Zogs2011

Is there any reason not to wait until your "oil life" is close to 0% for your first oil change?

TripleAstyle123

If you bought the car NEW I would only run it 2-3k miles before the 1st oil change. This is because I would assume a new engine will have initial "increased" wear, thus more metal shavings and gunk from the motor in the oil. After that I would watch the monitor and only go 5k miles no matter what it says.

el es tu

the oil life monitor doesnt have a special sensor to tell when the oil needs replacement
there is no real way to tell the oil quality unless you were have it analyzed at lab.

temperature driving style and engine running time should be the factors to consider when changing oil.

the constant carbon buildup of just running an engine is one of the main reasons to change the oil, even if it does have "life" left in it.

hope this helps!

HOXXOH

The algorithm that calculates oil life takes into account far more variables than most people realize, yet still maintains a significant safety factor.

Years ago, the only method available to gauge oil life was the odometer. Now a computer can count engine revolutions, stop and start cycles, load in relation to fuel useage, heat, and maybe more. It's far more accurate. Just like the engine tolerances and machines to make them are vastly improved, so are the oils and the filters.

Mileage means almost nothing anymore. It's possible to run the oil life to 0 in less than 500 miles or to make it last for 20,000 miles, all depending on how it's driven.

It's amazing how some people easily accept many forms of technology, yet when it comes to oil changes for their car, they refuse to budge from the days of non-detergent oil and splash lubrication.

The bottom line is: Follow the manual. Change oil when the DIC message says to at 3% and before 600 miles after 0%.

RamAir972003

Yes they are correct some oil life is more significant that others, some oils start breaking down after 7k it just depends. I would change it every 5 6 on the Vette. I use Mobil and amsoil. Mobil burns about half a quart as to amsoil doesn't.

Zogs2011

Thanks, I planned on doing the first change around 1000 or so just because of habit I guess. I will probably let the oil change monitor determine all of the following oil changes, unless I do any modiifcations.

SUB VETTE

I follow the oil change monitor or 1 year, whichever comes first.

VET4LES

But at least once a year.

HOXXOH

Yeah! Sorry 'bout that oversight. I keep forgetting about all those Vette owners who don't drive their cars unless it's on a warm sunny weekend.

JoesC5

Buy yourself a new LS9 crate engine for $21,000 and GM will throw in a set of installation and break in instructions at no extra charge. Since the LS9 crate engine is built side by side with the LS9 engines that are sent to Bowling Green, side by side with the LS7 and the dry sump LS3 engines sent to bowling green, one can expect them all to be pretty much the same as far as cleanliness is concerned, etc.

So, what does GM recommend for breaking in the LS9 and LS7 crate engines.

Run the engine for 30 miles(1 hour) and change the oil and filter. Inspect the oil and filter.Then run the engine for 500 miles(12-15 hours) and change the oil and filter again. Inspect the oil and filter.

While I personally don't think the 30 mile oil change is necessary, GM does, but I do believe in changing the oil at 500 miles on a new engine. The idea is that if there is a mechanical problem with the engine, you want to try and catch it as soon as possible, not some 5,000 to 10,000 miles later,after it is ready to self destruct. Odds are that you won't find a problem, but GM must think there is a chance, so they put the oil change schedule in their instructions.

After that, change the oil using the DIC but at least once a year.

http://www.gmperformanceparts.com/_r...ngines/LS9.pdf

FloydSummerOf68

My first oil change was close to the 10k mark. I think it was right at 5% life left.

That would all be fantastic, relevant information if the OP was buying a crate engine.

...but because he's asking about the motor in his current C6, it has no relevance. The motor is already broken in in his car.

JoesC5

What's the difference between a new engine in a new car, and a new engine in a crate? Both engines are built the same and in the same facility. Both need to be broken in. Both need oil changes. That new engine in that new car was basically a crate engine before it was installed. It was shipped from Wixom to Bowling green in a crate.

HOXXOH

Just as a guess, I'd say that the crate engine had never been fired at Wixom and the engine installed at BG was at least run checked before it left the door and run again when it was loaded/unloaded in shipping, plus whatever the dealer did and the lot boy who road tested it.

Probably the biggest difference is the expected average buyer of a whole Vette is not going to hammer the motor like the normal crate engine buyer.

Of course, GM gives a 5yr/100K mile warranty of all the engines already installed, but only a 24 mo. on a non-wixom LS3 crate motor and the LS7 may have even less.

FloydSummerOf68

Well one apparently needs break-in cycles and the other does not.

GOLD72

No - it's more like GM really really doesn't want to tell a new car owner that to be really safe with his new car and its new engine, change the oil/filter at 30 miles and again at 500 miles. Just saying. A crate engine buyer won't likely be upset with those instructions.

GOLD72

Every engine gets dynoed to measure performance at Wixom. The next running of the engine is after its installed in the car and the car rolls under its own power to the dyno booth at BG prior to entering the water spray booth.

http://americanautoworker.com/locati...ocation_id=423 see last paragraph.

goatts

Probably depends. I run mine pretty hard at track and drags. It usually starts looking dirty at 4 to 5k miles when monitor is at about 40 or 50% so that's when I change it. Don't like to ever go over 5k miles on any car.

FloydSummerOf68

Please show me ANYTHING to prove that what you just said isn't something you just made up and that there should be an involved break-in procedure for the motors that come in newly purchased Corvettes.

HOXXOH

This is a perfect example of how the technology of the monitor proves itself. You get about 83 miles for each percent shown on the DIC when driven hard.
i.e. 4500 miles and 54% used.

I'm currently at 6676 miles since the last change and the DIC reads 60%. i.e. 171 miles per DIC percent. That's double the miles you get.

Even though I had two trips to the drags, I also had a 5881 mile road trip included, where the majority of the miles were at a leisurely 1500-1600 RPM.

Just like engine revolutions per mile driven produce MPG, the revolutions also are the primary key to determine oil life.

In either case, the distance the car traveled has no bearing on the amount of fuel or oil life consumed.

truckplay

I beat on mine. I changed the oil at 1k when new and since then it gets a cocktail of Mobil 1 & Lucas every 5k. DIC reads @ 50% most times.