Just curious. GM oil life monitor.

[Merkava_4]

Depends on how expensive the oil is. With regular synthetic blend, I'll change at 50 percent.

With expensive Valvoline 5W-40 Synpower, I'll probably go down to 25 percent.

 

[HM12460]

I thank you all for your comment's.

 

[gabriel9766]

I follow the OLM down to about 15% on my Malibu on a full synthetic 0W20.

 

[FastLane]

I change mine always before 50%. Don't care. Changing your oil slightly early doesn't harm anything. 5000-6000 kms.

 

[nascarnation]

On my lease cars, I go to as near zero as I can hit.
On the one I own (2004) I change around 20% life remaining.

 

[das_peikko]

Don't you guys feel like you're wasting oil if you don't run it down to zero percent?

 

[Shannow]

Holden allow you to go to 0%, plus 1,000km (don't advise it but that's their comment in the manual).

0% works for me.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Originally Posted By: das_peikko
Don't you guys feel like you're wasting oil if you don't run it down to zero percent?


No and at one year my Duramax will tell you its zero if you have 2000 miles on it!

 

[SteveSRT8]

we have raised and killed many GM V8's here. OLM followed since 04. Last 6.0 sold had 500k miles on it, no smoke, no consumption, no leaks. Tough duty cycle.

It seems to be well calibrated in the V8's. Around 4400 miles it is at zero percent in our 3500 vans and Silverados have gone all the way past 10k miles, then we change it out. Using most any synthetic on sale with Fram filters, all purchased at Wally World.

So simple anyone can do it.

 

[irv]

Originally Posted By: Realfine69
Here is my opinion having worked for GM for 5 years.

Anyone that has a 2.4L or a 3.6L should use only full synthetic and run it no more than 6000 miles MAX. No more than 4000 miles if your only using the Dexos blend oil. With the full size pickups that have cylinder decativation with 6 quart oil pans (07-13) you should run full synthetic and not let it go more than 5000 miles. If you have the 14 and up cylinder deactivation engine with the 9 quart oil pan you can run the synthetic oil all the way down to 0% or the Dexos approved blend down to 30%. The 2.4 and 3.6 engines saw MASSIVE timing chain failure due to people following oil life monitors. GM even reprogrammed many vehicles to re-configure the software. The early 5.3 cylinder deactivation motors fried oil and burnt it in no time, fouling plugs and causing varnish everywhere chewing up cams and lifters as well. With the 14 and up newer direct injection motors they basically revised the entire engine and added the larger oil pan. With all that being said I ran my 2012 GMC Sierra to 3000 miles and changed it. My 2015 Silverado I use full synthetic and run it down to roughly 10%.


With my wife's 2017 3.6 Impala, I plan on changing it out in the spring no matter how many miles are on it because it is new (to us) and I don't know it's history prior to the 20,000 kms that were on it when we purchased it.

Like what you mentioned, since our first oil change, that was done in the fall, (Nov) I have noticed how fast the OLM descends. It is rather quick or far more quick than I have seen before on any vehicle.
Even though I have heard/read numerous times these new(er) 3.6's aren't like the older ones (much improved, supposedly?) I will still change our's twice a year regardless of the OLM with nothing but full synthetic, like it has now. (PP or PUP)

Aside from all that, it is funny, as humans, how we look/think about things. Not saying with a 100% certainty, but I would assume the manu's have also built in a buffer with their OLMs. Taking one down to "0" shouldn't be a problem, for most, as I would assume the buffer has been built into that number just like the manual states, change oil within a 1000 kms or 600 miles after it reaches "0".

 

[WiskyBadger]

I change our Verano around 20%. It has the 2.4 4cyl. That makes the mileage around 6700-7100 range

 

[bradtech]

I do 5k OCI on my 1.5l 2017 Malibu. I'm usually around 25-30% with AC Delco Gen1 Dexos2 5w30.

 

[zuluplus30]

5th Gen 5.3 Silverado. Intervals are set at 7500 by GM under ideal conditions. Usually go all the way to 0%/7500 running any Dexos 0W20 synthetic. When towing or really hot the OLM drops intervals to around 6800-7000mi.

 

[Patman]

With my 98 Corvette I would wait until it hit zero (and would even sometimes go a few thousand more miles), with my 2005 Corvette I didn't put miles on as fast so I would change the oil after about 2 years and the OLM would still not have hit zero yet. With my new Corvette I will wait until it hits zero, with the exception of the first oil change which I plan on doing around the 3000 mile mark.