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Basic Silverado Maintenance: Topping Off Fluids

Basic Silverado Maintenance: Topping Off Fluids

Your Silverado is a feat of engineering between its powerful engine and stout drivetrain, but those parts would not be able to do what they do as well as they do without the fluids that keep them running. Lubrication and fluids are what keeps your powertrain and drivetrain running strong. Just like any other part of your Silverado, your fluids require maintenance and servicing so they keep doing their job to the best of their ability. This guide will review all of the key fluids to your Silverado and what you need to do to make sure they function at their highest potential.

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Keeping your Silverado properly lubricated is critical to day to day operation as well as for performance reasons. Should you find yourself drained of oil or coolant you'll want to find the cause ASAP, but in the meantime be sure to keep everything topped off.

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What Are The Oils & Fluids I Need To Maintain In My Silverado?

While there is a whole cavalcade of oils and fluids throughout your Silverado keeping it running, the main ones you need to perform maintenance on and replace are:

  • Engine oil
  • Transmission fluid
  • Differential oil
  • Engine coolant
  • Wiper fluid
  • Brake fluid
  • Clutch fluid (manual only)

Although there are other fluids in your Silverado, like the fluid in your suspension system, you do not need to typically replace it.

How Do I Check The Fluids & Oils In My Silverado?

Before you know when to replace the oils and fluids in your Silverado, you need to actually check them to see where they are at in their levels. While there is a service schedule for when you would want to replace these fluids typically, you still should be checking your oils and fluids to make sure there is enough of them. 

For your oil, you’ll need to pop the hood and check the dipstick to where the level of the oil is. Make sure the engine is a little warmed up and you will want to wipe off the dipstick and recheck it to verify your findings. 

For the transmission fluid, there is a dipstick for that as well that you can pull and check. You will want to follow the same procedure as you did for the engine oil, making sure that you check it after it has been running for a little bit. 

For the engine coolant, wiper fluid, clutch fluid, and brake fluid, you can eye those up by popping off the cap on their reservoir and taking a look inside. With 2007 and newer Silverados, you can get a notification on your dash that one of the aforementioned fluids is low. 

When it comes to the differential fluid, you will not typically check that, as there is not a dipstick or cap to remove to inspect it. You will need to adhere to the service schedule found in the owner’s manual for your differential fluid. 

How Do I Change My Silverado’s Oil & Fluids?

For changing your oil, you’ll want to release the drain nut on the bottom of the oil pain, remove the oil filter, and wait for all of the oil to drain out. Once it has drained completely, replace the oil filter, re-attached the drain nut, and fill the oil up from the top of the engine bay. 

For replacing the transmission fluid, you will want to remove the drain plug on the bottom of the transmission and wait for all of the fluid to drain out. Once completely drained, re-attach the plug and fill in the new fluid from the top of the engine bay. 

For replacing your Silverado’s differential fluid, you will need to remove the drain bolt and let all of the fluid drain out. Once completely drained, re-install the drain bolt and locate the fill bolt on the undercarriage. Remove the fill bolt and use a pump to add in the fluid to the manual’s specifications. Once filled, re-attach the fill bolt and wipe away any excess fluid. 

For engine coolant, brake fluid, clutch fluid, and wiper fluid, locate the corresponding reservoir/fill cap in the engine bay and open it up. Using a funnel, pour in the appropriate amount to fill it up without overflowing. Make sure to go slow and steady so you don’t overfill it, pouring some in and then waiting for it to settle before pouring more in.

Silverado Oil and Fluid Capacity

The amount of oil you Silverado’s engine can hold depends entirely upon what engine is underneath the hood. Below is a chart to help you determine how much oil your Silverado’s engine needs. 

Engine Capacity
4.3L V6 (2002-2013) 4.3 Qts
4.3L V6 (2014-2019) 5.7 Qts
4.8L V8 (2002-2013)
5.3L V8 (2002-2013)
5.3L V8 (2014-2019) 8 Qts
6.0L V8 (2002-2019) 5.7 Qts
8.1L V8 (2002-2006) 6.1 Qts
6.2L V8 (2007-2013) 5.7 Qts
6.2L V8 (2014-2019) 8 Qts
6.6L V8 (2014-2019) 9.5 Qts

When it comes to windshield wiper fluid, the reservoir holds roughly 1.8 gallons of fluid. The Silverado’s transmission holds roughly 5-6 quarts of fluid. It is important to fill it up, turn it on and let it run for a bit, then shut off the engine and check the levels to see if you need to add more. 

The Silverado’s differential holds about 2 quarts of fluid give or take a small amount. The brake reservoir needs about 2 quarts of fluid to brake properly. If you have a manual equipped Silverado, you will need 2-3 quarts of fluid. For replacing the engine coolant, you will need 8-9 quarts.

When Should I Change The Fluids & Oil In My Silverado?

Aside from your routine service schedule and changing your fluids outside the owner’s manual guidelines, you should also update them after high-stress/strenuous situations. Should you race your Silverado, you’ll want to change the oil after every other race (unless it is an endurance race, then after every race) and likewise for your trans, diff and brake fluid. 

If you get into serious off-roading, then you will want to change it every couple of hundred miles. I know it sounds like a lot, but it critical for keeping your Silverado running reliably. If your Silverado ends up seeing a lot of hauling duty, then you’d want to service all of your drivetrain fluids and oil in about a quarter of the time you would normally.

High-Performance Silverado Fluids & Oil

There are high performance versions of the fluids and oil you would normally put in your Silverado. The advantage of using a high performance version is it can withstand greater wear and tear, heat, and general abuse without needing to be changed as frequently as the stock fluid. 

A lot of this comes down to the weighting of the fluid and how heavy it is/the amount of minerals in it. It is important however to review your owner’s manual and the fluid/oil manufacturers guidelines to make sure that it won’t damage your drivetrain or powertrain.

The Importance of Proper Oil & Fluid Maintenance On Your Silverado

Replacing the oil and fluids in your Silverado is one of the easiest things you can do and arguably the most important in terms of longevity for your truck. Oils and fluids lubricate the moving parts, but if you don’t flush them and change them out regularly (in relation to your driving habits/service schedule), they will get gunked up and cause damage to your truck. Do regular maintenance and replacing the fluids will keep your Silverado running for as long as you need it. 

Fitment includes: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, LS, LT, WT, SS, Hybrid, Z71, LTZ, XFE, Custom, HighCountry, RST, TrailBoss