ZR-1 newbie oil change question

[RedrockLT5]

Just got my 92 red/red and just love it! Previous owner said oil was changed last fall and with almost no miles on the new oil but think I'll change it just so I know for sure when done last. My question: Need to lift the car a few inches to get oil pan under car so I thought I'd drive it up on my ramps (6 inches of lift), and allow the oil to drain over several hours. WIll this mess up the amount of oil drained and that needs to be replace? I believe it's 8.5 quarts with filter right?

Sorry about the trivial question but I want to do this right.

Thanks for your help

[Kevin]

some will tell you it needs to be left to drain over night, but I think that's rubbish. I've let mine drain for a much shorter length of time and always had around to replace ~8 or 9 quarts of oil with the filter.

[WVZR-1]

Just got my 92 red/red and just love it! Previous owner said oil was changed last fall and with almost no miles on the new oil but think I'll change it just so I know for sure when done last. My question: Need to lift the car a few inches to get oil pan under car so I thought I'd drive it up on my ramps (6 inches of lift), and allow the oil to drain over several hours. WIll this mess up the amount of oil drained and that needs to be replace? I believe it's 8.5 quarts with filter right?

Sorry about the trivial question but I want to do this right.

Thanks for your help

Every "drain" will or could be different until you develop a procedure and follow it specifically. Your 6" of lift is going to effect yours I'd think for sure. How much? Don't know. Let it drain for a couple hours. Was it full when you "sticked it cold"? Did you stick it cold? If you haven't if the car is on all fours and "cold" with "no starts' stick it and see where you are before you start.

[RedrockLT5]

Every "drain" will or could be different until you develop a procedure and follow it specifically. Your 6" of lift is going to effect yours I'd think for sure. How much? Don't know. Let it drain for a couple hours. Was it full when you "sticked it cold"? Did you stick it cold? If you haven't if the car is on all fours and "cold" with "no starts' stick it and see where you are before you start.


So what would you recommend? I need about an extra 1" of clearance to get pan under. Would like to avoid using jacks as I'm not sure where I can safely put the jack to avoid damage to the car. The 92 "Z" is different than my 90 vert. Also, I know there's been a running debate about the best way to jack a C4 with no consensus. Thought maybe I could drive it up on two stacked boards (would give me 1.5"). Sure seems like the ramps would be easiest and safest for all concerned. Opinion?

[Hammer]

So what would you recommend? I need about an extra 1" of clearance to get pan under. Would like to avoid using jacks as I'm not sure where I can safely put the jack to avoid damage to the car. The 92 "Z" is different than my 90 vert. Also, I know there's been a running debate about the best way to jack a C4 with no consensus. Thought maybe I could drive it up on two stacked boards (would give me 1.5"). Sure seems like the ramps would be easiest and safest for all concerned. Opinion?

http://www.zr1netregistry.com/Information/TechNet/RoutineMaintenance/tabid/145/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/205/How-to-Jack-up-a-ZR-1.aspx

[gbrtng]

90 and 92 frames are the same - jack on the sides at the arrows or front middle on the cross member. I like to have the vehicle level to get a complete drain.

[Dynomite]

Just got my 92 red/red and just love it! Previous owner said oil was changed last fall and with almost no miles on the new oil but think I'll change it just so I know for sure when done last. My question: Need to lift the car a few inches to get oil pan under car so I thought I'd drive it up on my ramps (6 inches of lift), and allow the oil to drain over several hours. WIll this mess up the amount of oil drained and that needs to be replace? I believe it's 8.5 quarts with filter right?

Sorry about the trivial question but I want to do this right.

Thanks for your help

Perfect....I do exactly as you do when changing oil.......the little oil you might miss this time you will get next time and you will definitely leave some oil in the engine when you drain...NO PROBLEM :p

Let it sit over night (or a couple hours) before you remove the oil filter to make sure the oil filter has drained back. Just add 8-9 quarts of oil. The best time to check oil is one pull of the dipstick after it has sat for several hours. Take the first reading as just removing/replacing the dipstick leaves oil in the dipstick tube which messes up readings after the first.

I use AMSOIL 10W 40 Synthetic LT5/ZR-1 Fluids (http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4-zr-1-discussion/3005470-tech-info-lt5-modifications-rebuild-tricks-500-hp.html#post1580070550)

http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll142/dynomite007/Maintenance%20ZR1/AMSOIL10W-40oil_zps1b85b817.jpg

[DaveK]

I have some small raceramps that I use for this for the same reason. I leave it overnight but you can probably get away with a few hours if you need to turn the car around quicker. As everyone says, it's hard to get all the oil out of the LT5 but the small amount left isn't really a problem.

Dave

[RedrockLT5]

Thank you all for your replies and the helpful hints!!!

[PhillipsLT5]

try this
http://www.mityvac.com/pages/products_fee.asp
try 7201

[USAFPILOT]

drain it with the car level for 30 min...it will hold 8.5-9 quarts. The whole system is like 12 quarts. It helps if you poke a hole in the top of the oil filter to help it drain out and not make a mess.

[Hog]

drain it with the car level for 30 min...it will hold 8.5-9 quarts. The whole system is like 12 quarts. It helps if you poke a hole in the top of the oil filter to help it drain out and not make a mess.
Poking a hole in the filter is a great suggestion. I do that no matter what I'm changin oil in, esp if the filter is mounted vertically. It keeps from spilling oil all over as you pull the filter down and away.

peace
Hog

[scottfab]

some will tell you it needs to be left to drain over night, but I think that's rubbish. I've let mine drain for a much shorter length of time and always had around to replace ~8 or 9 quarts of oil with the filter.

I have to agree with this. Well all except the "rubbish" part.
I'd say it's garbage :p
There is no need to get to every last drop. If that were the case
you'd need to dismantle the engine and wipe out every crevice.
I don't wait 24hrs for the oil to drain and I don't pull up the carpet to
get to the dirt underneath.

I'd stick with a good oil. Not something sold out of someone's garage.
AND I'd run it good and hard and hot before changing so as to get the
oil out in the radiator stack to circulate. Then since you're not sure when it was last changed I'd change it again in 500 mi to better get more of the 4qts that is not readily accessible (~12qts - 8qts = 4qts)
I use Pennzoil Ultra Synthetic.

[Z51JEFF]

some will tell you it needs to be left to drain over night, but I think that's rubbish. I've let mine drain for a much shorter length of time and always had around to replace ~8 or 9 quarts of oil with the filter.

I couldn't agree more.Warm up the car,get it up in the air and drain the oil,20 minutes tops.Now,if your doing the first oil change I can see letting it drain as much as possible,dont know what kind of oil was use but for a basic oil change,its no different than any other oil change as far as Im concerned.

[Racinfan83]

Poking a hole in the filter is a great suggestion. I do that no matter what I'm changin oil in, esp if the filter is mounted vertically. It keeps from spilling oil all over as you pull the filter down and away.

peace
Hog

That is one of those" DOH" things that you just reminded me of....
My Civic dumps oil all over when I unscrew the filter. Never even thought about putting a hole in it to drain it "nicely".... Man, I feel like an idiot now...:cry:

[Hib Halverson]

The part about waiting overnight is not for the oil to drain out of the pan, it's for the oil filter to drain so, when you change it, oil doesn't leak out the base and down onto the right front of the engine.

What I do is, in the evening after work, I drive the car up on 2x4s. Then I get the floor jack under it and put the car on stands with the right side a "notch" higher than the left. I pull the drain plug and let it drain for a while. As others have said, you can't get all the oil out, anyway, so overnight is not going to make much difference.

I put the plug back in, set the car back on the shop floor then let it sit over night. In the morning, I come out and change the filter.

No muss, no fuss.

Been doing my '95 that way since I bought it in '95.