Oil change intervals

[gitsum 16]

First time at 500 miles. Dino oil every 3000 miles or synthetic every 5000. Don't listen to all that 10,000 mile hype. It won't "break" your engine, but it will increase the wear and shorten the life.

Synthetic oil is better at retaining it's viscosity and lubrication properties. But a standard 40 micron or larger automotive filter does not remove by products from blow by, moisture or other small contaminants/particulates. Just change your conventional or synthetic oil as I suggested and you will immediately feel/hear the engine running smoother and quieter. You will see a slight increase in fuel efficiency.

I don't care what the manufacturer suggests or what engine oil breakdown tests report. Just the way an engine purrs along on fresher oil tells me everything I need to know...

[brillo 4]

So would Dino oil every 1000 instead of every 3000 be better (if so why not do that) ?

[bensemailis 10]

So would Dino oil every 1000 instead of every 3000 be better (if so why not do that) ?

if you do not put Dexox certified oil in your car, and have a warranty claim...... they can check the oil with a tool. Then you are out the repair costs because you voided your warranty.

Also, Dexos branded oils are certified for less build up and wear. so in the long run you really are shooting yourself in the foot if you use conventional oil or put any additives in the oil.

Edited July 31, 2013 by bensemailis

[bensemailis 10]

I thought the engine required 0w20. If not it would definitely not hurt the field econ!

It really depends on where you live. Here, even during winter it doesnt get cold enough to reach the 0 winter weight. and during the summer it will be 20 weight so it really doesnt matter at that time. if you drop below freezing during the winter, yea 0 winter 20 might help some. but this time of year it doesnt matter.

[gitsum 16]

So would Dino oil every 1000 instead of every 3000 be better (if so why not do that) ?

Theoretically it would be, fresher oil is always better. Most race car drivers change the oil and filter after every race.

But under normal conditions 3000 miles will be a nice balance between reduced engine wear and practicality.

[bensemailis 10]

Theoretically it would be, fresher oil is always better. Most race car drivers change the oil and filter after every race.

But under normal conditions 3000 miles will be a nice balance between reduced engine wear and practicality.

using non Dexos branded oil will void your warranty. there is no conventional Dexos branded oil.

[NoSprak 17]

There's a lot of evidence to support longer drain intervals on bob is the oil guy.

If you want to extend the drain interval, get a used oil analysis. They can take a look and recommend based on what the wear numbers and oil analysis shows.

Under warranty follow what GM says.

[bluer101 241]

There's a lot of evidence to support longer drain intervals on bob is the oil guy.

If you want to extend the drain interval, get a used oil analysis. They can take a look and recommend based on what the wear numbers and oil analysis shows.

Under warranty follow what GM says.

I'm doing what the manual says. I'm going by the oil life percentage. I still have factory fill at 4300 miles.

After I got my Spark GM also sent a color owners booklet and it even has the oil and PM charts in it. If anything goes wrong its on them.

[gitsum 16]

using non Dexos branded oil will void your warranty. there is no conventional Dexos branded oil.

That's a bunch of GM bullshit. Federal law prohibits any auto manufacturer from denying warranty coverage by forcing you to use a certain brand of motor oil. If it is the right viscosity and has the proper certifications, you're good to go.

Like I said, don't believe that 10,000 mile synthetic oil hype. Change it sooner, your engine will benefit with less wear and longer life.

I just changed my oil today, ran synthetic for the last 5000 miles. There is a noticeable difference with a fresh oil change, you can both hear and feel it. Think about that, what does that tell you about your engine oil?

Internal combustion engines today have closer tolerances and better materials than autos from a decade ago. But they still go through a "break-in" process just like they always have and always will. Changing the oil after the first 500 miles really helps.

I'm not buying into all of that scientific oil break down tests. This is just a bunch of agenda from engine oil companies using all kinds of subjective tests to say "their oil is better".

Oil is your engine's lifeblood.

An oil change is cheap insurance.

You can't hurt your engine by changing the oil to soon, but you can hurt your engine by changing the oil too late.

Edited August 21, 2013 by gitsum

[tommyspark 24]

I won't say it's ok to ride the same oil out to 10k miles, but if anyone is changing todays oils, in today motors at 3k miles, you're completely wasting your $.

Oil doesn't "break down". There's no such thing as "thermal breakdown" either. Well there is, but if your motor is breaking down oil or causing thermal breakdown, you have bigger issues to worry about.....

[tommyspark 24]

http://www.edmunds.com/car-care/stop-changing-your-oil.html

[gitsum 16]

I'm telling you, that is a bunch of hype.

Do you believe everything the pharmaceutical companies say is good for you?

Do you believe pumping millions of gallons of toxic water underground to recover natural gas is environmentally safe?

Do you believe everything your government does is for the people?

Oil does break down. Blow by from combustion, contaminants, carbon, particulates, ect, can not be properly filtered out by a standard 40 micron automotive filter...

[tommyspark 24]

Nothing you just mentioned has anything to do with modern combustion engines....

To each their own. If you want to change your oil earlier than the next guy, go for it. As for me, I've always used pure synthetic, and change it around 6000 miles. Castrol Syntec; now called Castrol Edge.....

[gitsum 16]

Blow by and other contaminants too small for a 40 micron based automotive oil filter has nothing to do with a modern engine?

6000 miles for a quality synthetic is reasonable, maybe getting close to the limit. 10,000 or even 15,000 is asking for extra wear and tear or worse.

I was trying to make a point about the Edmunds report. It's based on tests funded by companies with an agenda.

It sounds like a real scientific and truthful article.

But according to most of the info you can find on the internet, so do the other ideas I used for an example...

[austex04 48]

It appears someone should get a oil analysis done when their oil life monitor reaches like 10% or less, and post the results. Chances are, with a full synthetic oil, they'll tell you your changing too often.

[tommyspark 24]

Exactly. In my opinion, each person is responsible for the maintenance, or lack there of, of his/her vehicle. If people feel safer or better or whatever changing their oil at certain intervals (3,000-5,000) then to each their own. Like has been said in this thread, you won't and can't harm a motor by changing oil too frequently. I always have and always will do oil changes around 6000 miles.

[Greg_E 211]

10% is going to be around 8000 miles which is plenty.

[gitsum 16]

I'll bet most people fall under the "severe use" category and don't even realize it.

http://www.agcoauto.com/content/news/p2_articleid/54

[gitsum 16]

For those of you depending on some sort of oil usage meter or other electronic device to tell you when the oil needs changing, don't!

I've changed my oil twice already and the car still gave me a code 82 at 7450 miles. Reset by turning on the ignition without starting the engine and pushing the accelerator pedal to the floor three times in 5 seconds.

Edited September 9, 2013 by gitsum

[Greg_E 211]

I thought it was scroll to oil life meter and hold reset button, doesn't this work?

[bluer101 241]

I change my other vehicle before the meter and it will go off after 2 oil changes. This is because I don't reset the system.

With the spark I'm going by meter as that's what the manual and color owners brochure that I received from Chevy.

[gitsum 16]

I thought it was scroll to oil life meter and hold reset button, doesn't this work?

Exactly what I was talking about. Yes, the reset feature works. But if the car was able to really analyze your oil life based on driving conditions and the actual breakdown of the viscosity, then why do you have to manually reset after an oil change?

Answer: Because it is just a glorified counter that is preset for a specific amount of mileage.

And more than one manufacturer is guilty of pushing maintenance periods as far apart as they can to look more appealing or "better". They just need they car to last for the warranty period. They have no concern about the engine lasting 150k - 200k or longer. There are plenty of relatively inexpensive tweaks they could incorporate if they really wanted to extend the engine life, but it doesn't benefit their corporate pocket book.

Edited September 9, 2013 by gitsum

[Greg_E 211]

With the whole range of optical sensor and friction sensors that are available, you would think they would actually monitor the oil and tell you when it is getting thin, or not slippery enough, or too dark, or too acid, etc.

Sad that it is probably based just on mileage and and maybe temperature and engine RPM thrown in as a small modifier.

I will say that you can see the mileage drop off after you hit about 25% life left, so 25% is now my personal point of change, this goes right in line with what the oil companies suggest for fully synthetic oils of about 6500 miles. Or at one year, which ever comes first and on my car it is definitely the mileage number right now.

[Jeph Swift 3]

Do you guys get the OnStar diagnostic report? Before my first oil change like a few weeks ago at 3k some miles (got it done while it was free) and they put a dticker in my windshield for the next time I should get maintenance at 6,900 miles. OnStar says I don't need another one for quite some time. Usually I would be skeptical of this, but it appears accurate .

[Greg_E 211]

The sticker the dealer put on my car is like 7000 miles away for the next change.