i use the meter which brings my mileage to about 6000 km by the time i change oil (synthetic).

I Use Mobil 1 Extended Performance OIl and STP filter, Change it every 7K miles. Im at 190K and no issues with the motor!

I let my last oil change get down to around 4% at over 12,000 miles. I use Mobil 1 full synthetic and a WIX filter.

I use synthetic and change it every 5k - 6k. I don't even look at the oil meter.

I will say that my mother just bought a Traverse and GM is refusing to change the oil until the meter hits 25%. Probably them trying to avoid too many free oil changes. She can easily get 9k before the meter hits 25% and that's on regular oil. I have no idea how they can justify that. I can't wait to have an altercation with these clowns when the cylinders fail after 30k.

the cylinders won't fail, but the timing chains will.

just change the oil in between but don't reset the oil life, that way you'll still get a free oil change from GM every 2nd or 3rd oil change.

How do you do that if the oil meter doesn't know you're using synthetic?

Because they tested the system and oil. You likely didn't.

i see it all the time, people wait 10K+ miles to change the oil because they go by the monitor, by that time the engine has burnt a few quarts of oil, the timing chains get hot from lack of lube, and they fail.

it's so bad that GM had a recall to reprogram the pcm to make the oil life monitor drop down faster, but it still doesn't help.

The only reason why they have the monitor go so far between oil changes if because of government regulations for oil use.

I change at 5 or 6k full synthetic.

That's a good idea.

this post is so not true in general its hardly worth commenting. But I will.

OLM reprogramming was for Equinox, not Cobalt. Goverment regulations had nothing to do with GM OLM. GM OLM Its a very well thought out, well validated alogorithm. Timing chains last a long time. guides and tensioners much less. Oil consumption? not an issue with most ecotecs.

4-5k

would go longer but the filter is usually really dirty

a quart of oil every 3000 miles is not uncommon with any GM engine. customers don't check their oil anymore. they put gas in their cars and drive and rely on a light on their dash to come in for an oil change. the Government regulations DO play a big part in the OLM. The same way they require manufacturers to have an average MPG between all their models, they require manufacturers to keep their oil change intervals so we aren't using as much oil.

We do at least 5 sets of timing chains a week in my shop in all different engines, and they are always sledged up from lack of maintenance. I just did a set on an LNF solstice a few weeks ago, the guys oil change records were between 8-10K mile intervals. 63K on the engine, the chains shouldn't be making as much noise as they were and have as much slop as they did with that mileage.

^^^ I change mine every 3-3500 miles and the inside of my motor looks brand new. Mobil 1 from Wally World and Mobil 1 filter.

my LAP has close to 110k on it. But it only saw 10k oil changes its first year. I might move my change point up to 60%, depending on what its averaging now.

best thing you could do for any engine. :twothumbs

We are going to need to see your credentials if you are gonna keep telling people this garbage. At 7500 miles my amsoil was tested within spec. Also who the hell loses a quart in an oil changw. The 3 ecotecs I own dont. Usually almost none

Where do you come up with this stuff? I check my oil and its not losing any between changes which is usually around 7500 miles.

Increased intervals is because oil better oil and better engines not because the government says it should be.

I'm a certified GM and ASE Mastertech working at a GM dealer for over 13 years and I've seen tons of cars over the years. the ones with internal engine problems are always the ones that stretch their mileage between oil changes. I don't care what government motors tells you you need to do, the proof is I see this stuff everyday.

My last car was a 2003 L61 Cavalier that I bought with 117K on it. it went through a quart of oil at 3K miles.

my LE5 that I just purchased with 67K is too soon to tell about oil consumption, but the timing chains are loud as hell. they will be getting replaced very soon.

The Silverado I purchased used with 25K on it was serviced at my dealer every 3K with Mobil One before I owned it. I kept changing every 3K with Mobil one and when I got rid of it at 160K it never burnt a drop of oil, or had the dreaded 5.3l cold piston slap noise.

It's not every car that does this, you guys pay more attention than the majority of car owners, so it's not as bad.

Since a high oil change interval on an LNF is the only reason for timing chain issues. Driven 2 cobalts over 100k never had any oil consumption. Get an oil analysis if you don't believe the OLM don't just say it needs this interval.

Several shops have done analysis. Its not just oil that cases timing chain issues. Tensioners are a huge issue. Setup with other drive train components. Weaker chains. Etc.

As a tech how can you tell an engine has issues due to oil change intervals?

I'm not saying it can't be ok, I'm just saying a lot of times it causes problems, especially in cars where owners don't pay attention to oil level or other maintenance.

I would never go over 5K miles with regular oil, or 7500 with synthetic. 8-10K is out of the question, especially since the oil filters themselves aren't designed to go that long. I've seen some cars go 15K before the change oil message comes on, mostly Acadias and Enclaves, but that was before the recall

for the $30 or so it cost for a synthetic oil change, it's not worth it for me to go over 3K.

sludge in the engine, VVT actuators and solenoids plugging up etc. and the oil change history. Like I said, when ever we see the issues, it's always cars that wait for the light to come on. Of course since GM stands my their OLM, it's always covered under warranty.

couple of questions:
warranty; did you ever do an oil analysis on these engines?
do you supply dexos oil at your dealership in bulk?
chains: ever measure one? I find Ecotec timing chains are darn good, the tensioners and guides and lubrication perhaps less so. But in the many engines I have seen and the ones I have driven for hundreds of thousands of miles, I have not seen a stretched chain.

I have seen lots of bad tensioners, broken guides and too small oilers.

GM manuals have specific instructions for folks who drive their vehicles, and the oil light monitor doesnt come on for a long period, to change oil over a specific time frame.

It sounds as a tech with your credentials should know, BUT perhaps you dont know, how the alogrithm that determines oil changes was developed and how it works. I can send you a link if you are interested.

Basically for normal drivers, driving a good driving cycle, at least 20 miles each run and at highwway speeds, well ,changing the oil every spring and every fall would do.

specific driving cycles - short runs, never getting to preferred oil temperature , etc, specifically cause the OLM to light up earlier, as it should.

Hard running with tunes , the OLM is out the window, and changes like SLVVRED and the others here, is appropriate. Note that these motors are tuned, the drivers run hard, and they use the very best synthetic motor oils for their engine, in 5w30. OLM did not contemplate tuned engines in the test /validation series.

Proper oil specification is important, which is why I ask if you have dexos in bulk. Most dealerships seem to run two tanks one dexos and one not, and it would be easy to understand how incorrect oil could be used and could lead to issues like sludge build up.

The larger issue with LNF engines is DI valve coking; using low ash engine oil, correct octane from Tier1 suppliers, and changing drive cycles are among the ways drivers can combat this issue as well as upgrading the PCV system.

The LSJ and LAP LE5 engines are much happier and have a very good life. Oil consumption in forced induction engines can also be traced quite often to poor fuel octane which may cause ring flutter and bearing damage.

And please give me a link where the NHTSA or EPA have required GM to put OLM in their vehicles I would like to see this. Thanks.

I'm not going to get into a huge argument with you because I'm not a great debater, I'm just trying to tell everyone what we experience everyday in the dealership.

I know how the alogrithm works, and I know GM has stretched it because of pressure from the government. New regulations are out, that's why Dexos was created.

here's an article I found doing a google search about the GF-5 regulation: Signposts on the Road to GF-5

We don't test oil samples, my dealer warranties everything to keep the customer happy.

yes we have a 500 gallon Dexos tank.