Silverado oil question

[Huskie]

I bought a 2010 Silverado this past fall and have since put on about 3,000 miles. I was considering an oil change, but it still reads 63% oil remaining. Does this truck use the synthetic extended use oil? Or is the oil "meter" incorrect. The manual says to use GM6094m, 5-30. Do I need to bring it in to a chevy dealer for the oil change or can my local wrench do the job?

[leechlake]

I have a 2011 and I do use synthetic and I also go by the oil percentage indicator. You don't need to change at 3000 miles and anyone can do it, I use the most convenient place which is not the dealer.

[Ufatz]

Don't over-complicate your life. Synthetic oil is fine Mobil 1 is what I put in a couple similar trucks of similar vintage.

And personally I refuse to trust ANY of these cute little "gauges,indicators and level lights" Check the oil the old fashioned way. On a 2009 I had you had to keep an eye on the oil level because for some reason some beasts of that year seemed to gobble oil like lutefisk loving long longshoreman.

No offense to longshoremen. Or lutefisk lovers either.

Don't worry. You'll be fine.

[M1dwestF1sh]

I work at valvoline and I'd tell ya the same thing. Don't trust the light trust the miles. Most places will be able to reset that indicator for you after they change your oil. Also the oil doesn't have to be exactly that. Just run a 5w30 and you'll be good. Up to you if you want synthetic or not but every oil company or place has quiet a few different 5w30s you can use.

[Capt. H (Ret.)]

I have the 2011 Silverado and the manual calls for 5w30 Dexos which is a GM brand. It is not a full synthetic oil and I believe there are other brands that are not full synthetic also. So I think it would be OK to even use Mobil 1 which is full synthetic.

I have my truck serviced by Chevrolet because they are convenient to schedule with and their prices are very competitive with the local shops.

I asked about the "remaining oil life sensor" and was told that it reads how many start-stop cycles the engine goes through, if it reached warm-up temp during operation and how many hours of operation were recorded.

My service advisor told me it would be OK to go over the 3,000 miles between changes as long as the oil level was within normal range. I started going beyond the 3,000 mile recommendation about 2 years ago. I just checked my truck and there is 4,300 miles on the oil with 46% of the oil life remaining so I will get it changed in the next week or so.

Mike

[Jeremy airjer W]

If your going to run higher miles than use an oil that can take it. Mobil synthetic blends are good for 5k, Super synthetics are good for 6k, full synthetics (mobile 1) up to 10k.

If your using conventional I personally would not go over the 5k mark and I would definitely check it at 2,500 to 3,000 miles to make sure everything was good. Your running 6 quarts in a fairly decently built domestic engine it should be able to handle 5k.

If I remember right GM had a recal to recalibrate oil life monitors on some of the smaller SUV's to shorten the oil life. I'm not sure why but one would have to believe that the oil life monitors are certainly not capable of factoring all the variables and they are nothing more than a computer program created by engineers.

Just my

[harvey lee]

MY last Silverado had Mobil 1 in it and got changed every 5,000 miles, I could acre less what the thing says, Took it to 245,000 and it still went the 5,000 using maybe a 1/2 quart.

My new 2014 will get the same treatment. I have been using Mobil 1 for the past 30 years and I love the oil and all my engines have also. I believe you may use whatever oil you choose, just keep clean oil and a filter in the motor and it should treat u right.

[crothmeier]

I don't use the oil life monitor on mine, i have the dealership change mine with Dexos and run it for 5,000 miles. Line the oil change up on the 5 and 10k mile mark on the odometer and you'll always know when you're due.

I get buy 4 get the 5th free deal, cant go wrong there.

[Finns]

I get buy 4 get the 5th free deal, cant go wrong there.

How much for the first 4?

[Ufatz]

Enough to cover dealers cost for the FREE one.

[walleyewiz0212]

I have a 2012 Chevy Silverado. I change at every 3-4K miles no matter what the meter says. I grew up changing every 3k miles so that's what I still plan on doing. I also use full synthetic oil. I change all my own oil. Very simple.

[leechlake]

I'm not a mechanical guy so I may be speaking out of school on this and I understand changing oil frequently has zero negative impact except you are spending money on the change.

If the owners manual says to change oil at 5500 miles (hypothetical number) why change it at 3000? Assuming just driving under "normal" conditions for the specific vehicle. In my thought that 3000 mile thing was back when motor technology was different, because oil change companies want you coming in more frequently than needed. With today's 100,000 warranty's why would the truck manufacturer put the 5500 mile number in the manual if that wasn't what should be done?

I'm certainly not hacking on anyone for choosing to do what they want, to me it seems like putting premium fuel in when regular unleaded works fine. Just curious?

[M1dwestF1sh]

I believe the number is 70 but it might be 75% of drivers don't drive under what is classified as "normal" driving. The dealers just doesnt make it clear what severe driving is. If its stop and go driving like cities or traffic or if you tow anything its consider harsh. Especially in in here where we get snowy and cold winters.

[JOHNBIGDOG]

Directly from a 2014 F150 owners manual (amazing what you can find in that book no one ever reads)

Normal: normal commuting with highway driving. No, or moderate load or towing. Flat to moderate hilly roads and NO EXTENDED IDLING.

Severe: moderate to heavy load or towing. Mountainous or off road conditions. Extended idling. Extended hot or cold operation.

Extreme: maximum load or towing. Extreme hot or cold operation.

I dont think its the dealers job to tell the owner how to maintain there vehicle, but make suggestions to extend the life of the vehicle. Its up to the owner to take the necessary precautions. Just like a doctor suggests you to this to prevent that. The doctor can't watch you and slap your wrist every time you make an unhealthy decision or tell you not damage yourself.

[JOHNBIGDOG]

oil change intervals (when the change oil required message appears in the message center)

Normal 7.5 -10k

Severe 5-7.5k

extreme 3-5

Sorry, it's hard to edit on the cell phone.

My TDI vw normal interval is 10k I change it at 5k with oem oil and filters. I also use all oem maintainer items as well. Just me, I save about 41002 bucks performing the 60k service myself last weekend. Not everyone can do this, but everyone should be aware of what needs to be done as per their owners guide, if they have one.

[Macgyver55]

I save about 41002 bucks performing the 60k service myself last weekend. Not everyone can do this

WOW, saving that much....I doubt anyone could!

[JOHNBIGDOG]

I have no idea why my phone feels the need to auto correct numbers. I was so careful to proofread...

400, 400 I say.

Failure on my part. Well, I leave it and everyone can laugh.

[LightningBG]

I would never ever consider changing my oil at 3K miles. I use Mobil 1 Full Syn and go about 8000 miles between changes. 180K miles and haven't ever had any trouble related to the engine.

Here is an article about the subject from Edmunds.com

Quote:

Stop Changing Your Oil!

Breaking the 3,000-Mile Habit

Republished: 04/23/2013 (Original Date: 08/24/2010) - by Philip Reed, Senior Consumer Advice Editor Ronald Montoya, Consumer Advice Editor

Oil chemistry and engine technology have evolved tremendously in recent years, but you'd never know it from the quick-change behavior of American car owners. Driven by an outdated 3,000-mile oil change commandment, they are unnecessarily spending millions of dollars and spilling an ocean of contaminated waste oil.

The majority of automakers today call for oil changes at either 7,500 or 10,000 miles, and the interval can go as high as 15,000 miles in some cars. Yet this wasteful cycle continues largely because the automotive service industry, while fully aware of the technological advances, continues to preach the 3,000-mile gospel as a way to keep the service bays busy. As a result, even the most cautious owners are dumping their engine oil twice as often as their service manuals recommend.

After interviews with oil experts, mechanics and automakers, one thing is clear: The 3,000-mile oil change is a myth that should be laid to rest. Failing to heed the service interval in your owner's manual wastes oil and money, while compounding the environmental impact of illicit waste-oil dumping.

Scared Into Needless Service

Part of the blame for this over-servicing lies in our insecurities about increasingly complicated engines that are all but inaccessible to the average driver. Pop open the hood of a modern car, and a mass of plastic covers wall off the engine. On some vehicles, the only thing an owner can easily access is the oil cap.

"Vehicles are so sophisticated that oil is one of the last things that customers can have a direct influence over," said Matt Snider, project engineer in GM's Fuels and Lubricants Group. "There's maybe some feeling that they're taking care of their vehicle if they change their oil more often."

The 3,000-mile myth is also promoted by the quick-lube industry's "convenient reminder" windshield sticker. It is a surprisingly effective tool that prompts us to continue following a dictate that our fathers (or grandfathers) drummed into our heads: It's your duty to change your oil every 3,000 miles — or your car will pay the price. But as former service advisor David Langness put it, the 3,000-mile oil change is "a marketing tactic that dealers use to get you into the service bay on a regular basis. Unless you go to the drag strip on weekends, you don't need it."

Car dealers' service departments are also guilty of incorrectly listing the mileage for the next oil change. We've seen them recommend a 3,000-mile oil change on a car with a 10,000-mile interval and also list a 5,000-mile recommendation on a car that has a variable oil change schedule.

Because busy car owners seldom read their owner's manuals, most have no idea of the actual oil change interval for their cars. And so they blindly follow the windshield reminder sticker, whether it's an accurate indicator of the need for an oil change or not. "I just go by the sticker in the windshield," one well-to-do, educated Denver Lexus owner said. "Otherwise, how would I know when to change it?"

A career Navy mechanic who bought an Edmunds.com long-term car just shrugged when he was told that the vehicle had safely gone 13,000 miles between oil changes. "I'll just keep changing the oil every 5,000 miles," he said. "It's worked well for me in the past."

Our oil-change addiction also comes from the erroneous argument that nearly all cars should be serviced under the "severe" schedule found in the owner's manual. In fact, a quiz on the Web site maintained by Jiffy Lube International Inc. (owned by petrochemical giant Shell Oil Company) recommends the severe maintenance schedule for virtually every kind of driving pattern.

The argument that most people drive under severe conditions is losing its footing, however. A number of automakers, including Ford and GM, have contacted Edmunds data editors to request that the maintenance section of Edmunds' site substitute the normal maintenance schedule for the severe schedule that had been displayed.

About the only ones that really need a 3,000-mile oil change are the quick-lube outlets and dealership service departments. In their internal industry communications, they're frank about how oil changes bring in customers. "Many people...know when to have their oil changed but don't pay that much attention to it," said an article in the National Oil and Lube News online newsletter. "Take advantage of that by using a window sticker system [and] customers will be making their way back to you in a few short months."

Another National Oil and Lube News article tied the frequency of oil changes to success in pushing related products and services. For a midsize SUV, the stepped-up oil change intervals will bring in $1,800 over the life of the car, the article says. "A few extra services [or oil changes] can go a long way toward increasing the amount of money a customer will spend during the lifespan we estimated here," the article concludes.

Today's Oil Goes the Distance

While the car-servicing industry is clear about its reasons for believing in the 3,000-mile oil change, customers cling to it only because they're largely unaware of advances in automotive technology. Among 2013 models, the majority of automakers call for oil changes at either 7,500 or 10,000 miles based on a normal service schedule, more than double the traditional 3,000-mile interval. The longest oil change interval is 15,000 miles for all Jaguar vehicles. The shortest oil change interval is 5,000 miles in some Hyundai and Kia models with turbo engines and Toyota vehicles that call for non-synthetic oil. Toyota has been shifting its fleet to 10,000-mile oil change intervals using synthetic oil.

"Oil has changed quite a bit and most of that isn't transparent to the average consuming public," said Robert Sutherland, principal scientist at Pennzoil Passenger Car Engine Lubricants.

Synthetic oils, such as the popular Mobil 1, are stretching oil change intervals, leaving the 3,000-mile mark in the dust. "The great majority of new vehicles today have a recommended oil change interval greater than 3,000 miles," said Mobil spokeswoman Kristen A. Hellmer. The company's most advanced synthetic product (Mobil 1 Extended Performance) is guaranteed for 15,000 miles.

Today's longer oil change intervals are due to:

Improved "robustness" of today's oils, with their ability to protect engines from wear and heat and still deliver good fuel economy with low emissions

More automakers using synthetic oil

Tighter tolerances (the gap between metal moving parts) of modern engines

The introduction of oil life monitoring systems, which notify the driver when an oil change is required and are based on the way the car is driven and the conditions it encounters. Sixteen of 34 carmakers now use oil life monitoring systems in their 2013 model-year vehicles, including all three domestic automakers. That represents a majority of the vehicles sold in the U.S.

One GM car Edmunds drove went 13,000 miles before the monitoring system indicated the need for an oil change. We sent a sample of that oil to a lab for analysis. The results showed that the oil could have safely delivered at least another 2,000 miles of service.

Oil experts and car manufacturers are solidly on the side of the less-frequent oil changes that these formulation changes make possible. "If customers always just stayed with the 3,000-mile recommendation, there'd be these great strides in the robustness of oil that oil companies have made [that] wouldn't be utilized," said GM's Matt Snider. Consumers, he said, would be "throwing away good oil."

Chris Risdon, a product education specialist for Toyota agreed, adding that oil technology advances that permit fewer changes are a tool to protect the environment. "If you're doing it half as much, that's 5 quarts of oil times 1.7 million vehicles a year — that's a tremendous amount of waste oil that's not being circulated into the environment."

Waste oil is a problem exacerbated by too-frequent oil changes, according to the California Integrated Waste Management Board, which has campaigned against the 3,000-mile dictate. The agency says that 153.5 million gallons of used oil is generated in California annually, but only 59 percent of it is recycled.

Our Fit Gets Taken for a Ride

Before the initial publication of this article in August 2010, we took a 2007 Honda Fit to Jiffy Lube for an oil change to see what might happen to the average car owner. The car had an oil life monitoring system, and the system had recommended the past two oil change intervals at 5,500 miles and 7,600 miles on non-synthetic oil. In both cases, an engine oil analysis revealed that the oil could have provided at least another 2,000 miles of service.

On this occasion, we told the Jiffy Lube service advisor we were considering synthetic Mobil 1 because we heard it could extend our oil change intervals. The service advisor said the synthetic oil could enable the Fit to go 4,000 or 5,000 miles before the oil "burned out." The Mobil 1 oil change had a price tag of $92.39. The technician also took the opportunity to upsell us, recommending a cabin air filter for $49.99. The total for our visit, after a $15 coupon, was $132.72.

When the car was returned to us, the sticker in the window called for an oil change in 3,000 miles, not the 4,000 or 5,000 miles the service advisor had promised.

If we had been foolish enough to follow Jiffy Lube's 3,000-mile change schedule (which is essentially the advice given by all quick oil change outlets and dealership service departments), the Fit would have undergone four unnecessary oil changes per year (assuming 15,000 miles per year of driving), wasting $369 and 15.2 quarts of perfectly good oil. Over five years of the car's life and 60,000 miles of driving, this would have amounted to $1,847 and 125 quarts of wasted oil. This does not include other "upselling" items at each visit, such as cabin air filters.

Defending the 3,000-Mile Interval

The quick oil change industry justifies its perpetuation of the 3,000-mile standard by saying that most people drive under "severe" conditions. Jiffy Lube's quiz, mentioned earlier in this article, is one example of how that notion is reinforced in drivers' minds. An oil change company representative said the 3,000-mile recommendation is meant to be just that — a recommendation.

In 2010, Scott Cudini, innovations manager for Jiffy Lube, repeatedly called the 3,000-mile interval a good "fallback position," meant to be a guideline but not a hard-and-fast rule. He added that Jiffy Lube technicians would initiate a "dialogue" with customers about the oil change intervals that apply specifically to their cars.

"In most cases," Cudini said, "even if customers' cars have been plastered with that 3,000-mile sticker, they may have been told by the service advisor that, 'By the way, Sir/Madam, your interval is 5,500 miles.'" Based on our experience with the Honda Fit at Jiffy Lube, as well as at other quick-change outlets, technicians rarely initiate dialogues that could provide accurate information about oil change intervals. In fact, according to a Jiffy Lube spokesperson, the system for supplying technicians with answers only gives them information from a vehicle's severe schedule.

Turning Over a New Leaf?

Nearly 10 months after we first published this article, Jiffy Lube announced that it was undertaking a "new approach to oil changes that helps customers access and understand their vehicle manufacturer's recommendations, and choose the oil change schedule that is best for their needs."

We witnessed Jiffy Lube's "new approach" firsthand when we took one of our long-term cars in for an oil change in March 2013. When the sales representative approached us, we told him we didn't know if we needed an oil change or not. We said we weren't sure what the intervals were.

The technician looked up the oil change interval on his computer and said it was either 5,000 or 7,500 miles depending on how we drove the car. This, of course, is the traditional severe-versus-normal driving schedule. In the past, quick-change oil shops have tried to get everyone on the severe schedule because it means more business for them. But now, the technician said, "We can set the sticker for whatever you decide." This is just what we wanted to hear. No more 3,000-mile intervals glaring at us from the little sticker in the corner of the window.

But this was only a sample size of one. And even if all Jiffy Lube locations are onboard with the new approach, there are still hundreds of quick-lube shops that do things the old-fashioned way. Their deep fallback argument in favor of frequent oil changes is that they are a hedge against trouble. You can't hurt your engine by changing your oil too often, so doesn't that imply that it might actually help it? Well, no.

Steve Mazor, manager of American Automobile Association's Research Center, said that more-frequent-than-necessary oil changes will not "gain any additional life for your engine or any improved fuel economy." He added, "In reality it will make little or no difference to the performance of the vehicle."

The Right Time To Change Your Oil

So where does this leave the car owner who was raised on the perceived wisdom of the 3,000-mile oil change? For a full discussion, your next stop should be our related article, "When Should You Change Your Oil?," which will save you hundreds of dollars over the next few years and fully protect your car and its warranty, while limiting the use of a natural resource.

The short answer, meanwhile, is to consult your service manual or Edmunds' maintenance section to learn your car's actual oil change schedule. If your car has an oil life monitoring system, don't try to second-guess it. Understand how it works and follow its guidelines. To probe more deeply into this subject, consider sending a sample of the oil from your next oil change to a lab such as Blackstone Laboratories, for an inexpensive analysis. Our last suggestion? Rip that sticker off your windshield.

[crothmeier]

I get buy 4 get the 5th free deal, cant go wrong there.

How much for the first 4?

For the dexos change it usually runs me $34.95. The last time i had them replace a headlight bulb and windshield wipers and wasnt charged labor for either. Pricing on the bulb and blades was really good as well. Plus i get a vehicle inspection and all fluids topped off windshield washer included. I perceive this as a pretty good value.

[Finns]

For the dexos change it usually runs me $34.95. The last time i had them replace a headlight bulb and windshield wipers and wasnt charged labor for either. Pricing on the bulb and blades was really good as well. Plus i get a vehicle inspection and all fluids topped off windshield washer included. I perceive this as a pretty good value.

Vehicle inspection is 12 bucks down here. No matter who does it. It's not a freebee. State wants its money.

O'rielly's will replace bulbs, wipers and lots others after purchase of the product.

Oil change people top off all fluids also.

But then again,,,,,I'm in MO!