Oil Life Monitor vs. Mileage vs. Time

[HOG]

Guys, I have a 2011 Buick Enclave with the 3.6 DI engine which I just picked up last August/2015.

The dealership I bought from was not a GM dealership, and they said they did an oil change before I took delivery. I dumped that oil after about 1500KM and poured in Pennzoil Platinum and used an Mobil 1 M1-212 filter. The vehicle is driven mostly short trips.

Now with most guys saying they do sometimes 2 OCI per year, and others saying go 10K to 20K on certain brands of oil, and Filters showing OCI's capable of 24K (I'm in Canada, and using KM).... whats one supposed to follow?? My Oil Life monitor will likely reach 10% or less with close to 5000KM or less on the clock... does this really mean the oil is done and needs to be changed? Or with high quality oil such as M1 or in my case Pennzoil should I be going by mileage? BTW, and 5qt jug of good quality oil at most WM or Canadian tires run close to $50 CAD.

I'm out of warranty now, so I don't have to worry about that, but want this vehicle to LAST forever.. lol.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Short tripping is hard on oil/engine, regardless if you run mineral or synthetic. Thats probably why your olm drops quickly.
I'd follow it.

 

[WobblyElvis]

Listen to the oil life monitor. If you want to save some money, use Canadian Tire synthetic. It goes on sale for $25/5litre jug a few times a year. My son has a Cadillac CTS with the same engine and it is doing fine on this oil.

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

I don't want to hijack this thread, but, I thought Canada had a HUGE supply of ground crude oil. This would make oil prices low up yonder, correct? Or, am I missing something here?

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: BlueOvalFitter
I don't want to hijack this thread, but, I thought Canada had a HUGE supply of ground crude oil. This would make oil prices low up yonder, correct? Or, am I missing something here?
$50 CAD is $36 US Dollars. So it isn't that bad.

 

[camrydriver111]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Originally Posted By: BlueOvalFitter
I don't want to hijack this thread, but, I thought Canada had a HUGE supply of ground crude oil. This would make oil prices low up yonder, correct? Or, am I missing something here?
$50 CAD is $36 US Dollars. So it isn't that bad.


That's because Chinese Tire haven't adjusted their prices to the current exchange yet. It will be $70 soon.

 

[Nate1979]

Follow OLM when short tripping.

 

[Rolla07]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Originally Posted By: BlueOvalFitter
I don't want to hijack this thread, but, I thought Canada had a HUGE supply of ground crude oil. This would make oil prices low up yonder, correct? Or, am I missing something here?
$50 CAD is $36 US Dollars. So it isn't that bad.


It doesnt work like that. Our dollar used to be on par and was actually higher for a tiny bit of time some years ago. We can get oil on sale for 32$ before tax or so for 5qt jug.

OP, I notice CT has deals pretty often for 5qt PP or M1. Worst case grab a couple 5qts when on sale for 32-33$. if you want to extend why not send a sample for someone to test? It would confirm if you can extend OCI.

 

[Rolla07]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Originally Posted By: BlueOvalFitter
I don't want to hijack this thread, but, I thought Canada had a HUGE supply of ground crude oil. This would make oil prices low up yonder, correct? Or, am I missing something here?
$50 CAD is $36 US Dollars. So it isn't that bad.


If you realized how much we pay in taxes off our salary and each purchase...you would get why 50$ is alot!!

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Use the OLM with a high quality synthetic that says dexos on it, and you will be fine

 

[HOG]

Originally Posted By: BlueOvalFitter
I don't want to hijack this thread, but, I thought Canada had a HUGE supply of ground crude oil. This would make oil prices low up yonder, correct? Or, am I missing something here?


Its kinda silly, we do have a LOT of crude oil, and we sell it to the US and abroad. And then, being smart, we usually buy it back at a higher price....

I don't mind the CT Formula synthetic stuff - I ran it for years when I had my 1995 Ford Mustang. I've read that many find PP to work the best in GM's 3.6DI, and don't mind spending a bit more for that (I do usually look for it on sale).

Sounds like most think following the OLM is the best way to go.... I personally USED to go by mileage, but this is when my cars didn't have an OLM, and I went by mileage to keep things easy (100k, 105, 110, etc) but if the concesus is OLM, I'll start going by that. I also plan to run the M1 for 2 OCI's, then switch to a FU for another 2 OCI's

 

[HOG]

Originally Posted By: Rolla07
If you realized how much we pay in taxes off our salary and each purchase...you would get why 50$ is alot!!


Exactly

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: HOG
Originally Posted By: Rolla07
If you realized how much we pay in taxes off our salary and each purchase...you would get why 50$ is alot!!


Exactly

My Health Insurance is $568.00 a month and I paid $5,000.00 in deductibles last year because I had three "procedures".

Yeah-you guys have issues....

 

[Gasbuggy]

Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: HOG
Originally Posted By: Rolla07
If you realized how much we pay in taxes off our salary and each purchase...you would get why 50$ is alot!!


Exactly

My Health Insurance is $568.00 a month and I paid $5,000.00 in deductibles last year because I had three "procedures".

Yeah-you guys have issues....



Sounds like you get to you pay for your issues (how it should be) and Hog and Rolla are broke because they're paying for everyone elses.

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

Also, from what I understand, Canada has the lowest cost health insurance and lowest prescription prices, both the lowest in the world. Is this true?

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: Gasbuggy
Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: HOG
Originally Posted By: Rolla07
If you realized how much we pay in taxes off our salary and each purchase...you would get why 50$ is alot!!


Exactly

My Health Insurance is $568.00 a month and I paid $5,000.00 in deductibles last year because I had three "procedures".

Yeah-you guys have issues....



Sounds like you get to you pay for your issues (how it should be) and Hog and Rolla are broke because they're paying for everyone elses.



The point being if our Canadian friends had $12,000.00 in taxes taken out for last year. And if so, how much went to Health Insurance? Those figures I quoted went to 100% health care.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Originally Posted By: BlueOvalFitter
I don't want to hijack this thread, but, I thought Canada had a HUGE supply of ground crude oil. This would make oil prices low up yonder, correct? Or, am I missing something here?
$50 CAD is $36 US Dollars. So it isn't that bad.

No, it is bad.

The price was much the same when our dollar was higher than yours. One cannot purchase oil at regular prices at Walmart or Canadian Tire, ever, unless one loves being gouged. I get Mobil Delvac 1 ESP 5w-40 for half that from the distributor, any day of the week.

 

[Merkava_4]

I take all three into consideration + color.

 

[WobblyElvis]

My neighbour, during the winter months, shovels his driveway every Wednesday afternoon whether it has snowed or not. Kind of like an old tradition.
Me? I look on the ground to see if there is snow there. Something like using an OLM.

 

[69GTX]

I've never had a car with an oil life monitor so I have no feel for what short tripping does in either hot or cold weather. So this morning I spent a little time reading a 2009 paper from Penn State Univ on constructing such an algorithm. Can't link it but you can find it by Googling "an engine oil life algorithm."

A couple of tidbits I ran across included:

-TBN decreases similarly for an 8,000 miles trip vs. short tripping for 500 miles.
-Winter short trips of -Oil temp penalty factor minimizes in the 122-270 deg F range
-Optimum oil operating temps are 176-266 deg F.
-Short tripping above an ambient temp of 77-80 deg F is easily countered.
-At ambient temps, organic oxidation (acids) are produced quite slowly, while at normal operating oil temps the reaction is greatly increased...a plus for cars that sit.

Didn't fully buy into the author's oil aging algo where after 2 yrs the oil is 100% spent, even for properly stored and maintained classic cars that are rarely driven. I wonder how much more advanced oil life algo's than when this paper was written 6 yrs ago?