[aeagleaaron]

I have about 18,000 miles on this car. I bought it brand new, broke it in like I was supposed to (by the manual). I noticed it burning a lot of oil. Like it had 72% oil life left and no oil on the dip stick. I took it to the dealership and they are having me do a oil consumption test. Basically checking the dip stick on every fueling. The tech told me that most likely I am looking at a new engine. Anyone else have this issue?

[jvandy50]

we need to know how many miles you drove since last time it was checked/full brother.

mine burns a little bit, but coming from a GT350, this is nothing lol.

[LT4Greg]

I hope my 2017 doesn’t start using oil! This has me wondering now.

[unavailablezl1]

Originally Posted by aeagleaaron

I have about 18,000 miles on this car. I bought it brand new, broke it in like I was supposed to (by the manual). I noticed it burning a lot of oil. Like it had 72% oil life left and no oil on the dip stick. I took it to the dealership and they are having me do a oil consumption test. Basically checking the dip stick on every fueling. The tech told me that most likely I am looking at a new engine. Anyone else have this issue?

I did the same thing. Broke it in, mostly careful, and I like to drive it kinda hard. 60% of the shifts are to 5k rpm with some almost redlines thrown in. Hey, it's a ZL1 sports car. Mine burned close to a quart+ in 1200 miles. So I did the same unit test as on my 500 miles per qt GT350. Got on the freeway, played nice, did 65-70, no high revs, almost no city driving. I drove 1500 miles and it burned nothing. So it might be just how you drive it.....like a ZL1 Sports Car.

[HDRDTD]

Originally Posted by aeagleaaron

I have about 18,000 miles on this car. I bought it brand new, broke it in like I was supposed to (by the manual). I noticed it burning a lot of oil. Like it had 72% oil life left and no oil on the dip stick. I took it to the dealership and they are having me do a oil consumption test. Basically checking the dip stick on every fueling. The tech told me that most likely I am looking at a new engine. Anyone else have this issue?

How many miles on this last oil change that now reports 72% life left?

[Canadian ZL1]

Originally Posted by aeagleaaron

I have about 18,000 miles on this car. I bought it brand new, broke it in like I was supposed to (by the manual). I noticed it burning a lot of oil. Like it had 72% oil life left and no oil on the dip stick. I took it to the dealership and they are having me do a oil consumption test. Basically checking the dip stick on every fueling. The tech told me that most likely I am looking at a new engine. Anyone else have this issue?

The dealership will tell you that it's normal to have to add up to 1 litre of oil if your dipstick is calling for it. While I don't agree with this statement it is what it is. I would get a compression test done by the dealership first. Get a fresh oil change and monitor your dipstick every 500 km's (310 miles). This will be the only way to determine how much oil it is burning.

[gblaue]

My 17 uses about 1 qt every 1500 miles.

[Elite Engineering]

Breaking it in as the owners manual states will give you about a 50/50 chance rings will seat properly. You only have a 400-500 mile window for the rings to abrade into the shape of the cylinders before a hard glaze sets in and covers the crosshatch before that window has past. The actual GM instructions for techs and other mechanics is as follows, but they would never expose themselves to the liability of having the average consumer follow these as most can understand if someone crashed doing full throttle when GM told them to a huge lawsuit.




The instructions given to new vehicle owners you must understand are a combination of general guidance and legal liability protection. Very little is accurate on how to best care for your engine....Ford and every other automaker is the same.


If your rings did not seat, GM is replacing the engines and NOT rebuilding them. They go back to GM and they re manufacture them there.


Good Luck!!!

[rlarsen462]

Data point:

2019 ZLE, beaten like a red headed step child from day one. WOT, redline, etc. Tracked at 1500 miles on a hot day, 8 x 30 minutes sessions flat out.

Have literally not burned a drop of oil near as I can tell. Car makes great power.

[SteveV]

I typically go 6000 miles between oil changes. My 2018 usually needs another quart around the 5000 mile mark.

But, my 5th gen Camaro did this and so did my 2014 Silverado with the 5.3... So, this all seems kind of normal for a Chevy V8.

But, as others have noted: you didn't really tell us how many miles since it last showed full on the dipstick...

[Mark R]

Originally Posted by rlarsen462

Data point:

2019 ZLE, beaten like a red headed step child from day one. WOT, redline, etc. Tracked at 1500 miles on a hot day, 8 x 30 minutes sessions flat out.

Have literally not burned a drop of oil near as I can tell. Car makes great power.

I am in agreement with you. An engine broken in hard seats the rings much better than one that is babied for 1000 miles. You can give an engine WOT without revving it too high, just like that Chevy break in bulletin above. I started hammering on my car after just a short time, with full throttle runs after 100 miles or so.

[Larrio Andretti]

Originally Posted by Elite Engineering

Breaking it in as the owners manual states will give you about a 50/50 chance rings will seat properly. You only have a 400-500 mile window for the rings to abrade into the shape of the cylinders before a hard glaze sets in and covers the crosshatch before that window has past. The actual GM instructions for techs and other mechanics is as follows, but they would never expose themselves to the liability of having the average consumer follow these as most can understand if someone crashed doing full throttle when GM told them to a huge lawsuit.




The instructions given to new vehicle owners you must understand are a combination of general guidance and legal liability protection. Very little is accurate on how to best care for your engine....Ford and every other automaker is the same.


If your rings did not seat, GM is replacing the engines and NOT rebuilding them. They go back to GM and they re manufacture them there.


Good Luck!!!

Exactly.... I build motors and after 20 mi or so they go right to the track. Never had an issue with rings not seating. Plenty of issues with new engines driven lightly with ring sealing issues. Break it in like you stole it!

[SFV1LE]

For ZL1s, it's important to build some boost (not lots of full boost) during break-in for the rings to seat properly. The rings in the LT4 are subject to much high cylinder pressures than NA motors like the LT1, and therefore must seat differently under boost in order to function properly and contain the combustion gasses under those higher cylinder pressures.

In other words, don't stay out of boost during the break-in period but as always make sure the oil is a full operating temp before you give it significant throttle and boost--at least 200 F in my opinion.

[Canadian ZL1]

Originally Posted by Mark R

I am in agreement with you. An engine broken in hard seats the rings much better than one that is babied for 1000 miles. You can give an engine WOT without revving it too high, just like that Chevy break in bulletin above. I started hammering on my car after just a short time, with full throttle runs after 100 miles or so.

I hate to agree with you but I was one of the dummies who babied and follow the break in procedure as per the manual. Had I not been so self conscious I’m sure my motor would of properly seated. In other words I should of been a little harder on the car during break in despite what the manual said.

I have to add 1 litre of oil every 2500km’s . It’s consistent in terms of every oil change I do after 2500 Km’s driven the dip stick is just the bottom of the crosshatch. The only good news is it passed the compression test, no white or black smoke from exhaust and no oil leaking from underneath. Since I only have to add 1 litre of oil during every oil change I can live with that. Also as a back up I have my full warranty in case it needs to be used. Have 20,000kms on the car and she is strong as ever.