Oil

[odis]

Hello my name is Jim I have a 2013 2500 hd ex cab 6.0. This is my first new truck and probably my last. I know it's smarter than me and will tell me when to change my oil but I have always used regular oil and change it at 3000 miles. My last truck was a 2003 5.3 and had 165000 miles when I traded on this one. Never had any trouble out of it. I tow a 25' camper and felt like I needed a younger truck.

I changed the 6.0 oil at 3000 miles to mobile one synthetic with a AC delco filter. I know they say it will last 7500~ miles but I was thinking I would change it again at 6500 miles. What do you think? Waste of time and money? Also I was told I should get the anti freeze out of it and change to Prestone. I was told the stuff that is in there had a lot of acid in it and would eat the hoses and head gaskets. Any truth to this?

I would rather waste some money now than have issues later.

Thanks for any reply I know it's a long post.

Jim

[MikeNH]

I've always done oil changes every 3-4 months or every 4-5000 miles regardless of oil type. Dexcool is perfectly fine, there were issues with older motors losing intake gaskets potentially from lack of cooling system maintenance but that isn't a problem now and regardless the intake is dry so it can't happen from that anyhow.

[jdelrizzle]

Your new 2013 gas 6.0L calls for dexos or an oil that meets the spec, you can continue using mobil 1 5w30 as it is a dexos approved oil, the OLM on the GM trucks is pretty high speed, some swear by it others prefer to change their oil at a set mileage. I don't go by the OLM but I have abandoned the 3000 mile intervals, dexos is a pretty good spec, I do 5000 miles with any good dexos oil, mobil 1, pennzoil platinum, castrol edge, Quaker state ultimate durability, etc…

 

It's a pretty long list, many of the oils can be bought at walmart for cheap!

 

As far as the coolant goes, I wouldn't change out to prestone, the green stuff if thats what you mean, dexcool is pretty good stuff, but at the same time I wouldn't let it sit in there for 5 years/150,000 miles, me I'll be changing mine out every 2/3years or 50,000 miles. Also read your owners manual it'll help!

[odis]

Thanks,

I read this forum every day but this is my first post. I think I may wait till 7000 miles to change the oil and rotate the tires. I do the work myself. The oil still looks clean at 6200 miles. The 6.0 is a fine running motor really strong.

Jim

[odis]

Thanks for the reply jd, I think I will change the oil at 7000 miles, that will be 4000 on the oil. I guess I will let the antifreeze go till next summer. Just wanted to ask.

Thanks guys

Jim

[gmtech4]

i dump my oil on new vehs at 2500 km,,or 1500 miles ,half the interval anyways ,,,gets the crap out imo

[odis]

I wish I had changed it at 1000-1500. Don't know why I waited to 3000. I have never used synthetic and guess I wanted some miles before I changed it.

Jim

[odis]

Gov when do you dump the coolant.

Jim

[RyanbabZ71]

I would do an initial oil change between 500 and 1000 miles. Also might want to add a magnetic drain plug.

 

 

Ryan

 

 

[odis]

Ryan too late for me, but I can get a magnetic drain plug.

Thanks

Jim

[jdelrizzle]

Ryan, they don't come with a magnetic drain plug out of the factory? Yea I did my break in oil change on my 2013 5.3 last week at 1000 miles.

[Doug_Scott]

I tend to follow the recommendation from the people that not only designed it, they built it, tested it, and then agreed to warranty the engine for 5 years or 160,000km, provided I follow the maintenance schedule(does not mean take it to them for maintenance, just that I follow the schedule).

 

Personally, I use the oil life monitor, unless I did not go far enough in the winter to be due for oil change when the weather changes at end of winter, Truck gets oil change always after winter, the less you drive it in the winter, the harder it is on the oil. Not recommending that to anyone, it is just what I do, and why I do it.

 

One thing I would like everyone to consider doing, is to not use any oil that has the Dexos approved label/sticker/marking on the bottle. You can use any oil that says it meets or exceeds dexos, but, by purchasing oil with the sticker on the bottle means GM gets a royalty from the oil company for every litre they sell.

[gmtech4]

Gov when do you dump the coolant.

Jim

i dont cuz i have low milage on my 'yotas lol

 

my echo should be done soon lol

[88m53453]

03 Sierra 4.8 here at 194,000 miles, purchased at 61,000, nothing but synthetic since, oil changed at 7-10k intervals, oil consumption is nil. Blackstone labs checked it for me once a while back and suggested keep going.

 

05 Tahoe at 185,000, uses a qt every 4500 or so, same as above otherwise, but it does have the cold start up piston slap, not bad, but it is there

[MikeNH]

Ryan, they don't come with a magnetic drain plug out of the factory? Yea I did my break in oil change on my 2013 5.3 last week at 1000 miles.

 

Nope. They stopped doing that at some point.