Wally

For the record...my truck now has 217,000 on the clock and is all original....motors never been opened and neither has trans other than filter changes...and i dont drive my truck like a sunday driver either...almost daily on my way to work it hits 90+mph on the tollway cause i hate just keeping up with traffic

Diamond Dave

Pretty cool video by Lake Speed Jr. related to this:

Wally

just checked through HPtuners ...nothing i can see to turn it off in any way I was hoping to at least be able to turn off the dash notification in the DTC section but unfortunately no. oh well

Slippery

The last time I checked, there was no way to change the interval or shut off the oil life monitor on GM vehicles. I'll check again because it's been a couple years, and if it's changed I'll post it up.

But I seriously doubt any mfr is going to allow a customer to change recommended service intervals or reminders based on recommended service. That's a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Everyone understands the monitor isn't really sampling the oil, correct ?

It's some black magic, double secret probation formula based on a GM math algorithm which uses engine hours, temp, key cycles, tilt of the earth etc etc.

The mfr's started using them because no matter how many "1st oil change free" programs, or follow up communications are performed it seems like every couple of years we'll see a customer with an "engine noise complaint" and it turns out to be a vehicle with 15k on the odo still equipped with the original filter and no oil on the dipstick.

I'd be willing to bet nobody reading OSO needs it explained to them how important maintenance is, but we aren't the oil life monitor's "target audience"...Think of it like Dave Ramsey's advice show...I don't agree with everything he says, but in general he's explaining finances to people who need it spelled out to them that just because there are still checks in the check book, that doesn't mean there is money in the checking account..

Oil Life monitors can be aggravating because their target audience A) needs them, and B) has been known to put a piece of electrical tape over a warning light because it was annoying. Hint - blinking lights are not good.

Manufacturing & machining processes are much better, tolerances are tighter and more uniform, and I believe all the manufacturers have gotten away from delivering vehicles to the dealers with "break in oil" in the engines. However, in my opinion, modern machining practices make it more important to change the oil early because - exactly as the video describes - the majority of an engine's wear happens early in it's life. Early 1911s ? Drop 'em in the mud or sand and while not very accurate, they almost always went bang when you wanted them to. New 1911s or 2011s ? Much, much more accurate, but also much more finicky in a less than perfect environment.

BUT... can a dealership recommend a customer change their 1st oil at 500 miles ? 1500 miles ? Even 3000 miles ?

HELL. NO.

IF a "stealership" recommended that interval, or posted that video advising sooner than mfr recommended maintenance, it wouldn't be long before - at best - they'd have a starring role in a viral video, or a segment of some networks "On Your Side Investigative Reporting" segment "proving" how customers were being ripped off. Worst case ? They'd end up in a class action lawsuit. And our "public servants" in Washington would no doubt use it as an another example of why EV is the future.

We explain what the factory recommends, and then point out that there is an exception for "severe or extreme duty" which in our opinion most people fall under. Live in MI ? Temp swings, humidity, rust capitol of the world and roads that helped get a new governor elected with the simple campaign slogan of "Fix the Damn Roads" (she hasn't) ...That might be considered extreme duty.

After explaining the mfr recommendations, we then use some version of "That's what the manufacturer says. In my personal vehicle, my first oil change is somewhere between 500 and 1500 miles, the 2nd is around that 3-3500 mark, and then 5000 or so after that as long as you haven't done something that really worked the vehicle. Pulled your travel trailer or boat to FL and back ? Horse trailer out west and back ? and only have 4000 on it since the last change but they're all in front of a trailer...I'd change it if it was my truck, but you do you....

Everyone has some example of someone who put a bunch of miles on a vehicle and didn't do much maintenance. On the other hand our shop stays full and every vehicle in it needs service when it comes in.

Last thoughts...

In my opinion, fluids & filters are cheap insurance. I'm perfectly ok with spending a bit more to have the odds in my favor because I've been sitting on the side of the road while pulling a trailer and it aint no fun.

Every motor I've ever puked - some in truly spectacular fashion - didn't puke because of the oil.

During the cash for clunkers program dealers were required to pour what was essentially liquid glass into the engine while the engine was running. It was amazing how fast some engines seized, and it was equally amazing how long some engines would run with abrasives replacing lubricants. It's been a while, but if memory serves I think an old Ford with a 300 I-6 was our personal best and lasted longer than any of us thought possible. How does that relate to todays tighter tolerances but longer recommended service intervals ? I think it's because the quality of the oil is better, vehicles are built better, and I think the manufacturers are using it as marketing fodder..."OUR products are so good they only need maintenance every THIS many miles" .

Just my .02 & didn't mean to get off topic..

Cheers

d

Brad Christy

Slippery,

Not at all off topic and all good info/insight.

My truck has ~46K miles on it, so we're WAY past the "1st oil change" condition.

I'm going to go with a double oil life cycle this time and see how the oil looks. I looked at it on the dipstick at the first interval and it looked pretty clean. We'll see....

Thanks. Brad.

Quinlan

I always change first oil on any new vehicles at 500 to 1000. Several of the latest vehicles i bought i went with the free oil change packages- Probably a waste of $$ but I drive the Piss out of my chit. and None will do the first one until 3K. I don't care. cheap insurance.
And every 20 hours in the boats.

A friend bought a 70s Pontiac Bonneville from an old woman back in the 80s, Said it was sluggish and oil looked like crap. Took to a mechanic and he dropped pan. Full of sludge and he figured the old woman Never changed the oil in the 60k+ miles on the car. Probably just added a qt as it turned to sludge in bottom of pan. Of course he wrecked the car with in a yr anyway. lol

Slippery

Not intending to derail this....but Update RE the $$ For Clunkers "How long will it run with abrasive instead of oil?" gig...

I had the story mostly correct; 1 of my guys corrected me that we actually had a tie between an old square body Impala with a small block and the old F150 with the 300 - I6.

The procedure was start the engine and pour the goop into the oil fill and we were required to witness the vehicle whimper and die.

Neither died at idle after "several" minutes and we had to run them up to get them to finally die. I pressed if he remembered how long and he said "We let them run while we killed the others and it was probably at least 15 or 20 minutes. The guys were on the clock so after we were done that batch I told them to step on the accelerator and speed things along"

Also - a bit more insight, and maybe just a bit of a dealer bias re oil change frequency.

If you do your own maintenance, keep a detailed log, and make sure you you stay within the factory specified service intervals. Most of the quick lubes / independant service centers now submit data to one of the VIN history services like "Car Fax"and franchised dealers are all tied in to their manufacturer and report all service work performed on a vehicle...bottom line is maintenance records are "out there" for the manufacturer to see.
If you do your own, or use an independant shop, it's still a good idea to pay a dealership for service every once in a while, especially if you're going to keep the vehicle for a long time. Here's the deal; unless the dealer has gotten themselves in trouble with their brand, most mfr's that I'm aware of empower their dealers to provide goodwill assistance for when something breaks "just out of warranty". There are levels of assistance based on time and miles and up to a certain time or mileage the dealer usually doesn't even have to ask for permission from the factory. There's a formula which takes several things into consideration, and even if a vehicle is a bit further out of warranty the dealer can still go to bat for the customer and request assistance. Obviously circumstances and time and/or mileage in excess of normal warranty coverage determines how much assistance is granted, and usually - especially the further out of coverage - the mfr will require participation from the dealer and the customer...

I am incapable of telling a short story...here's the point I'm taking a long time to make...a customer comes in several months and miles out warranty for a repair ...far enough out that it's beyond the "formula" available which doesn't requirer the dealer to ask the factory for goodwill authorization. The dealer is requesting assistance for a "good customer" (why else would you ask the mfr to spend money on a customer?) and the factory is going to use the VIN and look at service history which will indicate any service performed at any franchised shop. The conversation from the factory is going to go one of 2 ways...the first is something on the order of "Your Customer purchased a vehicle from you 4 years and 50 k ago, and in that time they've never spent a dime at one of our authorized dealers and you expect us to participate in a well out of warranty repair ? What color is the sky in your world ? " OR some version of "The customer has supported our dealer network, what do you think is fair ?"At this point the mfr is likely to require dealer and customer participation in the repair but at least the customer isn't on the hook for the entirety of the repair....Bottom line is you've given the factory a reason to help with a repair by occasionally going to one of their dealers. In my experience there's no hard line of time and / or mileage determining whether the mfr assists or not....they'll look at a combination of factors. The other nice thing about occasionally servicing at a dealership is the VIN will be run through the mfr system to make sure there are no updates, service bulletins, etc which may be available and apply to the vehicle.

Again..not meaning to get off track, just provide some perspective and not get too far into the weeds.

Cheers

liberator221

Brad, if you are going to play around with oil change intervals wouldn’t an oil analysis be much better than just your opinion of how the oil looks on the stick. Just wondered why you didn’t go to analysis right away. I still stand with oil change is cheap easy insurance, but interested in your results.