C5 Corvette Oil Change 

Corvette Oil

List of Procedures and Materials Needed for a Corvette Oil Change on a C5 Corvette
Disclaimer - Please note we recommend only professionals undertake any work on vehicles. Corvette-web-central.com is not liable for any damage or harm that may come from the use of instructions given in the following section's.

C5 Corvette Oil Capacity 6.5 US quarts 

1. Ramps
2. Wrench to Remove Old Oil Filter
3. Low Profile Jack
4. (2) Jack Stands
5. (2) Lift Pads or Equivalent
6. 15mm Box Wrench
7. (2) Bricks to Block The Front Wheels
8. Drain Pan That Holds 6.5+ Quarts of Fluid
9. Towels
10. Some 2 x 4 Blocks of Wood
11. 6.5 quarts of Mobil 1 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil (or equivalent)
12. AC-Delco PF64 Ultraguard Oil Filter (or equivalent)

Mobil 1 Synthetic 5W-30 Motor Oil - 1 Quart, Pack of 6

C5 Corvette Oil and Oil Filter Change Removal Procedure

THIS PROCEDURE IS ONLY A GUIDE AND YOU SHOULD REFERENCE THE CORVETTE MANUAL FOR YOUR YEAR CAR!!!

Notice

To prevent leakage of Corvette oil filters, it is very important that you closely follow the installation instructions listed below or engine damage may result.

Important

Be sure the vehicle is level during this entire procedure.

1. Raise and suitably support the vehicle. Take your ramps and set them up under your front wheels. Be sure you are on completely level ground. With this done, set the parking brake and set the transmission in Park (for an A4) or 1st gear (for an M6). Place the bricks (or equivalent) directly behind the tires on the ramps as shown in the picture. It is very important to do this. Do not overlook this step; if it is not done the vehicle may roll backward when the rear is being jacked up. Remember, setting the emergency brake and placing the transmission in gear won't help when the rear end is lifted off of the ground.

Find the proper rear jack point, which is the large crossmember behind the rear leafspring and in front of the rear anti-swaybar. It has two large braces. Place the 2 x 4 (or equivalent) on top of your floorjack such that the weight is both centered on the jack plate and spans both aluminum ribs on the crossmember, taking care to place the jack in the center of the crossmember. Carefully jack the rear of the vehicle.

Place the jack stands underneath the rear crossmember as directed by the shop manual. Carefully lower the rear of the vehicle onto the jack stands (people use lift pads sometimes so as not to damage the underneath of the car. Lift pads range from rubber hockey pucks to actual lift pads that fit in the holes underneath your Corvette. Make sure that the rear is at least an inch or two above the front to ensure a proper drain.

Important

In order to completely drain the oil from the oil pan internal baffling, the bottom of the Corvette oil pan must be level during the oil drain procedure.

Allow a MINIMUM of 7 MINUTES for the engine oil to fully drain, once the engine oil drain plug and the engine oil filter are removed.

2. Remove the engine oil drain plug and allow the oil to drain.

3. Remove the engine oil filter by turning the oil filter counterclockwise and allow any remaining oil to drain.

Installation Procedure

1. Clean the gasket sealing area on the engine oil filter mounting surface with a clean, dry cloth.

2. Lightly oil the replacement engine oil filter gasket, use CLEAN approved Corvette oil.

Important

Use a cap-type Filter Wrench or equivalent, or a strap-type wrench with swivel handle to insure proper installation.

3. Install the filter by turning the engine oil filter clockwise. Tighten the engine oil filter to 30 N·m (22 lb ft).

4. Wipe the engine oil drain plug with a clean, dry cloth.

5. Install the engine oil drain plug.
Tighten the engine oil drain plug to 25 N·m (18 lb ft).

Important

Allow a MINIMUM of 3 MINUTES for the NEW engine oil to fully fill the engine oil pan.

6. Fill the engine with the proper type and amount of NEW engine oil. DO NOT use any engine oil additives in Corvette engines. For information on the proper type of Corvette oil to use, refer to Fluid and Lubricant Recommendations or (Mobil product guide) on this page or in your manual.

7. For information on the Corvette oil capacity, refer to Engine Mechanical Specifications. Run the engine for 3 minutes and thoroughly inspect the oil filter and the Corvette oil pan drain plug areas for leaks.

8. Allow the engine to cool for a minimum of 3 minutes.

9. Check the engine oil level.

10. Top-off the engine oil to the full mark on the Corvette oil level indicator (dipstick).

11. Lower the vehicle.

12. Reset the "Corvette Oil Life" Indicator - After you change the oil on your Corvette, it is necessary to reset the oil life indicator so that you know when the next change is due. Turn the ignition on, but make sure the engine is off. Press the "Trip" button on the DIC so that it displays "OIL LIFE" percentage. Press and hold the "Reset" button for two seconds. "OIL LIFE REMAIN 100%" should appear on the display.

Questions About Oil

Question:
Has Zinc Been Removed from Motor Oils? I have seen problems of engines failing and I think it is the result of the removal of zinc from the oil. I was told by two separate racing engine builders that the EPA ordered the removal of the zinc from over-the-counter motor oil. I use Mobil 1 5W-20. Is this true and do you think a zinc additive might help?

Answer:
The active ingredient that you are talking about is phosphorus which is added thru a component called ZDDP. For products that meet the new ILSAC GF-4 specification the phosphorus levels for the oil must be less than 800 ppm phosphorus. The ILSAC level for phosphorus has been reduced to protect the catalytic converter and other emission protection equipment. The engine manufacturers are confident that this level of phosphorus will protect both new and older engines. However, there are Mobil 1 products which have a higher level of phosphorus (phos) and can be used in engines in racing or high performance applications.

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