Oil Change Intervals

TonyMazz · November 4, 2005

I am interested in understanding how others use or don't use the GM Oil Life Monitor system.

If you don't use it, I'd be interested in knowing why ....

I have researched it down to the patent level and think it is a pretty useful reference, but I too have been a 3000 mile oil change guy for 40 years, and now have two new trucks....both with the GM OLM system.

I have changed the OEM oil both at 1000 miles, and the next OCI was at 4000 miles and now I am on the GM OLM.

Thanks for responding.....

MS3DALE · November 4, 2005

I change it at 1,000 miles first,Then every 3,000 after that.Always have,Always will.

I just don't trust the OLM,And it cheap insurance to go every 3,000.

Its my truck and I make the payments,and all those guys that go 10-15,000 miles between changes is the reason why I won't ever buy a used truck.

redvett · November 4, 2005

With crude oil rising and expected to be $100 a barrel next summer it wont be long before more people will use the oil life monitor. I have been using it since 1993 with Mobil 1 with no problems.

03blackburb · November 4, 2005

I use M1 full synthetic and Delco filters. I use the OLM to tell me when to change the filter and top off, usually around 7500. I do a complete oil drain and fill with filter between 21,000 and 28,000.

MS3DALE · November 4, 2005

I use M1 full synthetic and Delco filters. I use the OLM to tell me when to change the filter and top off, usually around 7500. I do a complete oil drain and fill with filter between 21,000 and 28,000.

21 to 28,000 between a complete oil change!!!! You gotta' be kiddin' right?

I definetly don't wanna buy one of your old trucks!

I mean going 7,500 miles is one thing,but 28,000?

jhm · November 4, 2005

I use M1 full synthetic and Delco filters. I use the OLM to tell me when to change the filter and top off, usually around 7500. I do a complete oil drain and fill with filter between 21,000 and 28,000.

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21 to 28,000 between a complete oil change!!!! You gotta' be kiddin' right?

I definetly don't wanna buy one of your old trucks!

I mean going 7,500 miles is one thing,but 28,000?

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Maybe it's all highway miles.

Drifthopper · November 4, 2005

OLM for me. Mobil One filters. Quaker State 5w-30 oil.

Shoot2Thrill · November 4, 2005

I use my own method based upon milage, type of traffic, and whether I have been taking it easy or driving like a bat out of hell. In general I use Fram filters and Castrol GTX.

03blackburb · November 4, 2005

I use M1 full synthetic and Delco filters. I use the OLM to tell me when to change the filter and top off, usually around 7500. I do a complete oil drain and fill with filter between 21,000 and 28,000.

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21 to 28,000 between a complete oil change!!!! You gotta' be kiddin' right?

I definetly don't wanna buy one of your old trucks!

I mean going 7,500 miles is one thing,but 28,000?

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Why don't you send a sample of your changed out oil to BlackStone for analysis? If you are using M1 synthetic you will inherintely get a report back that the oil you are dumping is still well within spec's.

When I drain mine, it is still looking almost like new. NOT black as some of you note on your's. Also, the inside of the engine is as clean as when it was new.

When a manufacturer, Chevy, recommends using the OLM then they have it calculated to be on the conservative side. Mobil 1 exceeds the standards recommended by for our engines.

Read some of the reports.

Here is one for you 3 to 5000 mi change interval guys:

http://neptune.spacebears.com/cars/stories/mobil1.html

willfxp · November 4, 2005

With 28k miles on the oil, the color of the oil is still yellow? Little hard to believe. My dad uses M1 and changes it every 7k miles and it's dark. Maybe your oil isn't cleaning anything?

alvocado · November 5, 2005

If you are using standard petroleum oils, the OLM intervals are more than adequate. Full synthetics will provide longer intervals since they won't break down as quickly. I also own a BMW which uses a long-life OEM synthetic and the interval is 12mos/15k miles. There is an equal if not more amount of debate among the BMW enthusiasts but until I see some real evidence that the added expense and effort actually pays off, I'll trust the manufacturer's engineers. It's also worth noting that the oil filter is often not considered to be as important as the oil which is a mistake. You would be better off changing your filter more frequently and extending the oil fluid changes. One final note regarding the 3k mile rule: until the last decade and before synthetic oil technology found it's way to the mass oil market, motor oil did break down more readily. The practice is outdated now that better lubricant technology exists.

MountaineerTom · November 5, 2005

I change it at 1,000 miles first,Then every 3,000 after that.Always have,Always will.
I just don't trust the OLM,And it cheap insurance to go every 3,000.

Its my truck and I make the payments,and all those guys that go 10-15,000 miles between changes is the reason why I won't ever buy a used truck.

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That pretty much sums up my opinion too. Although I changed the oil in our new Saturn Ion with an OLM at 2000 the first time and plan on 3000, or shortly after 3k, after that.

99silveradoz71 · November 5, 2005

I've stretched mine to about 4k-4500 lately since using Mobil 1. Of course I also went from 8.5 miles each way to work to 22 each way when I moved to my place 2 years ago.

Shoot2Thrill · November 5, 2005

Its my truck and I make the payments,and all those guys that go 10-15,000 miles between changes is the reason why I won't ever buy a used truck.

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I'll second that notion. As an owner of used and now my first new vehicle I think I prefer buying new. Who ever bought my used S10 V6 got a good truck however. I changed the oil and filter every 3,000 miles and used quality replacement parts; it ran just as good as the first day I bought it. Even my salesman was surprised. He knows I don't exactly drive vehicles easy.

willfxp · November 5, 2005

The money you saved buying a used car could be invested and if the used car does die, you'd have enough money to buy a Ferrari with those savings.

I saved $16,000 buying my truck used. I bought my truck for $20k, a new one would have costed $36k. So far, I put on 50k miles on it for a total of 110k and it's still running strong even after all the crap I put it through.

I flushed the tranny and the oil (using that auto-rx stuff and the dealer's tranny flush). Perfect truck. I change the oil whenever it tells me to with normal dino oil (used to be that dino Mobil oil, but now Exxon since Mobil went to synblends).