LS2 Oil Usage

[Veeate]

For those who own or service LS2's please read on.....

Just hit 8,200 km and the oil warning message has come up. The car was serviced at 3,000km as normal where it got new oil (i checked).

So some 5,200km later i am at the stage where the oil just shows up above the bottom of the dickstick. I have been monitoring it week by week until it got to this stage where it needs oil.

Not here to start a 'LS2 chews oil' thread just merely interested in what other people with LS2's have experience in terms of oil usage.

Like me LS1 before i just know i have to top it up with oil inbetween services (or go back to oil changes every 5000km). Might as well head out and get some oil now.

cheers
David

[Gasser 350]

David,

I have a VZ Clubbie R8 M6.

Had the oil changed at the 3000 km Service - Used no oil from 0 to 3000 km.

Oil changed at 10000 km Service - Used no oil from 3000 km to 10000 km.

Just checked my oil, 13500 km, - Used no oil from 10000 km to 13500 km.

I am using Mobil 1 10-30.

Have you checked for oil leaks?

Regards
Gasser 350

[OzJavelin]

Still running in? Like mentioned above, checked for leaks? My GenIII developed oil pan and rear-seal leak early in life .. 1.5L oil in 1500km ..

[GTO_]

For those who own or service LS2's please read on.....

Just hit 8,200 km and the oil warning message has come up. The car was serviced at 3,000km as normal where it got new oil (i checked).

So some 5,200km later i am at the stage where the oil just shows up above the bottom of the dickstick. I have been monitoring it week by week until it got to this stage where it needs oil.

Not here to start a 'LS2 chews oil' thread just merely interested in what other people with LS2's have experience in terms of oil usage.

Like me LS1 before i just know i have to top it up with oil inbetween services (or go back to oil changes every 5000km). Might as well head out and get some oil now.

cheers
David


Cheeck oil warnning comes on with every LS2 around the 7000k mark wether oil is low or not (i've seen this on many cars and have asked as well, nothing to worry about) ... Some might not see it because it gets reset by the dealer.

The LS2 sumps take over 5 litres of oil, and the grid on the dipstick represent the 1 litre @ the top of the sump ... So as long as it still registering on the dip stick less than 1 litre burnt @ 10,000ks is nothing!

These cars come with mobil 1 10-30 from factory and HSV recommend you not change oil before 10,000k's (just top up if needed), again I've rang them and spoken to some technical guys there to confirm this. Reason behind this i was told that bedding in process is better served with oil not changed in those first 10,000 ks. After that sure if you wanted change every 5,000 would be best.

As for some cars not burnning a drop? Well it depends on what type of driving was mostly done? If all hwy work I wouldnt be surprised. More city driving (start/stop) would burn more oil during the first 10,000ks of an LS2. These engines are very tight, a lot tighter than LS1's for some reason. Or another reason for no burn is driving the thing around like Miss Daisy :limpy: wich most don't do hence a little bit of oil burn. But if you're having to top off every week or loosing a litre every 1,500 k's for eg, then yes you got a problem!

Ok some problems I know of which not many have mentioned on the forums on the LS2's are leaks from the valve covers up high ..... and even more common are REAR MAIN SEAL leaks ... yes folks the rear main seal problem is becoming quite common on the LS2's at least here in Sydney. I know of at least 12 LS2's that have been done. Remember most HSV owners are not members of this forum and the few that are dont mention serious probs like these on their car (for the obvious reasons).

So if you still feel your loosing oil, use ur hand to check around the valve covers and also get underneath the car and look for rear main seal leaks (u will see oil from where ur gearbox is attached to the back of the engine).

If it is the rear main seal, dont worry it's not a major drama they just fit a new one on, car will be @ the dealers for about 2 days.

I don't think the LS2's have the same burnning oil issues that the pre-VZ Ls1's had. LS2's are suffering from more leak problems because of bad sealing (way engine was rushed together from Canada).

Hope this helps.

[Veeate]

Thanks for the input guys. I just went and topped it up with Mobil1 10w/30. Took 1litre. Will have to take a closer look and see if i have any leaks. Either way i will ensure the service guys take a good look at it at the 10,000km service. First i had heard of LS2's having a problem with oil leaks.

Just for the hell of it i took the car for a fang from my home (North Rocks) up towards wisemans ferry , take Portland exit and across the ferry and then onto windsor and home.

Love bouncing the car off the rev limiter in 3rd and punching it out of corners. Maybe this is why i go through a bit of oil !!! Thank god for the AP 6 brakes.......they sure can pull the car up when you need it.

cheers
David

[Holden Nut]

Don't the owners manuals (for whatever reason) say not to make assumptions re oil consumption until the car has done >10,000km?

[Veeate]

It does indeed say that.

[Souljah]

Love bouncing the car off the rev limiter in 3rd and punching it out of corners. Maybe this is why i go through a bit of oil !!!
Ummm..... :shock:

[GTO_]

Don't the owners manuals (for whatever reason) say not to make assumptions re oil consumption until the car has done >10,000km?

Yes but it doesn't take Einstein to realise if you going through 1litre every 1,500 k's SOMETHING IS WRONG! Like if have an operation and the doctor tells you it will take 4 weeks for the wound to heal. But after 1 week if your wound starts oozing out blood you don’t sit there for the next 3 weeks waiting for it to correct itself while you bleed to death, because the Doctor told you it would take 3 weeks.

A bit of common sense goes a long way. If your car is loosing oil, just take few minutes too look around (like around the valve covers or underneath the car). When I started running into guys with rear main seal leaks I was concerned and had a good look under the GTO. No rear main leak here but I did find a different leak. Yep power steering (very small though), so in for warranty she went and they replaced the power steering pump (which I also was told was happening a lot). Some LS’2 have slight power steering fluid leaks because of loose hoses. It’s so small though most owners wouldn’t notice levels of power steering fluid going down. But if they looked under their car they might see smears of power steering fluid on the sump guard.

[Veeate]

Car checked by Holden service this morning.....

- car is now on a oil consumption test (geez i have been through this about 4 or 5 times with my ls1 car).

- there is a Service Fix notice (ref no TL1083-0602) which describes the issue i am having and instructs how to use TECH2 to clear the error. This notice goes onto describe how under 'extreme conditions' the car may need additional servicing inbetween the standard 10,000km service routine.

Holden say up to 2.5 litres is allowed for these LS2 engines. See how my car goes on the consumption test over the next 5-10,000 km.

Seems i might be one of these 'extreme conditions' people who need intermediate services on my car.

Find it hard to believe but that i use my car harder than anyone else. While i enjoy giving it some on my favourite bit of road round wisemans ferry , pacific hwy etc i don't take the car to the drags , don't circuit race it etc.

Anyway if it needs servicing every 5,000 kms then so be it........

[10sec_rx7]

we service our LS2 every 5000km, and trust me it dosent get a easy life, it did use a little oil in the start but has since stopped

[VX2VESS]

2.5 ltrs of oil per 10,000K is acceptable :doh: same old story.

Wonder if that fits in with EPA regs.

Wouldn't it be nice if you didn't have to top up a car between services.

wonder if it 2.5 ltrs for the holden 6 ltr as well.

[Tingle92]

Long story short. My VZ LS2 (80,000) fixed the (lots) of oil burning by running straight (cheap) 15W40 mineral oil. No semi.. or full synthetic oil