Oil Changes

[Beebe]

Hey all. I was curious on the best course of managing oil changes should be. My wife has a 2005 Suburban 4x4 with a 5.3L, and 150,00mi on it. I use Valvoline Dura Blend when changing oil. What is the best school of thought? When the DIC shows the oil at 5% or lower, or just go every 3000 mi?

Thanks

[[email protected]]

Hey all. I was curious on the best course of managing oil changes should be. My wife has a 2005 Suburban 4x4 with a 5.3L, and 150,00mi on it. I use Valvoline Dura Blend when changing oil. What is the best school of thought? When the DIC shows the oil at 5% or lower, or just go every 3000 mi?

Thanks

 

I check the oil color about every 500 miles or so, and when I don't like the color anymore, I change it. Sometimes it will be at 4000 or 5000, once or twice at less than 3000.

[L76PWRD]

I try to do my oil changes every 3 thousand miles, I don't trust the Change Engine Oil Light.

[lsuguy]

Hey all. I was curious on the best course of managing oil changes should be. My wife has a 2005 Suburban 4x4 with a 5.3L, and 150,00mi on it. I use Valvoline Dura Blend when changing oil. What is the best school of thought? When the DIC shows the oil at 5% or lower, or just go every 3000 mi?

Thanks

 

I check the oil color about every 500 miles or so, and when I don't like the color anymore, I change it. Sometimes it will be at 4000 or 5000, once or twice at less than 3000.

 

 

 

I agree with this one. I def don't think I would go by the DIC. I'd check the oil every so often and check the level and color. I too change my oil about every 4000 miles or so. Just my opinion

[Beebe]

Thanks. I think I will stick with 3000mi. The DIC is ever 4000-5500mi. I guess it is cheap way of maintaining the engine.

[jblakeney]

3 - 4k stickler here...... I shoot for 3k but it usually becomes 4k before I get it changed.....

 

I have no problem with the oil lasting longer just the filter is my issue........... You really have no clue when the filter will go in by-pass mode and quit filtering (WIX FILTERS go to the bottom and read).

 

I sell filters and oil but at the same time the machine shop is just 12 foot below the floor in the same building....... I see them daily laying on the tear down table..... I like it when the top of the head is full of burned crusty oil from long change intervals.....

 

Jbo

 

Edit: My truck has clock work on the Change Oil Light.... 6500 miles it will turn on and tell me to change the oil. I reset it every other time...... Just my opinion but unless you TRULY know what the condition of the oil and filter are they shouldn't be gambling with it.... And I don't think GM wants to put somebody in each vehicle testing oil conditions every day......

[tnord]

i wait until it reads <50% then change it the next convienent weekend with either M1 or Valv SynPower. i think it usually works out to about 4500 miles.

[the hammer]

oh man, this has never been talked about!

 

I would used the DIC no problem. It takes into account other factors than miles. The amount of tire rotation alone is not an accurate way to do your oil maintenance. It's an easy "rule of thumb" for people to waste time and money and is not recommended by GM, as it i not stated in your owner's manual. If you tow a lot it is good to change oil sooner. If you use base oil change it b/t 4-5k. I change my oil at 5000-7500 mile intervals but I use Amsoil and Mobil 1 Full Synthetics. I have gone at least 10k on my oil numerous times and never a single problem. I wouldn't do this with base oils, but the synthetics can take it. I however do not do any towing.

 

There is numerous discussion on this and some will always err on the side of changing oil more often than not and this is good practice. However, performing 3000 mile oil changes with the properties of the oil, engine tolerances, and oil filters we have today does not follow economic nor logical sense. I have studied this for years through research, articles, and personal experience with my corvettes and daily drivers.

 

A good pace to star is to read up on Bob is the Oil guy's website to find more info.

[[email protected]]

oh man, this has never been talked about!

 

I would used the DIC no problem. It takes into account other factors than miles. The amount of tire rotation alone is not an accurate way to do your oil maintenance. It's an easy "rule of thumb" for people to waste time and money and is not recommended by GM, as it i not stated in your owner's manual. If you tow a lot it is good to change oil sooner. If you use base oil change it b/t 4-5k. I change my oil at 5000-7500 mile intervals but I use Amsoil and Mobil 1 Full Synthetics. I have gone at least 10k on my oil numerous times and never a single problem. I wouldn't do this with base oils, but the synthetics can take it. I however do not do any towing.

 

There is numerous discussion on this and some will always err on the side of changing oil more often than not and this is good practice. However, performing 3000 mile oil changes with the properties of the oil, engine tolerances, and oil filters we have today does not follow economic nor logical sense. I have studied this for years through research, articles, and personal experience with my corvettes and daily drivers.

 

A good pace to star is to read up on Bob is the Oil guy's website to find more info.

 

I agree with that 100%, 3000 miles is a bit of a waste unless you were really beating on the engine during that time.

[androgelrx]

In the past 2 yrs, I have change my truck and my parents' cars every 5k miles. I see no reason to do it less than this. Oil is so good these days. I believe Toyota is recommending 10k miles oil change for the Tundra. At 5k miles in my Silverado, it's usually around 20% on the OLM.

[[email protected]]

I predict........that this is going to be an argument thread.

[the hammer]

I predict........that this is going to be an argument thread.

 

 

TRUE.

 

 

And, BTW, WHITE TRUCK CLUB RUUUUUULLLLLESSSSS!!!!!!!

[tanked_darren]

Hey all. I was curious on the best course of managing oil changes should be. My wife has a 2005 Suburban 4x4 with a 5.3L, and 150,00mi on it. I use Valvoline Dura Blend when changing oil. What is the best school of thought? When the DIC shows the oil at 5% or lower, or just go every 3000 mi?

Thanks

I used to change mine every 5000kms and now that I switched to synthetic Im going to follow the DIC engine oil life monitor I have heard from several sources that its a pretty accurate algorithim GM uses.

 

Hey all. I was curious on the best course of managing oil changes should be. My wife has a 2005 Suburban 4x4 with a 5.3L, and 150,00mi on it. I use Valvoline Dura Blend when changing oil. What is the best school of thought? When the DIC shows the oil at 5% or lower, or just go every 3000 mi?

Thanks

 

I check the oil color about every 500 miles or so, and when I don't like the color anymore, I change it. Sometimes it will be at 4000 or 5000, once or twice at less than 3000.

 

Color has nothing to do with the oil being good anymore FYI

 

I try to do my oil changes every 3 thousand miles, I don't trust the Change Engine Oil Light.

 

It's a pretty accurate algorithim, no reason not to trust it.

 

 

NEED TO LEARN ABOUT YOUR OILS? check this site: www.bobistheoilguy.com

[BigBlueLB756]

IMO......With all of the stop-and-go, around-town driving we do, the oil gets changed twice a year, regardless of the mileage. Cheap insurance, and the labor is free.

 

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbth...;Number=1900434

 

Pick one.

[Stex]

You can have Blackstone labs test you oil for about 20-25 bucks. Test at 3000 mile change and then test at 5000 mile change or dic change milage. The test will tell you if the oil protection has broken down and/or if problem in engine. They tell you if you could go longer. THis is the only way to answer your question.

 

 

http://www.blackstone-labs.com/