I was just reviewing the maintenance section of the owner's manual for my 2004 GTO. On page 5-87 there is a table titled "Capacities and Specifications". According to this chart, 'Engine Oil with Filter (Drain and Refill)' is 6 quarts. How much oil have people been using on their oil changes? I'll be performing my first oil change within the next few weeks.

6 1/2 with the filter changed for me. :)

Originally posted by Orbit Orange@Nov 16 2004, 11:07 PM
6 1/2 with the filter changed for me. :)
My manual says 6.6 qts.

slick50

6 1/2 is 6.5 quarts. 6.6 is 0.1 quarts. Either way you'll be fine. 0.1 quarts works out to be 3.2 ounces. Hardly anything to worry about.
:)

*This is a repeat post, but I am dying to get an answer to below question. Thanks*
I just bought 04 GTO, yellow jacket, last week. Went ahead and switched to Mobil1 at 250miles. Wanted to get rid of regular oil that was shipped with the car. I used Rhino ramps, drove the car up the ramp and changed the oil using Purolator Pureone PL14006 oil filter(Same as my 03 Yukon XL Denali Vortec 6.0) Here is my biggest question, what is the correct oil capacity on the 04 GTOs? I filled it with 6.5quarts as stated on the manual, but the oil dipstick was waaay above full mark when I checked it. I did a search on LS1 engines, and many of them are saying you only need 5.3quarts, some say 6quarts. Please help! I wind up draining out about 0.75-1quart of oil to get the dipstick to show proper level. Please help me answer this question.

I've had 2 LS1s, I put 6 quarts in each of them, never blew an engine.

So 6.5quart is dead wrong? Perhaps a misprint on the manual? I guess 6quarts make sense since my Yukon 6.0Liter Vortec takes exactly 6quarts and so is my F-250 5.4Liter.

If you take the time to drain every bit of oil out to the engine put on a new filter, the manual is probably correct with 6.5 quarts. But if you don't wait an hour for all to drain out, as I don't, it's about 6.

If I'm wrong correct me, but that was my experience.

Thank you for your replies. Since the oil was drained with the car being on the ramp, do you think the ramp would prevent the oil from draining fully out of the engine? I am thinking that is why I got way above full mark when filled with 6.5quarts during initial oil fill. I never had any issues with my other 3 vehicles, so this "way above full mark" with factory recommended capacity concerns me.

its very important to not start the engine with to much oil as you may blow a gasket. If you over fill, simply lower the car to its riding height (i.e. off ramps), and then drain it untill the engine is at its recommended lubrication level.

Not to change the subject but I would switch to nonsynthetic while you're at it. I've heard repeatedly that you should never run synthetic oil until after the first 3k miles because it coats the internals so well it keeps them from breaking in properly. Corvettes come w/Mobil One off the lot, but they are subject to strenuous break in period beforehand.

I've also herd your not supposed to run synthetic untill after 3k, never caught the reason tho.

I am sorry, so should I stick with 6quarts or 6 1/2 quarts?

Originally posted by UmGTO@Dec 14 2004, 12:47 PM
I am sorry, so should I stick with 6quarts or 6 1/2 quarts?
I'd personally do 5.5, measure, then fill accordingly.

Using ramps to change oil is not good practice . The engine can't be properly drained unless the vehicle is level, this is also true for checking normal operating oil level.
Australian Ls1 take 6.0 litres exactly with an oil filter change. :type:

Mine topped out at 6 quarts, even with the larger filter.

Using ramps to change oil is not good practice . The engine can't be properly drained unless the vehicle is level, this is also true for checking normal operating oil level.
Australian Ls1 take 6.0 litres exactly with an oil filter change.


While I agree with your statement on proper draining of engine oil, not all of us can afford a lift so ramps it is. After years of changing my own oil using ramps on several different vehicles I have never had any engine oil related engine problems to speak of. As for the quick change oil places I'll pass, I'd rather do it myself and save just a little money in the process.

Now if someone with a lift would let me use theirs. Hmmmmmm....... :D

With no lift, I would say use a jack instead of ramps. You can jack the car up pull the drain plug than let it back down to drain (no so low to crush your drain pan). Then jack back up to reinstall the fill plug.

As far as the overfill with 6.5 quarts, I would ask a question: Are you prefilling the oil filter and then running the engine for a minute or two after refill and then checking the oil? If you don't prefill the filter or run the engine and just add 6.5 quarts and pull the dipstick it will show overfull on the stick.

Originally posted by forestdweller@Dec 14 2004, 01:40 AM
Not to change the subject but I would switch to nonsynthetic while you're at it. I've heard repeatedly that you should never run synthetic oil until after the first 3k miles because it coats the internals so well it keeps them from breaking in properly. Corvettes come w/Mobil One off the lot, but they are subject to strenuous break in period beforehand.

I've used Mobil 1 from the first oil change in all nine cars I've bought new (as well as all the used cars). I always change the oil within the first 500 miles. I've never had an internal engine issue, ever, and I've gone 240K, 160K, 140K, 100K on three of them.

The bit about waiting 3000 miles is an old wives tale. With that said, you aren't going to kill the car running dino for the first 3000 miles. But, I'd definitely change it at 500, 1000 and 2000. Cheap insurance. There is bound to be some extra particulate matter in the oil in the first couple thousand, no matter what oil you use.

Originally posted by UmGTO@Dec 13 2004, 11:59 PM
*This is a repeat post, but I am dying to get an answer to below question. Thanks*
I just bought 04 GTO, yellow jacket, last week. Went ahead and switched to Mobil1 at 250miles. Wanted to get rid of regular oil that was shipped with the car. I used Rhino ramps, drove the car up the ramp and changed the oil using Purolator Pureone PL14006 oil filter(Same as my 03 Yukon XL Denali Vortec 6.0) Here is my biggest question, what is the correct oil capacity on the 04 GTOs? I filled it with 6.5quarts as stated on the manual, but the oil dipstick was waaay above full mark when I checked it. I did a search on LS1 engines, and many of them are saying you only need 5.3quarts, some say 6quarts. Please help! I wind up draining out about 0.75-1quart of oil to get the dipstick to show proper level. Please help me answer this question.

When changing oil the first time on my 04 GTO, I too used ramps, but also chocked the front wheels and raised the rear of the car with a suitable floor jack at the rear liftpoint near the differential, to level the car. That way the oil can drain properly, noting the drain plug is at the front of the pan. Also note there is a drain time suggested for a complete drain. I waited until it stopped dripping, about 35 minutes. 6.5 quarts put the level on the dipstick just 1/32 inch over full, after running, then waiting to drain down, and vehicle level. Vehicle being level I think is the key to getting a complete drain, so the engine is not overfilled with the recommended amount.

6 1/2 with the filter changed for me and this took me just at max mark on dipstick. 6 quarts was someplace in the middle between max & min.

My first change, and I used 6.5q in the LS2 and the level was even with the "Full" Line.

First, it states in the '05 manual that Mobil 1 is installed at the factory. It also states 6.5 qts. capacity. I suspect some of this misinformation is the difference between the LS1 in the '04 and the LS2 Gen IV in the '05.

My first oil change was @3300 miles and looked dirty( I feel guilty)--used mobil one---I changed it on my garage floor with no jacks, lifts, hoists,crawlspace or anything..went smooth. I let it drain for a couple of hours and put it back together okay(including heavy skidplate). unless there is something wrong with your garage floor or some other issue, why would you need to lift the vehicle at all? FYI: it took 6.5 quarts