- This topic has 4 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 1 year, 4 months ago by Parts Man1.
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June 24, 2023 at 2:15 pm #7669172x4Silverado_2010Participant
Hello,
After my most recent trip to my local dealership, I noticed that they had filled my V6 with 6 quarts of oil. The spec is for 4.5 quarts (per owner’s manual). Looking back over my service records there, this has occurred 6 times (out of the 8 oil changes I’ve had done there). When I’ve had it done at other dealerships, they’ve always added the correct volume of oil (notes on the invoice as 5 qts). I’ve checked my dipstick over the years and noticed the oil level was high but just figured they knew what they were doing. On this last occasion, I insisted that my truck does not take 6 quarts as they were charging me extra for the sixth quart. Maybe they’ve charged me extra in the past as well, I don’t know.
I currently have an oil seep/oil leak in the front of my engine, almost definitely from a failing gasket or seal, or multiple gaskets and seals. After having this pointed out to me by another mechanic a few years ago, I’ve been wondering if the 25K miles or so I’ve driven with my engine overfilled with oil could have caused this oil leak. They’ve basically mistaken my truck for the v8 and put in enough oil for the v8.
Before I address this with the dealership I’m trying to get a sense, real world, of whether riding with this extra 1.5 quarts could have done damage to my engine. The manual states explicitly, “Notice: Do not add too much oil. If the engine
has so much oil that the oil level gets above the cross-hatched area that shows the proper operating range, the engine could be damaged.”I have all the documentation, no expectation that the dealership will be helpful though. The truck runs and rides good, but the oil leak will need to be fixed and it does seem to have leaked worse after the recent oil change/overfill (vs. when the oil level is between the hashes).
Riding in a 2010 WT, 2×4, 4.3LV6 (Vortec), owned since new.
Any input is much appreciated!
–Ben
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June 24, 2023 at 2:21 pm #7669182x4Silverado_2010Participant
I should mention I have around 85K miles on my truck
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June 26, 2023 at 7:03 pm #767116Parts Man1Participant
Honestly, what they put in your truck and what they put on the RO are probably different but next time you are in for service might bring it up to the service manager
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July 1, 2023 at 10:39 am #7678082x4Silverado_2010Participant
Thanks for responding Parts Man1. This is one of the things that the service manager said — they may have requisitioned 6 quarts but the tech would recognize the engine as a V6 and not add that. However, I doubt this was the case in every instance or, frankly, most. After having my oil seep pointed out to me at an inspection about a year and a half ago, I noticed the oil was high, checked my invoice and found the 6 quarts listed. When I was in a few weeks ago they insisted I pay extra for the sixth quart and sure enough, from checking the dipstick, it looked like they did.
They put in oil dye and told me I have a leak at the oil pan gasket. While there’s definitely a decent leak lower on the engine, I also see it higher up behind the water pump. There are other things that indicate they were being careless during the oil changes — not greasing the tie rod ends for example, not noticing a missing sway bar link. While I’d like to believe they didn’t regularly put enough oil for the v8 in my v6, this just doesn’t square with finding high oil on the dipstick, the presence of oil leaks, and the figures on the invoices. I’m also like, just ask the mechanic how much oil he added, but it feels like they’re worried about liability now so aren’t dealing with me honestly. When I went back to have some oil drained and the oil leak checked out I even had to argue with them not to pay $90 for a fresh oil change.
At this point, I’m hoping the damage is limited to damage to gaskets that are relatively straightforward to replace. I have a 2×4 so the oil pan is more accessible. They quoted me $430 to replace the oil pan gasket but I’m not sure that will fix all of the leaks.
Thoughts?
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July 2, 2023 at 3:02 pm #767818Parts Man1Participant
You sound like very loyal customer and I would think that the service manager would really want to help. And lets not forget that they are suppose to give each customer a service inspection sheets and the missing sway bar link should have been noted or just maybe before you ever picked the truck up the service writer might have called and told you and offered to install a new part.
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