1999 Chevy Truck oil change

RIDECU42

MEMBER
1999 CHEVROLET TRUCK
V8
4WD
AUTOMATIC
140,000 MILES

This has a 350 engine with the stock oil cooler in the radiator. I rebuilt the engine recently. When I first filled it with oil it took seven quarts. When I gave it the first oil change after 500 miles, only 5 1/2 quarts drained out. I imagine the other 1 1/2 quarts are in the oil cooler. I have two friends with similar trucks, and they say when they change oil it only takes 5 1/2 quarts too. How do I drain the oil from the oil cooler. Is everybody leaving 1 1/2 quarts of dirty oil in their trucks every oil change, or am I just crazy?

3 Replies

BLUELIGHTNIN6

MECHANIC
16,542 POSTS

That is correct. About 10% of the engine oil is still left in the cooler. Theoretically, the dirt should all be in the filter. The small amount of dirty "looking" oil left in the cooler should not have any contaminents in it that could damage your engine. However, I don't really believe this is true and I suggest flushing the cooler every oil change. It will cost a little extra but it is worth it in the long run. To flush the cooler, do the following.

Drain the old oil then pour in a couple of pints of new oil and turn engine over a few times (dont start it). Replace old oil filter after flushing cooler then fill with new oil.

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Friday, February 6th, 2009 AT 2:07 AM

RIDECU42

MEMBER
2 POSTS

That, s amazing. Nobody else has ever been able to tell me this. Everybody out there with a truck like this should be mad as hell that this is not common knowledge. Every time that they have had their oil changed, whoever did it left 1 1/2 quarts of dirty oil in their engine. I have not heard of this, and I have been looking in forums like this for awhile now trying to address this problem. It is not in any manual that I have ever seen.

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Friday, February 6th, 2009 AT 10:19 PM

BLUELIGHTNIN6