Just Checked My Oil.....

Lahey99 · April 1, 2011

soo...i just stopped at the gas station to fill up and checked my oil while doing so....turns out it BARELY even registered on the dip stick....andi mean barely. i checked around for some leaks underneath the truck also didnt notice any film or signs of burning the oil on the tail pipe? could it be the AFM issue? my truck is a 2009 Sierra 5.3ltr with AFM. i guess thats serves me right for now checking the oil enough. i usually change oil every 5,000KM and check the oile about half way trhough that.....any ideas on where a guy could check for an oil leak? i just called my local GM dealer to make an appointment for them to look at it....my bumper to bumper just went out 800KM ago....my odo is 60800 right now...if this is the afm/lifters whatever that issue is would this be a part of my powertrain warranty?

mtiffinal · April 1, 2011

It should fall under the power train warranty.

Superperv23 · April 1, 2011

There is still some amount of oil in an engine when it is barely showing on the dipstick, so not a good situation but not a disaster either.

It could be the afm issue, which is part of your powertrain warranty. If you park your truck in teh same place all the time and there is no oil spot underneath it, which could indicate pan or plug, than check your valve covers and see if it is leaking from there. If it is neither than it is likely just burning oil.

Where did you have the oil done last time? They may have used a lighter 5w20 oil, that is common mistake that seems to happen a lot these days, especially at dealers where some cars call for it.

RaddHazzard · April 1, 2011

If you just shut the truck off, the oil will read lower than if you checked it on a cold engine. Allow for that difference. But barely any on the dipstick in your situation is low regardless.

Lahey99 · April 1, 2011

yeah the truck has been parked in one spot for quite a while...and the last oil chang was done by me which was done with mobil 1 5/30 and mobil 1 oil filter...everything was tight aswell. i mean regargless of bumper to bumper or powertrain warrany a truck with only 60,000KM not Miles....should not be losing oil at all. unless it was an error by someone who worked on the vehicle of course. im not to sure where else to check....if it is the AFM consuming the oil where would i check for that?

There is still some amount of oil in an engine when it is barely showing on the dipstick, so not a good situation but not a disaster either.

It could be the afm issue, which is part of your powertrain warranty. If you park your truck in teh same place all the time and there is no oil spot underneath it, which could indicate pan or plug, than check your valve covers and see if it is leaking from there. If it is neither than it is likely just burning oil.

Where did you have the oil done last time? They may have used a lighter 5w20 oil, that is common mistake that seems to happen a lot these days, especially at dealers where some cars call for it.

Superperv23 · April 1, 2011

How much oil did you put in? I have screwed this up before from bad service info so it doesn't hurt to double check.

If the afm is the problem as far as I know it just burnt in the engine and out the tailpipe, someone can correct me on that tho if I am wrong.

Lahey99 · April 1, 2011

i believe it was the foctory amount of 5.7 ltr? i check the oile after everychange to be sure i also check it 1 day later after running it for a day and a half

How much oil did you put in? I have screwed this up before from bad service info so it doesn't hurt to double check.

If the afm is the problem as far as I know it just burnt in the engine and out the tailpipe, someone can correct me on that tho if I am wrong.

SouthCo · April 1, 2011

I do my own oil changes and I had a similiar back in the day when I had a 1990 celica gt. I checked one day and no oil on the dipstick. Never found a leak and it never did it again. I never found out where the oil went. It was fine after that for years before I sold it.

Lahey99 · April 1, 2011

hmmm i wonder if i jumped the gun making an appointment for tuesday....maybe i should just keep an eye on it and if it goes "missing" again i can have it brought in.

I do my own oil changes and I had a similiar back in the day when I had a 1990 celica gt. I checked one day and no oil on the dipstick. Never found a leak and it never did it again. I never found out where the oil went. It was fine after that for years before I sold it.

gnet158 · April 1, 2011

I thought it was 6L of oil, at least that's how much I pour in every oil change. One more thing, don't run in and pour alot of new oil in at once. I'd go one quart at a time, and run her a bit between. Hope this gets sorted out painlessly and fast.

redvett · April 1, 2011

First of all you do not have a 5.7L in a 2009 its either a 4.8,5.3.6.0L and they all take 6 qts. You must check oil 15-30 minutes after engine has run, hte wait time is to allow the oil to drain down to the pan.

i believe it was the foctory amount of 5.7 ltr? i check the oile after everychange to be sure i also check it 1 day later after running it for a day and a half
How much oil did you put in? I have screwed this up before from bad service info so it doesn't hurt to double check.
If the afm is the problem as far as I know it just burnt in the engine and out the tailpipe, someone can correct me on that tho if I am wrong.

randas · April 1, 2011

I thought it was 6L of oil, at least that's how much I pour in every oil change. One more thing, don't run in and pour alot of new oil in at once. I'd go one quart at a time, and run her a bit between. Hope this gets sorted out painlessly and fast.

6 quarts or 5.7L According to the manual for my 07

Lahey99 · April 1, 2011

maybe you should read everything twice...i didnt say i had a 5.7ltr engine....i said i put 5.7ltr of oil into my truck. sorry if it may have looked otherwise?

First of all you do not have a 5.7L in a 2009 its either a 4.8,5.3.6.0L and they all take 6 qts. You must check oil 15-30 minutes after engine has run, hte wait time is to allow the oil to drain down to the pan.