just turned 60K miles on my 98Z28 M6 and the last few times i've changed the oil ive noticed silvery paint and shavings stuck to the drain bolt!!! i mean i havent been hard on this car but i do get on it on occasion.....the motor seems to run great, no loud noises or clatters or bottom end knocks....it will puff a little smoke out the pipes sometimes after a hard rev tho....oil pressure is fine too....any idea's or suggestions???

 

Having a shavings on the drain plug is normal. That's why the drain plug is magnetic. What color of smoke does it blow? Hopefully blk and not blue or white.

 

the smoke that it occasionally blows out is black....a few friends have said when i get on it (wide open throttle punch) that is puffs out both pipes black smoke.....any suggestions???

 

It runs rich at WOT. Better than lean. Very normal.

I don't get many shavings out of my camaro, but I do out of my Blazer. Like they said, normal....

 

i guess if the rods start knocking (could be piston slap lol) or something of that nature, then ill worry =) .....thanks guys

 

I had my lifters replaced last summer at 60K miles...I then started seeing the metal "dust" that you're describing at each oil change. It's now a year later and 14K miles later and my '98 ls1 threw a rod last week and I'm now looking for a new shortblock or rebuild. The ls1 oil pump is known to have flow issues and if I knew then what I know now, I would have spent the $150 or so for a new ported oil pump and maybe I wouldn't have the VERY expensive repair I'm facing now.

I'm not saying your engine's going to blow or anything, I'm just reporting my experience which isn't good

 

My 2001 Z28 always had slivers on the drain plug when I changed the oil. Everyone told me it was normal.


The '01 WS6 never has anything on the plug. I always check it and clean it, but there's never much of anything on there.

 

is it common for the oil pump to fail after 60k miles. I'm kind of hard on my car, but i use mobile 1 synth 05-30, and change oil every 3k. Car just turned 62k miles, should I replace my oil pump as precautionary?

 

It doesn't happen regularly, but it has been known to happen that the stock ls1 oil pump does starve the engine at high RPM's. I too have used nothing but Mobil 1 5W30 since the 1st oil change, and yet I'm still facing a thrown rod.

If I had it to do over again, I would have replaced my oil pump with a ported one available from one of our sponsors for around $150 or so...it may not have prevented my problem, but at this point, I don't know what caused my problem.

 

Just a data point. The oil pump problem was primarily a 98 model year thing.

 

The T/A all the way to when I sold it w/ 19K - the SS still w/ ~ 48,800 as of the last change.

Here's a neat article http://neptune.spacebears.com/cars/s.../oil-life.html

w/ a sidebar here http://neptune.spacebears.com/cars/stories/copper.html about copper levels.

As far as I know, copper is non-magnetic, so I still am confused as to what this stuff is.

Anyway, i consider it normal and don't worry about it.

My .02.


Britt

 

its weird how many people have shavings in their oil pan and think they have a major problem and others think its normal.....i guess unless you beat on your ride, it should last you many miles....so is it recommended to replace the oil pump in the 98model's or what??? if so, im thinking of doing it to be safe.

 

well there's a knock now and it has gotten worse in the past few days.....seems to get really bad after driving it for a while and the oil getting thin/warm...so im not gonna drive it(gonna go ahead and rebuild) what will i need besides new gaskets/bolts, ported oil pump, bearings, and rings??? im thinking the machine shop can magnaflux the crank and rods..maybe reuse the pistons??? any suggestions???