far out, you read low, too far in, you read high.

On my vehicles, for the first oil change, I install the specified volume of oil. I then run/drive the car to warm it up. Then I stop and let it set for 5 minutes, then I check the oil level. Where ever the oil level is on the dip-stick, that becomes the full level for my vehicle from that point forward. For my Camaro, it is in the middle of the hash marks.

I do not recommend adding oil to bring it up the full mark on the dip-stick. Now, if you chose to do that, you’re probably not going to cause any harm as long as you don’t add enough oil to get the level too close to the crankshaft to cause air entrainment in the oil. But adding more oil isn’t necessary.

So, in my opinion, regardless of what the level is on the dip stick, put in 10 quarts and you are good to go. Just note where 10 quarts puts the level on the dipstick, that is your engine’s full mark.

--KLG--

[Ron2ss]

Originally Posted by KLG

Besides these reasons, what other reasons would cause these various readings? My thinking is that some of the oil level reading variances might be due to manufacturing variances in the dip-stick and dip-stick tube.
Also how far the dip-stick tube was installed at the factory. Too far out, you read low, too far in, you read high.
--KLG--

My thoughts exactly!

[SSDan]

Originally Posted by KLG

I do not recommend adding oil to bring it up the full mark on the dip-stick. Now, if you chose to do that, you’re probably not going to cause any harm as long as you don’t add enough oil to get the level too close to the crankshaft to cause air entrainment in the oil. But adding more oil isn’t necessary.

So, in my opinion, regardless of what the level is on the dip stick, put in 10 quarts and you are good to go. Just note where 10 quarts puts the level on the dipstick, that is your engine’s full mark.

--KLG--

I agree. I put in 10 quarts and leave it be. I've been lucky on this as after an oil change and all the way through the life of that oil - my level is at and stays at he top of the hash marks.

Note: I always and only check my oil level on a totally cold engine.
Nothing wrong with checking the oil level on a warm engine as long as you accept that the oil level may read a little lower than on a cold engine reading. My point is that warm or cold - do it the same way every time. That oil level becomes your car's normal. Then changes on the oil stick become meaningful.

[OzzieSS]

Originally Posted by KLG

So why might different owners get different oil level readings after putting in 10 quarts of oil? Two possible reasons:
• Is the vehicle setting level (side to side, front to rear)?
• Has enough time been given to allow the oil to drain back into crank case?


--KLG--

Yes and yes to those two questions. My garage floor is perfectly level. I let the car sit for 30 minutes which ten qts showed low, barely on the dip stick. I then let the car sit overnight and still got the same reading as before. This means either GM's golden rule of 10qts is complete foul or they need to get tighter specs in terms of their dip sticks in regards to where the proper oil level readings are gathered.

No other ifs, ands or buts about it. Going by the dip stick tells me my LT1 isn't properly filled with just 10qts.

[KLG]

Originally Posted by OzzieSS

Yes and yes to those two questions. My garage floor is perfectly level. I let the car sit for 30 minutes which ten qts showed low, barely on the dip stick. I then let the car sit overnight and still got the same reading as before. This means either GM's golden rule of 10qts is complete foul or they need to get tighter specs in terms of their dip sticks in regards to where the proper oil level readings are gathered.

No other ifs, ands or buts about it. Going by the dip stick tells me my LT1 isn't properly filled with just 10qts.

For sure your garage floor is close to level side to side. However, if your garage floor is like mine, your garage floor is sloped slightly towards the garage doors to allow water to run out. But, that ever so slight slope should not make much difference in the oil level reading on the dip-stick. You could test by checking the oil level with the car pulled in and again with the car backed in.

Regardless, if 10 quarts just barely touches the dipstick and does not make it into the cross-hatched area, I understand your concern. However, you can be sure that your oil pan/crankcase is essentially identical to mine. There is not enough difference in manufacturing tolerances to give your oil pan a significantly greater capacity than other LT1 engines.

Now, if you only need to add a few ounces of oil to get the level into the cross-hatch area, that is probably not a big deal. If you’re adding a quart or so, that would be concerning to me.

Here is the level on my dipstick with 10 quarts of oil and the car backed into the garage. Tough to see since the oil was just changed, but it is just below center of the cross-hatched area.

[OzzieSS]

Originally Posted by KLG

For sure your garage floor is close to level side to side. However, if your garage floor is like mine, your garage floor is sloped slightly towards the garage doors to allow water to run out. But, that ever so slight slope should not make much difference in the oil level reading on the dip-stick. You could test by checking the oil level with the car pulled in and again with the car backed in.

Regardless, if 10 quarts just barely touches the dipstick and does not make it into the cross-hatched area, I understand your concern. However, you can be sure that your oil pan/crankcase is essentially identical to mine. There is not enough difference in manufacturing tolerances to give your oil pan a significantly greater capacity than other LT1 engines.

Now, if you only need to add a few ounces of oil to get the level into the cross-hatch area, that is probably not a big deal. If you’re adding a quart or so, that would be concerning to me.

Here is the level on my dipstick with 10 quarts of oil and the car backed into the garage. Tough to see since the oil was just changed, but it is just below center of the cross-hatched area.

I probably added maybe a little less than half a quart after the initial 10qt fill. That slightly less than half a quart extra brought the oil level slightly under half way mark on my dipstick reading. I'm good with that.......

[2SS Capt]

Here is food for thought...

My "Factory Fill" on my 2SS is to the very top of the hash mark on the oil dipstick... I'm going to consider that my "full" mark...

[thescreensavers]

10quarts is an approximate, you need to check dipstick for final say. My car takes closer to 10.5 quarts with a filter.



The manual calls the crosshatch section "acceptable operating range" So I fill it to the top of the range. As long as you are inside this range you are fine.

[2SS Capt]

Originally Posted by thescreensavers

10quarts is an approximate, you need to check dipstick for final say. My car takes closer to 10.5 quarts with a filter.



The manual calls the crosshatch section "acceptable operating range" So I fill it to the top of the range. As long as you are inside this range you are fine.

I agree with this completely...

[DorkMissile]

Well - since new, I have only filled mine to the very low side of the hash marks while hot, it is about 9 1/4 quarts.

Why? I find that the amount of oil vapor is greatly reduced in the PCV system. When I did my first couple of oil changes, I was pouring in 10qts, but saw the oil volume in my catch can go way up right at the oil change.

As have dealing with these kinds of issues on other vehicles before, I let the car kind of tell me where it wanted the oil level - which settled in right between the lower hash mark and the tip of the dipstick. This took almost 5000 miles to happen, but once it did, the amount of oil in my catch can went WAY down.

But the debate is over about the terminology of "Capacity" vs "Fill". Yes - the manual says the capacity is 10 quarts, but you are not getting 10 quarts out when you drain it.

I recently tore my engine down as to go with forged internals, but even after 2 days of letting the engine sit on the stand with do drain plug in it, there was still every bit of 1/2 half a quart or more of oil inside it. The valleys in which the lifters ride, the cam, the DOD system, and the oil bypass system were still full of oil.

I doubt that when you drain the system you are getting any more than 9 to 9 1/4 quarts out of it. If you are pouring in 10 quarts, you are probably 1qt over full

[overdriv]

Originally Posted by KLG

For sure your garage floor is close to level side to side. However, if your garage floor is like mine, your garage floor is sloped slightly towards the garage doors to allow water to run out. But, that ever so slight slope should not make much difference in the oil level reading on the dip-stick. You could test by checking the oil level with the car pulled in and again with the car backed in.

Regardless, if 10 quarts just barely touches the dipstick and does not make it into the cross-hatched area, I understand your concern. However, you can be sure that your oil pan/crankcase is essentially identical to mine. There is not enough difference in manufacturing tolerances to give your oil pan a significantly greater capacity than other LT1 engines.

Now, if you only need to add a few ounces of oil to get the level into the cross-hatch area, that is probably not a big deal. If you’re adding a quart or so, that

would be concerning to me.

Here is the level on my dipstick with 10 quarts of oil and the car backed into the garage. Tough to see since the oil was just changed, but it is just below center of the cross-hatched area.

That is exactly what my dipstick looks like when 10qts put in with filter changed.

That is my full indication.