LS1 Based Engine Tech LS1 / LS6 / LS2 / LS3 / LS7 Engine Tech
View Poll Results: Does your LS1 burn oil?
No, and I have an A4
10
22.73%
No, and I have an M6
17
38.64%
Yes, A4
5
11.36%
Yes, M6
12
27.27%
Voters: 44. You may not vote on this poll

Does your LS1 burn oil?

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Old Apr 17, 2003 | 07:17 PM
  #1  
TransAmLS1's Avatar
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Question Does your LS1 burn oil?

if so how much?
Old Apr 17, 2003 | 07:59 PM
  #2  
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about a quart in between oil changes.29000 miles
Old Apr 17, 2003 | 08:21 PM
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yeah, but the trans doesn't have anything to do with it. Pretty much all modern cars burn around a quart between oil changes. I know, I couldn't believe it myself. I was pissed when GM wouldn't do anything about my car when it was using oil like that. They even had me stop in every 500 miles for them to check the oil consumption for a 3000 mile duration. They said it was normal. I still didn't believe them. I did more research and found out it's common and acceptable... And like Is aid, it's not limited to LS! Camaros..it's just about all the newer vehicles...
Old Apr 17, 2003 | 08:27 PM
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Originally posted by Timberwolf
yeah, but the trans doesn't have anything to do with it. Pretty much all modern cars burn around a quart between oil changes. I know, I couldn't believe it myself. I was pissed when GM wouldn't do anything about my car when it was using oil like that. They even had me stop in every 500 miles for them to check the oil consumption for a 3000 mile duration. They said it was normal. I still didn't believe them. I did more research and found out it's common and acceptable... And like Is aid, it's not limited to LS! Camaros..it's just about all the newer vehicles...
I have heard that the trans does matter. Manual trans are consistently ran at higher RPMs which is why they burn more oil because the higher RPMs. I think it wears the rings faster....
Old Apr 17, 2003 | 08:58 PM
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Originally posted by TransAmLS1
I have heard that the trans does matter. Manual trans are consistently ran at higher RPMs which is why they burn more oil because the higher RPMs. I think it wears the rings faster....
So its technically the RPMs causing more oil burning rather than the trans. One could theorize that two cars with A4 trans and otherwise being identical other than 2.73 gears in one and 3.42 gears in the other, would show a notable difference in oil burning. In which case the trans becomes unimportant. I would also question the validity of the m6 = higher rpm statement since the manual trans has the extra low second overdrive that effectively lowers the operational RPM of the engine...
Old Apr 17, 2003 | 09:40 PM
  #6  
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Bought my '99 Z28 a month ago. I put over 1k mi so far and the oil level is still right on full . 50k mi on the car too. Maybe not enough to say for sure, but looking good so far.
Old Apr 17, 2003 | 09:48 PM
  #7  
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Originally posted by Timberwolf
So its technically the RPMs causing more oil burning rather than the trans. One could theorize that two cars with A4 trans and otherwise being identical other than 2.73 gears in one and 3.42 gears in the other, would show a notable difference in oil burning. In which case the trans becomes unimportant. I would also question the validity of the m6 = higher rpm statement since the manual trans has the extra low second overdrive that effectively lowers the operational RPM of the engine...
Yeah, I guess you could say that. But generally people say if you go to buy a used LS1 if it is an M6 it will have a better chance of burning oil than an A4. But yeah, if someone would manually shift an A4 and shift at about 3k(normal driving) like most M6 drivers it would be the same I would think.

I wonder if they burn more if it is ran at higher RPMs, or the higher RPMs cause wear which leads to the consumption?!?!?!
Did that make sense? Say between 1 oil change you shift at 3k or more pretty consitently and it uses oil, but the next change you keep the RPMs down as much as possible, would it still burn oil? Or do the higher RPMs lead to ring failure? If so, it would still burn oil when driven easy.....

I wish someone with more knowledge on this subject would shed some light on it.
Old Apr 17, 2003 | 10:15 PM
  #8  
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I did an oil change about 2000 miles ago and the oil level has not dropped. I am a conservative driver though. The RPM's often don't go above 3500, but every now and then I give it some gas I filled my car with 6 quarts of Mobil 1, the lever is right at the full line.
Old Apr 17, 2003 | 11:21 PM
  #9  
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My 01 Trans Am burns about 1qt. of oil between every oil change (3,000 miles) if driven in the city, and a quart and a half if driven on a long road trip. My low oil usually comes on at around 2800 miles. Not sure if its 'normal' for most new cars, my roomates 2002 Honda Accord V6 doesnt use a drop. I mentioned it at the dealer and they say its normal usage for the engine. As long as it doesnt start burning it at a rate that my 85 Chevy Impala 305 did, I could care less.
Old Apr 18, 2003 | 07:40 AM
  #10  
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Cool

Yes. Pretty much the same than my old LT1 did.

I did an oil chance almost exactly 3K miles ago and the level is now almost at the "ADD" mark.

Time for fresh Mobil 1 again.

TS
Old Apr 18, 2003 | 08:40 AM
  #11  
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I have an '02, and I don't have an oil consumption problem. I have the LS6 intake, and believe I have the LS6 block. I think I remember hearing that the LS6 block has a little better oil distribution.
Old Apr 18, 2003 | 09:00 AM
  #12  
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There was a recall on one of those years on the LS1 i think it was 00' or 01'. Someone i know had the problem of burning about 3 quarts of oil between oil changes. It turned out it was a problem recognized by GM as engine rings. They did not put out an actual recall, but they are willing to fix it if you show a GM dealer over the period of about a couple months, they will either:

1) fix the problem (they said it takes 23 labor hours, so this is not likely)

2) replace the LS1 with a new one

I'm not real sure of the details, but if your LS1 burns a lot of oil and your car almost bone stack (just a few bolt-ons) you should definatly look into it.
Old Apr 18, 2003 | 11:06 AM
  #13  
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my ls1 loves to eat oil
Old Apr 18, 2003 | 11:19 AM
  #14  
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laff. Oil consumption? My 00' SS? Naw... YEAH RIGHT!

My first oil change after I bought the car, I put 6 qz. of Royal Purple oil in her..About 1500 miles later, my 'low oil' light when on. I was like, WTF!

So I put a bottle of mobil 1 in her to hold her over.

I, luckily, have a friend in my car team who is ASI certified and working for GM/Pontiac. He looked up some of the possible problems for the oil consumption and it turns out that there was a general problem with ls1's, SPECIFICALLY m6, that they were GM was willing to fix.

I forgot what the problem was, but I could ask my friend. I have the GMPP warranty with a $200 deductable; my friend told me that GM wouldn't charge me the deductable because it was a problem they had.

By the way, YES GM STATED IT WAS MORE COMMON IN M6 CARS! THIS IS FROM GM! THE MAKER!

It was nifty, he would type a phrase or problem term in a GM computer and it would list problems it had known of. "Oil Consumption" was in bold.
Old Apr 18, 2003 | 11:27 AM
  #15  
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Originally posted by tainted


By the way, YES GM STATED IT WAS MORE COMMON IN M6 CARS! THIS IS FROM GM! THE MAKER!

So I was right. The answers in the poll kind of show it too.



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