Miles on an Oil Change
11-19-2010, 03:32 PM
#21
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I was unaware of any lubrication that they do on cars nowadays. Trucks need it, but FWD cars don't. (If they do, I've never done it...)
11-19-2010, 03:34 PM
#22
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Join Date: 03-06-2010
Location: Ohio
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There are no zerk fittings on the HHR so no "lube" spots.
11-19-2010, 03:36 PM
#23
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Join Date: 11-20-2006
Location: Peoria, IL
Posts: 931
My question is about time instead of mileage; didn't want to start a new thread about oil change frequency.
I bought my HHR new nearly 6 months ago. Have driven barely over 4000 miles and the oil life reading is about 45%. The manual only mentions oil life indicator, saying nothing about the "or X months, whichever comes first" I'm used to from older vehicles (with my previous vehicle I got the oil changed within 6 months even if it hadn't gone 3000 miles).
I bought my HHR new nearly 6 months ago. Have driven barely over 4000 miles and the oil life reading is about 45%. The manual only mentions oil life indicator, saying nothing about the "or X months, whichever comes first" I'm used to from older vehicles (with my previous vehicle I got the oil changed within 6 months even if it hadn't gone 3000 miles).
"It is possible that, if you are driving under the best
conditions, the engine oil life system may not
indicate that vehicle service is necessary for over a
year. However, your engine oil and filter must be
changed at least once a year and at this time the
system must be reset."
So change it at least once a year. As for mine, I just hit 5% on the OLM and that was after 10K miles. The oil will be changed tomorrow. I usually try to change it just a bit sooner... but life just got in the way.
11-19-2010, 03:37 PM
#24
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Join Date: 09-11-2007
Location: Palm Bay, Florida
Posts: 1,378
It is your money, change the oil weekly, monthly, biannually, annually at 3000 mile, 5000 miles or when the DIC say 0%. I go by the DIC as GM spent big bucks developing the algarithm to calculate oil life. I get 7000-11000 miles before the DIC gets to 10%, then I change it with M1. I do it myself and spend less than $30 for5 quarts of 5-30 M1 and oil filter.
11-19-2010, 03:46 PM
#25
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Location: Kannapolis NC
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Every 3,000 miles which usually takes about 2 months to accumulate. I know the DIC and its attendant technology are very good, but oil changes are cheaper than engine changes.
11-19-2010, 04:26 PM
#26
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Join Date: 11-23-2007
Location: Texas
Posts: 8,210
My question is about time instead of mileage; didn't want to start a new thread about oil change frequency.
I bought my HHR new nearly 6 months ago. Have driven barely over 4000 miles and the oil life reading is about 45%. The manual only mentions oil life indicator, saying nothing about the "or X months, whichever comes first" I'm used to from older vehicles (with my previous vehicle I got the oil changed within 6 months even if it hadn't gone 3000 miles).
Am probably going to schedule an oil change at the 6 month mark unless someone can convince it's unnecessary to do so.
How important is the "lube" part of oil/lube/filter and is it a concern to go a long time between lubrication?
I bought my HHR new nearly 6 months ago. Have driven barely over 4000 miles and the oil life reading is about 45%. The manual only mentions oil life indicator, saying nothing about the "or X months, whichever comes first" I'm used to from older vehicles (with my previous vehicle I got the oil changed within 6 months even if it hadn't gone 3000 miles).
Am probably going to schedule an oil change at the 6 month mark unless someone can convince it's unnecessary to do so.
How important is the "lube" part of oil/lube/filter and is it a concern to go a long time between lubrication?
When the Change Oil Soon message displays, service is required for the vehicle as soon as possible, within the next 1 000 km/600 miles. If driving under the best conditions, the engine oil life system might not indicate the need for vehicle service for more than a year. The engine oil and filter must be changed at least once a year and the oil life system must be reset. Your dealer has trained service technicians who will perform this work and reset the system. If the engine oil life system is reset accidentally, service the vehicle within 5 000 km/3,000 miles since the last service. Reset the oil life system whenever the oil is changed. See Engine Oil Life System.
When the Change Oil Soon message displays, certain services, checks, and inspections are required. The services described for Maintenance I should be performed at every engine oil change. The services described for Maintenance II should be performed when:
• Maintenance I was performed the last time the engine oil was changed.
• It has been 10 months or more since the Change Oil Soon message has displayed or since the last service.
Last edited by ChevyMgr; 11-19-2010 at 05:58 PM.
11-20-2010, 01:59 AM
#27
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11-20-2010, 09:35 AM
#28
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Join Date: 07-04-2006
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 151
When my DIC say 25%, that's when I tell myself time to change the oil soon. This last time it was at 18% by the time i got to it. I have always done it like this since soon after getting the car and watching the DIC. In which case, I figured that I would average about 12000 miles till I would hit 0%.
My last change was at a GM dealer... and they still put the reminder sticker at 3k or 3 months. You would think that since they are a dealer, they would go by the manufacturer's recommedation.
My last change was at a GM dealer... and they still put the reminder sticker at 3k or 3 months. You would think that since they are a dealer, they would go by the manufacturer's recommedation.
11-20-2010, 09:18 PM
#29
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Join Date: 01-04-2010
Location: Imported from Detroit
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More frequent oil changes means more $$ for the dealer
11-20-2010, 10:00 PM
#30
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Location: Kannapolis NC
Posts: 25,739
I guess we'll have to agree to disagree Woody, yeah I'm old fashioned about oil change frequency. But we're dealing with small engines that put a lot of stress on their oil, both as a lubricant and coolant. The class 8 trucks that I run/own for my other business have oil changes on the average of every 90,000 miles. I also pay for monthly oil tests that monitor the additive levels, check for bearing metal, and generally check the remaining life of the oil. If there is a problem we can address it, if the additive package needs a boost we can boost it, if the oil is just plain tired we change it. This testing isn't cheap, but neither is an oil change on a 500HP Mack or Volvo(and the attendant down time). I'd like to trust the DIC with blind faith, but even with a crankcase of Mobil 1, I prefer to err on the side of caution. Like they say, to each his own, you change you oil according to your own tastes and schedule and I'll do likewise. Besides, we both have HHR's, so we can't be all that bad.