GM removes oil dipstick from new 5.7L and 6.6L V‑8s, moves to electronic oil-level system

# What changed General Motors will ship its new sixth‑generation small‑block 5.7‑liter and 6.6‑liter V‑8 engines in the 2027 Chevrolet Silverado and 2027 GMC Sierra without the traditional engine oil dipstick. Instead, oil level and related alerts will be available through an on‑screen readout inside the vehicle.

# Why GM made the change GM spokesman Trevor Thompkins told reporters the move was intended to simplify ownership by putting oil‑level information where drivers already look: the instrument display. The virtual readout provides continuous oil‑level monitoring, and it can tell drivers when oil is too low and how much to add or if the crankcase is overfilled — functions that a physical dipstick does not provide.

Mark Dickens, GM's executive chief engineer for full‑size trucks and SUVs, described the new lubrication system as supporting durability and performance efficiency over the vehicle's ownership cycle.

# Which engines keep dipsticks GM is not removing dipsticks across the board. The LS6 6.7‑liter V‑8 used in the 2027 Corvette Stingray, Grand Sport and Grand Sport X retains a traditional oil dipstick. The other two engines announced for the 2027 pickups — the enhanced TurboMax gasoline engine and the Duramax 3.0‑liter turbo‑diesel — also continue to include dipsticks.

# How the electronic system works (as described)

• Continuous measurement is reported to the driver on the vehicle's display.
• The system can alert drivers to low oil and provide guidance on how much oil to add.
• GM's broader real‑time oil‑life monitors, already offered across its lineup, will continue to notify owners when an oil change is due.

# Context in the industry

# Practical implications for owners If you plan to buy a 2027 Silverado or Sierra with the new 5.7L or 6.6L engines, you will no longer be able to check oil level with a dipstick. Instead, you will rely on the vehicle's electronic readout and alerts. Owners of Corvettes and trucks equipped with TurboMax or Duramax diesel engines will still have a dipstick for manual checks.

# What this does and does not promise GM presents the electronic readout as reducing human error and offering more precise, real‑time information than a manual dipstick. The company says the system supports long‑term durability and performance. The change is part of broader software and electronics upgrades in GM's 2027 truck interiors, which include larger center touchscreens and digital instrument displays.

# Bottom line