checking oil CHEVROLET CORVETTE C6 2012 Owners Manual

Black plate (23,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-23
Z06, Z16, and ZR1
Features
Checking Engine Oil
Z06, ZR1, and manual transmission
Z16 (Grand Sport) coupe models
have a high performance dry sump
lubrication system. This system
operates differently than a
standard engine lubrication system.
SeeEngine Oil on page 10‑14.
You should check the oil level
only after the engine has been
thoroughly warmed up and then
shut off for at least five minutes.
This ensures that the oil level
reading obtained will be accurate. Jump Starting the Battery
The battery of Z06, ZR1, and
manual transmission Z16 (Grand
Sport) coupe models is in the rear
of the vehicle. You do not need to
access the battery for jump starting.
There are remote positive (+) and
negative (−) terminals under the
hood for this purpose. See
Battery
on page 10‑40 andJump Starting
on page 10‑78.
Brake Noise
Under certain weather or operating
conditions, occasional brake noise
might be heard with the vehicle's
performance braking system.
This brake system is designed for
superior fade resistance and
consistent operation using high
performance brake pads. Brake
noise is normal and does not affect
system performance. See Braking
on page 9‑4. Car Wash Guidelines
Automatic car washes are not
recommended for this vehicle.
Some car washes cause damage to
the vehicle, the wheels, and the
convertible top, if the vehicle is so
equipped.
If you drive the vehicle through an
automatic car wash that does not
have enough clearance for the
undercarriage and/or wide rear tires
and wheels, you could damage the
vehicle. Verify with the manager of
the car wash that the vehicle will fit
before entering the car wash or use
a touchless car wash. See
“Washing
Your Vehicle” underExterior Care
on page 10‑82.

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-9
A. Clutch Master CylinderReservoir (If Equipped).
See Hydraulic Clutch on
page 10‑21.
B. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer Fluid on
page 10‑34.
C. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid” underBrakes on
page 10‑34.
D. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant on page 10‑26. E.
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑22.
F. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. See Power Steering Fluid on
page 10‑32.
G. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” underBrake
Fluid on page 10‑38.
H. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑14.
I. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10‑48. J. Passenger Compartment
Air Filter (Out of View).
See Passenger Compartment
Air Filter on page 8‑7.
K. Battery on page 10‑40.
If the vehicle has the 6.2L LS3
V8 engine (without the dry sump
engine oil tank) and you are facing
the front of the vehicle.

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-11
A. Intercooler. SeeCooling System
(Engine) on page 10‑25 or
Cooling System (Intercooler) on
page 10‑26.
B. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑22.
C. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir and Cap. See Power Steering
Fluid on page 10‑32.
D. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant on page 10‑26.
E. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer Fluid on
page 10‑34. F. Clutch Master Cylinder
Reservoir (If Equipped).
See Hydraulic Clutch on
page 10‑21.
G. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid” under
Brakes on page 10‑34.
H. Passenger Compartment Air Filter (Out of View).
See Passenger Compartment
Air Filter on page 8‑7.
I. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑14.
J. Dry Sump Engine Oil Tank. See “Changing Engine Oil
and Filter” Brake Fluid on
page 10‑38. K. Engine Oil Dipstick. See
“Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑14.
L. Remote Positive (+) Terminal (Out of View). See Jump
Starting on page 10‑78.
M. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10‑48.
If the vehicle has the 6.2L LS9
Supercharged V8 engine and you
are facing the front of the vehicle.

Black plate (13,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-13
A.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑22.
B. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. See Power Steering Fluid on
page 10‑32.
C. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10‑48.
D. Remote Positive (+) Terminal (Out of View). See Jump
Starting on page 10‑78.
E. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑14. F. Dry Sump Engine Oil Tank.
See “Changing Engine Oil and
Filter” under Engine Oil on
page 10‑14.
G. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑14.
H. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant on page 10‑26.
I. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer Fluid on
page 10‑34. J. Brake Fluid Reservoir.
See “Brake Fluid” under
Brake Fluid on page 10‑38.
K. Clutch Master Cylinder Reservoir. See Hydraulic
Clutch on page 10‑21.
If the vehicle has the 6.2L LS3
V8 engine with the manual
transmission (with the dry sump
engine oil tank) or the 7.0L LS7
V8 engine and you are facing the
driver side of the vehicle.

Black plate (14,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
10-14 Vehicle Care
Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life, careful
attention must be paid to engine oil.
Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect
your investment:
.Always use engine oil approved
to the proper specification and
of the proper viscosity grade.
See“Selecting the Right Engine
Oil” in this section.
.Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “Checking
Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
.Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System on page 10‑19.
.Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
Checking Engine Oil
(Except Z06, ZR1, and
Grand Sport)
If the CHECK OIL LEVEL message
displays on the Driver Information
Center (DIC), check the engine
oil level right away. For more
information, see Engine Oil
Messages on page 5‑40. Check the
engine oil level regularly; this is an
added reminder.
It is a good idea to check the
engine oil level at each fuel fill.
In order to get an accurate
reading, the vehicle must be on
level ground. The engine oil dipstick
handle is a yellow loop. See Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 10‑8 for the location of the
engine oil dipstick. Obtaining an accurate oil level
reading is essential:
1. If the engine has been running
recently, turn off the engine and
allow several minutes for the oil
to drain back into the oil pan.
Checking the oil level too soon
after engine shutoff will not
provide an accurate oil level
reading.
2. Pull the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or cloth, then push
it back in all the way. Remove it
again, keeping the tip down, and
check the level.

Black plate (15,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-15
When to Add Engine Oil
(Except Z06, ZR1, and Grand
Sport)
If the oil is below the cross-hatched
area at the tip of the dipstick, add
1 L (1 qt) of the recommended
oil and then recheck the level.
See“Selecting the Right Engine Oil”
in this section for an explanation of
what kind of oil to use. For engine
oil crankcase capacity, see
Capacities and Specifications on
page 12‑2.
See Racing or Other Competitive
Driving on page 9‑6 for additional
information on engine oil. Notice:
Do not add too much oil.
Oil levels above or below the
acceptable operating range
shown on the dipstick are harmful
to the engine. If you find that you
have an oil level above the
operating range, i.e., 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. You should drain
out the excess oil or limit driving
of the vehicle and seek a service
professional to remove the
excess amount of oil.
See Engine Compartment Overview
on page 10‑8 for the location of the
engine oil fill cap.
Add enough oil to put the level
somewhere in the proper operating
range . Push the dipstick all the way
back in when through.
Checking Engine Oil
(Z06, ZR1, and Grand Sport)
A. Engine Oil Dipstick
B. Engine Oil Fill Cap
It is a good idea to check the engine
oil level at each fuel fill. In order to
get an accurate reading, the vehicle
must be on level ground.
The engine oil dipstick handle is a
yellow loop. The dipstick is located
on the dry sump engine oil tank.
See Engine Compartment Overview
on page 10‑8 for the location of the
dry sump engine oil tank.

Black plate (16,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
10-16 Vehicle Care
These vehicles have a racetrack‐
ready dry sump engine lubrication
system. This high‐performance
system operates differently than a
standard engine lubrication system
and requires a special procedure
when checking the engine oil level.
Follow this procedure closely when
checking the engine oil level.
The engine oil level must be
checked when the engine is warm.
Cold oil level in the dry sump tank
may not indicate the actual amount
of oil in the system. With this
system, engine oil is contained in an
external tank, separate from the
engine. Under normal operating
conditions, the oil pan under the
engine does not store any oil. If the
vehicle has been parked for an
extended period without the engine
being started, some oil will seep
back into the oil pan, reducing the
amount of oil held in the dry sump
tank and there could be no engine
oil at all showing on the dipstick.This is normal since the dipstick is
designed to read engine oil level
only after the engine has run long
enough to reach normal operating
temperature. Do not add engine oil
based on cold engine dipstick
readings. The engine oil level on the
dipstick will also be inaccurate if
checked while the engine is running.
1. To obtain an accurate engine
oil level reading, warm up the
engine to at least 80°C (175°F).
Cold oil will not give a correct oil
level reading.
2. Once the engine is warm, turn off the engine. Checking the oil
while the engine is running will
result in an incorrect oil level
reading.
3. Wait at least five minutes (but not more than 20 minutes)
to allow oil to drain and settle
in the engine. 4. Remove the dipstick from the
external engine oil tank and
clean it with a lint‐free paper
towel or a cloth. Re‐insert the
dipstick into the external oil tank,
pushing it all the way in until it
stops.
5. Remove the dipstick from the oil tank and read the level on the
cross‐hatched area. Oil levels
that fall in the cross‐hatched
area are normal.
When to Add Engine Oil
(Z06, ZR1, and Grand Sport)
If the oil is below the cross-hatched
area at the tip of the dipstick, add
1 L (1 qt) of the recommended oil
through the oil fill cap opening in the
oil tank and then recheck the level.

Black plate (18,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
10-18 Vehicle Care
2. Once the oil has been drainedfrom the engine, remove the
engine oil filter and allow the oil
to drain.
3. Re‐install both drain plugs and tighten them to 25 Y(18 lb ft).
4. Replace the oil filter and tighten it to 30 Y(22 lb ft).
See Maintenance Replacement
Parts on page 11‑14 for the
correct filter.
5. Oil is filled through the opening in the top of the external engine
oil tank. Remove the oil fill cap.
6. Add 9.9 L (10.5 quarts) of oil to the oil tank. See Capacities and
Specifications on page 12‑2.
7. Install the oil fill cap and insert the dipstick, if removed. 8. Start the engine and let it run at
idle for at least 15 seconds.
This will circulate the fresh
engine oil through the lubrication
system.
9. Shut off the engine and check the oil level as described under
“Checking Engine Oil (Z06, ZR1,
and Grand Sport).”
Selecting the Right Engine Oil
Selecting the right engine oil
depends on both the proper oil
specification and viscosity grade.
See Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11‑12.
Specification
Use and ask for licensed engine
oils with the dexos1™ approved
certification mark. Engine oils
meeting the requirements for the
vehicle should have the dexos1
approved certification mark. This certification mark indicates
that the oil has been approved
to the dexos1 specification.
Corvette recommends Mobil 1
®
engine oils that meet the
requirements of the dexos1
specification for its dry‐sump
equipped engines.
Notice:
Failure to use the
recommended engine oil or
equivalent can result in engine
damage not covered by the
vehicle warranty. Check with your
dealer or service provider on
whether the oil is approved to the
dexos1 specification.

Black plate (20,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
10-20 Vehicle Care
When the system has calculated
that oil life has been diminished,
it indicates that an oil change is
necessary. A CHANGE ENGINE
OIL message comes on. Change
the oil as soon as possible within
the next 1 000 km (600 mi). It is
possible that, if driving under the
best conditions, the oil life system
might indicate that an oil change is
not necessary for up to a year.
The engine oil and filter must be
changed at least once a year and,
at this time, the system must be
reset. Your dealer has trained
service people who will perform this
work and reset the system. It is also
important to check the oil regularly
over the course of an oil drain
interval and keep it at the proper
level.
If the system is ever reset
accidentally, the oil must be
changed at 5 000 km (3,000 mi)
since the last oil change.
Remember to reset the oil life
system whenever the oil is changed.How to Reset the Engine Oil
Life System
Reset the system whenever the
engine oil is changed so that the
system can calculate the next
engine oil change. To reset the
system:
1. Press the TRIP button sothe OIL LIFE percentage is
displayed.
2. Press RESET and hold for two seconds. OIL LIFE
REMAINING 100% will
appear.
If the CHANGE ENGINE OIL
message comes back on when the
vehicle is started, the engine oil life
system has not reset. Repeat the
procedure.
Automatic Transmission
Fluid
How to Check Automatic
Transmission Fluid
It is not necessary to check
the transmission fluid level.
A transmission fluid leak is the only
reason for fluid loss. If a leak
occurs, take the vehicle to the
dealer and have it repaired as soon
as possible.
The vehicle is not equipped with a
transmission fluid level dipstick.
There is a special procedure for
checking and changing the
transmission fluid. Because this
procedure is difficult, this should be
done at the dealer. Contact the
dealer for additional information or
the procedure can be found in the
service manual. To purchase a
service manual, see Service
Publications Ordering Information
on page 13‑18.

Black plate (28,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
10-28 Vehicle Care
Checking Coolant
The vehicle must be on a level
surface when checking the coolant
level.
Check to see if coolant is visible in
the coolant surge tank. If the coolant
inside the coolant surge tank is
boiling, do not do anything else until
it cools down. If coolant is visible
but the coolant level is not at or
above the FULL COLD mark, add a
50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and DEX-COOL coolant at the
coolant recovery tank, but be sure
the cooling system is cool before
this is done. SeeEngine Coolant on
page 10‑26 for more information.
The engine coolant surge tank is
located toward the rear of the
engine compartment on the driver
side of the vehicle. See Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 10‑8 for more information on
location.
When the engine is cold, the coolant
level should be at the FULL COLD
mark on the coolant surge tank.
When the engine is hot, the level
could be higher than the FULL
COLD line. If the coolant is below
the FULL COLD line when the
engine is hot, there could be a leak
in the cooling system.
If the coolant is low, add the coolant
or take the vehicle to a dealer for
service.
How to Add Coolant to the
Coolant Surge Tank
{WARNING
You can be burned if you spill
coolant on hot engine parts.
Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it will burn if the engine parts
are hot enough. Do not spill
coolant on a hot engine.
{WARNING
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system can blow out
and burn you badly. They are
under pressure, and if you turn
the coolant surge tank pressure
cap —even a little —they
can come out at high speed.
(Continued)