How Accurate Is Oil Life?

[ohiohunter2]

Hey guys, I have a new 2010 GMC sierra 1500 5.3 crew cab that I have just rolled over 5000 miles. My oil life on my display still says I have 40% of oil life left. Does this seem correct? Thinking about getting it changed anyway. There have been alot of highway miles, but just don't want to risk it. Thanks for the help.

[cliobogger]

Seeing as it is the first oil change id say get it done since that is the break in oil. Then after that to my knolage they are pretty accurate. I usualy change mine when it gets to about 10%.

[ATXSerria]

Im curious, too. I usually go by mileage, so what would be a good percentage 10% or will there be a message display in the DIC?

[cliobogger]

There is no milage display in the DIC. It's just a percent. I change mine around 10%. Keep in mind thats just me. Some people are old fassioned and change that stuff every 3k even though they are using full synthetic that can last up to and beyond 7k. I use full synthetic and it gets to 10% around 7k. It's all up to you in the long run.

[music]

The OLM predicts oil life using a mathematical fit to empirical data. The data used to derive the "fit" was collected using dino oil, and synthetic outlasts dino by a large margin.

 

I use full synthetic and watch the OLM to guide changes. I haven't gone to zero... but have gone to 20% (~8k+ miles iirc, including some towing miles). The oil looked/felt/smelled better than 3k mile dino oil, but I changed it before pulling the camper on a long trip. It appears to adjust by driving conditions. When towing, the %remaining changes quicker than when driving "normal".

[kawtoy_77]

Cant go wrong with 3k mile oil change intervals......

[tonygxp]

The OLM predicts oil life using a mathematical fit to empirical data. The data used to derive the "fit" was collected using dino oil, and synthetic outlasts dino by a large margin.

 

I use full synthetic and watch the OLM to guide changes. I haven't gone to zero... but have gone to 20% (~8k+ miles iirc, including some towing miles). The oil looked/felt/smelled better than 3k mile dino oil, but I changed it before pulling the camper on a long trip. It appears to adjust by driving conditions. When towing, the %remaining changes quicker than when driving "normal".

 

 

Cant go wrong with 3k mile oil change intervals......

 

 

Yes synthetic OIL outlasts conventional but the filter does NOT... 3k miles seems a little over kill imo, i used the OLM and with Synthetic change at less than 10%. you risk the filter going into bypass mode if you wait TOO long so it's a balancing act if you take it past 6-7k miles.

[redvett]

270000 miles on my 2000 5.3L and always use the OLM and AC Delco filters with Mobil 1.

[music]

Yes synthetic OIL outlasts conventional but the filter does NOT... 3k miles seems a little over kill imo, i used the OLM and with Synthetic change at less than 10%. you risk the filter going into bypass mode if you wait TOO long so it's a balancing act if you take it past 6-7k miles.

 

The research that the OLM was built upon included oil filter performance. EDIT: FWIW, I checked and I went ~7k miles to get to "20% remaining" (not the 8k miles I remembered). That fill included a bit of towing.

[Diesail]

If you do some searching here you should find a writeup on the the oil life monitor by somebody that was an engineer for GM and was one of the engineers on the oil life project. To make a long store short, the system is very accurate and takes a lot of information into account when predicting oil life. And if it is anything it is conservative. I have driven several GM Yukons with oil changes only when they say say to change (older version didn't give a percentage only a change now) all running over 100k without problem and remember GM warranties it for 100k based on the system so if thier pocket book trusts the system so does mine. Currently I am driving a Duramax and don't change until it hits 0%, believe me at 10 quarts in a duramax you are in no hurry to change it if you don't need to.

[rdalley]

I just bought a new to me Silverado this year. the first oil change I did was about 5,000 miles and the OLM was around 40% The second change I went nearly 6,000 miles and OLM was somewhere in the 30% range. I sent both samples to Blackstone for an analysis because I was curious about the OLM as well. Both samples came back with excellent results and all the wear metals were well below average for the motor. Blackstone told me the oil had a lot of life left in it so I will send the next sample in when the OLM gets to 15% and see how it is. That should be over 7,000 miles on the oil. All these tests were with Pennzoil Platimun synthetic. I would say the OLM is a good accurate systme to go by.

[jthelman]

Cant go wrong with 3k mile oil change intervals......

 

 

Yes, you can. It's called throwing money away.

 

1) To my knowledge there isn't a single automobile company that recommends 3K as the change interval, including GM. Most are 5-6K. The 3k number was invented by the Jiffy Lube's of the world to get you to spend more $$$$.

 

2) I've owned a lot of cars, and know a ton of car people via boards. I'd be willing to bet you can't find a single instance where an engine failed in less than 200K miles because the owner changed the oil every 5K instead of 3K.

 

I'm amazed the crooks at the lube places haven't started recommending to 1K!

[Eddie 70]

I have been changing mine at every 5k on the odometer. Easy for me to remember that way. Normally I use Mobil 1 oil and Wix oil filters. This past time I used Penzoil with Purolater Gold. I like that too.

[yukon_denali_05]

I agree, changing your oil at 3k mile intervals is throwing money away ESPECIALLY if you're using synthetic oil. I use Royal Purple ALL THE TIME and RP oil filter and always use my OLM. OLM is very accurate and takes into account RPM over the life of the current oil since last change (reset).

[leverlution]

GM has a section of their site (forget where it is, google search GM Oil Life monitor and look for the GM website) with a bunch of articles, tech data, and statement from GM about the oil life monitor. I went as far as to save the file somewhere on my phones SD card and my computers back up drive just in case I have warranty problems. I usually change mine between 30 and 50% oil life (usually that's still over 7,000 miles). Just make sure you check your trucks owners manual. I forget the number, but I am pretty sure the manual says something like oil MUST be changed within 500 miles of 20% oil life remaining? Might be 12 or 15% but I think it was 20. As long as your within the manual, they gotta warranty it.

 

Another thing to be careful with. My dealer ALWAYS "pre schedules" service and calls me when I'm near 3,000 miles of last oil change. It's literally the only thing I don't like about them. I have told them a few times that I am doing the Service Pack 1 and 2 schedule based on GMs recommendations, NOT the 3,000k / 3mo schedule, but they still keep trying. They never try to tell me the warranty will be void, but you can tell they are a little irritated when I tell them my OLM is at 75% and I am NOT due for ANY service anytime soon.