Burning Oil

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

chop1215

TYF Newbie
Joined
Feb 9, 2011
Posts
6
Reaction score
0
Got an 03 Yukon slt with the 5.3 flex fuel v8, valvoline guy tells me it looks like she burned about a quart give or take little. Was a little black but not bad, said it looked pretty good to him. Is a quart every oil change normal? How much oil burning is enough to worry about, and how do you stop it? I change the oil every 3,000 miles, give or take a few hundred miles. Dont really pull anything, and no smoke or problems, oild pressure always seems pretty good.
 

Rivieraracing

Full Access Member
Joined
May 2, 2009
Posts
3,810
Reaction score
82
Location
Oregon
Is it pretty clean and oil free underneath your engine? Have you had someone drive behind you while you are driving and observe your tailpipe for smoke, especially when you step on it?
 

07Burb

GM fan for life
Staff member
Moderator Supporting Member Administrator
Joined
Jan 3, 2011
Posts
50,933
Reaction score
19,329
Using a quart of oil between oil changes is pretty normal for these. I wouldn't worry about it unless you start seeing puffs of blue smoke coming out your tail pipe at start up or something like that
 
OP
OP
C

chop1215

TYF Newbie
Joined
Feb 9, 2011
Posts
6
Reaction score
0
Nope, no smoke, yea the engine is as clean as can be and everything is as clean as an 03 can be. So no worries?
 

07Burb

GM fan for life
Staff member
Moderator Supporting Member Administrator
Joined
Jan 3, 2011
Posts
50,933
Reaction score
19,329
Nope....no worries at all. You should be alright. This is pretty common for the 5.3. :waytogo:
 

afpj

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2009
Posts
816
Reaction score
383
how much is a quart low on the dipstick? Down to the "add" mark? or one "dot"? Trying to figure out oil loss rate without having to drain and measure, or adding as I'll probably add too much then end up draining it.
 

Gordy

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2011
Posts
123
Reaction score
0
Oil burn

The 5.3s were actually designed to burn about a quart every 3000 mi. With conventional 5w 30 oil. Upper cylinder lube.
 

Jay

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2010
Posts
137
Reaction score
5
How many miles?

The displacement on demand 5.3s are known for burning a quart or so during an oil change interval. Even right off the factory floor.

I've owned some 15 5.3 equipped GM vehicles in the last 10 years (business) and the non-DOD engines (pretty much the whole fleet) rarely lost more than 1/4 quart over 5000mi oil changes. With 200k or more miles, 1/2-1 quart isn't uncommon though.

I forget which year GM changed it, but I would look into having your PCV valve checked or replaced.
 

Kman

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2011
Posts
442
Reaction score
87
Location
Southern California
How many miles?

The displacement on demand 5.3s are known for burning a quart or so during an oil change interval. Even right off the factory floor.

I've owned some 15 5.3 equipped GM vehicles in the last 10 years (business) and the non-DOD engines (pretty much the whole fleet) rarely lost more than 1/4 quart over 5000mi oil changes. With 200k or more miles, 1/2-1 quart isn't uncommon though.

I forget which year GM changed it, but I would look into having your PCV valve checked or replaced.

141k miles. I put the PCV valve from the LS1 into my truck. It's the one that doesn't have a ball valve, but rather a small hole at the end of the PCV valve. I believe this is the updated part? Part number of the PCV on the 2003 and up is FV410, that's what I put in my Tahoe. Old part was FV178.

Am I ok running the new part number?
 

mackpro68

TYF Newbie
Joined
Feb 23, 2011
Posts
10
Reaction score
0
On my 2004 5.3 120,000+ miles I have to use AC delco oil filter and Mobile1 oil or it will piston slap hard and it will used a quart between changes. On my wifes 2004 5.3 it will use any oil and filter and not burn a drop or piston slap.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
137,745
Posts
1,991,091
Members
102,734
Latest member
WITCH1975
Back
Top