[Sheldor]

GPI SS3 cam kit, msd intake, upgraded valvetrain, etc. Using 0w40 Mobil 1 Supercar oil. The add oil indicator came on three random times ( twice flat ground once decline). Checked the oil every time and its full (top of hash marks on dipstick). I even let the car sit for 48hrs w/o driving to check the oil and still full top hashmark. Has this happened to anyone else using the same oil? From my understanding it is thinner when cold and thicker when hot and running and the sensor is calibrated for 5w30. The car runs fine, no smoke no leaks.

[Ventmaster]

Originally Posted by Sheldor

GPI SS3 cam kit, msd intake, upgraded valvetrain, etc. Using 0w40 Mobil 1 Supercar oil. The add oil indicator came on three random times ( twice flat ground once decline). Checked the oil every time and its full (top of hash marks on dipstick). I even let the car sit for 48hrs w/o driving to check the oil and still full top hashmark. Has this happened to anyone else using the same oil? From my understanding it is thinner when cold and thicker when hot and running and the sensor is calibrated for 5w30. The car runs fine, no smoke no leaks.

I've never seen in my car or read here on C6 of anyone getting that kind of a scare. It seems to me there was an issue with the V6 engine in the 5th Gen cars having a "disappearing oil" trick.
I have used that brand and weights of oil also (currently using Motul 5w-40 syn). I expect it's secondary to your modifications, but it will require a bigger brain than mine to figure it out. Good job keeping an eye on it. I'm sure that engine is worth protecting.
If it continues, I know I prolly would have to drain it and measure how much you get out to be fully assured. But that's paranoid me!

[Hostile_1LE]

My car is currently doing the "oil level low add oil" message everytime i start it. I think it may be a bad sensor because it has plenty of oil in it. Just had a new motor built so maybe sensor got shorted or damaged during install.

[Sheldor]

Originally Posted by Hostile_1LE

My car is currently doing the "oil level low add oil" message everytime i start it. I think it may be a bad sensor because it has plenty of oil in it. Just had a new motor built so maybe sensor got shorted or damaged during install.

Yeah possibly same for mine being bad. Can we just disconnect it or disable it? Not sure if dropping the pan would be worth it all. Is a job.

[GreyGhost702]

Just for shits and giggles, have you tried some electrical cleaner and a small brush on the contacts yet to make sure it's not an easy fix? Otherwise, you can set a lot of codes to disable/ignore in HP Tuner, you could try it or have your tuner try it. Alternatively, you could get a matching connector for the harness and wire a resistor together so the car thinks the oil level is always good. Would have to dig into electrical specs to find out what range it needs to see, build a plug from there. Used to do this for rear O2 defeats on older cars... wonder if it works for newer cars?

[KingLT1]

Check the connector / sensor. It could have been damaged when the oil pan was dropped to do the cam swap.

[cdb95z28]

Originally Posted by Sheldor

GPI SS3 cam kit, msd intake, upgraded valvetrain, etc. Using 0w40 Mobil 1 Supercar oil. The add oil indicator came on three random times ( twice flat ground once decline). Checked the oil every time and its full (top of hash marks on dipstick). I even let the car sit for 48hrs w/o driving to check the oil and still full top hashmark. Has this happened to anyone else using the same oil? From my understanding it is thinner when cold and thicker when hot and running and the sensor is calibrated for 5w30. The car runs fine, no smoke no leaks.

Oil viscosity goes down when heated but note that the volume expands when heated. The more difference from cold to hot oil temps, the more there is volume increase.

Oil is not thinner when cold. The 0W40 definition does not mean it is "0" weight when cold and heavier "40" weight when hot. Those #s are independent of each other, they are defined at two different data points.

Sounds like there is a sensor or harness issue causing the intermittent low/add oil alarm.


SuperCar 0W40 Viscosity:

Kinematic Viscosity @ 40 C (104*F), mm2/s, ASTM D445 = 69.0
Kinematic Viscosity @ 100 C (212*F), mm2/s, ASTM D445 = 12.9

[WiggyB]

Not sure if this will be the same thing for you but jus did an engine swap in my truck and was getting the same engine oil low message across my dash when starting it up. Talked to the person I got the engine from and he suggested running 20w50 oil in it. No more message for me so switching to a thicker oil resolved my issue.

[cdb95z28]

https://youtu.be/48pviPLgaPQ?si=OG2GIVWZkq1Evt0h

[cdb95z28]

Originally Posted by WiggyB

Not sure if this will be the same thing for you but jus did an engine swap in my truck and was getting the same engine oil low message across my dash when starting it up. Talked to the person I got the engine from and he suggested running 20w50 oil in it. No more message for me so switching to a thicker oil resolved my issue.

If you were running the 0W40 and now the 20W50, you've just started to use oil that flows slower at cold startup. Look up the Kinematic Viscosity @ 40 C (104*F) of each oil.

[WiggyB]

Originally Posted by cdb95z28

If you were running the 0W40 and now the 20W50, you've just started to use oil that flows slower at cold startup. Look up the Kinematic Viscosity @ 40 C (104*F) of each oil.

I was running 10w40 actually in the truck but I understand what you are saying this was just the solution in my situation.

[bishopts]

Here you go

[Sheldor]

Originally Posted by cdb95z28

Oil viscosity goes down when heated but note that the volume expands when heated. The more difference from cold to hot oil temps, the more there is volume increase.

Oil is not thinner when cold. The 0W40 definition does not mean it is "0" weight when cold and heavier "40" weight when hot. Those #s are independent of each other, they are defined at two different data points.

Sounds like there is a sensor or harness issue causing the intermittent low/add oil alarm.


SuperCar 0W40 Viscosity:

Kinematic Viscosity @ 40 C (104*F), mm2/s, ASTM D445 = 69.0
Kinematic Viscosity @ 100 C (212*F), mm2/s, ASTM D445 = 12.9

Nope, 0w40 is thinner when cold than 5w30.

[Sheldor]

Originally Posted by GreyGhost702

Just for shits and giggles, have you tried some electrical cleaner and a small brush on the contacts yet to make sure it's not an easy fix? Otherwise, you can set a lot of codes to disable/ignore in HP Tuner, you could try it or have your tuner try it. Alternatively, you could get a matching connector for the harness and wire a resistor together so the car thinks the oil level is always good. Would have to dig into electrical specs to find out what range it needs to see, build a plug from there. Used to do this for rear O2 defeats on older cars... wonder if it works for newer cars?

I'll try this. The indicator doesnt come on every start. Could be the connection/dirty since I pulled the motor for the cam swap job. Thanks