Does synthetic oil improve fuel economy?
Moderator
Joined: 01-23-2009
Posts: 26,532
From: Fredericksburg,VA
How do you go about choosing which parts of the Owner Manual to take as Gospel?
From page 6-4 of your 2009 Owner Manual
The Oil Life Monitor normally goes about 12,000 miles.
From page 6-4 of your 2009 Owner Manual
Scheduled Maintenance
When the CHANGE OIL SOON message displays,
service is required for the vehicle. Have the vehicle
serviced as soon as possible within the next 600 miles
(1 000 km). It is possible that, if driving under the best
conditions, the engine oil life system may not indicate that
vehicle service is necessary for over a year. However, the
engine oil and filter must be changed at least once a year
and at this time the system must be reset. Your dealer/
retailer has trained service technicians who will perform
this work using genuine parts and reset the system.
When the CHANGE OIL SOON message displays,
service is required for the vehicle. Have the vehicle
serviced as soon as possible within the next 600 miles
(1 000 km). It is possible that, if driving under the best
conditions, the engine oil life system may not indicate that
vehicle service is necessary for over a year. However, the
engine oil and filter must be changed at least once a year
and at this time the system must be reset. Your dealer/
retailer has trained service technicians who will perform
this work using genuine parts and reset the system.
Member
Joined: 10-05-2016
Posts: 78
From: NWOhio
If you talk to GM Engineers,, I have one who is a close friend,, they will let you know service at earlier intervals may not be necessary,,, but they dam sure don't hurt. I use 62 years servicing mine and other vehicles as true life results,,
guess maybe this is why mine has less reasons to service it than some others who live by what they read???
guess maybe this is why mine has less reasons to service it than some others who live by what they read???
Senior Member
Joined: 09-16-2013
Posts: 1,408
From: Tampa, Florida
I got to around 40% life after 8000 miles on my last change. 06 2.4 5 quarts in and roughly 4 4/5th quarts out. currently 197,000 on the clock. Driven an average of 80 miles a day. Usual casual cruising depending on my mood or if some kid in a civic thinks his new cold air intake transformed his Honda into a Lambo :P. I use Pennzoil Ultra Platinum Full Synthetic. The oil wasn't burnt, it is leaking every so slowly from what I think is the oil pressure switch, but I dont. care to mess with it right now. I forgot to send my change into the lab, but on this change interval I am going to have the oil tested after 8000 miles and see how it and the engine are holding up. I think the oil and engine would easily make it 12,000 miles before changing but it just FEELS wrong to go that far. I could not do it. I tried and only made it to 8000 miles just under 4 months.
Member
Joined: 10-05-2016
Posts: 78
From: NWOhio
Blackhawk is just 25 miles from me, I have used them more than once, and having oil analyzed is the best thing.
If 12,000 is what GM set the DIC up for something is wrong. I can assure you everyone's driving habits, how often it is taken from cold to operating temps, what those temps are, the humidity it is run in, the extreme from hot's to how extreme the cold's are, Long even runs at moderate RPM's, or frequent hard accelerations and extreme rpms, everything we do individually is the only way to determine any particular aols life span. I know those in extreme Alaska, and those in Pheix Arizona have way different needs!
Make it is obvious, you can't write in a book when oil should be changed. To me it is worth the early changes and still seeing a savings over what I used to change my oils at in years past. The big thing is peace of mind, knowing even it was still protecting 100%,, what I am running at the time is also.
If 12,000 is what GM set the DIC up for something is wrong. I can assure you everyone's driving habits, how often it is taken from cold to operating temps, what those temps are, the humidity it is run in, the extreme from hot's to how extreme the cold's are, Long even runs at moderate RPM's, or frequent hard accelerations and extreme rpms, everything we do individually is the only way to determine any particular aols life span. I know those in extreme Alaska, and those in Pheix Arizona have way different needs!
Make it is obvious, you can't write in a book when oil should be changed. To me it is worth the early changes and still seeing a savings over what I used to change my oils at in years past. The big thing is peace of mind, knowing even it was still protecting 100%,, what I am running at the time is also.
Moderator
Joined: 01-23-2009
Posts: 26,532
From: Fredericksburg,VA
Exactly why the computer uses a AlGorerythm to monitor the life of the oil. Do you really think your human brain can take all of those things into account better than a computer?
Peace of mind is one thing, but my idea of peace is different. Spend your money the way you want to, but don't recommend your habits that are counter to the manufacturers explicit directions.
BREAKING NEWS!!!!! This is the 21st century. 62 years ago motor oil and engine alloys were different, as was my hair line. Getting 50,000 miles (that's about 5 oil changes) from a car 62 years ago was the exception, these days 150,000 from a car that never got regular maintenance is normal.
True, and GM did not do that. That is why I cut and pasted the quote from the Owner Manual.
Peace of mind is one thing, but my idea of peace is different. Spend your money the way you want to, but don't recommend your habits that are counter to the manufacturers explicit directions.
BREAKING NEWS!!!!! This is the 21st century. 62 years ago motor oil and engine alloys were different, as was my hair line. Getting 50,000 miles (that's about 5 oil changes) from a car 62 years ago was the exception, these days 150,000 from a car that never got regular maintenance is normal.
you can't write in a book when oil should be changed
Senior Member
Joined: 03-06-2010
Posts: 6,869
From: Ohio
Somehow the algorithm picked up on the fact that I switched to full synthetic after the second oil change... It's in no way just a static amount of miles or time measurement. Maybe full synth runs cooler or something, I don't know, but I have been easily getting a full year out of Pennzoil Platinum. Pryor to that switch, dino oil was getting around 6-8 months before the DIC was showing a low percentage of life left. (I change oil at around 25%... + or - depending on how poor I am at the moment)
I've never noted any oil loss via leak or otherwise... It's always right on the mark.
I've never noted any oil loss via leak or otherwise... It's always right on the mark.
Senior Member
Joined: 08-22-2015
Posts: 157
From: Boston
When you have a few hours
https://540ratblog.wordpress.com
https://540ratblog.wordpress.com
Senior Member
Joined: 07-17-2006
Posts: 6,053
From: Dallas, GA
I can definitely tell you on mine, when the OLM indicated change oil, I averaged around 7500 miles on that oil. I never went past 8K on 9 years and 127K miles. But have seen some of the vehicles at work, that spent most of the time on the highway, 12K wasn't a shock to see.
I think the system works very well.
I think the system works very well.
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