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Yet another $50,000 OIL BURNER

5K views 38 replies 21 participants last post by  c4c5specialist 
#1 ·
1600 miles and 2 quarts low!!!!!!!!!
 
#5 ·

On 2001-05-14 14:41, z06blackz06 spewed forth this drivel:
From what I understand, even if they had to tear down the engine to fix it, the likelyhood that it would run like new is not good.
Having been involved with many racing engines I'd have to disagree. I realize folks might be nervous about getting a repair done on their car. Anyone had this fixed and have the motor not be 100% afterward?

If your dealer can't put rings in a motor, maybe another dealer is in order...rings are a pretty straightforward deal.

Ask a mechanic that has a clue. If it can be built, it can be repaired. I would think a repair done at 4 or 5 thousand miles would prove to be satisfactory or unsatisfactory in the remaining 31 to 32 thousand miles of warranty left...

1fastdog
 
#6 ·
1fast
You have no idea of the caliber of flat rate tech's in the greater Boston area. My car was damaged while being PDI'd and damaged while having it's oil changed at 400 miles. Do you think I want that car repaired to the extent of the engine being completely torn down in Boston?
Additionally, it is a stigma to have a brandy new car being rebuilt immediately because of a known defect. It should never have been released to me in that condition. I bought a new car with a new engine. You are suggesting that a new car with a rebuild of the engine is just as good.
Well, not to this and many other buyers of a used car. Used cars with that kind of history are worth less in anybody's book. It is devalued no matter how well the rebuild is done. New is new..rebuilt is rebuilt.
Here's another problem. I am driving in a new car -->up and down on oil. Ya think maybe other engine parts such as the bearings and the camshaft to name two might be affected in the long haul...you know right after the warranty goes south.
I bought a NEW car with a NEW engine....is that too much to ask for?


On 2001-05-14 16:27, 1fastdog spewed forth this drivel:
<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD>Quote:</font><HR NOSHADE SIZE=1 COLOR=AAAAAA></TD></TR><TR><TD><BLOCKQUOTE><B>
On 2001-05-14 14:41, z06blackz06 spewed forth this drivel:
From what I understand, even if they had to tear down the engine to fix it, the likelyhood that it would run like new is not good.
Having been involved with many racing engines I'd have to disagree. I realize folks might be nervous about getting a repair done on their car. Anyone had this fixed and have the motor not be 100% afterward?

If your dealer can't put rings in a motor, maybe another dealer is in order...rings are a pretty straightforward deal.

Ask a mechanic that has a clue. If it can be built, it can be repaired. I would think a repair done at 4 or 5 thousand miles would prove to be satisfactory or unsatisfactory in the remaining 31 to 32 thousand miles of warranty left...

1fastdog


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#7 ·

On 2001-05-14 13:50, z06blackz06 spewed forth this drivel:
1600 miles and 2 quarts low!!!!!!!!!
z06blackz06,

Sherylann and I had the same problem with both of our Z's. About every 800 miles I had to add oil. I was VERY concerned, to say the least!! Seems though that the oil consumption is subsiding. Sherylann had her oil changed at 5000 miles and I just added a quart last week. She currently has 7,000 miles. 1 quart in the last 2000 miles. Not bad!!

I just had my oil changed today at 6000 miles. I will keep you informed if there is any improvement, but it seems the rings are beginning to seat.

1 quart every 2000 miles on such a high performance engine, and we don't baby them!! /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif I'm not concerned anymore.
 
#8 ·
I only suggest rings are not something that I believe to be a hard to do repair.

I'm sorry your experience with your dealer has not been a pleasant one.

The post I responded to suggested a motor couldn't be good after a ring replacement. I disagree with that statement.



1fastdog
 
#9 ·

On 2001-05-14 17:46, 1fastdog spewed forth this drivel:
I only suggest rings are not something that I believe to be a hard to do repair.

<B>Agreed...but a ring job immediately on a new 50k car does impact it's inherent value.


I'm sorry your experience with your dealer has not been a pleasant one.

Just because I bought 6 new Corvettes a truck and have a new Avalanche waiting for me at the same dealer...why should they be careful or courteous? I am not a maroon, just a friend of the new car manager. Old habits die hard..but this sitiuation may end that friendship.

The post I responded to suggested a motor couldn't be good after a ring replacement. I disagree with that statement.

Agreed again....but I don't want a "good" re-ringed engine in my "new" car



1fastdog
</B>
 
#12 ·
[/quote]

I am thinking by your syntax of late , you know something I don't....j.healey@verizon.net

I can and will keep every confidence.
[/quote]

I think the only thing I have said is that a ring replacement is possible to do without harm to an engine's performance. I don't recall who stated it wasn't possible to do, but I was responding to them and that notion.

What I have seen in your posts is that you believe you have an oil consumption concern, that it's been verified with the dealer, you want out of the car because you don't believe it will be repaired to like new condition...

I wouldn't venture to give you advice regarding your situation. If you believe I was trying to give advice? I wasn't.

As I said I hope things work out.

1fastdog
 
#13 ·
I use Mobil 1 in all my vehicles. My two Cadillacs (both Northstars)use a quart about ever 1500 miles. I have been told by Cadillac this is normal. One of the cars has 47k on it and still burns at the same rate. I have heard that Mobil 1 is thinner and tends to burn a little more than normal oils. They tell me these modern engines run hotter and therefore burn a little more oil. I wonder if the viscosity they are recommending is correct?
 
#14 ·
I'm really bummed about the "Burner" situation... I have 6,000 miles on mine and add a quart every 300 miles /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_frown.gif Also, my B&B Tri-Flows look terrible and the oil through the pipes speckles the rear facia. I'm currently working with my dealer documenting the problem...The words "Buy-Back" came from the dealer...we'll just have to wait and see.
 
#15 ·
It would apperar that Chevrolet has taken a stand to not volutarily buy back burners.

I just received a call from the Brand Quailty Manager for Corvette, saying albeit others have been bought back mine won't.

Off to Pep Boys in my truck for oil...then fill up the burner and off to my Lawyers.

Boy this is just like High School...fill the car with oil then off to my Lawyer ...back then it was for misdemeanors...heeheeee

I feel young again...thank you Chevrolet.
 
G
#17 ·
I have been buying GM since 1968 [olds442] I have bought 22 cars since then , a lot of Hi performance vehicles and have had excellent luck with all of them...It really hurts to read all of this cuz I know I would be P***ed off if where me that just spend the $$ and was dealing with it. You don't expect to pay 50Gs and have an engine tore apart, when the parts are available..It is sad, and I hope that GM will come good, I believe they will. If there are a very few Z's out there with a real problem, they should be taken care of, and quickly..My 2 cents......
 
#18 ·
If I was using any more than a qt. per 800 miles I wouldn't demand a buy-back, I'd ask Chevrolet to fix the engine.

*Some* of the oil consumption problems experienced by LS1/6 engines are caused by ring-flutter during high-rpm/light-load operation (such as cruising around town in low gears at 4000 or more rpm). This is an abnormal driving cycle and in many cases the oil consumption problem goes away if driving habits are modified somewhat. This doesn't mean you can't run your C5 hard. Under high-rpm/high-load operation, ie: wide-open throttle hard driving, oil consumption will be somewhat higher than normal driving but *not* near as high as it can be under high-rpm/light-load conditions.

A fix is currently available for this high-rpm/light-load, ring-flutter-driven, oil use problem, but not through the ordinary service channels. Right now, it's avaiable on a case-by-case basis though Chevrolet's technical assistance network.

A service-level fix is under development and I suspect release is to be soon. A production fix is, also, under development, either for start-of-production MY02 or shortly afterwards.

The fix is higher tension rings and a different oil scraper profile.

More details of this fix will be posted on the C5 Registry web site sometime in the middle of next week.
 
#19 ·
Thanks Hib for the great input. I have noticed on my Z that you are exactly correct. If I keep the RPM's in the normal range then then my oil usage is very low.
 
#20 ·
Hib, I noted your remark that the ring issue would be addressed either at the beginning of '02 production or "shortly after" I was a little surprised to hear that - I thought the fix was supposed to be for ALL '02 Z06s. I have a TPW of 7/23 - I would like to know if the new rings will be installed by then.

Thanks....
 
#21 ·
Hib, if the problem seems to appear in 'high rpm/low load' driving, is it fair to say the problem is mainly with manual transmission cars? I would assume most automatics would be left in drive, which won't allow a high rpm/low load situation, and therefore wouldn't have this problem.

Vince
 
#22 ·

On 2001-06-14 15:31, BLEUBYU said:
Hib, I noted your remark that the ring issue would be addressed either at the beginning of '02 production or "shortly after" I was a little surprised to hear that - I thought the fix was supposed to be for ALL '02 Z06s. I have a TPW of 7/23 - I would like to know if the new rings will be installed by then.

Thanks....

Up until, a week or so ago, the break-point of the new rings in production had sea-sawed from start of production to just after SOP. The information used in my above post was based on my communications with GM sources prior to a week ago. Late last week, I heard the new ring pack will be on Z06s at start of production and LS1-powered cars a few weeks later.


On 2001-06-14 15:31, BLEUBYU said:
Hib, if the problem seems to appear in 'high rpm/low load' driving, is it fair to say the problem is
mainly with manual transmission cars? I would assume most automatics would be left in drive,
which won't allow a high rpm/low load situation, and therefore wouldn't have this problem.

Vince
Great question.
I'd think you are correct. I don't believe an automatic, left to shift automatically, will allow the engine to get into a high-rpm/light-load situation typcial of the ring flutter problem, however, if you manually shift and hold the trans in gear, you can get into a high-rpm/low-load situation.

_________________
H. Halverson
technical writer
content supplier to Internet and print media
 
#23 ·
I'm having new rings put on in a few weeks. I'll report back afterward. I'll send some photos here so you can see what's actually involved. I will take possession of the old rings.

I'll be using my G-Tech to see if there's any performance difference before and afterward. Of course that won't tell me if something will happen down the road, but I have a lot of warrentee left.
 
#25 ·

On 2001-08-06 00:09, vettmaster spewed forth this drivel:
Hang on GM is coming out with new rings.If you want more info let me know
The "new ring" fix has been pending for quite some time. Any update you can provide would be appreciated.

Also, if a Z06 is burning one quart per 1000 miles, what are the adverse consequences of NOT re-ringing once a kit is available?

Thanks in advance.

Ranger
 
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