All Engines: Oil Change How-To with picture!
05-17-2007, 02:03 AM
#126
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Just wanted to express my thanks to the thread maker for taking the time to make this. it really helped me with my first oil change today. and saved me some time and money too.Thanks!
05-21-2007, 04:11 PM
#127
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whoever made this thread helped me save a lot of money.it usually cost me about $80.00 to get an oil change. i bought 12 quarts of oil and 3 oil filters for that price. im basically saving about $160.00 since i have enough for 2 oil changes. ialso switched to royal purple and i feel a difference in how the car responds now. it feels like it has more power!!
05-25-2007, 01:05 AM
#129
Senior Member
AH-mazing...this is way better than all-data or mitchell on demand lol..makes that look silly haha ...it tells you to do everything UNDER the supercharger...WHY when you could follow this ? 
05-29-2007, 03:20 AM
#131
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If you don't use synthetic oil, change your oil every 3000 miles or every 60 days, whichever comes first. If you use the synthetic blends, do the same. If you use fully synthetic oil you can go between 6000 and 10,000 miles or one year between changes.
I've torn down a number of engines that were run 200,000 miles on 10,000 mile oil changes , synthetic oil, and wear was minimal.
Synthetic oil does 4 things for you:
1. Synthetic oil is formulated to have the proper characteristics without the need for additives. Regular oil, and synthetic blends, need additives to achieve the proper physical properties. As the additives wear out, sludge is also formed. Hence more frequent oil changes.
2. Synthetic oil can be formulated to withstand higher temperatures. Because of this, regular oil, and synthetic blends, will start to form sludge at far lower temperatures than synthetic oil.
3. Synthetic oil has far better film strength, reducing wear.
4. Synthetic oil flows better over a wide range of temperatures, reducing wear.
Synthetic blends are a waste of money. The regular oil in the blend forms sludge just as easily as if it weren't blended. Blends are just a marketing ploy. Treat them as conventional oil that costs more.
If you use two different oils, and one gets dirtier than the other, in the same engine, the dirtier oil is the BETTER oil!!! X amount of contaminants is getting into your engine, the oil you use has no effect on that. The dirtier oil is picking up more of the contaminants so that the filter can do it's job. The excess dirt is removed when you change the oil. Clean oil just means the detergent package is failing to do it's job and the dirt is still sitting in your engine, forming sludge.
If you haven't picked up on it, sludge is bad. It will eventually destroy your engine.
When you have a new engine, change the oil at 1000 miles!!! Change it later and engine life is dramatically reduced due too excessive metal fillings in your oil. Change it earlier and engine life is dramatically reduced due too early removal of important engine break-in additives in the oil.
Hpe this helps some of the confusion!
Nak
I've torn down a number of engines that were run 200,000 miles on 10,000 mile oil changes , synthetic oil, and wear was minimal.
Synthetic oil does 4 things for you:
1. Synthetic oil is formulated to have the proper characteristics without the need for additives. Regular oil, and synthetic blends, need additives to achieve the proper physical properties. As the additives wear out, sludge is also formed. Hence more frequent oil changes.
2. Synthetic oil can be formulated to withstand higher temperatures. Because of this, regular oil, and synthetic blends, will start to form sludge at far lower temperatures than synthetic oil.
3. Synthetic oil has far better film strength, reducing wear.
4. Synthetic oil flows better over a wide range of temperatures, reducing wear.
Synthetic blends are a waste of money. The regular oil in the blend forms sludge just as easily as if it weren't blended. Blends are just a marketing ploy. Treat them as conventional oil that costs more.
If you use two different oils, and one gets dirtier than the other, in the same engine, the dirtier oil is the BETTER oil!!! X amount of contaminants is getting into your engine, the oil you use has no effect on that. The dirtier oil is picking up more of the contaminants so that the filter can do it's job. The excess dirt is removed when you change the oil. Clean oil just means the detergent package is failing to do it's job and the dirt is still sitting in your engine, forming sludge.
If you haven't picked up on it, sludge is bad. It will eventually destroy your engine.
When you have a new engine, change the oil at 1000 miles!!! Change it later and engine life is dramatically reduced due too excessive metal fillings in your oil. Change it earlier and engine life is dramatically reduced due too early removal of important engine break-in additives in the oil.
Hpe this helps some of the confusion!
Nak
06-05-2007, 09:57 AM
#135
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Hey, good write up. I just wanted to add one piece of advice. On a few post scattered about the threads some have mentioned difficulty getting a good read on the dipstick. I noticed this at first too and I've been changing my oil for years. It seems you have to let the car sit a little longer (15-30 minutes) than I was used to. Also if you always insert the dipstick with the hatch marks facing in towards the engine it gives a consistent read. I've wiped it and put in sideways and it came out oil on the top notch and bottom notch and nothing in between. Sticking it in hatch side towards the engine seems to work better. My $.02
06-27-2007, 12:29 AM
#138
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Do not listen to your dealer. A cobalt SS/SC can go 8000-10000km on an oil change (or about 6000 miles). Dealers and shops tell you to do it earlier just to make money. I change my oil exactly at 8500km intervals and have never gone under 12% oil life, this is also more convienant as I do my tire rotation at every oil change. Regardless of miles driven never leave any type of oil in your crankcase for more than 6 mths as the oil will start to break down over time and lose its viscosity
07-26-2007, 12:04 AM
#142
Senior Member
just for clarification to some of the posts i've seen on the first couple of pages here, now im sorry if some of these have been answered because i haven't read after page 4 but
1. In answer to the oil pan drain plug yes it is a 15mm socket.
2. For all of you who are a little cautious about what type of socket to use on the oil filter cap, there is an ecotec socket specifically for the ecotec oil cap.
3. As for how much oil goes into the 2.2L and the 2.4L it is actually 4.9L (5.2 Quarts) of oil, and the supercharged is 6.0L (6.3 Quarts) and the level will not always be at the full line right after you do your oil change. to get an accurate reading the car has to sit for 12 hours so all of the oil can drain in the pan.
4. Now im not gonna bullshit about the OLM i don't know exactly how it monitors the oil, all i know is i don't trust monitors like that and change mine every 5,000km (3,000 miles). that is the recommend interval for oil changes. its not by what the color of the oil looks like, the reason behind this is after 5,000km the oil begins to break down and doesn't lubricate like it should, thus adding wear to your internals of the motor.
5. the oil changes with the mobil1 do cost more simply because the oil costs more. if it were a regular 5w30 oil it would be half the cost.
6. as for the PF457G oil filter i don't know if they have discontinued them in the states but up here in canada we are still using those oil filters.
this is some info i have picked up from my work as i do oil changes all day long while im waiting for my apprenticeship at the gm dealership i work for.
1. In answer to the oil pan drain plug yes it is a 15mm socket.
2. For all of you who are a little cautious about what type of socket to use on the oil filter cap, there is an ecotec socket specifically for the ecotec oil cap.
3. As for how much oil goes into the 2.2L and the 2.4L it is actually 4.9L (5.2 Quarts) of oil, and the supercharged is 6.0L (6.3 Quarts) and the level will not always be at the full line right after you do your oil change. to get an accurate reading the car has to sit for 12 hours so all of the oil can drain in the pan.
4. Now im not gonna bullshit about the OLM i don't know exactly how it monitors the oil, all i know is i don't trust monitors like that and change mine every 5,000km (3,000 miles). that is the recommend interval for oil changes. its not by what the color of the oil looks like, the reason behind this is after 5,000km the oil begins to break down and doesn't lubricate like it should, thus adding wear to your internals of the motor.
5. the oil changes with the mobil1 do cost more simply because the oil costs more. if it were a regular 5w30 oil it would be half the cost.
6. as for the PF457G oil filter i don't know if they have discontinued them in the states but up here in canada we are still using those oil filters.
this is some info i have picked up from my work as i do oil changes all day long while im waiting for my apprenticeship at the gm dealership i work for.
07-30-2007, 12:32 PM
#143
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4. Now im not gonna bullshit about the OLM i don't know exactly how it monitors the oil, all i know is i don't trust monitors like that and change mine every 5,000km (3,000 miles). that is the recommend interval for oil changes.
... i do oil changes all day long while im waiting for my apprenticeship at the gm dealership i work for.
... i do oil changes all day long while im waiting for my apprenticeship at the gm dealership i work for.
07-30-2007, 09:15 PM
#144
Senior Member
yes i agree both have a different opinion but regardless of this oil life doesn't change. and yes you can go a little bit longer on a oil change without hurting your motor but those are the recommend interval's as the oil still has its lubricating properties intact. and its not the dealer's fault that they buy the oil at a certain price and are acting as a business and has a little bit of a mark up. now im all for people doing their own oil changes but sometimes you have to take it to a dealer as you aren't just getting an oil change you are also getting a small inspection everytime to make sure there is nothing going wrong under your hood and such.
my 2 cents anyways.
my 2 cents anyways.
07-31-2007, 07:02 PM
#146
Senior Member
ya it takes me 20 minutes if im not interrupted and parts is backed up. but usually the wait time is because there are huge amounts of waiters. we actually start turning people away because we get so many oil changes.
08-03-2007, 04:35 PM
#148
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08-09-2007, 11:35 AM
#149
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Excuse me for bringing up something that was on page 4 or 5 or around there...
But I'm about to do this myself, however, the topic of lubricating the chasis came up.
When I used to get my oil changed on my Cavalier, my oil changes included this. Now, where I'll be doing it myself, it won't be getting done.
Then someone said ours are sealed, and that the dealer/oil change place wouldn't be able to do this anyway.
Am I correct in the assumption that I don't have to worry about lubing the chasis on my 2007 Cobalt LT?
Just don't want to F anything up.
Thank you for your help.
But I'm about to do this myself, however, the topic of lubricating the chasis came up.
When I used to get my oil changed on my Cavalier, my oil changes included this. Now, where I'll be doing it myself, it won't be getting done.
Then someone said ours are sealed, and that the dealer/oil change place wouldn't be able to do this anyway.
Am I correct in the assumption that I don't have to worry about lubing the chasis on my 2007 Cobalt LT?
Just don't want to F anything up.
Thank you for your help.
08-09-2007, 12:07 PM
#150
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For those of you having problems resetting the oil life indicator. You have to turn your key to "on" the pres BOTH buttons (Info, and reset) that gets you into the personal settings, then cycle to "Oil Life Reset". Press and hold the reset button. Now your oil life is reset.
It's right in the Car's manual too.
It's right in the Car's manual too.