6.0 oil change interval

[avalonandl]

Full Synthetic and 3000 miles.... Your throwing $ away. The oils nowadays are so much better than 20 yrs ago....

[Grumpy Bear]

On ‎10‎/‎7‎/‎2018 at 2:48 PM, 07Serria said:

Just turned 15,000 miles on my 2500 HD 6.0. Been changing my oil every 3000 miles since new,. I always use a full synthetic such as ACDelco full synthetic, or house Brands like O'Reilly, Napa, Carquest, or Federated. My filter of choice has been an oem pf48. I often notice my oil life is only around 50% at 3,000 miles. My question is, are my old school ways throwing money away? Should I trust the oil life and go down to 15%? Or start changing every 5000 miles.? What are you guys doing with your 6.0s. I do some light snow plowing in the winter, only one or two driveways,, other than that the truck doesn't really get worked hard

I read all previous post and note something that should interest you, everyone actually.  A good many of these replies contain a caveat, IF this or IF that, ALL service related.  Wise advice! An acknowledgement that circumstances, service and conditions are more important than the interval or oil/filter you use.  Yes, yes, within reason. 

[Tommyz66]

A quick google search tells me that oil monitor systems came about in 1988 and work exactly as described by Redwnger and do in fact adjust the mileage based on engine operating conditions.  In 2013 GM re-calibrated theirs to go to 20% life remaining at 5000 miles with no real explanation as to why except to hint that shops did not care for some of the long intervals that were happening.  I think there might be enough data to suggest that the oil life monitors actually work.

 

I have had four cars with oil life monitors, 1999 Regal (250,000 miles), 2004 Suburban (230,000 miles), 2012 Enclave (115,000 miles), 2017 Sierra (30,000 miles).  Two are retired but not because of the engines, two are going strong.  Always changed the oil based on the oil life monitor, always used full synthetic.  Just a data point for you to consider.

[rocnrol]

I go by the OLM... and as mentioned by some, that's still to early.

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[Hillwood]

The oil gets contaminated long before it wears down..
You're driving conditions should determine how often you change your oil.
Pull your valve cover off and see what it looks like inside..
Every 3K for me.. But I do a lot of short trips.

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[SierraHD17]

3 hours ago, Hillwood said:

The oil gets contaminated long before it wears down..
You're driving conditions should determine how often you change your oil.
Pull your valve cover off and see what it looks like inside..
Every 3K for me.. But I do a lot of short trips.

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I have and at over 200000 miles later of 15000 mile changes it's nice and clean like you would expect it to be.  Just don't run into things blindly.  And for the record I see a lot more dust than pretty well anyone here will on clay roads. Good air filter and monitor the silica levels.

[dozerboy]

The oil gets contaminated long before it wears down..
You're driving conditions should determine how often you change your oil.
Pull your valve cover off and see what it looks like inside..
Every 3K for me.. But I do a lot of short trips.

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You don’t need to pull the valve covers to see contamination.



I do my oil change based on the DIC and it’s never let me down. That has been backed up by Oil Analysis. My work trucks run all day whether I’m idling or driving.

190k on my 2008 2500 6.0l that a sloppy tech busted the bolts on the air intake so it was ingesting who knows how much dirt for who knows how long. I found it at 140k and put another 50k on it without any trouble.

160k on my 2015 2500 6.0l that I plan to run to 300k if all goes well

180k on my 2006 2500 Dmax it’s at 650hp and has gone as long as 16k on dino oil without and oil change backed up by Analysis.


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[Cowpie]

On 10/11/2018 at 2:56 PM, Tommyz66 said:

A quick google search tells me that oil monitor systems came about in 1988 and work exactly as described by Redwnger and do in fact adjust the mileage based on engine operating conditions.  In 2013 GM re-calibrated theirs to go to 20% life remaining at 5000 miles with no real explanation as to why except to hint that shops did not care for some of the long intervals that were happening.  I think there might be enough data to suggest that the oil life monitors actually work.

 

I have had four cars with oil life monitors, 1999 Regal (250,000 miles), 2004 Suburban (230,000 miles), 2012 Enclave (115,000 miles), 2017 Sierra (30,000 miles).  Two are retired but not because of the engines, two are going strong.  Always changed the oil based on the oil life monitor, always used full synthetic.  Just a data point for you to consider.

I really haven't found that to be true about a description of how OLM's work. That seems to be more marketing literature than actual reality.  It really doesn't matter how I use my pickup... normal driving, towing, hauling, snow removal, winter, summer, etc... it seems the OLM seems to mirror a mileage count.  I really see no deviation from that irregardless of how the pickup is driven.  Also whether it uses E85 or regular gas, which some would argue also plays into oil longevity.

 

Case in point, a 2000 mile trip to Wyoming last August.  Everyone is pretty much aware that extended highway miles at uniform RPM's are the easier conditions for motor oil.  This is one of the reasons that OEM recommendations for on highway OTR heavy trucks have such long oil change intervals.  Yet, the OLM mirrored exactly the same percentage in relation to miles as when the pickup is used only locally.  

 

It was just an observation I had last year.   I really don't pay much attention to the OLM in most cases.  I just change the oil at between 5000-6000 miles or one year, whichever comes first.

[Black02Silverado]

21 minutes ago, Cowpie said:

I really haven't found that to be true about a description of how OLM's work. That seems to be more marketing literature than actual reality.  It really doesn't matter how I use my pickup... normal driving, towing, hauling, snow removal, winter, summer, etc... it seems the OLM seems to mirror a mileage count.  I really see no deviation from that irregardless of how the pickup is driven.  Also whether it uses E85 or regular gas, which some would argue also plays into oil longevity.

 

Case in point, a 2000 mile trip to Wyoming last August.  Everyone is pretty much aware that extended highway miles at uniform RPM's are the easier conditions for motor oil.  This is one of the reasons that OEM recommendations for on highway OTR heavy trucks have such long oil change intervals.  Yet, the OLM mirrored exactly the same percentage in relation to miles as when the pickup is used only locally.  

 

It was just an observation I had last year.   I really don't pay much attention to the OLM in most cases.  I just change the oil at between 5000-6000 miles or one year, whichever comes first.

We have the same results here.  Our 2016 Suburban is at 0% when we hit 7,500 miles.  No matter how it is driven.  Just like now, we took a trip up to PA and back and did some local 70 mile interstate drives and it was all the same on mileage and OLM reading.  Also the same results when we never leave the area and just drive local with short 4 mile trips to school and back and just 20 mile trips to town.  Even our 14 hours drive from here to Baton Rouge and 14hr drive back, we still get the same results.   Our 2011 GMC Acadia was set at 5k miles when the OLM hit 0%.  Again, same type of driving, local or long distance.

 

The only vehicle it varies on is my 2002 Silverado.  It can be as low as 4k miles when OLM gets to 0% or as high as 8k miles. To me this is how it was first developed to work but since then GM has set mileage limits.

[EZTundra77]

My 2¢:  If changing oil at 3k buys you peace of mind then do it.  Changing dino juice (conventional) oil at 3 k intervals is time tested.  But even fresh conventional oil doesnt do as well as synthetic on cold starts.  It just just doesnt stick to everything as well from when it last ran.  And it doesn't flow as well when it's cold.  But 3k on dino juice or synthetic blend is good enough to keep most engines happy for a good long life.  

 

The next step up is standard full synthetics.  These are generally Group 3 stock oil.  Good stuff.  Pennzoil , Castrol Edge, Valvoline SynPower, Mobil 1, generic brand full synth. etc.  With those oils, you should be able to run 7500 miles as is suggested on our modern 6.0 and most other modern motors.  

 

Then we have the top shelf stuff.  Group 4 PAO such as:  Belgian/German Castrol (Ow40), Amsoil, Mobil 1 Extended Performance, etc.  or Group 5 ester oil such as Redline.  Countless UOA's have shown these oils can run 10-12k miles with no problem at all.  I run redline at 10k intervals or 1 year.  At 10k, my oil life meter shows 50%.  These oils simply protect better and run cooler.  I think the temp is what tricks the computer into think the oil still has half-life.  

 

So to me, it's cheaper to spend top dollar and run longer intervals.  Especially since the oil does better on cold starts which is when most engine wear occurs.  Running basic synthetic at 3k intervals is kind of wasteful, but it only costs an extra 1000 bucks over 200k miles.  And if 1000 buys you peace of mind, I say have at it.  

[Cowpie]

Yeah, one has to live within their comfort zone.  And there is nothing wrong with that.   I am so used to doing 20K, 25K, and 30K length OCI's in my heavy duty stuff that it really isn't a stretch for me to take my personal vehicle stuff to 6K or even  more on occasion.   Even with the Pennzoil 10w30 conventional that my wife's  2006 Cadillac CTS 3.6 gets.  My pickup, it rarely gets over 6K in a year, so I typically just do it annually. 

 

Base oils... it is becoming more of a gray area between them.  And throw in natural gas derived base oils (GTL) and the things get even wilder.  Base oils, even conventional, have come a long, long ways in the last couple of decades.  While the Group IV and V synthetics have typically been top of the heap, even Group III have some characteristics that are better than Group IV.  My preference of late when I use synthetics is a Group III and Group IV blend. My primary oil brand of choice does a great Grp III / Grp IV blend.

 

Article on differences in Group III and Group IV.

 

https://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/533/base-oil-trends

 

 

[EZTundra77]

On 2/2/2019 at 6:47 PM, Cowpie said:

Yeah, one has to live within their comfort zone.  And there is nothing wrong with that.   I am so used to doing 20K, 25K, and 30K length OCI's in my heavy duty stuff that it really isn't a stretch for me to take my personal vehicle stuff to 6K or even  more on occasion.   Even with the Pennzoil 10w30 conventional that my wife's  2006 Cadillac CTS 3.6 gets.  My pickup, it rarely gets over 6K in a year, so I typically just do it annually. 

 

Base oils... it is becoming more of a gray area between them.  And throw in natural gas derived base oils (GTL) and the things get even wilder.  Base oils, even conventional, have come a long, long ways in the last couple of decades.  While the Group IV and V synthetics have typically been top of the heap, even Group III have some characteristics that are better than Group IV.  My preference of late when I use synthetics is a Group III and Group IV blend. My primary oil brand of choice does a great Grp III / Grp IV blend.

 

Article on differences in Group III and Group IV.

 

https://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/533/base-oil-trends

 

 

I read the article and it was informative.  But I didn't see any tests that showed a group 3 being better than a group 4.  I must've missed it.  It's not surprising that group 3 stocks have gotten almost as good.  I believe the benefits of the top shelf stuff are not immense.  I think I use group 4 and 5 oils because of the drain intervals.  I go about 1 year or 10k on Mobil 1 extended protection (group 4) in my Sequoia and Redline in my 6.0 liter L96.  It goes against everything i learned back in autoshop.  3k intervals was burned in my brain but that was using Group 1 or 2 conventional.  Things have changed a lot since then.  But still, running 10k intervals feels extreme so I pay an extra $10- per oil change to use group 4 or 5, in light of the long interval.  I would imagine the math works out about equal as if I ran group 3 at 7k mile intervals.  I live in Michigan so the extra protection in frigid temps is also worth the extra $10- as well.  

 

[Cowpie]

Never said or even implied that Group III were better than Group IV PAO.  I stated the the differences are merely a gray area.  But there are some characteristics that Group III beat Group IV PAO in.  From the same article I linked to and you must have missed.....

 

A modern Group III oil can actually outperform a PAO in several areas important to lubricants, such as additive solubility, lubricity and antiwear performance. Group III base oils can now rival PAO stocks in pour point, viscosity index and oxidation stability performance.

 

And even the Group III base oil synthetic / conventional blends, modern heavy diesel engine manufacturers are recommending up to 50,000 mile service intervals.  That is even without bypass filtration.  

 

My whole contention was that the differences in base oils are closing up as time goes by.  The main features of Group IV and Group V are becoming a big yawn compared to modern Group III and GTL base oils.  GTL is made from natural gas.  And guess what, Group IV PAO is made from ethylene gas which is derived from natural gas also.  The source product is the same for both base oils, but GTL is classified as a conventional.  But it offers similar characteristics as a Group IV PAO.   NOACK volatility being one.   The Pennzoil 10w30 conventional rivals even Amsoil's Signature oil in NOACK, and beats many other off the shelf full synthetics.   You can see the testing results at the Petroleum Quality Institute of America website.

 

GM recommends Mobil 1 5w30  be used in my wife's 2006 Cadillac CTS 3.6.   I use Pennzoil conventional 10w30.  The reason?  it is more cost effective and it knocks the snot out of Mobil 1 in PQIA testing.  In both base oil performance and additive package.  It must be doing a good job.  13 year old car and it runs great and we are keeping it for a while.   The Pennzoil conventional 10w30  appears to be GTL base oil.

 

Even then, the best Group IV PAO or Group V will grenade an engine just like any other base oil if it doesn't have a good add pack in the mix.  There is a lot to a motor oil, which is actually a blend of various components, with base oil being a carrier for the important additives like calcium, boron, molybdenum, zinc, phosphorus, etc.  All of which are critical to do the job a motor oil is called to do.  

 

I think it is becoming more a waste of time to put so much focus on base oils.  The key focus today should probably be more about how strong of an add pack is in the mix.  That can be harder to find out, but there are sources like the Petroleum Quality Institute of America that randomly tests various oils to see what their chemical makeup is and if they meet the classification they are marketed for.

 

 

[Dnt]

OLM always seems to be a hotly debated subject. I have a 2009 6.0 with just a tad over 200k that I recently bought. I pulled the drivers side valve cover to swap it to the new design. By the service records the previous owner was very diligent to run full synthetic oil and ALSO run the OLM all the way down before oil change. Some oil change intervals were over 10k miles. This 6.0 is running well with great oil pressure and very little lifter noise HOWEVER if you follow the OLM then what you see in the pics below will be inside YOUR engine too. The deposits are not baked on and wipe off easily with a paper towel but obviously the entire engine is coated with this layer of sludge. Probably does not hurt anything? If that does not bother you then go ahead and run the long oil change intervals. Too late for this 6.0 but I will never run one past 5k miles before an oil change. Oil may test just fine at 5 maybe up to 20k or more miles but if it leaves sludge chit hanging around my engine then to me it is not worth saving a few bucks and it my oil gets changed well before the OLM indicates it is due.   

[SierraHD17]

8 hours ago, Dnt said:

OLM always seems to be a hotly debated subject. I have a 2009 6.0 with just a tad over 200k that I recently bought. I pulled the drivers side valve cover to swap it to the new design. By the service records the previous owner was very diligent to run full synthetic oil and ALSO run the OLM all the way down before oil change. Some oil change intervals were over 10k miles. This 6.0 is running well with great oil pressure and very little lifter noise HOWEVER if you follow the OLM then what you see in the pics below will be inside YOUR engine too. The deposits are not baked on and wipe off easily with a paper towel but obviously the entire engine is coated with this layer of sludge. Probably does not hurt anything? If that does not bother you then go ahead and run the long oil change intervals. Too late for this 6.0 but I will never run one past 5k miles before an oil change. Oil may test just fine at 5 maybe up to 20k or more miles but if it leaves sludge chit hanging around my engine then to me it is not worth saving a few bucks and it my oil gets changed well before the OLM indicates it is due.   

Incorrect... as I said earlier I have over 200000 miles of doing 20k changes and it does not look like that lol.  The aluminum on the heads is just clean cast. Can't just make blanket statements especially if your history and proof is a truck you just bought and isn't what you put in the truck yourself.