8.1 Oil Consumption

[johnjbc]

hi i have an 8.1 2002 ?that is burning oil want to the dealer they said that the manf. is replaceing the exsht ? manifold bolts using longer bolts will help . looking for some kind of air intake sys please email me thanks &merry xmas to all ? ? ? ? ?

 

[gandolphxx]

Welcome to the club, The 8.1L oil consumption issue is mostly a function of the fact that the BigBlocks burn oil during their break in period - they have, they do and they will.

There have been questions about the head seating which may contribute, nothing relative to the exhaust manifold.

There is a wide choice of intake options available for the 8.1L - scan through the performance section for more info on K&N, Volant, UPD

 

[JoeZ]

I'm on my second Avalanche with the 8.1 and have never babied either one and both went 3,500 miles before requiring additional oil. By that time I am ready to do an oil change. I use 15W40 in everything I drive.

 

[TroyAvalanche]

John,

I too am having oil consumption problems, that I have noted in other posts here. I have just rolled 30000 miles. New til 6000 miles this thing you absolutely no oil between changes, from 6000 miles on its using a quart every 800 to 11 miles. The bolts you are referring to is the INTAKE bolts, not the exhaust, big difference. This change made absolutely no different on oil consumption on my 2500. I am in process of going to the dealer every other friday after work for them to check oil level, they call it a "consumption test". I am hoping for one of two things to happen, one they find out what is going on with this things, or two, it finally gets broke in and is only 1 quart low at 3000 miles instead of 3 quarts. The dealer has other 8.1's doing the oil consumption test, and said one farmer was using more than I, until the truck turned 60000 miles, then poof the truck used no oil between changes. I plan on posting any info I get on the subject, as I hope every else with the problem does also. Suggestion keep every receipt/ service order and make sure it has the words "low oil level" or "excessive oil consumption" on it, worse case it things come to a head with GM, you'll need all the documentation you can get.

 

[orboater]

I waited for Change Oil Light for first change.

Light came on at approx 4000 miles. Dip stick showed between add and full mark, down approx 1/2 quart. But could have been that way from factory. The level was in the same place everytime I had checked it since new.

Have 2500 more miles on since last change and stick still shows full.

Had two vehicles prior to Av with 454s in them. No oil use from either.

 

[cpuchniak]

MY 2500 DOES NOT BURN ANY OIL AT 4000 MILES---YOU FELLAS HAVE ME WORRYING AS THIS IS WHEN ONE WOULD EXPECT THE HIGHER OIL USAGE??
MY FIRST OIL AND FILTER CHANGE WAS AT 2500 MILES--THE OIL FILTER WAS SO TIGHT THAT A GORRILLA MUST HAVE PUT IT ON?

WHY WOULD AN ENGINE START BURNING OIL AT 6000 OR 10,000 MILES---RINGS SHOULD BE SEATED AND WOULD EXPECT THE VALVE SEALS TO LAST LONGER THAN THAT!!

ANY ANSWERS FELLAS/GALS

 

[gpfahler]

I have a 2002 got it in Sept last year and have 6200 miles. I have not used any oil so far either. I will put 700 miles on it this weekend. The most useage has been about 1/2 qt between oil changes. I switched to synthetic at 950 miles.

 

[cpuchniak]

?Still no oil burning using 5W30 oil.

Will switch to Castrol 5W50 synthetic next oil change at 6000 miles.

Think the rings should be seated by now!

Any more reports??
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I switched to 5w50 syn---300 mile to a qt--WOW

Went to 10w30 syn---600 mlies/qt

10w40---700 mile/qt

Diff 10w30---800 mile/qt

This is scary guys---WHAT HAS GM DONE None of their other engines burn oil at this rate!!

TOM

 

[jcoil]

This may have been covered before but I just found this site. I bought my avalanche late 2001. It is one of the first made (08-01) and is a 5.2. No problems until recently. I have 11000 miles and never noticed oil loss until this last oil change. It was down almost 21/2 quarts. The guy who changed it ( I usually do it myself but because of the cold weather..) said this was becoming known as a problem and attributed it to the pcv valve. Anyone know anything about this? My truck doesn't smoke and doesn't have "soot" around the exhaust. I'm perplexed on this one. Oh I also washed it in a car wash for the first time and now I hear water in the back somewhere. I've seen some discussion on this but haven't been able to learn where this water may be. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[milb440]

Starting to feel a little better now...

My "Check Oil Level" light came on,
and I thought it must have been a mistake,
but I checked anyway... I was DOWN 1.5 QT!

I now have 4800 mi, and changed to Mobil 1 at 1k miles - 1.5 QT for 3800 miles is terrible, I thought.

Guess it is not so bad for the # of miles -
I just hope it gets better with age, rather than worse!

Seven

 

[EDDIEV]

fyi-there have been several concerns on oil consumption for the 8.1. Chevy dealers do have a tech bulletin addressing the concern. It involves replacing and retorquing the intake manifold bolts. contact your local dealer for details. I hope this helps.

 

[Ross_G]

I see I am not the onl one that has to feed there truck oil every 1000 miles . My 5.3 in my silverodo never sucked down oil like this thing does I will have to get in and get those bolts done.

 

[orboater]

Have over 9000 total miles 4500 since change to Mobil 1, 5w30, still no oil use that can be seen on the dip stick.

 

[TroyAvalanche]

I had the intake bolts replaced last September. Still using oil at about a quart every 1100 miles. I am about to turn 36,000 miles tonight on the way home from work. I am still going to my dealer every other friday night to have em check the oil level, I have been doing this for quite sometime. Hopefully with my persuading they will decide something soon as to my fate. This truck has been great other than the oil use.

 

[gpfahler]

I have 9K on my 2500 now and no change in consumption. I also have a Suburban 2500 and it does not burn oil either (2003) both have the 8.1

 

[Ross_G]

Finally had the intake bolts changed . Changed the oil to Mobil 1 5W-30 I guess we will just see what happens from here

 

[cpuchniak]

WELL HERE GOES---9600 MILES WITHOUT BURNING ANY OIL BETWEEN 3000 MILE OIL/FILTER CHANGE.

CHANGED TO SYNTHETIC 5W50---IT BURNED 1.5 QTS IN 300 MILES. WE USED 5W30 REG OIL PREVIOUSLY.

SHOULD WE BE USING 10W30---THO MAYBE IT IS THE SYNTHETIC OIL??

WILL KEEP THE POST GOING AND REPORT FURTHER--THO THIS SEEMS TO BE A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE 8.1 L ENG--BUT NOT IN ALL

HOW LONG HAS gm BEEN BUILDING ENGINES--THIS IS AS BAD AS MY OLD K5 BLAZER WITH 300,000 MILES ON IT!

WE DID THE MANIFOLD BOLT TRICK BUT AT 2000 MILES--IT NEVER BURNED OIL TIL THE 9600 MILES MARK--TIME WILL TELL.

 

[orboater]

WELL HERE GOES---9600 MILES WITHOUT BURNING ANY OIL BETWEEN 3000 MILE OIL/FILTER CHANGE.

CHANGED TO SYNTHETIC 5W50---IT BURNED 1.5 QTS IN 300 MILES. WE USED 5W30 REG OIL PREVIOUSLY.

SHOULD WE BE USING 10W40--THO MAYBE IT IS THE SYNTHETIC OIL??

WILL KEEP THE POST GOING AND REPORT FURTHER--THO THIS SEEMS TO BE A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE 8.1 L ENG--BUT NOT IN ALL

HOW LONG HAS gm BEEN BUILDING ENGINES--THIS IS AS BAD AS MY OLD K5 BLAZER WITH 300,000 MILES ON IT!

WE DID THE MANIFOLD BOLT TRICK BUT AT 2000 MILES--IT NEVER BURNED OIL TIL THE 9600 MILES MARK--TIME WILL TELL.

Did you do the last change yourself?

If not, did you check the dip stick when you got home?

Considering your past history and the short mileage interval it sounds like only 5 quarts may have been added at the last change.

 

[TroyAvalanche]

Well
I have a new engine coming for the 2500. The service guy ordered it this week. I asked if I could get the HO8100 marine engine, or the 502HO block, the service manager laughed, and asked if I wanted a 14-71 supercharger for it also. My history is no oil use until after the 6000 mile change then it has been a quart every 1100 miles, twice that if I was towing my 20 ft trailer anytime during the interval. I know how a external PVC system works, and why its needed, this internal PVC system on the 8100 seems to be the reason I can see. There are no puddles and no puffs of blue smoke on start up or at idle. It must being burnt as I drive down the road. The new motor will be put in with around 39000 on the odometer so I am anxious to see how this motor does for oil consumption, plus I will stay away from Pennzoil that the dealer uses and the only oil this truck saw for the first motor. I will post more as time goes on.

Troy

 

[ShapeShifter]

I asked if I could get the HO8100 marine engine, or the 502HO block, the service manager laughed, and asked if I wanted a 14-71 supercharger for it also.

And of course, you said an emphatic "Yes!" to the supercharger, right?

-- SS

 

[Alphaauriga]

I bought a preowned 2500 with 22k on the odometer.

I checked the oil when I first got it and then again today with 24k (2k miles) on the odometer.

The dipstick was at the "add" mark. I looked around and noticed what appears to be oil under the truck (wetness on some hard parts)

I couldn't find where it was "dripping/leaking" from but the control arm and other bits are wet on the drivers side near the front. I can't find any obvious place where its coming from. Its almost below the filler for the power steering. But its not from the power steering fluid.

When I touched it, it was cleanish, not dirty.

Anybody have any thoughts where it might be coming from?

Also, how can I tell if my truck has had the intak manifold bolts done?

TIA

 

[cpuchniak]

Switched to 10 w 30 synthetic and in 2300 miles no more oil loss--burning.

Odd that 5w50 was so bad

We do all our own oil changes and never experienced this with these two oils--yes,going to 15w40 made a diff,but thought better of that grade in such a new engine.

Will keep an ongoing report!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Took it to the mountains--the burn started again 600 miles/qt!

Mild city driving yeilds roughly 1500 miles to 2500 miles / qt.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

the present mileage is 11600 on the old AVA

We usually keep the truck for at least 150,000 miles--will be towing a 7000# trailer this summer!

 

[TroyAvalanche]

Well the new motor is in, and has about 750 miles on it, so far everything is going well. ?I have noticed that this motor runs a notch or two higher on the oil pressure guage, during and after warmup. ?The old motor ran the 1st notch over 40 lbs after it was warmed up, at driving speed. ?This one is just past the next notch higher on the oil pressure guage, keeping my fingers crossed.

Troy

 

[cpuchniak]

LET US KNOW IF THE INSTALL WAS TROUBLE FREE---USUALLY WHEN THE GM BOYS GET THEIR HANDS IN THERE--ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE??

FROM ONE WHO TAKES THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AS A LAST RESORT!!!

 

[openminds]

Ok, so I convert from "Dealer" oil and changes at 10,000 miles to full synthetic 10w30. For the last 5000 miles I have put in a quart every 2000 miles. Didn't seem to use oil before.

Do I:
1. Leave synthetic in and take to dealer for Oil consumption test?
2. Change oil back out to petro based and watch for oil consumption?
3. Live with it?

What would dealer say if I take it in now and am running Synthetic? Warranty issues?
Jonathan